The Producers Books

Forget Christopher Heard's pathetic, hackneyed, dull mockery of a biography, Ten Thousand Bullets. John Woo: Interviews is the best book on John Woo currently on the market. Michael Bliss' Between the Bullets has some interesting insights, but it was a collection of film essays, which focus more on academic, sociological and ideological interpretations of Woo's films rather than an aim at biographical detailing.

John Woo: Interviews succeeds very well at portraying the shy, serious director by meticulous editing, mostly letting Woo's own syntax and verbal mannerisms come through with minimal tampering, and the interviews themselves delve into Woo's troubled relationship with Tsui Hark, his work with both Hong Kong and American film crews, his childhood in Hong Kong, and of course his quartet of Hong Kong classics: A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Bullet in the Head, and Hard-Boiled. My
favourite interviews are the ones with Hard Target director of photography Russell Carpenter, who goes into the nitty-gritties of working with such a visually meticulous director, and an extremely illuminating portion where Woo dissects the unique qualities of his various leading men -- Chow Yun-fat, John Travolta, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nicolas Cage, and Tom Cruise.

The editing is smartly done, making the interviews flow into an easy read, and each interview is documented so that we have some context for interpretation. I've been reading up on Woo for quite awhile, but I'd say this is the single most comprehensive, multi-angled and absorbing source of John Woo material yet. A great read for fans of Asian cinema, and filmmakers will especially find this book an invaluable source of information for Woo's unique cinematic magic.

No, it doesn't have a flashy cover -- no dust jacket at all, actually. But what it does have -- in spades -- is some very good information on John Woo and his films. I have no idea why this book doesn't have a higher profile -- it is a fantastic resource. There are so many things to praise about this book, I don't know where to start -- one of the author's most interesting approaches is to trace John Woo's personal main themes (courage, loyalty, brotherhood, etc.) from even his earliest films through his later, more well-known films. In short, a definitive work on the man and his films. Sure, any loyal Woo fan could wish this book was 500 pages -- but it's the most complete I've seen. Buy this book!

Written to inspire further research on Joe Mankiewicz, this is a first rate reference tool for film students and pop culture historians.

Every culture is different and their people have different experiences. "Journey Without a Map: Growing Up Italian" is Donna Caruso's reflections on growing up in what many would call a traditional Italian family. Fueled by food and tradition, her reflections cover the experience as a whole including the folk wisdom of her old-fashioned parents that gave her the strength to fight her bout with breast cancer. "Journey Without a Map" is a must for anyone who wants to understand the Italian people.

I bought this book solely on the title alone while I was just browsing on Amazon for Reggae books. If your into mid 1980's reggae artists and King Jammys then this book is for you.
I was impressed on the individual stories and pictures on Half Pint, Tenor Saw and many other artists in that era. I'd say there was a picture of some artist on every other page. This book focused on King Jammy's early start in reggae/dub to modern dancehall and soundclashes as well the singers/DJs that he worked with. I was very pleased to read the section on how "Sleng-Teng" riddim ruled the dance and revolutionized dancehall. If time permitted I would have read this book straight through. This is definitely a reggae collector's item to have with your crates of vinyl. Now I have to find a excellent book like this one but about Henry 'junjo' Lawes.

The latest title in the ongoing University of Mississippi Conversations With Filmmakers series complies interviews with noted director and enfant terrible Lars Von Trier. This book is a fine addition to any film library, and shows us a great deal about Von Trier. It stops with "Dancer In The Dark" and does not cover "Dogville." As of yet, the U of M press does not issue revised or updated editions of their books, so do not expect to see a second edition. Otherwise, this book does well in digging up obscure interviews (several never published before and others translated from the original language for the first time)and establishing a solid chronology to work with. The book even contains an interview with Von Trier when he was a young child actor (the lead role, of course) on a popular television show.

It makes one happy to see the University of Mississippi press publishing this volume on a truly unique filmmaker, as opposed to pretentious bourgeois "mainstream" directors like Quentin Tarantino and Stephen Soderbergh (both who hold titles in the collection-- how regretful). One learns through reading Von Trier's philosophy on filmmaking that he is indeed a great thinker.

In the 1970's a four volume project was designed to re-examine the life of filmmaker and ethnographer Maya Deren. Four authors worked within the structure of a feminist collective typical of the time with revolving editorship. According to Catrina Neiman, one of the authors, an anticipated outcome was to stimulate further academic study on Deren. Volume 1, Signatures concerns Deren's early and university life, involvement in socialist youth groups and early poetry and fiction. Chambers, part 2 ilustrates her development as a filmmaker through her first four films with documents on their production and reception. What is noteworthy of this project is the illumination of parts of Deren's life beyond the four year period between 1943 and 1946 which most people know about. The 40 year old Deren who was involved with ethnography and ethnomusicology as well as the young teen involved in political movements are areas new to us. The two remaining volumes are ready and have been so for years which publisher Anthology Film Archives has yet to release. ' Legend' embraces the transformative nature of Deren's work in different creative relationships and is the most comprehensive work to date on her life.

In autumn 1988 Max Staford-Clark directed George Farquhar's Restoration comedy, The Recruiting Officer, on the stage of the Royal Court Theatre. It was a smash hit both with critics and audiences.

Each night, after rehearsal, Stafford-Clark would return home and write to Farquhar reporting on the day's work. In these Letters to George, the man from 1988 instructs the man from 1706 on the changes in taste, theatrical fashion and social behavior which have overtaken the play.

Max is not above chiding George for the odd patch of 'sloppy writing' or speculating on the conditions of the Restoration theatre which had shaped George's play.
--- from book's back cover

John Drinkwater was Mr. Laemmle's choice for this biography to be written. In 1926, Laemmle began writing his own memoir and knew that he needed the aid of a biographer. Since Drinkwater had written much regarding a Laemmle hero, former President Abraham Lincoln; Drinkwater was sent from England to Los Angeles to read Laemmle's 227 page manuscript. The result is a testament to the Laemmle family's early years and a record that remains reprinted to present day.

"Living in Oblivion" - the screenplay for a highly entertaining, if little known independent film - is a pleasure to read. In Tom DiCillo's economic prose, the joys, frustrations and occasionally maddening incivilities of making a low-budget film come vibrantly to life. What's more, the unique, and complex structure (switching from color to black-and-white film stock, clearly indicated as part of the script; and a surprising use of dream-sequences throughout) add a textured layer to the story. I don't think it's necessary to see the film before reading the screenplay (though it can't hurt!) because the characters come to life through their individual foibles, ambitions and unexpected emotional entanglements. The story never bogs down in filmmaking minutiae but you still get a vivid sense of what it's like to stagger onto a make-shift film set at 4 a.m., drinking bad coffee and having trouble getting into character. It's also enormously sympathetic towards and forgiving of each individual character, from the macho cinematographer to the egomaniacal leading man, and most especially, the erstwhile director trying somehow to hold everything together. Highly recommended!