Video Books

There is no black and white here, hence my title. That ominous music can be a bit overkill at times (though, few!). What makes this show so dynamic is the psycological profiles of the criminals and even Goren and Eames themselves. The well-written crime drama of today is displays the humanity of good and evil, hero and villian and CI does just that! I prefer Mike Logan on the regular L&O. His character was way more interesting on that show. Hands down, the earlier Goren/Eames episodes are the best - those endings are reminiscent of great theatre!

This is my favorite of all the other L&Os, and after the death of Goren's mom, it's just getting better. Each ep. shows how much closer he is too the edge. The last ep were he went undercover was great, I can't wait for it to come back on. Also I wish they would release more of the shows on dvd.

I am getting caught up on seasons 5 and 6 this winter. I can't believe how astounding the performances are by Katherine Erbe and Vincent D'Onofrio. I am compelled and even uncomfortable at times watching, and I am seldom moved by television performances as I am by these actors.

I watch the Goren/Eames team episodes first (OF COURSE) and the Logan/[insert new partner here]episodes second. I am less affected by those episodes, but they are interesting none the less.

I have not watched ALL of these shows. I absolutely love LOCI. I have watched L&O for years since the beginning. When I was in FL taking care of my brother, I was introduced to LOSVU and fell in love, but I have to say that LOCI is my favorite. The two main characters are perfect and I would not change them. I do like Noth however and like that they brought him back into the fold, but katherine erbe and d'ornofrio are the best. he has such a way for this character. Something that I haven't seen in any other series. Now, I already like the CLOSER, and the new Saving GRACE along with my Law and Order shoes. I wish I was rich cause I would be downloading ALL of them. 6 stars!

I have never seen a TV series with better characterization and writing. For well turned psychological drama, this series is the best. The writers deliver scripts that expose the human underbelly of criminals, showing us how real people, even ones who might live next door to us, can cross the line between simply being dysfunctional and committing murder. The actors present it in a way we can all recognize. I've always been fascinated with criminal psychology and the writers/actors/producers of this show explore it for us in a very entertaining way. I often finish an episode thinking to myself, "Wow... that situation sure reminds me of so and so." Disturbing, but mesmerizing.

The 4th Edition of the Camera Assistant's Manual by focal press author David Elkins is a must have for the beginner as well as the seasoned pro. From how to set up a darkroom, to threading diagrams on all "in use" cameras, to lifelong useful tables and charts, this edition has it all.

Nothing comes close to David Elkins' book. It's that simple. This is the best, most complete book on the job of the camera assistant. PERIOD. If you are new to the job of the camera assistant, this book is an absolute must have. If you are a seasoned "vet" who has years of experience working on motion picture sets, again, this book is an absolute must have. Elkins' total description of every aspect of the AC's job is so consise, it's like a classroom in a book. Loaded with every conceivable diagram and chart, and covering every motion picture camera currently being used, this book goes well beyond your typical "job description" type tome.

The bonus materials alone make this book invaluable. Along with the companion website, the reader has vast amounts of precious material available for when the job calls for it...label templates, charts, manufacturer links and contacts, the list goes on and on and on. The best part is the writing style is clear and informative, almost like Elkins himself is teaching you as you go.

Look no further than this book. It's all here.

The Camera Assistant's Manual is a must have reference book for both beginners and experienced professionals in the camera department. If you are a beginner, this manual will teach you all of the basics as well as the advanced details of camera assisting. Although not a substitute for actual experience, author David Elkins also coaches you on how to act efficiently and professionally on a set. This can save you countless embarrassing blunders on your "first barbeque." But before learning all of the AC's duties, the reader is introduced to the basics of cinematography and a complete overview of the camera department. This is extremely helpful - allowing the beginner to understand the "big picture" first. If you are an experienced professional, Elkins gives you hundreds of tips and suggestions that will add to your knowledge base and help your job go smoothly. This 4th edition contains the most complete and up to date camera diagrams, tables, and formulas of any single reference source. Imagine your relief when you have to load and thread a new camera for the first time. The Camera Assistant's Manual is worth it's weight in gold.

I bought this book when I was hired to AC for a project on equipment I had never worked with before. For one of those, "Holly crap! I agreed to do a job I only know how to do part of!" moments, this book is great. Every question I could think of was answered thoroughly and I mean THOROUGHLY. If you want to learn exactly what the responsibilities of an Assistant Camera Person are and how best to execute them read this book! If you are a working AC and want an easy to read, text-book style reference this is it.

David Elkins's The Camera Assistant's Manual, Fourth Edition is the best technical book around, and one of the best books on movies, period.

Dave manages to cover every aspect of an assistant's job, no matter how obscure or infrequently encountered. But the completeness is only one aspect which recommends it to any aspiring or working cinematographer.

Written in a clear, conversational manner, Dave manages to demystify both the jargon and the sometimes strange job of an assistant. His accounts of procedure for both first and second assistants clarify what we in the business call "industry standard": the accepted, professional way of conducting yourself and doing a job. Outside of a job on a
Hollywood set, it is nearly impossible to learn these classic, time-saving routines. And unless you've been a pro in the business, you're not going to know about such things as the relative merits of Magliner and Rubbermaid carts for hauling equipment.

The book covers the general characteristics of film, cameras, and lenses in such a way as to give a general technical education. Dave also gives a valuable overview of the camera department and its place in film production overall.

What many readers will find most useful are the sections on troubleshooting, the diagrams and threading patterns of every currently used camera, and the wealth of forms and lists to organize the on-set work.

I've tried to give a good idea of what the book covers, but it contains much, much more. I've been using The Camera Assistant's Manual since the first edition. This is the biggest and the best version. I only wish that, when I started as a camera assistant, I had had access to such a clear, helpful book.

For anyone that uses Camtasia Studio, Daniel Park's Definitive Guide is just that. With an engaging and easy to digest style, Daniel leads you through pretty much every aspect of using this program suite to it's full potential.

Along the way, he also covers the intangible and often overlooked aspects of preperation, planning, and time saving tips and tricks that make it possible to produce a quality poduct with Camtasia.

Daniel Parks' book Camtasia Studio 3 is an excellent resource for those just beginning to learn the application or with a fair amount of knowledge about it. Although he doesn't delve into certain subjects as deeply as I would have liked (e.g., limitations with certain options), at 550+ pages you're still getting a good deal of information.

I've found one or two areas of the book I don't believe I agree with Parks on in how to manipulate the software, but maybe I'm just not reading his instructions in the way he intended.

If you've never used Camtasia but expect to need some of the lesser-used options, I highly recommend you buy this book when you buy the software. Good job, Daniel!

This book is my Camtasia "Bible." It's well-written and has answered a lot of questions I didn't even know I had. Now that Camtasia has moved to Version 4, I wonder if the book will undergo a revision to cover all the great new features.

If I could give 10 stars I would. THis book is the definitive guide to Camtasia and much, much more. The Camtasia part doesn't even start till Chapter 5. You spend the chapters before that learning about the how-to and why of 1) training, 2) marketing and 3) demo presentations. It's a Camtasia book and a How-To-Do-Great-Presentation book in one. And all done in an entertaining by the author's warm personable conversational style.
I wish the author would write more books. About Sony Vegas, about Serious Magic Ultra 2, about search engines. He is so good.

If you are serious about getting a proper understanding of Camtasia, then you definitely need this book. As far as I'm aware, it is the only such book available. Sure you can try using the Help material supplied with Camtasia, but it is difficult to learn well enough that way.

Camtasia Studio is a complex video recording and editing package, and there is a great deal of detail which is difficult to understand at first. Even with this book I'm needing to re-read whole chapters in order to get sufficient understanding of the suitable techniques to apply. The book isn't an easy read, but essential if you are to get maximum value from Camtasia.

The author, Daniel Park, has actually worked for the makers of Camtasia in the past, although he now works as a consultant. This gives him both an insiders and outsiders objective perspective, which allows a reader to get a fuller understanding of all the intricacies. The presentation is well-informed and conversational, although more attention could have been given to the learning needs of a naive user.

If you're intrigued at all by the work of John Cassavetes, this book is well worth your time. The book itself is a collection of interviews Cassavetes gave through his entire life, edited into chapters that correspond to the movies he talked about. The excerpts themselves are pretty interesting, but it is author Ray Carney's commentary in between quotes that really makes this book worthwhile. Carney gives us the back story, and fills in the missing parts, but he also sets things straight when John rambles into fiction. It's easy to see that Cassavetes liked to talk about his work. There are over 500 pages on roughly a dozen films.

If you are new to Cassavetes and read this book, you'll want to view his films. I have only seen a handful myself, but his total commitment to getting them made is so impressive that I feel ashamed to have not seen more. I saw my first Cassavetes film in college and felt that it was interesting, but a little over the top in places. As I get older, I think that real-life might be more over the top than I first realized.

John Cassavetes passion for making movies shines through in this volume. Ray Carney's insight tells the rest of the story. If you are interested in independent film making, this book is a must.

Absolutely necessary reading for those interested in American alternative cinema and not only. The book gives a brilliant picture of USA's one of the best directors ever.
Highly recommended for everyone. No other book shows Cassavetes in this light. Packed with interesting material, as good as Cassavetas' cinema itself.

Ray Carney's "Cassavetes on Cassavetes" is a wonderful introduction to Cassavetes' work. I found it to be a great read - amazingly free of academic jargon or fancy terminology. It was hard to put down! And with incredible photos of the wild-man at work. A must for every fan of indie film as well as aspiring directors and artists - and also for students of life! If you want to know even more, I'd also recommend Ray Carney's massive web site devoted to Cassavetes and indie film. Any search engine will take you there. It has wonderful behind-the-scenes information about the making of Cassavetes' work. If you want a volume to provide ongoing daily inspiration and encouragement regarding the artistic process, buy this book. It is a book you will go back to again and again and again...

Ray Carney's done a great service to film fans by bringing Cassavetes' scattered talks and interviews together into a coherent statement on art. Carney shows how Cassavetes' whole process of filmmaking was tied to his outlook on life. Combative, spontaneous and deliberately amateur, he aimed for situations where writer, actor and viewer are all left without direction, forced to respond to the story as individuals rather than reach for pre-approved 'social codes'. He savagely edited his films to defy audience expectations, usually rejecting versions that the studios, his collaborators and even his wife liked best. Some of Cassavetes' statements made me wonder if he did this to edit some part of himself--the Greek immigrant son made good, with the blonde wife and kids and Hollywood home. In some ways he was an insider desperate to stay on the outside. Conflict was fun for him, he thought America needed more of it, and the messy collaborative 'families' he built around each film were his alternative to the button-down corporate society he fought against all his life.

As Carney presents him, Cassavetes wasn't out for the money, the glory, the ego or ultimately maybe even the art. He wanted fun, he wanted friends and he wanted people to really live as individuals. Are there folks like this around anymore? We need them more than ever.

My half-hearted browser's interest in Cassavetes needed a kick in the seat of the pants, I now realize, and reading this book shows me how much I failed to appreciate him while we were lucky enough to have him around. The format is eye-opening. Cassavetes speaks, and then the author. The constantly shifting P.O.V., and the frisson between the truth Cassavetes himself presented, and the unvarnished truth as discovered by the author, makes this book constantly stimulating and endlessly arguable.

Cassavetes life and films are worth a serious look-see -- and this book is an EXCELLENT place to begin that-- if only because he is that rare individual who absolutely refused to accept mediocrity in himself and others, both as an artist and a committed liver of life. He went for the burn every time out, and could often be an ornery s.o.b. when he detected that people were simply going through the motions in their life or art. (The book is rife with anecdotes that literally make you wince and leave you wondering "Could I have long tolerated this behavior in a friend or family member?") He seems never to have thought "I'd better not burn my bridges here", or practiced any of the other forms of incremental, over-thought cowardice that most of us do.

Cassavetes was driven like no one else; he never made a lazy, easy commercial film. He let his life and films commingle, letting the cameras roll for hours, shooting thousands of feet more film than he could use, afterward sculpting it into a shape that could be released. (He said film stock was the one part of his film making on which he would never scrimp.) His films were, probably more than any other director's, explorations of life.

Cassavetes lived life so completely that it might be truthful to say he did something the average person would call foolhardy nearly every day of his life, in some way or other. But in spite of this, or because of it, it's impossible to come away from this book without an awakened admiration for him.

After searching through the Spirituality section of my local Barnes & Noble, I finally found this book shelved under Film, keeping company with the Marilyn bios and Leonard Maltin guides. That sort of makes sense. Like Certs ("It's a breath mint AND a candy mint!"), "Cinema Nirvana" is an oddball but well-informed romp through the world of classic American film, as well as a savvy guide to meditation and spiritual growth. Sluyter writes like someone who's been around both of those blocks more than once. He excels at noticing the overlooked (the shark in "Jaws" has been terrorizing the beach, but the three heroes illogically hunt it down in deep water, out of sight of land) and squeezing epiphanies out of it (the ocean represents the deep waters of the infinite, where familiar moorings are left behind). Sluyter's brand of spirituality is mostly - but not dogmatically - Buddhist, with the plain-spoken, common-sense approach of the best Buddhist writers. His writing is extremely clear and often very funny. His wit and his skillful use of personal stories (his saga of involvement with a cultlike group in the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" chapter, or his account of the psychedelic 60's in "Easy Rider") make for top-notch entertainment. But what's most entertaining is watching him make astonishing connections - his cosmic interpretation of the lyrics of "Jailhouse Rocks" will blow your socks off.

Thoroughly enjoyable capture of the nuggets of dharma illustrated in film. This was a grand gift of a book.

Reading Cinema Nirvana was an exceptionally gratifying experience. It was hard to put the book down, and every time I tried to do so, I was drawn back to it. The reading of it was a comforting experience, as well as being entertaining and making me laugh. When I poked my head out of its waters, I felt like I had been meditating for quite a while.

But it actually did more than that. Sluyter's life experience and committment to seeking consciousness infuses this book with a clear and cogent energy that passes on to the reader. Not many books have this magic. In the reading of it, I felt something in me unlock, taking me deeper within myself, a priceless experience.

Sluyter's ability to recognize and interpret the presence of spiritual guidance in the movies is amazing. But it is not just this skill, nor just the knowledge imparted, that makes this book shine. It is also his willingness to be real, to share his passion and to bare his heart. I highly recommend it.

Cinema Nirvana is a terrific book and a way fun read. I want to go over some of it again because it is quite thought provoking for me. I got a non-New-Age-Oh-Wow-How-Cosmic-Dude look at roots of some of my own beliefs and practices. Completely unexpected, and pleasantly surprising.

A lot of spiritual writing succumbs to the platitudes of new-asge mush. Not so with this book. Cinema Nirvana is extraordinarily well written, creative and insightful. Basically, Sluyter does an analysis of cinema in terms of Buddhist teaching. Each analysis made me think again about the movies I had taken at face value - I even ended up reading some of them twice. I have definitely reconsidered the way I approach popular culture as a result of Sluyter's critical technique. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Buddhist philosophy, wants to steer clear of the new age drivel, and enjoys well wrought, intellectually stimulating critical writing. Even those who don't have much knowledge of buddhist philosophy, but want fresh crticial insight into cinema should give this book a reading.

When I first found out about this book, I immediately came to Amazon and read the reviews listed with this one. I must whole heartedly agree with my fellow reviewers that this book is filled with a lot of never before seen photos and information about George Lucas that the public has never had access to before. It is graphically beautiful. When I first received my copy, I literally couldn't put it down for hours. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning more about the man behind the Star Wars saga.

This guy has got it together - a great look inside the creative process and genius of the modern film maker. Absolute must have for a Star Wars fan or anyone wanting to learn more about the cause and effect this one man has had on the film industry, movie making, motion pictures and the technology to bring them to life - far beyond any one else has ever done before..... travel into hyperspace with this book.

By now, most people have seen one George Lucas film, just as they have most likely seen a film by Steven Spieldberg. This wonderfully photographed and informative coffee table book has everything you need to know about the directoral genius and the history of his films. It all began in the late 60's, when he and Steven Spieldberg graduated from USC in Southern California. They would both go on to become leading American film directors. Lucas's first attempt at film was a successful student film- THX 1138, a chilling science fiction film about a futuristic, militant society akin to George Orwell's 1984. Already, there are signs of his most recognizable movie Star Wars as in that film a young man defies the oppressive regime and attempts to rescue himself but fails to do so. In the mid 70's, Lucas had already created the storylines for his Star Wars saga. It is a 9 part saga. We have seen Episodes 1-6. Beginning in 1977 with Episode 4 A New Hope, the film that won him instant fame. The book recounts the making of the film on location, the casting of Mark Hammill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford- actors who at that time were in need of a successful film role. The book even details original scenes that were cut off. In 1980, The Empires Strikes Back was released and it proved to be the highest grossing sequel of a film ever made. 1983's Return of the Jedi, as wonderfully made as it was, has never been as successful as the first two, though it raps the saga nicely. In 1999, Lucas released Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, the first installment of his space opera which tells of the growth and downfall of the young Anakin Skywalker who becomes Darth Vader. 2002's Attack of the Clones dealt with the Clone Wars and the budding romance of Padme and Anakin. 2005's Revenge of the Sith describes the Sith takeover and the destruction of the Old Republic and extinction of the Jedi, all except for Yoda, Obi-Won and Padme's twins Luke and Leia. Lucas had a hand in the making of Spieldberg's popular Indiana Jone series. We have seen how he has become a film-maker who relies on great stories and the magic effects of cinema and computer graphic/digital technology. He is the only director who can point us to the path of how future movies will be made.

This book is filled with rare and beautiful images from the Lucas archive. If you're interested in George Lucas, there is no alternative. The story is pretty good, although a little limited. If you combined the images from this book with the detailed story in DROIDMAKER (subtitled- George Lucas and the Digital Revolution- which i just read straight through and LOVED), I think you'd have the perfect Lucas book. Still, i highly recommend this.

Excellent book about Lucas' life and projects. Special focus is of course on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The Star Wars (original film) is the best chapter and there is some excellent stuff there - including segments from the first draft of the film and how the story changed from the first and final draft. This tells the real story about Lucas and his incredible path from the shy film student to the man that would change film making forever. A must for all fans of films. This is a truly interesting book with some great pictures and it is very easy to read. Highly recommended.

It was a good book,but I personally think it could've done with the puzzles.Otherwise,this book will keep kids entertained on long car rides or on rainy days.

I have to say digimon rock, because it does teach teamwork, and so does Pokemon(but not as much). I mean, would Tai or any of the others defeat Myotismon or The Dark Lords if they wouldn't of worked together. And that shows kids that if you work together then you can accomplish anything.

OK. You might think we are to old for Digimon (or Pokemon) but actully it helps us learn the value of friendship and teamwork. I would recommend digimon for anyone with friend problems (like Matt and Tai) If you think the same e-mail me at digimonfreak3@hotmail.com

Digi-Know?! digimon rocks who ever thinks digimon is like pokemon is crazy.I'm a girl even I know the difference between pokemon and digimon.The kids in pokemon KNEW what to do.The kids in digimon was force to go to the digiworld.EXCITEMENT is writen all over it.

I THINK THAT LAST GUY HAD A GOOD THOUGHT BECUSE DIGIMON IS A GRAET THING I'M 11 AND I LOVE DIGIMON I'V NEVER MISSED ONE SHOW AND THE BOOK IS GOOD TO AND IT MAKE'S ME HAPPY TO SEE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DIGIMON AND TO SEE PEOPLE READ DIGIMON IT'S EVEN BETER

I love this book. The writing is clear and clean, and while it covers basically *everything*, it's never either condescending or overly simplistic. If you want to make a digital movie, this nuts-and-bolts guide should be your first read.

Digital Cinema is a must-read for anyone interested in filmmaking today. Actually, it is a must-read for anyone interested in telling stories because, as authors Taylor and Hsu convincingly argue, digital cinema is the cutting-edge medium for today's storytellers. "Going back to our cave-dwelling ancestors sitting around a fire," say the authors, "the human impulse to entertain, provoke, move, enlighten, and share has shaped our whole history of dramatic, written and visual work. There is a very basic human need for translating internal thoughts and emotions into a medium that can effectively and affectingly convey them to others...and digital technology promises a quantum leap in access to visual storytelling tools." Hsu and Taylor clearly know their field, and expertly guide the reader through a highly readable explanation of why digital cinema has "democratized the filmmaking process," making it much easier for individuals with stories to tell to reach their audiences. They acknowledge that simply owning an digital video camera is not enough, however, and carefully detail the often challenging realities involved in making even a digital picture. Still, if you read this book, you won't want to turn back. Incidentally, if you're in the vicinity of Santa Monica, California, on Wednesday, January 7, you can catch the authors signing their book at 7:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 1201 Third Street Promenade.

I appreciate a book like "Digital Cinema" that can clearly and thoroughly explain a subject, especially the technical aspects. A friend in the film business strongly recommended it to me, and her enthusiasm was certainly justified. A great read for filmmakers and anyone who loves movies.

My involvement with a project shot entirely with a mini digital video camera began in mid-September of this year. My new client was very pleased that I identified the format correctly within a couple minutes of viewing the first episode, but other than that I was clueless regarding the issues involved with shooting in the digital format. DIGITAL CINEMA changed that immediately. The authors have provided me with invaluable insights into the use of digital video, and I was able to read (study) their book whenever I had a few minutes available. Wasting no time, Chapter One provided a detailed chart comparing the expense of shooting on film compared to shooting on digital video. While I'm involved with a television show, many of the issues translate directly to my situation. The rest of the book continued to enlighten me in the most cost-effective manner possible, and I now feel completely comfortable and confident whenever a conversation turns to this topic. The postproduction discussions were most personally relevant, but everything else is also extremely helpful. For instance, I wasn't even thinking in terms of digital video being a series of "ones and zeroes" instead of true video, but I'm aware of such issues - both large and small - now thanks to this book. I thank the authors for their work, and recommend it to all.

If Speilberg could start his career with a Super-8 camera, I can only imagine the amazing results that readers of DIGITAL CINEMA can accomplish with their digital cameras after reading this book! Taylor & Hsu not only discuss the decade-old issue of "digital vs. 35mm", they provide helpful comparisons, valuable resources, and look at digital filmmaking from all sides, including story concept, realistic limitations, advice on actual shooting, how to keep costs down, and marketing your finished product. Concise, informative and easy-to-understand!

Stacy is one of the true industry leaders. Any DJ, whether new to the business or seasoned veteran, can get some pretty valuable information from this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants wants to generate more business.

This book is a great thing to have. It brings thing to your attention that you would not have thought of. It has helped me to better market myself and helped improve my business.

Once again Zemon has used her many years of experience and talent and lent us her superb advise. The book is a constant reference to me as well as other DJs lucky enough to read it. A must read for newbies as well as seasoned single- and multi-op mobiles looking to increase their marketing savvy.

I've been DJing for years but knew I was lacking in marketing knowledge and sales skills. I read this book, immediately put some of the ideas into practice, and saw results right away! The DJ Sales & Marketing Handbook and The Mobile DJ Handbook are my two most important reference manuals for the sucess of my mobile entertainment business.

Although I am not a DJ, I purchased this book to help me in marketing my photo booth rental business that I provide to special events.

The book contains real-life specific marketing advice to any business serving the special events industry like how to break in to the Bar Mitzvah Market, when to advertise for different event types, what to do after completing an event, how to deal professionally with complaints..etc

A must read to create a successful business.

The best money I ever spent on something about Doctor Who. Great reading and packed with info. You won't be dissapointed.

great book ,well written great pictures and inside information on how the new series is made.I can't wait to receive the Doctor Who encyclopedia which i just ordered and hope to be receiving next week.

A great insider view. The book covers initial thoughts by the BBC to bring back the show, Russell T. Davies vision, outlining the stories, the casting process (John Barrowman was cast in 12 hours - an unheard of time), the mockups for sets, how the shows were made (each director did his/her block altogether) and at the end of the book (probably the last third) covers both seasons episode by episode.

The book covers issues like why did Davies get rid of the Time Lords? The TARDIS is alive? Why anchor the stories with recurring characters on Earth?

All in all, a great find. It's a fascinating glimpse into how a show gets up off the ground.

I confess that I never cared for Dr. Who during its first twenty five years that ended fifteen years ago. It was only shown in segements on PBS in this area and frankly being a hard line Star Trek and science fiction fan there was nothing that appealed to me.

I once asked Englsih friends about this and they excused the show by saying "When Dr. Who began we didn't have Star Trek, Twilight Zone and all your great shows. It was all we had." I know there were big Dr. Who fans even then, in this country, and had students who dressed up as "The Doctor" at science fiction conventions.

Then a few months ago BBC-America began showing the first of the two new seasons and the Sci Fi Channel showed some from the second season. My wife, grandkids and I were blown away and I have since bought the DVDs from the two new years and eagerly await the third. I have even bought some of the new novelizations for the kids and myself as well as toys from England. A friend over there also secured for me an authentic Billie Piper autographed picture.

That brings us to this very excellent book, Dr. Who: The Inside Story. It is very well crafted with the story about how the show came about and has beautiful pictures. It also covers the first two seasons with details on each episode. The latter is so well done you will have to see the shows even if for the third time (as it will be in our case). The book has everything a fan would want and more.

I must mention that as a Christian and a teacher there is so much I can use from the DVDs and this book to teach some great lessons. That may not have been the purpose of those who put the show together, however as C.S. Lewis has advocated, writers do not have complete control over their art and God can find a way of using even the most offbeat material. C.S. Lewis himself wrote science fiction and fantasy and not just books on theology. J. R. R. Tolkein also was a theologian, but is best known for his Lord of the Rings series. Yes, there is a lot or religious significance in Dr. Who whether intended or not.

I highly recommend this book for all whether they have seen the show or not.

Now that the new Doctor Who series has established itself as something of a success, one can expect a wave of books to come out cashing in on that success--novels, monster guides, glitzy reference books, and so on. And after all, why not? But while "Doctor Who: The Inside Story" at first glance appears to be part and parcel of this wave, in fact it's quite a bit more substantial and informative as well as thoroughly enjoyable.

It's the "Inside Story" on two levels. First of all, it covers the making of the show (first two series/seasons and a foretaste of the third, that is) in great depth and detail. The deliberations behind the show's revival are revealed, the responsibilities of the many people responsible for the show's creation are described, and the manner in which the show is actually produced by this team--both overall and episode by episode--is fleshed out enough to satisfy all but maybe the most fanatical fan's curiosity. The rationale behind certain aspects and characteristics of the show in general as well as particular stories is also touched on in a satisfying manner. All of this comes complete with facts about cast & crew, studios & filming locations and all of that good stuff as well as superbly lavish illustrations, the most interesting of which (for me, anyway) are the early concept designs. Some the initial ideas for the new Cybermen, for instance, are particularly arresting, some very much anime-inspired and some much more cybernetically ghoulish than the final version. Anyway, the book is very much enjoyable and informative both visually and verbally.

Secondly, though, all of this is told through the words of the insiders themselves. The author himself (Gary Russell) is on the script-editing team, and he pieces together the whole story through extensive interviews with and quotes from the producers, writers, directors, actors, and the many brilliant folks in charge of costumes, sets, and make-up, to say nothing of the special effects artists/technicians/magicians. All of this is weaved into a comprehensible narrative (though keeping track of all the names gets a bit daunting sometimes), certainly, but make no mistake, this is no unofficial guide. A few tense, snippy moments are alluded to and the account seems honest enough rather than contrivedly PR, but the overall tone is extremely celebratory and enthusiastic. Which also means that all the heart and soul, the loving care that goes into the creation of this wonderful show is unashamedly, unabashedly indulged in, and it's a bit infectious, actually--a few times I started feeling a bit petty for nitpicking this or that episode. Well, colder and more objective analysis will be the task of others all in good time, but the initial joy, wonder, and fun of the show is captured right here, and that in a manner that only contributes to the documentary quality of this fine book as a whole.