Film Books

This is a very good book! I really loved how it gets in detail all the information of the making, the actors, the location, etc. This is trully one amazing book, a must have for any Twilighter!!!

This book told me a lot about the making of the movie. It was very informative and should be read by all who love the books and the movie.

I am extremely happy with this purchase because it is 100% worth the money. Even though I've already seen the movie twice, looking through this book is like seeing it again! The pictures are full, in color, and awesome! Since I got it today, I haven't had a chance to read it, but it is definitely next on my list! An awesome buy for any "Twilight" fan!!!

For those of us that are simply obsessed with Twilight the book did not disappoint, providing a plethora of pictures that have not been released before. And for those of us who are also obsessed with the movie making process - the book gave a detailed account of the process from start to completion. This is the perfect addition for any Twilight fan's collection

I am in the middle of this book. I love it so far, and can't put it down. Good book to buy you wont be disapointed.

I Am Jackie Chan My Life in Action 1998 5/5
Written by :Jackie Chan & Jeff Yang

Easily one of the best books I have ever read. This books contains 398 pages of pure joy. Seriously I read this book In one sitting . I was already a fan of Jackie Chan now I have so much respect for him. The copy I own includes a extra chapter, I would say it's worth buying again to read that extra chapter. Jackie Chan had a very interesting upbringing filled with beating and let downs. I mean he was abandoned by his parents who essentially sold him to the Peking Opera. Where they had the power to punish him up till death.

In here Jackie talks about the makings his earlier films. I really enjoyed this book as much as I enjoy his movies. Jeff Yang has said in interviews that there is works to release a second volume. Lets hope for that!

Jackie Chan has had a very eventful life. When he was a child he lived in on an ambassadors mansion in Hong Kong. Soon he was sent to a Cantonese Opera school, which was a boarding school where he was trained, day and night for over 10 years of his young life, in the ways of Chinese Opera. Chinese Opera is not the same Opera you and I may think of it as, but instead is a very acrobatic physically demanding show. He then went into the stuntman business, which was a very difficult road for him. For many years he struggled with finding work but he soon became a much wanted stuntman. Eventually he went into small acting parts, which led to bigger acting parts. Soon enough he was a huge success in Hong Kong, and eventually got married to a famous Chinese actress. Jackie still travels a lot and his wife is a stay at home wife who raises his son.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It is full of constant action and keeps your attention. I Am Jackie Chan is an easy read and fast paced I was unable to put it down, except of course when class was over.

my wife's english is not good. but she found that it is very easy to understand this book as Jackie's movie. She has fun with it and use it to prove her english.

Dood tottally I'm not kidding, Jackie Chan is like a god amongst men, a god who makes flawed movies in his old age (flawed is polite considering the horrible movies he's currently putting out). Man Jackie Chan is so great it makes my balls sweat whenever I think about it, in this book he talks about how he and his crew broke into an amusement park to steal... not money but bread crumbs!!! Becuase Master wanted his students to work hard, this is not a book for weaklings, they will fret and feel weak as they learn of the heroic and disciplined exploits of my man JACKIE FING CHAN! Man in this book he talks about how some dudes wanted to fight, but he didn't cuase Master taught him only to fight for show and not fight for violence. Man the world would be a better place if we all had to read this book. Mandatory reading for High Schools this should be.

A fascinating insight into the mind and career of the world's biggest movie star. With exhaustive (and exhausting!) descriptions of Jackie's brutal Peking opera training and early days as a stuntman and actor, almost everything you want to know about Jackie is here.

Not that there aren't omissions - his illegitimate son Jaycee, now trying to make a name for himself as an actor, is never mentioned. Jackie is also quick to take credit (he claims 'Half a Loaf of Kung Fu' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' were the first kung fu comedies, which they weren't) and slow to give it out (he describes his opera brothers' film 'The Prodigal Son,' arguably the best kung fu movie ever made, as "solid"). But Jackie's charisma and determination shine through on every page, and you can't help but admire the guy. A must read for Jackie fans and aficionados of Hong Kong cinema.

I bought this book after seeing a spice girls documentary. Even though I wasn't a big fan of the Spice Girls I always found Geri likable and decided to read her book.
The book is awesome. She takes you from her childhood up until she left the band. She and her friends reminded me of my friends and I. The book is very frank, down to earth and fun. I highly recommend reading this one and then following it up with her second book, Just for the Record. The second one starts right where this ones leaves off.
A great fun interesting read. This Girls is great!

If Only by Geri Halliwell is her account on life as a ex-Spice Girl and so much more. Halliwell actually has some talent as a writer, this book was hard to put down. Geri talks about her issues with food, her rise and exit from being Ginger Spice, and the death of her father. Geri doesn't leave anything out, she is open, frank, and quite hilarious as she goes deep into her past. I highly recommend checking this great book out. It was a pleasure to read it. Enjoy!

Geri Halliwell shocked many of her fans when she left the Spice Girls in 1998 after a 2 year mega successful time. The Spice Girls were the biggest girl band in music history.... and Ginger Spice (her moniker back then) was the most exciting personality. Like her childhood idol Madonna, Geri Halliwell grew up in a working class suburb and had a dream to be famous since she was 12. She got it and yet she found that fame had an interesting impact on her life. This book answers a few questions as to why her sudden departure happened at the height of the Spice Girls fame ... and it reveals more of Geri underneath all the Ginger.

This book reads like a very tedious conversation with Ms. Halliwell over a long lunch that you can't get away from until she finishes her dessert.She writes about her early impoverished childhood and how she craved the attention of an audience and wanted everybody's approval which sadly most people of any maturity know that this is something you will never get. Ms. Halliwell's "definition" of her "Personal Growth" is when she tries on an outfit which is too small so she asks for a bigger size.The last time I saw Ms. Halliwell in a photo she was being carried away to her limo by a big bodyguard after suffering from "Champagne Fatigue". The only good thing about this book are the revealing photos that were taken during her days as a "Glamour Model". It is no wonder that this woman likes living in Los Angeles.Her greatest accomlishment in life was to stop singing in a Pop Group and start singing solo. Big Deal.

I really enjoyed this book. It was awesome to see into the depth of Geri's life. I had no idea that she actually had eating disorders while she was a spice girl. It really helped me to understand more about her and that she really worked hard for her career. I would love to meet Geri although I don't know that that will ever happen. Her book makes me want to meet her even more if only to say that she did a great job and I understand some of the things she went through. I've been there. I highly recommend this book.

Harpo Speaks speaks of an amazing life with a voice filled with humor and humanity. This is a book to savor. I've now read it 3 times and am looking forward to #4! Just a joy!

i am too lazy, or too busy, or too impatient to sit down and rate books/movies, etc, etc. however, i had to take time out of my day to tell you all that this is one of the funniest books ever written. period. 'harpo speaks' is a page-turner that never gets boring, and will literally have you laughing outloud. page after page, i would say to myself, 'this is to funny/bizzare to be true', yet with each passing page you could see the pieces of harpo's life fitting together to make him the master comedien that he was. this book is an absolute joy. buy it. you won't be disappointed.

From his early days as a ragamuffin loner dropout on the streets of new york, to his years in the spotlight as one of history's greatest comedians, Harpo takes us on a whirlwind ride through his life, and every page is more engaging than the last. I love the Marx Bros, and reading the success story through the eyes of their silent (but not unheard) partner is a must of any fan, be they casual or hardcore. Thank you Harpo, for sharing your rich life experiences with us. I'm forever grateful.

"Harpo Speaks" is one of the few books I've ever read that left an lasting impression on me. I first read it in 1975 when I was a teenager. I had always loved the Marx Brothers movies, and Harpo was always my favorite. My mother loved celebrity biographies, and she knew I would love this book.

Now, some 35+ years later, I still am in love with this book. I have used many of the illustrations with my children over the years. I love the story after Harpo lost most of his money in the crash of 1929, and he came upon a couple who was being evicted from their flat. The landlord was selling their belongings, and Harpo bought a scrub brush for a nickel. If I remember correctly, he gave the scrub brush back to the couple.

Also, I remember how much he used humor when raising his children. Harpo shared throughout the book that if you keep your kids laughing, you will have them in the palm of your hand. That pearl of wisdom is so true, and I always remembered that with my children. They are grown now (well my youngest is 16), and they all have a great sense of humor.

I need to buy this book again. I lost it in a move around 20 years ago. I want each of my children to read this book, and get to know one of the most unique and down-to-earth men in our country's history. Harpo Marx was one of a kind, and we won't see anyone like him ever again. What a shame!

When speaking of the Algonquin Round Table of which he was a member for years - he claims his only contribution was to be a listener among all the great talkers. He lies. His storytelling, practical jokes and childlike sense of fun were an essential ingredient of that famed circle.

No other book, not even Groucho's own autobio, conveys the early 20th century world of Vaudeville in all its raunchy splendor as this book does. There was never so amazing a place as New York of that era. Its a fun read throughout.

Surprisingly, at the heart of the book is the unlikely pairing of best friends Alexander Wolcott and Harpo Marx. Wolcott, sexually neutered by a glandular condition or mumps as his story went, obese, ridiculous and brilliant, saw in Harpo the image of freedom he could never know. Harpo, a second grade drop-out who at fourteen was playing piano in a whorehouse, was perhaps the only human being who really understood his friend.

If you're a Star Wars fan like me you're going to love this book. I love DK books because they are so vivid. They have pictures along with a detailed description of the character, ship, droid of equipment. It even shows you pictures of characters that you don't really see in the movies. If you're not familiar with the movies this books will definitely get you on the right track as well as offer a few surprises along the way.

The contents of the book is great. The problem is that I ordered it to give as a gift. What I recieved for my $27 was a book that looked like it came from a yard sale. The corners were banged up as if the book had been repeatedly dropped and the paper cover was scratched and torn. I definitely expected more for my money, particularly since it was not advertised as a remainder or anything else that would have told me the condition would not be first quality. This is not the first tine I've had this experience with Amazon.

The book is of high quality...many details...very good photography. The price was less than in some mail catalogs...great!

I bought this book last Christmas (2007) for my two young sons (6 and 4). They have spent the past year pouring over this book, debating facts about the characters, and writing their own stories to compliment the illustrations in the book. They haven't seen all of the Star Wars films (only A New Hope) but are thrilled by the detailed illustrations and descriptions of the characters, the far away galaxies, and of course the weapons and ships. This is their favorite Star Wars book. As an adult fan of Star Wars I find it is full of great information and back stories about the characters. My husband and I have found answers to many of our Star Wars questions here. This is a great reference and a really fun book.

FYI, another great Star Wars reference is [...]. Great fun!

I really like this book too, it has a ton of detailed info and images on pretty much all the Star Wars creatures and characters. However I noticed that the image of the Boushh costume is not accurate, it is missing her big obi belt, which is a substantial part of her outfit. (Actually I think it's in there but it's under the jacket instead of over it, ...so weird.) I only find this an issue because I am making a Boushh costume and figured this book would be a good reference.

It's still full of info, and a good resource for people interested in learning more about characters in the Star Wars universe, just know that for whatever reason the images might not be completely accurate.

A fascinating look into the world of a troubled 14-year-old girl and the ghost writer who sucks almost as bad as she does at making sentences.

I gave it five stars because really, don't you know what you're getting here? This book is review proof.

Drew Barrymore captured the hearts of the world, as the adorable wide eyed seven year old Gertie, in ET, in 1982.

Barrymore was born into the acting profession, coming from a long line of acting talent extending back nearly 200 years
Faced with an abusive father, the execrable and vicious degenerate John Drew Barrymore( it is shocking to read of the physical and emotional abuse he subjected the little girl to) , a mother who was not always there, and nasty schoolmates, she drifted into the company of an older crowd and began her descent into drugs and alcohol by nine, when she began drinking alcohol, began smoking marijuana by ten (offered it by a friend's mother),and was snorting cocaine at twelve. She also craved the approval of boys on whom her self-esteem depended.
This is her story of why she took refuge from her unhappy young life in parties, alcohol and drugs, and her difficult and painful rehabilitation. but she succeeded. I found myself really feeling Drew's pain and empathized with what she went through.
Drew wanted to be an actress by five.
I really admired how she told her abusive pig of a father to get out of her life, when she was eight, after achieving success in E.T
She also tells of her work on movies such as Firestarter, Irreconcilable Differences,Babes in Toyland and Far From Home.
Drew talks about the support given to her by Steven Spielberg who she says gave her the best advice she ever been given on acting : "Drew, you can't act your character, you gotta be your character."

She made it though and in by 16 had cleaned up her life, to go on to a string of successes in a series comedies and dramas . By the late 90's her bubbly personality made such movies as Ever After, The Wedding Singer. Charlies Angels and Never Been Kissed a lot of fun and charming to watch.
It is a sad story of a child whose life was marred by what no child should go through, but who overcame her self-destructive habits and proved those who said she was burned out at 13, so wrong. How she repaired her life is incredibly inspirational. Drew is offering advice to young actresses entering rehab these days: ""If you don't pull it together for yourself, no one else will," she says in the March issue of Vogue. "That's coming from a person who had to try it all ... and who still loves to have a good time."

Remember this book was sritten when Drewwas only fourteen years old.


One has to admire her.
I hope she will be making films for decades to come.

Drew Barrymore is to be congratulated. Her honesty is painfully refreshing and hasn't been seen lately since the new Star Jones book ... or possibly the Burt Reynolds biography.

She's seen the depths and the heights and knows the difference. She's drank the champagne (even though she was 8 at the time) and sipped the sewer water and prefers the former. She's been on the carpet and also received carpet burns on her knees when she was short rent.

Thank you Drew for being an inspiration to all the preteens with drinking problems ... they don't have to suffer in silence anymore.

I read this book 5 times in High School. (1992-1996)
I LOOOOOOOVED it!!!

Literally one of the greatest books I've ever read. No, I'm not saying that because I'm a Drew Barrymore fan. I mean, if acting isn't what she wanted to do, she could've been an author! Written when she was still in rehab circa late 1988 and published in 1990, this book gives all of us an insight into her early years, and the hell she went through at such a young age. She tells us about her first taste of alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, and marijuana. She also tells us about her first kiss, and her first makeout session, and how she was always fighting with her mother. She tells us about living at the rehab. She tells us about her visits with her father as well. She shares all of her stories and adventures, her mishaps and her first achievements. With this book, I've learned how truly strong this woman is, and how no matter what she went through, she didn't ever back down at achieving what she wanted. Drew Barrymore is a true idol for anyone, and this book proves that.

There are things that I didn't expect, that surprised me a little bit about his character, but if anything, seeing Anthony come through all of these situations only upped my respect for him as an actor, as a writer, and as a person.

This book really moved me with Rapp's emotional honesty, and I echo the praises from previous reviewers. I rate it as 4 stars because, like a previous reviewer suggested, I feel it tended to drag a bit at the end and could have ended a chapter earlier. I strongly suggest the audio recording, especially for fans of Rent and of Anthony. Hearing him read the story himself (particularly for the small and poignant personal moments, like the frequent "Hi, Mama"--"Hi, Tonio" exchanges with his mother--it broke my heart every time) was an intimate and powerful experience, and when I finished I felt I had just had a long and passionate conversation with a friend--which i was very sorry to end.

Anthony Rapp tells an emotional story about personal life, love, and loss as he describes the years surrounding the phenomenon that is Rent. This is a book no Renthead should be without. Afer reading this book, I feel like I have gotten to know Anthony as a person, and gotten a rare glimpse through Anthony's eyes of the man that was Jonathan Larson.

Anthony Rapp was in on the creation of the masterpiece which became the Broadway sensation "Rent," almost from the beginning. He has written his memoir of that experience with great sensitivity and insight.

This book is a riveting tale about the creative process, how a play goes through its evolution to get to Broadway, and how every once in awhile a theatrical miracle can happen which changes everyone's lives. "Rent" is such a miracle. I just saw the play once again on Broadway this past weekend. I took my teenaged daughters to see it. After eleven years, it is finally closing down some time this year. If you cannot get to New York to see the play, rent the movie. It's not as good, but almost.

I loved this book, and recommend it to anyone who has ever overcome adversity to pursue a dream.

This book is amazing. It's a great read, easy to follow and really hits at your heart. I would reccommend it to everyone.

thisbook is perfect if you want to know everyting about U2
I really love it !

This book is one of the few really great rock biographies. It does a great job of chronicling the band's past by giving a distilled view of their present, in both personal lives, internal processes, and musical career. All of that is the essence of the music of U2, and the legacy their music has created. Flanagan does them a great service in this bio, but also himself, for presenting them so well and staying out of the way. Well, mostly. His humor about touring with them is fairly expressive...

An outstanding work of rock journalism. This is far from a starry-eyed fanboy tribute -- Flanagan is one of the most intellectually gifted rock critics out there, and here he turns his intellect on travel, music, pop culture, his own foibles, and, of course, U2 and their art.

Flanagan, one of the first American journalists to champion U2, is a confidant of the band, but it doesn't stop him from critically appraising their work. The book starts with U2 taking the last flight into East Germany before reunification, and follows the band all the way through the writing of Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and the tour that surrounded the two albums. It's probably U2's most creatively active period, and it's our good fortune that a writer of Flanagan's calibre tagged along for the ride. A must-read if you're at all interested in U2.

After reading this book, I felt like I really understood what was going on in their heads while writting Achtung Baby! and the music was better for it. I've read some of the more recent books about U2 and also about Bono and this tops them all. It's a day in the life, before 9/11 and before all that came after for them. If you love U2 like I love U2, read this book.

This is one of the most well-written biographies that I have read. Mr. Flanagan covers every aspect of U2, mixing the present with the past and the anticipated future of the band. As an avid reader of various non-fiction subjects, I have to say that this kind of a biography was a first for me. You wouldn't think that a book about a band would have any transferrable application for non-musicians, however I found that these guys are fairly down-to-earth. Reading U2: At the end of the world helped me to dispell some of the superstar myths that I had. That being said, I feel compelled to put a disclaimer about some of the language. While, it didn't seem to bother me, I would have to give this an "R" rating, as far as language is concerned. It's not as if the f-bomb appears on every other page...maybe once or twice a chapter. But, for those who might be sensitive to such expletives, beware. 5-Stars, with a warning.

When I discovered that my 3rd graders knew who Tupac was, even though he died the year they were born, I felt that I needed to know more about Tupac. This book is published by Vibe, the official scribes of hip hop. It is a collection on interviews and articles that appeared in Vibe and they document the rise and fall of Tupac.
Tupac had "Thug Life" tatooed on his stomach and he lived the life of a misogynist thug. He was disrespectful to everyone around him. Perhaps, as Quincy Jones suggests in the forward, Tupac could've changed into a positive force had he lived past 25. However, this book, and his own words, show him to be a negative influence on everyone he had contact with. It is very sad that he died at such a young age. It is even sadder that so many youngesters know who he was but cannot tell you about the lives of people who have accomplished great things with their lives. I have my work cut out for me next school year.
Mark Gast

This piece of work created by the editors of Vibe Magazine could easily be appropriately titled "Essence of Tupac." In this collection of previous interviews and vivrant photos you truely get the feeling that you are holding a conversation with The ledgendary Tupac Shakur. This is a must have for all Tupac fans and for anyone wishing to know more about Pac's Life. Good job by the folks at Vibe Magazine.

I my self am not a very big fan of rap music however i was intrigued to read this book after looking into some of the lyrics of 2pacs singles they seemed very in depth. After reading the lyrics i felt that his words had a lot of depth and soul attached to them which intrigued me to find out more about the rap star.

I myself have a genuine interest in politics, philisophy and poetry similarly to 2pac and i felt that i could relate to some of the lyrics he wrote. This book on tupac gives a deeper insight to the rap artist not only his music and talent but to his life it shed light on many differant topics from differant aspects and i found it very inspirational. What i particularly liked about this book was the way it presented both sides of the story (with the rape case) and i felt this ruled out any bias.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has a love for reading regardless of whether they have a genuine interest in rap this book not only looks at his career but looks at his inspiration, ambition, life and above all recognised him as more than a rap artist but as a human being and who he actually was!!!

As a massive fan of the late great Tupac Shakur, there are few publishings that capture as much information and insight into his life and career as this amazing book from the good people at Vibe Magazine. Consisting of every Vibe article and interview written on Shakur between 1994-97, this gives even the most casual of Pac's fans more information than they could ever dream of. With features on his early career, his signing to Death Row, and his infamous interview with Kevin Powell from inside Clinton Correctional Facility where he denounced "Thug Life", it's all here. This book also contains some of the most informative material on the feud between Death Row Records and Bad Boy. You'll get everyone's side of the story on the Can-Am Studio shooting. You'll hear what both Suge and Puffy had to say about the East vs. West saga. You will also get to hear Pac at his rawest and most candid. If you are even the least bit interested in the amazing story of Tupac Shakur, you should pick up this book.

2pac is a legacy of our generation..he is and will always be the best, not only was he an awesome rapper, but he was also a good actor and poet. This book is very well done and covers so much. When he was shot the first time 5 times..and leading up to his unjustly death..i recommend this book to anyone if they want to learn about 2pac, he wasnt a bad man or a gangsta like most assume, he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time..or he just got involved with the wrong ppl...and like he said live by the gun..die by the gun..and that is exactly what happened to this man...may he rest in peace

I have already completed one truly independent feature film, and I overlooked this book. After being turned away by festival after festival, I picked up THE DV REBEL GUIDE and realized many errors I made that could have changed the overall production value of my feature. As if this wasn't insight enough, Stu Maschiwitz gave me new ways to fix my work, and perhaps turn it into a proper money-making product. This book also offers so many insights into an overall one-man production process that anyone who that wants to buck the system and make their own movie ought to read. If you are Final Cut Pro or After Effects user, you will be relieved to find application specific workarounds and hints that bring your hard fought work into the professional world. Stu has mapped out a strong, clear and effective production pipeline from preproduction through to final render. THE DV REBEL's GUIDE is worth every cent, and shouldn't be ignored.

Very informative, a mmust read for anybody doing video work. Many valuable tips and info to help you start and finish your production.

Simply an essential part of the aspiring film-makers arsenal. Stu not only goes into a decent amount of depth on the art of film-making (and compositing), but injects it all with a great sense of humour (which really helps to keep it easy to read).

I haven't even finished reading it and I don't know how I ever lived without it.

this book was a very welcome change to all the theory books i've been reading on directing & cinematography.

the author writes in a very direct, concise, and clear manner... he's even got a real sense of humor. he knows his target audience, and he communicates very effectively to us, because he's really not that different than us.

he has tons of examples, pics, practical explanations, tables, reference material, and even a DVD-ROM that came with the book loaded with more writing, project files, media files, and so on.

this is the most practical and accessible book on indie filmmaking i've ever read.

definitely recommend!