Movies Books

This book was purchased as a gift. The recipient was delighted with it.

It's a great book overall, well written and researched, full of
really interesting facts and trivia. I can heartily recomend it to anyone with an interest in the movies.
Brilliant stuff!!!

This is an absolute must have for any fan of classic film who refuses to let all those great facts disappear into obscurity. An absolute hit at any party!

This is the type of book, that once you pick it up, you get lost in it and can't put it down for hours. It's really fun for movie buffs and anyone else who has ever enjoyed watching movies..(and that's all of us!). The stills bring back so many memories and you feel as though you're enjoying the movie all over again. The book makes a great gift (for yourself!) or someone you love. I highly recommend it!

The Guess Who What When & Where Picture Trivia Book Series
Dave Cutler
GreyCore Press 2004
2646 New Prospect Rd., Pine Bush N.Y. 12566
$17.95
Hardcover with spiral binding - 320 pg.'s
ISBN# 0-9742074-4-6
Reviewed by: Christina Francine
http://www.CFrancine.bizland.com

You say you know movies? Can you name a film by a single photograph with a bit of trivia to boot? Okay, how about specifics? Can you remember the actors? The title? When it was released? Who was the director? Well, Cutler's book will find out. What about your friends? Can they remember film specifics better than you?

This book is incredibly easy to use. A large spiral ring binding allows for fast flipping and the pages stay put. Each movie's picture and trivia questions are neat and organized. This makes instant quizzing and reference a breeze.

For each movie presented, Cutler provides two pages. On the left is a photograph from that particular movie and on the right; is the trivia. The trivia is broken into four sections. One section features `PICTURE TRIVIA' WITH FOUR questions (who, what, when, who) and are worth certain points. Another is titled `BONUS TRIVIA' WITH three questions, worth ten points each. The largest area covers interesting anecdotes and is titled, `ABOUT THIS MOVIE.' To the far right of the page and sitting at an angle, the answers to the questions; all in small print of course.

Book Mechanics:

*150 favorite movies
*Easy-to-hold, easy to pass 6x6 format with large spiral binding.
*Color and black and white photographs (depending upon film being color or black and white).
*Snappy colors, pictures, and questions.
*Protective sturdy cardboard case enabling quick and easy slide in and out use.
*Back matter that includes a listing of all the films featured with the companies that filmed them.

Book Excerpts:
(actual picture examples of outside cover, film photographs and trivia questions available at http://www.picturetrivia.com)

Who are the actors in this film?
What is the title of this film?
When was this film released?
Who is the director of this film?

Bonus Trivia
What classic rock song did the lead characters belt out in the "mirthmobile"?
In what city and state did they live?
To whose concert did they have backstage passes?

About This Movie
Before Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, there was Wayne and Garth, one of the more successful "Saturday Night Live" sketches to be parlayed into a feature film. The stars of this comedy about a pair of friends with their own local public access show have indelibly made their mark on popular culture with the catchphrase "Excellent!" and "Party On!"

The creator of this book, Dave Cutler, is an award-winning freelance artist. His images have appeared in leading publications and corporate literature for 18 years. His fascination for moviemaking began as a little boy and continues today. He's also published a children's book titled, `When I Wished I Was Alone,' Oct. 2003.

The publisher, GreyCore Press, says "This book is the first in a unique series of picture-based trivia books that use great b & w and color photographs to test reader's knowledge of their favorite entertainment pastimes." Their next in the series will be PICTURES TRIVIA: SPORTS EDITION, scheduled to release in 2005.

My Rating

*Quality - excellent
*Style of presentation and authenticity of facts, sources, etc. - excellent
*Ability to prove points - excellent
*Target audience or age group - anyone, especially movie buffs of all ages.
*Usage - easily used as a game for one or more.

Cutler's trivia book is a treat for those bitten by the movie madness bug. A playful way to test movie knowledge and memory. Perfect on a coffee table, a desk, or as a gift.

The book started with Guillermo del Toro (GdT) recounting how Hellboy went from being one of his favourite comic books to become a Hollywood movie he would direct.

Major characters in the book have their own biography pages, providing a little background for readers, like me, who didn't read the original comic book series. That was helpful.

Conceptual art was plentiful and are accompanied by the movie script. Short captions by artists explained how the art was created to fit into the vision of GdT. This book's main subject is most probably artistic direction with function. From the captions, every thing drawn has form, function and purpose. Here's a little quote from GdT:

"Let me make something abundantly clear --- in case you've been on Mars --- NO RED!!! --- Except for Hellboy or the atmospheres that are intimate/related to him: BROOM, LIZ, GRIGORY, and/or colors in WWII. - GdT"

This book was heavy on character design, set design, movie story boards and props design. Movie frame stills were hard to find.

For Hellboy fans, getting this book is a no brainer.

I've some pictures from the book. Do an internet search on "parka blogs hellboy"

Mike Mignola's HELLBOY is no longer a obscure character enjoyed by unwashed comic geeks thanks to Guillermo Del Toro & Revolution Studios.
A full finished script of the film is included, as well as some background stories on some key characters.
The book's preproduction art from Wayne Barlowe, Mike Mignola, Simeon Wilkins, & TyRuben Ellingson is no less than phenomenal. Creature, Prop, & Location designs are found throughout each page. Arguably, some of Wayne Barlowe's best designs can be found here. Even Guillermo Del Toro's sketches find their way into the book. This book makes for an excellent introduction to one of modern fiction's most unique characters.

Besides a complete shooting script and lots of commentary, this has tons of illustrations and concept art done by all the artists involved in the movie. It's wonderful to see Mike Mignola's and Wayne Barlowe's sketches following the development of all the various Hellboy monsters, characters and environments, and lots of stuff that didn't make it into the movie. A must for any fan of the film.

I was unfamiliar with the world of Hellboy prior to seeing the movie. When I did and when I ordered this book, I was blown away by the wealth of visual richness that inhabit the Hellboy universe. Being a collector of "Art of..." books, I realized that the strength of Hellboy lies in the visual galore. The book is fully detailed with drawings from every level of production as well as the closeness of working atmosphere between the filmakers and the creator of the original material not commonly known in Hollywood.

My only gripe in this book is that the structuring is kinda messed up and confusing, since the book mixes up the art section with the script.

A must have for art, comic and production design lovers, has lots new designs by Mignola Barlowe and other great artists including the prop makers. Includes beautiful pages illustrating both concept and the picture of the final prop supported by the commentaries and thinkings of the artist involved in the creation of that specific prop. It also includes the final shooting script, and images from Guillermo del Toro's notebook which are nice sketches and annotations depicting the first idea behind the final design of each character. Great!!! one of the best, just do not read it before watching the movie.

I first heard of David Skal from the Universal Classic Monster series of DVD's. David was on the accompanying documentary and did the audio commentary for Tod Browning's 1931 classic, Dracula. If you own the set and have run the documentary and, particularly, the commentary, then you've already experienced about three chapters of this book. What remains is a rich mine of details about every aspect of Dracula, the book, movies, and culture. And what a lot there is.

David's writing, like his speech, is precise, educated, and loaded with literary allusions. While no dilettante, I consider myself well read and was still left with the occasional "what the hell is talking about?" moment. The language is rich and occasionally reminds me of the mental images drawn by Anne Rice at the height of her powers. However, David is no snob and is not merely parading his impressive intellect - it's just that he knows so darn much about the subject.

And if I had any criticism of the book that would be it - David seems driven to exhaustively document every possible aspect of Dracula's existence. The detailed (and seemingly never ending) battles between Florence Stoker and the makers of "Nosferatu" is described in such detail that I wanted to scream "OKAY!! We get it! Nosferatu was a Dracula rip off and Flo didn't like it!!" But eventually the tale moves on and sets the stage for intricate negotiations between the Stoker estate and Universal. In retrospect (and considering how handsomely the studio profited) it's interesting to see that Universal bought almost unlimited use of the vampire for the paltry sum of $25,000.00 and is still making oodles of money hand over fist today. David covers all aspects of vampire lore from Byron's "The Giaour" (1813) to Mel Brooks' "Dracula, Dead and Loving It" (1995). And everything in between. Trust me, if it can be construed to be in any way connected with Dracula, it's in this book.

If you have any interest in gothic culture, or the movies that spawned it, this is a must have. Reading it is like enjoying an evening of conversation with a much beloved, if slightly eccentric, old friend, preferably over brandy in front of a glowing fireplace on a cold, cold night.

Down deep, we all agree with the fly-eating Renfield. That's why we can't get his Master out of our system. David J. Skal's book Hollywood Gothic explains a lot of the reasons why.

Hollywood Gothic is like David Skal's Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture. Hollywood Gothic and Screams of Reason both take horror motifs we know mostly from movies and trace them back to literature, where they originated.

Screams of Reason looks at the mad scientist figure in fiction, from central European vivisectionists like Dr. Frankenstein to postwar American A-bomb scientists. Hollywood Gothic is more narrow - - it covers Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, the plays adapted from it, and then the movies inspired by it - - F.W. Murnau's silent film Nosferatu, then the Universal and Hammer horror films.


Skal goes into detail about Bela Lugosi's career as Dracula on stage and film. He also digs up a lot of interesting information about the Spanish-language Dracula made simultaneously with the Bela Lugosi movie by producer Paul Kohner and cinematographer George Robinson - - who was responsible for the look of later Universal horror films like Dracula's Daughter and House of Dracula.

Kohner fell in love with and married the real star of the Spanish-language Dracula, Lupita Tovar as Eva - - the Mina Harker character - - and who could blame him. Skal calls her a "truly ingenuous ingenue." In Mexico she could barely go out in public without being mobbed.

Except for Bela Lugosi himself, almost everything about Kohner's Spanish version is better than Browning's. (That's my opinion from watching the movies, not just reading Hollywood Gothic.) Skal quotes people who worked on Tod Browning's Dracula that Browning was barely paying attention to the movie he was making.

For instance, when Dracula welcomes Jonathan Harker to his castle from the top of the staircase, in the English version a huge spider web is off to the side behind Dracula, but in the Spanish version Dracula is framed in the center of the web. We see Dracula rise from his coffin in the Spanish version where Browning just shows him suddenly standing there. (Seeing Christopher Lee rise from his coffin, or be destroyed in it, was always a high point of the Hammer movies for me.) Every night Kohner's director George Melford looked at the film Browning's crew shot during the day and improved on it for their version.

But there was (and is) something in the idea of the vampire that makes readers and audiences forgive hack storytelling.

If you haven't seen them already, you should watch the films before reading Hollywood Gothic. The Universal Legacy Collection of Dracula contains the Lugosi film, the Spanish-language version, Dracula's Daughter, and Son of Dracula. (There's more, but those are the best. Universal's release of the Legacy Collections of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man are the only good thing to come from the marketing of the movie Van Helsing.)

Hollywood Gothic has a lot of illustrations, many of which are theatrical and film ephemera from Skal's personal collection. (Yesterday I saw The Aristocrats - - Penn Gillette's documentary about the world's filthiest joke - - and one of the comedians was wearing a T-shirt with Dracula's face from the cover of the first Modern Library edition of the novel. SIDE NOTE: See The Aristocrats - - it's about how to tell a story and keep an audience hooked as much as it is about the history of blue humor.)

Reading Hollywood Gothic made me finally read Bram Stoker's novel. Because I've seen so many movies that tell the story I never read the book. While the writing style isn't great, at least it moves along, and you're introduced to Dracula right away.


I read over half of the 600-page novel The Historian - - apparently foredoomed to be a bestseller and a blockbuster movie - - and the character Dracula still hadn't made an appearance. I skimmed to the end and read the climax, but I was disappointed. When you build Dracula up as such a powerful being, it's hard to destroy him in a way that doesn't seem anticlimactic. (That's one of the reasons Kim Newman has given for why he started writing his Anno Dracula series - - if Dracula is such a terrible force, how could he be tracked down and killed so easily by an insane Dutch doctor and three upper-class twits who belong in the Drones Club with Bertie Wooster?)
And why do characters in The Historian struggle to find copies of Bram Stoker's novel at university libraries? It's been out in paperback all over the world since the early 1900s. Go to any W.H. Smith.

Filmmakers who've told the Dracula story understand something novelists sometimes don't - - Dracula shouldn't be just a menace offstage, he's the protagonist of the story. Dracula is the hero. He's the one we want to see - - and be. That's why our mothers were displeased when they caught us watching monster movies on TV when we were kids. Mom knew what we were thinking. The reason Stoker's novel works at all is because we're introduced to Dracula at the beginning, when Harker comes to Translyvania. What makes the novel disappointing is that we hardly see Dracula again after that.

But Skal reminds us that "La sangre es la vida." Dracula isn't going anywhere.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION: Check out Vampires: Los Muertos (see my review), the sequel to John Carpenter's Vampires, and an underrated movie. To me, it's a vampire movie that shows the monster as a Third World victim of globalist Van Helsings. (A rich white American woman can get the medicine she needs to stay alive (un-undead), while the brown vampire, stolen from her peasant family by a rich landowner, has only one way to get the sangre she needs. (I also like vampire movies that show how vampires might experience time differently than mortals - - Queen of the Damned also does this in an interesting way.) There's a scene of slow-motion slaughter in Los Muertos that the monstrous child in me responded to. Los Muertos also has the most sexist line I've every heard in a vampire movie, but you still identify with the female master vampire.

David J. Skal is as readable as ever is this newly revised edition of the definitive Hollywood Gothic as he covers the history of Dracula from his creation by Bram Stoker to the various and multiple version on screen and stage. The thrust of the story is, of course, on the novel and the iconic Bela Lugosi movie, with an additional nice, but smaller, chunk on Nosferatu. The author is particularly effective in combining, in an interesting fashion, the creative, financial, and legal elements. His analysis is always clear and interesting and will definitely send the reader on a viewing frenzy. Vampire movies seem always to be streaming forth from Hollywood and Dracula is and always will be the most tempting of the bunch. This book brings this fascination to life, as it were. A very good job.

In "Hollywood Gothic" David Skal tells the story of "Dracula" that came after the classic of gothic horror was published in 1897. It's a fascinating, fact-filled tale of colorful personalities, legal battles, Hollywood politics, and a culture still captivated by the King of Literary Vampires. The book's seven chapters begin with author Bram Stoker, end with the Count's recent incarnations on stage and screen, and include the most insightful analysis of "Dracula"'s origins that I have read in the course of my minor obsession with the novel.

Chapter 1 explores "Dracula"'s literary and theatrical predecessors before moving on to discussion of the intellectual and sexual climate into which the book was published in 1897, the life and elusive character of its author Bram Stoker, and how the novel was received in its own day. David Skal does an impressive job of pulling together the relevant details, from diverse perspectives, of the novel's birth.

Chapter 2 details the legal battle waged by the Bram Stoker's widow, Mrs. Florence Stoker, to suppress the first cinematic adaptation of her husband's novel, 1922's "Nosferatu", the unauthorized German production directed by F.W. Murnau, now recognized as a masterpiece of silent cinema. Chapter 3 sees Mrs, Stoker finally authorize an adaptation to British dramatist Hamilton Deane, whose wordy, plodding "Dracula" play nevertheless achieved great financial success, attracting the attention of American theatrical producer Horace Liveright. Liveright enlisted journalist John Balderston to rewrite the play for Broadway and make it a smash hit on this side of the Atlantic.

Chapter 4 moves to Hollywood for the protracted negotiations over "Dracula"'s film rights. "Dracula"'s path through the early 20th century was mined with legal battles, and it is a credit to author David Skal that he is able to make interminable and constantly mutating negotiations into absorbing drama. Chapter 5 follows the winding road to the production of the first Hollywood "Dracula", the 1931 film starring Bela Lugosi, which, although made cheaply and lazily, was the first horror talkie and a financial life preserver for Universal Studios. Happily, Skal has dedicated Chapter 6 to the superior Spanish language version of "Dracula" that was filmed simultaneously, on the same sets, as the English version of the 1931 film, but with a different producer, director, cinematographer, and cast.

Chapter 7 tells us what became of the principle person's associated with the two 1931 films. Then it follows the legacy of "Dracula" from the 1930s forward, through its incarnations in film, plays, musicals, ballets, and other performances. Appendix A is a list of notable stage performances of "Dracula", 1897-2003. Appendix B is a list of about 200 films, 1921-2004, which feature the "Dracula" character or name. Thankfully, there is an index.

In outlining the contents of "Hollywood Gothic", I may have made the book seem dry. But the story of "Dracula"'s continuing life in film and on stage is as lively as the novel that inspired it -and it is written a good deal better. David Skal's tireless research and engaging style never fail to impress. "Hollywood Gothic" is an absorbing literary and cinematic history that "Dracula" fans shouldn't miss.

I read this book years ago. It's good to see it's coming back into print.

Skal charts the history of Stoker's book, beginning with early drafts extant, following the tangled film history, including the legal battles over Murnau's "Nosferatu", Universal Studio's struggle to get the rights for the Lugosi pic, and everything that happened after.

It won't change your life, but its fascinating stuff. Skal's style is quick, clean, and to the point. This book is a lot of fun, giving insights into publishing, film, theater, and the audience reaction to and participation in all of those mediums. A must for all vampire buffs, film students, and those who are curious about the inner workings of popular culture.

A sneak peek behind the Green Acres phenomenon. Contains exclusive interviews, publicity photos, trivia & episode guide.

Once again Stephen Cox writes an amazing book! Like its "siblings", this book is full of incredible photographs, rare trivia and interesting tid-bits. The painstaking research is always evident in this author's books. If you love Oliver, Lisa, Fred Ziffel and gang, then you're going to love this book!

The Hooterville Handbook gives the reader unknown knowledge about the creation, and development of one of the kookiest sitcoms, "Green Acres". It supplies various essays regarding the impact of and interesting things about Hootervile (also Green Acres) and all of its locals. What was so special about Arnold the pig? WAS that salesman married or not? Such pressing questions are masterfully answered by Mr. Cox. Only one glitch, that seems to occur in most of Cox's Classic TV books; he doesn't seem to enjoy writing, watching, or doing anything involving his profession. He writes with a cold air of superiority, which could come across as professional, or rudely distant. Overall, however, this book was fascinating, a good read, and had the insights of the cast, crew, and random essay writers.

I saw Eddie Albert signing a copy of this book at a nostalgia event in Los Angeles in 1998 and I had to go out and buy this book. It's fantastic. You will need no other book to find out about this surreal and wonderful TV classic. Author Steve Cox has done a great job covering the bizarre characters and the exquisite cast of actors who made up this neat show. The photos are rare and presented in the book with a nice design and the Foreword by my favorite character, Hank Kimball, is hilarious. If you want a book about a Sixties TV show and you like Paul Henning's programs ( The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction) then you'll love this book. Don't pass it up.

I have had this book in my possession for a long time. It is a necessary tool for any one that wants to know all there is to know about "Green Acres". All of the episode descriptions, guest star information and original dates of airing are listed. There are also interviews with the cast members. Again this is a must have item.

I am watching the I Love Lucy DVD sets right now. I loved to watch the TV show when I was a little kid right up through adulthood. This book is a great help while watching the DVDs. I can look up an episode that I really loved and read more about it. Memories can be stirred up or I can find out more about the show for the first time. My only regret is that the book isn't comprehensive. It deals with the best episodes and not all of them. I would love a book that deals with all the episodes but maybe it would be too big.

This is a really nice look at I Love Lucy. The pictures are great. I just wish they would have been able to include more episodes.

" I LOVE LUCY " WAS 1 OF THE BEST TV SHOWS IN THE 1950'S AND IS THE BEST SHOW EVER." I LOVE LUCY" CLASSIC MOMENTS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ANY "I LOVE LUCY" FAN. IT SHOWS YOU THE CLASSIC MOMENTS IN WHAT THE BEST TV SHOW THAT WAS EVER MADE.LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ MADE WHAT THE SHOW WAS,ALSO VIVIAN VANCE AND WILLIAM FRAWLEY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS FRED AND ETHEL MERTZ AT 323 E.68TH ST. I FINSHED THIS BOOK AND I TRULY ENJOYED IT.

This is a great book for behind the scenes pictures of the cast and the stage they worked on. I have owned this book for about a year, and come back to look at it all the time. Lucille Ball is my favorite actress, and I just love her to pieces! This book contains photos of their set and everyday life. It also conatains some stories of their lives, so if you are a Lucy fan like me, don't miss this book!

this book is a must have for every LUCY-DESI fan all over the world. it contains beautiful pictures and a lot of information about each episode. it is part of my collection and I see myself coming back to it everytime to look something up.is one of the most complete books I have ever encountered.

I purchased this novel after hearing that the BET cable station plans to adapt it to a made-for-tv movie. Money well spent! Excellent suspenseful story, strong unforgettable characters. I like Ms Ray's style and plan to go out and buy the rest of her novels.

First of all let me compliment Francis on a job well done. This book was a masterpiece. The storyline has shown that true love between two stubborn minded persons can develop into a beautiful, fun-filled relationship. Jake, better known as Hunter was willing to not let his feelings or his anatomy *wink* get in the way of his work. He was determined to solve the case without falling victim to the strong attraction between himself and Erin. Erin, determined not to let her pride be destroyed by Hunter's touch soon realised that it was no use hiding from the affectionate feelings towards Hunter growing inside of her heart. I also love the way the story ended, what Hunter was avoiding was exactly what happened...i.e the woman who cared for him was willing to risk her life to save his. I'm also glad that Hunter was able to react quick with Scanlon. Great story and i can't wait to watch in on film.

I am presently a member of the arabesque book club, I have several books written by Francis Ray, I loved them all. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to read Incognito, but I did get to see the Movie version on BET, and I enjoyed it just as much...Please continue to bring to life more of the wonderful arabesque love stories to your readers. "Keep up the good work". And please "Continue" writing those wonderful Novels.

WE ALL HAVE OUR DIFFERENT WAYS OF ATTAINING/ GETTING THERE, BUT MS. RAY HAS DEMONSTRATED A WAY IN WHICH YOU CAN REACH THE MOUNTAIN TOPS OF JOY BY JUST PICKING UP ANY BOOK SHE HAS WRITTEN.

WHEN YOU READ ABOUT HUNTER AND ERIN'S STORY OF LOVE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THAT WORD CALLED ECTASY.

I'LL ADMIT THAT WHEN I FIRST STARTED THIS BOOK, I GOT ANGRY AT THE WAY HE CHOSE TO SHOW HIS ATTRACTION TO HER. I SAID THIS "_____" HAS GOT TO BE CRAZY.

THIS LOVE STORY IS ONE FOR THE "ARCHIVES OF LOVE." MS RAY SURE KNOWS HOW TO KEEP YOU BUYING HER BOOKS. HER LOVE SCENCES ARE INCREDIBLE AND SHE DOESN'T SPARE THE ASSAULT ON YOUR EMOTIONS. SHE IS A DIVA OF SUSPENSE/ROMANCE WRITING. HURRY HURRY PICK THIS ONE UP AND ASCEND TO THE MOUNTAIN OF E C T A S S S S S S Y!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

WE ALL MAY HAVE OUR ADDICTIONS WHICH WE USE TO GET TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF ECTASY. WE ROMANCE READERS USE THE WRITINGS THAT COME FROM THE PEN OF MS FRANCIS RAY. GIRLFRIEND HAS ONCE AGAIN THRILLED US TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR TOES WITH "INCOGNITO." SHE'S GOT ME LOOKING FOR "HUNTER" WHEREVER I GO!! MS. RAY HAS ONCE AGAIN DELIVERED US TO THE "MOUNTAIN OF JOY," WITH THE STORY OF JAKE HUNTER (AKA "HUNTER") AND ERIN CORTLAND, THIS NOVEL SHOULD EASILY CLIMB THE LADDER AND HOLD THE #1 SPOT ON BLACKBOARD'S LIST OF NOVELS. MS. RAY, MS. RAY, MS. RAY, HOW CAN I TELL MY HEART "BE STILL" WHEN YOU CONTINUALLY KEEP IT PUMPING BEYOND ENDURANCE WITH THE BOOKS YOU KEEP PUTTING OUT? THIS BOOK WAS TOO GOOD TO PUT DOWN. THE EMOTIONAL UPHEAVALS I EXPERIENCED WERE WELL WORTH IT.

I ENJOYED THIS BOOK SO MUCH THAT I POSTPONED READING THE LAST 20 PAGES UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING, IN ORDER TO PROLONG THE JOY!!. AND THEN AFTER READING IT IN ITS ENTIRETY, I REREAD IT AGAIN.

I THEN PICKED UP "SILKEN BETRAYAL" AND STARTED AGAIN ON AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER. EVERYTIME I SAY, "GIRLFRIEND CAN'T OUTDO THIS BOOK," SHE MAKES A LIER OUT OF ME.

NOW, I'M LOST IN THE PAGES OF "SILKEN BETRAYAL" WITH LAUREN BENNETT AND JORDAN HAMILTON AND BELIEVE ME READERS, RUN RUN RUN AND RUN GET THIS ONE ALSO. IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED MS RAY, YOU'LL HAVE TO BEGIN IN SMALL DOSES AND WORK YOURSELF UP OR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MIND. THANKS AGAIN FOR SUCH A GREAT BOOK, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AUGUST 1999 TO GET "UNTIL THERE WAS YOU."

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR PEN.

AGAIN, TO YOU ROMANCE READERS, TRY TO GET ANYTHING SHE'S PUT PEN TO PAPER ON, YOU TOO WILL BECOME A BELIEVER. SEE YA!

If you were born in the 1950's this book is for you! All the great shows are here (U.N.C.L.E., Wild, Wild West, Mission Impossible, etc) The book is nicely illustrated and features the author's incredible collection of props from many different shows. Much of the author's prose illustrates his considerable knowledge and love of the subject. I wonder if the former Soviet Union has books like this one? It is my theory that the Soviet Blok collapsed because it simply wasn't very fun. This book is fun. Buy it, or you will be shot with a sleep dart (while you are sleeping, of course, so you will never know that you have been shot with a sleep dart)

Danny Biederman is the actual author--the forward was by Robert W. Wallace. Biederman's collection of fictional spy artifacts is interesting to both movie buffs and to those involved in real-world espionage. I hadn't heard of most of the movies in "the Incredible World of Spy Fi," so I'll be looking them up on DVD. The spy gadgets and props are almost as important as the actor--the gimmicks are characters, too! Who can forget John Steed's steel-lined bowler, Maxwell Smart's shoe phone, the U.N.C.L.E. Special, James Bond's PPK and tricked-out sports cars, or Jim Phelp's self-destructing tape recorders? I enjoyed reading this book and it will be a valuable reference in my personal library.

Christmas present, birthday present, valentine's present, no-special-occasion present: this book makes me HAPPY! I can't imagine anyone not falling in love with it. It brought back floods of ecstatic memories -- and of course, I had to read it while drinking a shaken/not/stirred martini! BRAVO! MORE BOOKS from Mr. Biederman's archives -- and WOW, can he write! Wry, witty, charming, impeccably researched -- 10 STARS!

Danny Biederman's THE INCREDIBLE WORLD OF SPY-FI is not only the perfect coffee table book for those of us who grew up wanting to be James Bond (and maybe still DO want to be James Bond), it's also a brilliant and deeply enjoyable work of scholarship and pop-culture history. Biederman's personal collection of props, costumes, and other arcana from the Bond films, TV shows like THE MAN FROM UNCLE, and even spoofs like AUSTIN POWERS, has been justifiably legendary for years; now he's given us the gift of an intense look at just a fraction of that collection. One word of warning: Don't just get lost in the incredible photos, because Biederman's insightful, humorous, and intelligent prose (which accompanies the pics) is every bit as pleasurable as the visuals. My only complaint? I just wished this book was six times longer. Can we hope for a SPY-FI 2 sometime in the future, Mr. Biederman? Sure hope so.

This book should be in the library, or, more likely, on the coffee table of every aficionado of espionage. Most of us of a certain generation were weaned, so to speak, on the exploits of the imaginative and edgy TV spy series of the 1960s, so there's much here to bring one back to one's formative years. Danny Biederman gives it all his intelligent, informed, and indulgent commentary. There is simply no book like this.

Mary-Kate wants to throw a surprise party for Michelle but Ashley is having one for Jennifer the same day. Mary-Kate invites all of her friends and the same wiht AShley but then something bad happens for the both of them and they need help fast.

Mary-Kate and Ashley are in big trouble. Mary-Kate planned a surprise party for her friend which is great, but unfortunately Ashley planned a surprise party for her best friend the same night at their house. They came for the biggest surprise. A great book!

Ashley is throwing a party for her friend, Jennifer Dilber but Mary Kate wanted to throw a party for her best friend, Amanda Bennet. Her friend, Amanda got mad at her for not calling her back when Mary Kate's supposed to. In the ending, they both got a surprise party for their friends and everyone felt happy!

Another pretty cool Two of a Kind novelette.Mary-Kate and Ashley are planning a party each,for the same night.Now the competition is on as to who will recieve the most guests!

Mary-Kate plans a suprise party for her best friend Amanda on the same night Ashley plans a suprise party for her best friend Jennifer. Even though Mary-Kate and Ashley are twin sisters, they have totally different personalities so major arguments arise, not only with each other but with their best friends. I'd have to say this is the best book in the whole series that I've read so far because these kinds of problems are what everyday kids would probably have.

This book is awesome!!(although im biased, my uncle wrote it..

This book totally kicks butt dudes !!!!! Specially if you are a true Ghostbusters fan or should I say Ghosthead !!!!!!!!! It has like a hundred pictures in it !!!!! I recommend this book to all Ghostbusters fans around the WORLD !!!!!!!!!

wo

Imagine yourself back in New York in 1983. It's about 5:30 in the morning. You're a regular pedestrian walking down the street near the New York Public Library. A large crowd of people are gathered there. Equipment such as cameras, lights, and microphones are everywhere. Soon you find yourself standing next to Bill Murray.

You ask, "What's this production?"

Bill says, "Production? This is a madhouse! These cameras are just getting in the way!"

You step back and see odd statues and robots crafted into obscene and terrifying figures. Suddenly, a voice shouts, "Action!" and you're pushed aside while Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd walk into the magnificent library with a huge camera dolly following them.

Finally, you spot a small card table packed with coffee, donuts, and Styrofoam cups. Tired and thirsty, you pour yourself some hot coffee from an electric pot hooked up to a small generator. As soon as you touch the pot, a kid jumps from behind the shadows and screams, "Don't move!"

"I just want a sip of coffee!"

"This is Dan Aykroyd's coffee table. Only he gets anything on it, ya' hear? I'm his assistant!"

"You've got to be kidding!"

The kid whips his arm from the shadow of a tall streetlight and points with a shaking hand, "And that table is Bill Murray's!"

Not willing to argue with this crazed assistant, you begin to walk away from the mass of moviemaking paraphernalia and out of the area. Before leaving, you spot a short, nerdy man sitting at a small card table by some sound equipment. The table is filled with art supplies, and the man works on carefully molding a green goblin the shape of a spud. "I've got to get out of here," you think to yourself as you skip over a roadblock and scuffle back into the reality of non-fiction.

In 1984, the next summer, not knowing what to do with your friends, you go to a movie called GHOSTBUSTERS, for it's been getting a lot of hype in the media and you want to see what the fuss is about. As the first scene comes into focus, you let out an involuntary shout of amazement. That was the New York Public Library! Soon enough, the pieces fall into place. You had witnessed the partial filming of one of the greatest comedy films in history!

After the movie, as you walk into a bookstore to kill time before a party, there in front of you is a large book entitled, "Making Ghostbusters: The Screenplay." Ecstatic, you pass up cab fare to attend your party and buy this magnificent book, pouring over it until dawn. You realize that you're a Ghostbuster fan for life. The book is a possession you cherish, for it's like a souvenir of time you spent unknowingly with some of the greatest moviemakers in film history, not including that overprotective assistant.

The movie GHOSTBUSTERS means a lot to many people. One way to sum up their incredible fondness of the movie is "pure cinema magic." Most first impressions of the movie quantify its resounding quality: the wizardry of the special effects, the amazing cast, and the taught, well-written script. And it's largely a comedy! How many comedies have accumulated such a fan base? It's almost unheard of! How many comedies are enjoyed as thoroughly and extensively fifteen years after their original release? Almost none, I'd bet.

Here, in Making Ghostbusters: The Screenplay, the behind-the-scenes secrets and the complete shooting script are here, but the book is more than that. It's a complete sentimental scrapbook that materializes the movie's greatness and encapsulates its craftsmanship and artistry like a time capsule of moviemaking blood, sweat, tears, and creativity.

What this classic volume needs badly is a reprint, but for now, Amazon.com is probably your only hope. With the magnificent re-release of the movie on DVD, this book in its entirety would be a wonderful companion. So let's get this message out; let this be the manifesto! Hear that? Get those printing presses cranking, and bring back the magic!

Making Ghostbusters contains hundreds of exclusive concept sketches (many by legendary horror artist Bernie Wrightson), details of which scenes were deleted and why, color photos (though not nearly enough), and more. The book is built around an annotated script, with enlightening comments from Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman, and others from the creative team. Few hit movies have had their creative process so wonderfully documented from genesis to box office--for Ghostheads, it's a must-have.

Back when there was little else written about Star Trek, before David Gerrold's great "World of Star Trek" analysis or Franz Joseph's blueprints, "The Making of Star Trek" was the ultimate. I devoured it as a boy in the early '70s. To this day I don't think anyone can consider themselves a true original series die-hard without having read this book. It really does take you inside the making of the show, but keeps it on a professional level, without salaciousness. That's because the book wasn't written as something for the few Star Trek fans that were known of then, but as a book about how to write for TV, as older printings stated on the cover. That does leave some things out, but those details have been covered since by other books and memoirs.

Since this was written while the series was in production, it's a good view into how people felt then, even refreshing because Trek had yet to become a pop culture colossus, so the book doesn't have any of that built-in reverence. They were making a good TV show that aspired to be something better than most everything else on then, but in the end it was considered just another TV job, certainly not anything that would become legendary.

For instance, "The Defenders," one of the highest praised, most thoughtful and well-written dramas of the '60s, is scarecely remembered by anyone not old enough to have seen it. Part of the issue with that series had to do with rerun-rights issues, but another part had to do with the times then, when TV was still rather young, and shows were thought of as rather disposable, coming and going without much of an afterlife except for "Lucy" and "Honeymooners" reruns. When you think of it in that context, it's easy to see why Gene Roddenberry bailed on Star Trek after it became clear NBC was out to kill it, even though the letter campaign forced them to bring it back for a third year.

The pics and blueprints within the book are cool but may not be as impressive today. At least the blueprints, while not "accurate" by today's standards, were drawn by Matt Jefferies himself. Remember, though, for a long time this was all the reference stuff available. However, if you want what is still a good insider's look into the making of the show, plus Gene Roddenberry's take before even he got sucked into the myth, this is a must-read.

hey Spouk

the capitalization of quotes from Roddenberry (aka the Great Bird of the Galazy) give one "the bizarre impression that he is a god" because for the series, he was :-)

i have a copy of the original publication, read it then and howled, still think it is a great read.

BTW Terry Pratchett uses the same literary device of all caps for Death, in the Discworld series.

Harlan Ellison's memories of the show are fascinating reading as well. As are David Gerrold's.

I read this in the Seventies and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I've bought it again and enjoyed it all over again. Fascinating behind-the-scenes look at TOS. You have to read this book to understand what a groundbreaking series Star Trek was. You also learn how grueling a TV series is to work on. This book is fascinating, and sometimes hilarious!

This is a classic. It is the first book of its kind, and probably the first book about Star Trek at all. But The Making of Star Trek is much more than any of the later books with similar names. This book doesn't idealize or simplify the making of the series. It doesn't enthusiastically praise everything and everyone involved in its production. It is an authentic and meticulous report on how TOS in particular and a TV series in general comes to life. It shows that it is a process of try and error, that aspects have to be taken into account the viewers wouldn't think of, and that the responsible persons don't always know exactly what they want ("I need some device that does something...").

The story how Stephen E. Whitfield (aka Stephen E. Poe) asked Gene Roddenberry if he could write a book about the series sounds like a fairy tale, but is true. The Great Bird was very forthcoming, and Whitfield was granted access to everything behind the scenes of the still running show, seemingly without any restriction. The book shows production schedules, budgets, private notes, script drafts, production sketches, all things that are usually kept secret or simplified for a larger public. I don't think that something like this would be still possible today. Compared to The Making of Star Trek, Whitfield's last book (he passed away in 2000) on Voyager seems rather superficial.

The Making of Star Trek may be over 30 years old, but it is of more than only historical value. It demonstrates that TV is a business that sometimes doesn't allow technical or artistic perfection. It also shows how many things we may take for granted and that are essential parts of the Star Trek Universe today have taken a rather surprising course change. Who would like Vulcans with names like "Spook, Spork, Splak, ..." as frequently suggested in the early days, or who would think that one race was originally described with the words, "Honor is a despicable trait.", namely the Klingons?

There are probably loads of 'Making of Star Trek' books out there, but this is particularly interesting as it was written in 1968, between the second and third series, before the show had become a phenomenon. Which is odd at first - everything is in the present tense, and there's nothing about the cultural impact of the show because that was all in the future. Doubly odd is the fact that all of the many quotes from Gene Roddenberry are reported IN BLOCK CAPITALS, giving the bizarre impression that he is not a television producer, but God Himself.

It's extremely detailed, and is as much about the making of any TV late-60s series as it is 'Star Trek'. There are bits from shooting scripts, set plans, photographs of noted theatre actor William Shatner in old-age makeup (looking nothing like he looks in genuine old age), profiles of production staff, and programme budgets which, translated dollar-for-dollar, would just about cover the catering bill on 'Star Trek : The Next Generation'. It's worth it for the stream of memos about Vulcan names alone.