Video Books

It's always such a pleasure to run across a "special" book, especially one that invites the reader both to learn and to enjoy, and it's doubly pleasurable for it to be a "reference" book, too often a bit dull. I call Lon Davis' new book a reference book because it contains so many factual details about the careers and personal lives of significant silent screen artists. There's much to be learned in these 100 profiles. But expect a joyful good time as you peruse the pages. The author's authentic voice shines through his prose, and it is particularly a surprise how he varies his approach from profile to profile. Also, check out his cross-indexing and listing of pertinent web-sites. A fun read, packed with information.

One of the most fascinating books of this era written in a long time. A plus are pictures never seen before as well as excellent writing by the author, Lon Davis, making each celeb literally jump off the page. You won't be able to put it down.

What a wonderful step back into yesteryear when things were exciting but not so violent.

A must read for all screen buffs, young and old.

C. Lacoe

Silent Lives is a treasure. It chronicles the lives of 100 silent film stars nearly a century after their big day - and does so in a way that's exciting and fresh, despite the passage of time. Each mini-biography contains concise background information, pertinent career highlights, rare period photographs, and at least one pithy anecdote about the subject at hand. The range of silent film stars covered is broad and provides a representative sampling of larger-than-life big name personalities (Chaplin, Fairbanks, Pickford, Swanson, and Valentino), recognizable and enduring character actors (Conklin, Clyde, Dressler, and Turpin), and lesser-known players who are often overlooked or forgotten (Beverly Bayne, Florence Lawrence, and Henry Walthall). The author paints a clear picture of each personality by contrasting the on-screen character with the off-screen behavior. The net result is that the reader is offered a glimpse into the lives of the players, as well as the atmosphere of the silent film era they created. This glimpse will no doubt whet your appetite for searching out the many films highlighted by the author and make you want to watch the films one by one. That's certainly what happened to me! Whether you're a silent film scholar or neophyte, I highly recommend this book.

Silent Lives deserves loud praise! It is an introduction to the many people who gave birth to an important era in cinema history. With the use of wonderful photographs, author Lon Davis has given us a book that belongs in school libraries and homes. For the seasoned film buff, Silent Lives is a good review of who played what. A perfect companion piece for any collection!

Stuart Oderman
Silent film pianist
Museum of Modern Art

It was with great pleasure and excitement that I began reading this new book whose release seems perfectly timed in this current revival and growing availability of silent and early films. Written with passion and in-depth understanding by a life-long silent film enthusiast, this book is exactly what everyone with a sincere interest in early cinema could wish for. It has been meticulously researched and presented in a way which provides the reader with a wealth of information at a glance and at one's fingertips, from the succinct biographies in alphabetical order, to resource references and website addresses for further personal research. Aside from being an indispensable handbook for general knowledge or for writing articles and reviews about actors, directors and other key characters of the silent era, it is also a pleasure to simply read from cover to cover. This is mainly due to the engaging style of writing, making a factual biography read more like an enjoyable story - and what stories they are! Suddenly the names of stars and behind-the-scenes crew became real, living people as I read each one's life story, beginning with the basic facts underneath their names, namely what age they lived to, and of what they died. This little bit of extra information already makes the person come alive in one's mind, and the 2-3 page biographies summarize highlights and certain traits about each individual in such a way that a solid first (or second!) impression is formed. No doubt this can be attributed to the fact that the author personally interviewed some of the people showcased in this book, or else has liaised with family members or ardent followers of the person in question. Each person's most important films are mentioned, both from the silent and early sound era, and at least one interesting photo or illustration per biography makes for enjoyable yet very informative reading.

Although essential for any novice of silent films, "Silent Lives" is also an exciting revelation for more advanced aficionados, thanks to the carefully chosen list of biographies ranging from the essential, most famous names to the obscure and unexpected silent film features such as Felix the Cat, the Model T Ford automobile and my favourite; Rin Tin Tin, the famous canine actor, whose biography reveals that he lived nearly 14 years, and unlike some of his contemporaries, made the transition into sound films effortlessly. Important behind-the-scenes people such as directors, writers, inventors and cameramen are also given worthy tributes in these biographies, which altogether gives a well-balanced overview of who contributed to the development of early Hollywood, how, and which films best represent these facets. Obviously, a medium-sized book cannot encompass the entire gamut of early cinema, but the mere fact that the one hundred short biographies in this book already provide a firm foundation is evidence of the skilful research, planning and writing required for such a book, which in itself deserves of a full 5-star rating.

I have read the book. I do not know for sure but I would bet that Mr. Stratton had nothing to do with this book.
Why?
Because I knew him in prison and he never ever had an original thought in his life..ever.

How powerful. It re-questions me how to be myself as a human being in reality. What is freedom, what is a life, what is "the time"? It keeps questioning me without elicit answer that I must have been seeking by myself.

I read this screenplay, and interviews with the author, and learned that this wasn't written solely by Richard Stratton. Instead the story was formed in a collaborative way in a ninemonth workshop and then during filming, by the movies stars, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone and others. I think this is what helps to make this such a powerful screenplay, the fact that many people, some who had experienced events similiar to those portrayed in the movie, were all putting their collective energies together. I really enjoyed this screenplay and was inspired by it. It made me feel like art and artistic endeavor really do matter and can make a difference in the world. I'm grateful to all the authors for that.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised after viewing this film. It truly captured the power of presence, how the power of words can change ideals and touch emotions. This is one of the best products of poetry in movies I've seen in a while not to mention the demonstration of strength in creativity. If you like the artistic feel of Loves Jones with the power of Soul On Ice, this is the film for you. I only wish we could get more of these films out to a broader audience.

I had searched and searched for movies that would expand my imagination and give me some sort of hope for tomorrow that there are people that still strive to make quality movies and write quality books. Thsi is definitely one of them. I read the book and then I saw the movie that went far beyond my expectations. What a sensory pleasure.

Let me explain. It's not that this book isn't filled with photographs. It is. And they're not bad photos either. The premise is to show candid shots of "stars" when they're not being filmed theatrically. Liz Taylor in full dress costume, practicing golf. Yul Brenner learning how to dance. The stolen moments part is seeing the people behind the famous characters they play both on the screen and often for the celebrity fixated fans. I think this is the PERFECT book for a movie buff. Or somene who loves celebrities. Or perhaps a fan who hasn't quite got the clue that actors are just that, actors and not a larger-than-life character or hero. But if you're looking for amazing photos or shots that inspire you to find a cure for the common cold, this ain't the book.

I advice everyone to take a look at this book,which represents very well the off of cinema,very interesting,beautiful piuctures chosen,recommended for all!!
thank you,Marc brincourt,for giving us a non-yet seen book!!!!

If you like the photos of movies ,thýs book is yours,
ýf you have this book you can know all the things of the actors when they aren't playing.if you have this book,perhaps there are a lot of photos of your favourite actor . bravo for
Marc Brincourt :-)

If you like the photos of movies ,thýs book is yours,
ýf you have this book you can know all the things of the actors when they aren't playing.if you have this book,perhaps there are a lot of photos of your favourite actor . bravo for
Marc Brincourt :-)

If you like the photos of movies ,thýs book is yours,
ýf you have this book you can know all the things of the actors when they aren't playing.if you have this book you,perhaps there are a lot of photos of your favourite actor . bravo for
Marc Brincourt :-)

If you have any interest in the artwork of Street Fighter, game character design, or game design artbooks, I think you will love this book. The artwork is amazing! I have been drawing and collecting Street Fighter artwork since I first played the game as a kid in the 90's. I have since stopped playing video and computer games completely, but I never completely stopped drawing these characters. This book was well worth the $18 I paid for it and I especially recommend it to artists (of any level) with an interest for game character design.

it's mos def a must-have for any street fighter nut. there's concept art, character profiles, interviews with the creators and artists, all on silky glossy paper. however, it seems kinda rushed, there are SO many typos and errors and crap, but it isn't really that big a deal
recommended

This is a MUST for any hardcore Street Fighter fan. Tons of amazing art, which chronicles the entire series and loads of fun interviews just busting with behind the scenes info and reasons why characters were changed from version to version.

As for the book itself, it is of HIGH quality paper and is book bound. I have not seen the other version of this book also available on Amazon.com, but I can honestly say that this version is printed on nice thick paper (not sure just how thick, or what true diehard art fans consider nice paper) and makes all the art look really great.

Buy this now!! You will NOT be disappointed! ^_^

There are two different versions of the same book, same cover, and same paperback. difference is that the book listed in this page (released on October, 2005) is better than the other. Only reason is that the paper is heavy weight and not too soft.

The other book is the same thing but paper are way too thin, and to get something for the same price, it would be a no brainer to get the one with thicker and better paper. So get this one

this book is sick, no complaints whatsoever. it has everything you need to know about street fighter, yea there are some spelling errors and sum corny translations but its a small price to pay for such a good book, cop it and be happy u did.

...of the SWAT series. SWAT 2 was a great game, and this is a great strategy guide. Too bad it's out of print now.

I wish all games had a book like this with them, and I hope Josh Mandel writes more!

I have never been much of an adventure gamer, but with books like this out there, it has made a convert out of me! The text is written in an easy to follow format, which makes playing the game even more exciting!

I read this book out loud, to a friend, over the phone, long distance, at 4 in the morning. I've only ever done that once before so you can imagine! I don't have that friend anymore, but I still have this book. To say it is a compelling read is an understatement. I don't want to give away the ending, so let me just say that Josh Mandel's words are more than just guideful, helpful lessonfulls of stuff - his writing is prosaic and wise, at times almost mystical, philisophical. In and of itself, this is an excellent book. For anyone with a friend, or a phone, it is a must have.

Despite his warped sense of humor (you should see what he does with the shrimp heads at a sushi bar), Josh Mandel is one of the finest people I know. He's also one heck of a game designer (notably "Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist" and "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon"). It was with unmitigated pleasure that I heard he'd agreed to honor us by writing the strategy guide for the SWAT 2 computer game. I worked with him closely on the project and was quite happy with the result (except for one or two points of question in the interview with me... but we'll talk about that later :-)). Josh excelled in the difficult task of writing a manual for a game that was not completely playable until well after his deadline. The resulting book is a detailed, precise compilation (and enjoyable read) of how to play SWAT 2 and succeed in all the missions, as well as a plethora of trivia about the development team.

As the designer of the SWAT 2 game and the strategy guide author for the first SWAT game, I know a good SWAT strategy guide when I see one... and this is it. While you don't need this book in order to play the game, the additional material contained within will greatly add to your SWAT 2 gaming experience.

Taxi Driver was one of the seminal films of the seventies. It broke many boundaries with its use of violence, and it was critically applauded. It was, in my opinion, one of the best films ever made. The script is fascinating, especially to read the bits which were left out of the film.

taxi driver by martin scorsese is a true masterpiece of american cinema.the screenplay written by paul schrader,is one of the best screenplays ever written.the story is about a new york city cabbie who gets tired of seeing all the criminals and scum that the city has to offer.he's a loner who is just trying to make friends and help people out.as a result of all the madness he sees on the sreets,he grows violent and courageous.recommended.

O.K. we all love the film. Martin Scorcese's portrait of a loner slowly slipping into his own obsession with the horrors of inner-city life is seminal, and is still great viewing. De Niro's performance is brilliant as are his supporting actors. However...it is not until one reads the screenplay by Paul Schrader that the film comes to life. It is written almost like a novel, with directions that give the reader new insight and appreciation into the workings of the film and Travis' state of mind. Not only is it a great compliment to the film, it is actually better than the film. When I first saw 'Taxi Driver' I was blown away (along with all those pimps and drug dealers at the end), when I read the screenplay a new appreciation of the art of screenwriting was revealed to me. If you ever want to give someone who is interesting in writing films a present, give them this. Give them the film too. Make them watch the film, then make them read the screenplay, then watch them weep.

Travis Bickle is a social pariah. He can't sleep and needs something to do, so he decides to work the night shift as a New York City cabbie. Travis ruminates (in his journal?) about his difficulties making companionships in his life as well as his dislike for all the filth on the streets. Travis's loneliness, a more concrete manifestation of his alienation problem, is a driving force for his nose dive into psychosis. He hates what he sees in the city until Betsy (Cybil Sheppard) appears as a beacon of light on the street dressed in white. His pursuit of Betsy describes his manic quest for unobtainable companionship and purity. Yet, while his behavior indicates his loneliness, Travis consistently doesn't really know why he keeps behaving badly and often sabotages his own attempts to end his loneliness. For example, his date with Betsy is made unbearable by poor choice of movie. Loneliness is the emotional manifestation of the alienation Travis experiences; it is both a source of great pain and a source of psychosis. He does not understand common social topics, such as popular music, politics or love. His failed attempt at conventional companionship with Betsy leads to his warped effort to be a knight errant for young prostitute named Iris (Jodie Foster).

Travis's descent into psychosis descent ends in a trail of destruction and blood. To save Iris from her life of prostitution, he becomes an army of one. All pimps and Mafiosos in his way die a brutal death. After an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Travis dies quietly on the couch as the authorities enter the building. Then, the strange denouement begins. The ending must be seen as a brief flash of his life. The closing scene reflects how Travis would like his life to be remembered. Director Martin Scorsese utilized a similar method in "Last Temptation of Christ" when Jesus sees his life as would be if he got down from the cross. In movie time, the scene takes about a half hour, but the scene only takes a flash to play in Jesus' head prior to his actual death on the cross. Similarly, Travis does not really become a savior or hero, but dies in a self-induced blood bath. During last scenes of Taxidriver, Travis dreams himself as a hero who makes amends with Betsy, receives a grateful letter form Iris's parents and makes friends with his fellow cabbies. The last scene is just a pre-morbid flash in his mind before his lights go out for eternity.

Taxidriver is set in the pre-Giuliani streets of New York, depicted with all its sin and psychosis. Nighttime in New York is filled with explosive violence, pervasive cynicism, and ubiquitous prostitutes. Director Martin Scorsese even indulges himself in such small details as a depiction of a street drummer, traveling gun salesman, and failed store robbery as side trips in Travis's long journey. Travis's disgust for the streets is depicted in his need to clean the semen and blood off his seats after his shift is over.

Several small events act as act harbingers to his own violent rampage. Travis is made to listen to a customer's (played by Martin Scorsese) ravings while the philandering wife's silhouette is visible from the street. The customer discloses to Travis the merits of the 357 magnum and what it will do to his wife when he shoots her. Also, while innocently shopping at a local grocery store, Travis successfully breaks up a robbery.

Awesome movie. What a cast: De Niro, Shepherd, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle. But the best character may be the streets of the city themselves. Scorsese gives the cold pavement of New York an actual living presence in the movie. Smoke, water, blood, grit.

This positively has to be one of the best written screenplays of all cinematic history. In this text lies a story of desperation, loneliness, and insanity. Paul Schrader has not only captured the mentaility of a sociopath, but the emotions and profound thoughts of a man, driven to insanity by not being able to understand a world unlike his own. If you love well written screenplays, Taxi Driver is a must have!

Hi I am 11 and I want to make props for my film!Is This the right book?It looks exspensive but is it worth it?I need a book and fast!

I'm a lighting design major in college, and no matter what I take a class in, Gillette's book is the standard must have for all tech (and acting) majors. It's a requirement for stage tech 1, and then is used again through out the college carreer, and I have heard people even refrence it after they graduate. The best places to start for new techies are this book, and the 'backstage handbook'

I think its an amazing book! very complete, it tells you about the roles of every one involved, the make up, scene design, construction, sound, costume and lighting, so if you are serious about becoming an excelent theatrical designer and producer, then this is the best place to start!! from here you can buy other books, but this is a must have!

This book is an excellent starting point for students interested in theater. It covers all of the major topics: scene design, construction, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup. I would recommend it to all students and teachers.

we used this book in our theatre department and I find it very good for students who want a little knowledge of what goes on in the making of theatre.

its awsome whith all new levles

It is a very hard game so in order to beet it I suggest you get this stradegy guide. It tells all the specials of every player and tells u how to beet every level step by step. It also has many pictures and other stuff about how to make a sweet skate park and tips on creating a skater.

This book tells you everything to know about this new game. If you buy one book to help you with this game, this is it.

If you like Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 as much as I do, you must get this book. I use this book to help me find things I need In the game. I recomed this for Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 players.

This book tells you how to do everything. From level goals to getting all the gaps. It tells you how to create the best park. It's great. The only reason I would give this 4 stars instead of 5 is thet some of the explanations are very hard to understand. I ended up just taking key words and figuring it out there. Otherwise this is so worth your money!!!

This is the best guide for you if you need help with Super Mario RPG! Even if you don't need help it tells where all the secrets are so it's cool to have anyway. If you LOVE Mario RPG or just like to play it then get this book!!!!

I learned a ton, and I really enjoyed beating the game with the guide! I'm going to try to beat the game without the guide. =^P!

it has every thing you need to know about mario rpg!!!

About two or three years ago, I bought Mario RPG used without the manual. Then I got this Book. This book is the Bible of Mario RPG players' Guides. The strategies are excellent, The detailed descriptions of the areas and characters (although the Bestiary is a little off) in the game are as useful as they get, and it outshines even Nintendo's official player's guide in terms of usefulness. Although yes, it is in black and white as one fellow reviewer said, this small fault is nothing compared to the sheer volume of information contained in this book. If you only buy one player's guide for this game, let this be the one. It'll be the ONLY one you'll ever need.

This is such a cool guide. I love it so much. So good with boss strategies, all the strategies and helps you out a lot. I still play the SNES but this the best of the super mario RPG guides. Even if it is B&W the only thing that doesn't make sense is the Bestiary it isn't complete but anyways it don't matter, if you follow the walkthrough it gets you through the game more then Nintendo powers guide did for me.

"The Truth about Being an Extra: How to Become a Good Background Actor" by Jo Kelly is an amazing book. Finding each and every page interesting, exciting and filled with valuable information, I read it nonstop from beginning to end. I even found valuable information in the introductory sections before the first chapter and in the information at the end of the book. I devoured this book with enthusiasm from cover to cover! Jo Kelly's writing style is friendly, informative, encouraging, and easy to understand. She provides examples of scams and problems she encountered early in her career as a background actor, and explains how she eventually received many successful jobs in background acting once she learned the ropes. She also provides lists- -including addresses and phone numbers- -of legitimate casting agencies for background actors. After reading Jo Kelly's book, I felt that becoming a background actor is a very real possibility, and that it would be tremendous fun!

In "The Truth About Being An Extra", Jo Kelly (founder of Background Actor Seminars) draws upon her years of professional experience as a veteran background actor and her personal insights as a former celebrity wife to reveal "inside secrets" to becoming a successful "background actor", that is, one of those folks you see in movie and television scenes of crowds, passers-by, restaurant diners, etc. Readers will also learn of scams and pitfalls that can happen to naive actors accepting walk-on, background roles in movies, television and commercials when they register with casting agencies. A compendium of solid film industry information, invaluable advice for newcomers, illustrative anecdotal stories of her own experiences, practical tips for securing background acting jobs, locating legitimate casting agencies, as well as becoming both comfortable and professional on the set, "The Truth To Being An Extra" should be found in every college Theatre Department's reference collection and considered "must reading" for anyone aspiring to a background acting gig.

This is a quick read that is full of interesting tidbits of information providing a rare glimpse into the world of working as a background actor in the movies. It is not a detailed guide by any means but it does give the reader an overview of many things aspiring "extra" needs to consider as they travel this career path.

Author Jo Kelly comes across as knowledgeable and very personable in her style of writing. Kelly generously shares her knowledge to help newcomers avoid some of the mistakes she made. Her numerous stories from the trenches offer insights into how the real world works and serves up helpful warnings for the neophyte.

The author offers many very specific recommendations with all the necessary contact details. Unfortunately, for readers outside California, the contacts in "The Truth About Being An Extra" seem to only apply for those in Los Angeles (Hollywood). Other interested readers could probably use these listings as a guide and seek out comparable resources in their own part of the world. For example, Canadian actors might find the book useful for its general advice but then need to go a step further. They would need to seek out the agents, agencies, and specific organizations that are relevant in Canada if that's where they plan to start their career as a background actor.

Kelly discusses both general and specific issues. She mentions child actors, parents of child actors, and actors with disabilities as examples of situations with unique considerations. The glossary of the vocabulary used in the industry adds even more clarity.

As a complete outsider to the world of movie making, I came away feeling I had a bit of insider knowledge about the day-to-day reality of a career as a movie extra. It was a bonus to also learn Kelly's fascinating personal story about how she happened to write this book. Widowed in the early 1990's, her original goal was to make a career change by breaking into the world of background acting! Once she learned to be a good movie extra, she then moved on to give presentations, run seminars, and write this book.

What makes this story within the story so interesting is that she had a major hurdle to overcome first - she had to conquer her fear of public speaking. She gladly credits Toastmasters for helping her deal with that challenge. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Author and veteran movie extra Jo Kelly candidly shares her experience in the field of background acting for films in Los Angeles, CA. Included in this handy guide is contact information for casting agencies and casting agenies, calling services, production studios, and tips for how to join the Screen Actors Guild. The business of background acting (from tracking expenses, finding the location of the shoot, and where to turn for tax preparation help) are also covered. This is an excellent gift book for any aspiring actor interested in learning the ropes of show business and finding his-or-her way around LA. Give one to your community theatre director and pass the information on to others who'd like to work as a movie extra.

A great little book for anyone interested in getting into the "extra" game. Jo Kelly gives lots of very practical advice and good "do's and don'ts" for the first-timer. I especially liked her guidance for those about to appear as a background actor for the first time--she takes away some of the fear of the unknown and tells you the most important things to be aware of BEFORE you step on the set. She also provides excellent resources for child casting, calling services, talent agencies, and scams you may encounter as you get into the field. Definitely recommended for anyone thinking about being an extra, or anyone who has done it and wants to learn more.