Video Books

Steven Spielberg: Interviews is a great book on many levels. It's probably one of the only books about Spielberg that shows his more personal side and manner of speaking. The interviews give us a different different perspective of the man and show that he is not what everyone (or me at least) envisioned him to be.

Interesting, information, and with its own of sense of humor, this is definitely a must-read for Spielberg fans, filmmakers, and people period.

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly the greatest movie director of our times. ALL his movies have been box-office hits. He is brilliant and dedicated to his craft! And people adore him! He's way cool ...

That's why it's so exciting to read a book by him, describing the last 25 years of his life. Awesome material!

Can't wait to see more of his movies! Many reviewers are saying that my TOONIES book would make a great movie ... a la Spielberg. I should be so lucky, but was lucky enough to meet and pose with Clint Eastwood many moons ago, so perhaps I'll get lucky again. Hint! Hint!

With all his fame and fortune and he still remains a very "nice, dear, down-to-earth" man. More of the actors should emulate his example.

Go, Steven!

There's a lot of really good stuff in here.

First, the interviews span some 25 years, so you get a sense how he's matured and yet how he's stayed the same.

Second, Spielberg is very candid, so interviews with him tend to reveal more than many others.

Third, there's just a lot of good stuff in here, some of which you may have heard and some not. For instance, I had never heard the story of how, as an awkward 12 year old, he and a mentally retarded boy were dead last in a school race and their peers cheered the retarded boy to beat young Spielberg. Spielberg describes how he knew he had to let the boy with without him realizing it and did just that. And then he describes how after the race, after the others carried the retarded boy on their shoulders, Spielberg was both devastatingly happy and sad.

Or there's the anecdote about his encounter with Stanley Kubrick -- how the master was not as stand-offish as one might think, and yet how he sized up Spielberg with "his probing, questioning eyes, always looking at you to see if you're true or falso. To see what you're made of, to see what you have upstairs. His chess player's eyes. Real surgeon's eyes."

There's lots of other examples I can bring but if you have any interest in Spielberg or movies just go out and get the book. It's a great read about a fascinating man whose own character arc and maturity as a movie-maker is the stuff great stories are made of.

I've been waiting a long time for a book like this. Populist filmmakers like Steven Spielberg are too often ignored by publishers who would rather print in-depth literature on the likes of Coppola or Scorsese, so it's nice to see a meaty tome such as this on the bookshelves. Spielberg lets rip on all the stuff you often wondered about whilst watching his films, and proves himself to be rather adept at delivering hilarious anecdotes. Unlike the George Lucas Interviews book, Spielberg isn't shy when it comes to discussing his private life. All in all, an enlightening read. Jolly good.

Being obsessed with all things 'Anna', I had to have this book, just because its about 'Anna'. But I can't believe how cool it is beyond that. It is a behind the scenes guide, beautiful, glossy picture book, and well-researched, informative, awesome history lesson in one. It totally quenched my need for 'Anna'!! I reccomend this to fans, historians and movie buffs alike. Ceccelia Holland is brilliant; you can tell she really thought about this and did her homework. My copy is priceles to me. Please get this!

I really didn't expect too much out of this book. But I was quite pleasantly surprised to find myself thoroughly enjoying it. It gives background to so many of the customs and questions about Siam. It was very interesting to read because it made the story of Anna and the King more understandable and easier to relate to. It gives real story behind each character, but it also explains where this movie came from. If you enjoyed the movie, this is the book to get. It has a lot of awesome pictures, and it tells how the story developed from the true story to a wonderful tale. I think everyone understands that the movie isn't very true, so this book is perfect for learning the truth, and also learning more about the movie. If that's what you're looking for...here it is!

If you enjoyed "Anna and the King," I think you will love this book. It is filled with huge glossy photos, many of them close-ups of Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat as well as the beautiful sets and landscapes. It contains tons of historical background information on the movie and makes for a very interesting read. I highly recommend it.

A good book on the making of the movie Anna and the King and a brief on the history of the Chakkri Dynasty. Disapointed only that the author did not give details on production of the movie. Such as why did they produce the film in Malaysia recreating elaborate sets and imitations of the real thing in the real country, Thailand? And the fact that it was banned in Thailand. Otherwise a good buy, especially if you enjoyed the movie.

This book includes notes from Marc Forster, Lindsay Doran, and Zach Helm. It also includes photocopies of notes that Zach took while he wrote the script.

There are several scenes or parts of scenes in this script that didn't make it into the final cut.

Overall, I am pleased with this purchase.

My choice for Best Picture but typically the Hollywood machine didn't think so enough even to nominate it. It is worth the price of a ticket jus to hear Emma Thompson deliver the punchline which I won't repeat so as not to spoil it for those of you who really should rent this movie.

This film deserved more than it got at the box office. Fortunately, Newmarket has delivered yet another A-grade edition of their screenwriter friendly series. Ideal for those of us who hung on every line.

Great movie, creative writing. This movie had more substance than 85% of the movies that came out last year. It's totally worth it to read the screenplay and watch the movie. If you are a filmmaker, it's a great film to learn from. i know I did.

Amazon also sells a 2005 issued 2 hr. DVD to complement this book. The DVD is titled "The Method With Lorrie Hull, Ph.D." UPC: 689076281522, and ASIN: B0008EWRAE. The DVD is viewable in all countries,as well as the U. S. and Canada, as it is a Region 0. It is movie quality technically, and features printed and picture menus for easy access to each section. Teachers, actors, directors, and audience members click on to the sections of interest.

Martin Landau, Shelley Winters and Cloris Leachman appear on the DVD. The Emmy and Academy Award winning Leachman critiques scenes of Hull's students in an informative, enjoyable manner.
The book and the DVD explain Method acting and directing techniques, including those of Elia Kazan [Part III in the book].
The book has been a best seller worldwide, and is the basis of Dianne and Lorrie Hull's acting and directing classes and private coaching [along with Kazan techniques] in Santa Monica and Santa Barbara.
To read more about the book, see the author's statement on the video page, "The Method Based on Stanislavski and Strasberg."

As a longtime member of the Actors Studio, we believe that method acting is what fine actors have been doing for over 2000 years--using themselves and what they know, but often adding their imagination to their own thoughts and feelings to be able to think and feel as the character.The actor is the clay from which a character is molded.
Hull explains all of this thoroughly in her book, as well as explains how modern method acting is based on modern psychological discoveries. Appendix C, "Behaviorial Psychology as a Basis for the Method," explains this concept clearly.
The book lays out an entire course of training exercises in the most explicit, practical down-to-earth manner I've ever encountered. It is of enormous value to actors, directors, and especially to those who teach these disciplines.
Fellow Actors Studio member, Shelley Winters, wrote for the Santa Monica Hull class brochure: "Lorrie Hull is the only teacher I trust to send students to. Her teaching and book of the Method are the best I've ever seen since Strasberg. Lorrie [and her book] teach- you how to work deeply with great effect. And it's the beginning of very good careers for lots of young people.
For the general public interested in enlightened theatre and film going, the "L. A. Times" review stated, "If you ever wondered how some of our better actors arrived at their skills, this book will provide some answers."
Not only is the book for actors, but directors also find it most helpful with Part 3, "Directing," based also on Kazan, and quoting fine directors such as Martin Ritt, Mark Rydell, Sydney Pollack, and of course, Elia Kazan among others.

This book is not only a must for actors, teachers and directors, but is of fascinating interest to film and theatre goers as printed in the "L. A. Times" review:...if you ever wondered how some of our better actors arrived at their skills, this book will provide some answers.
On"The Method" video and on Hull Actors Studio brochures,
Shelley Winters claims: Lorrie Hull is the only teacher I trust to send students to. Her teaching and book of the method are the best I've seen since Srasberg.Lorrie teaches you how to work deeply with great effect. (and) it's the beginning of very good careers for lots of people."
As a longtime owner of the lst publication , and a new owner of the 2004 reissue edition, I can testify that the 2004 edition is more interesting than ever with the updated new pictures and captions illustrating the book's world wide use and acclaim, as well as depicting how well-known artists use the book. Dianne and Lorrie Hull were master teachers at the Paris Stanislavki conference after the book's publication.
After attending Hulls' classes, I think the warm, supportive, skillful, creative teaching is also evident on the pages of the book. I heartily agree with the 5 star reviews by Governick of St. Louis and the longtime Actors Studio member.
ISBN: 0-9710401-1-7

The best technical manual available for an easy to read understanding of those techniques and procedures used in "Method" acting. Extremely rich in detail, laced with dozens of examples and personal anecdotes, this book leaves nothing out as it takes the reader through every element of the "Method" and its vocabulary. Relaxation, Sense Memory, Concentration, Imagination, Substitution, Justification, Animal Exercise, Personal Object, Private Moment, Affective Memory, Song and Dance, Inner Monologue, Narrative Monologue, Speaking Out, Moment-to-Moment, and Subtext are just a few of the terms which Ms. Hull explains with crystal clarity. The book also includes advice to Directors, an exhaustive scene list, a glossary, suggested reading and tons of other valuable information.

For those of us who have been blessed to have studied with Lee Strasberg, a man who genuinely cared about the positive growth of the individual actor, and who encouraged honest exploration of all aspects of the actor's art, and for others interested in a complete and accurate manual of Strasberg's work, "Strasberg's Method As Taught by Lorrie Hull" is indispensable. -- TheatrGROUP

If ever there was a case of 'don't judge a book by it's cover' it's this one!! At first glance you might think you hold in your hands another dry, ordinary, boring, how-I-got-into-show-biz-and-how-great-I-am bio but this is NOT the case with this book! What a great read! Mr. Phillips' long, stellar and varied career in the music business is written with a lot of humor and I found myself laughing out loud through much of it. He also makes you feel not only for himself but for those 'characters', both ordinary and 'stars', that come and go in his life throughout the telling of his story. He makes then human. SOMEONE in Hollywood needs to pick up the rights to this book and make it into a movie!!! This book IS indeed hard to put down and I only found myself doing so after not being able to keep my eyes open any longer in the wee hours of the morning. Coming from someone who has been 'behind the scenes' for so long, it's nice to see him step out front and tell his story. I guarantee that if you've looked at a movie, watched television or listened to the radio or records and cds in the last 50 years, you've heard SOMETHING that had Mr. Phillips' name attached to it! Stop reading the review and click on the "Buy" button up top! You will not regret it! I promise!

Where I'm coming from: a part-time musician for around twenty years; did work for a record company for about 1 1/2 years and met my wife of 23 years there. Always fascinated with music careers. Well, I read Stu Who? because I actually did recognize the name from some old records. Rather than hash through his career points here, I'd just like to report that Stu Phillips has a gift for recounting his music career. He really humanizes what it is like to brush with fame, what it is like to get tremendously lucky, what it's like when the opposite of luck happens. He seems to be thinking and writing this book at the same time, which gives it an energy I could not resist. For some reason I carried it around with me everywhere until I was done, and I left the copy somewhere, wherever it was when I finished it. I guess that's the best recommendation you can give to a book, that it lives in your brain so strongly, you mislay the darn book itself. Good going Stu, and thanks for sharing your story.

"Stu Who?": Forty years Of Navigating The Minefields Of The Music Business by record producer, television and film composer Stu Phillips is the fascinating, informative, personal history of a life-long career in the music industry. Phillips shares heretofore unknown anecdotes about entertainment and music world personalities ranging from Sammy Davis, Jr.; Donna Reed; Librace; and Russ Meyer; to Shelley Fabares; James Darren; The Monkees; and Don Kirshner. From Phillips first professional job as a copyist for The Milton Berle Texaco Hour, to his work with Russ Meyer soft-porn movies, to his participation with cult classics such as Battlestar Galactica (where he was privileged to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic), to his years in the recording business at Command, Colpix, Capitol, and Epic, to his work composing music from The Donna Reed Show, Gidget, as well as films like Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls, to his unsuccessful "dabbling" in film-making and screenwriting, "Stu Who" is an impressive autobiographical compendium that is enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the history and personalities of the music, television, and film industries.

A fascinating trip down memory lane which brings our childhood and adolescent heroes and icons to life and humanizes them. Stu is a gifter racounteur and his story is full of humor, pathos and interesting insights.

this book is for you... it is full of great pictures and information... it is awesome

Digby Diehl has dug up enough ghastly art and story lines from the old E.C. vaults to chill even the most die-hard Crypt fans! This book captures the horror and fascination many of us experienced as kids, encountering our first Tales from the Crypt comic. This archive presents a rich visual history of the development of the horror genre in comics, its rise to horrific success, and the devastating blows it was dealt in the 1950s, as comics came under tighter censorship scutiny. It is worth having this book for the collection of cover art alone, but also worth noting is the section on its spinoff into the television series. Anyone who has ever seen the comics, or the shows, will undoubtedly enjoy poring over this collection into the wee hours of the night...

A mere comic book in 1950, today Tales From the Crypt and its Crypt Keeper are trademarks whose value exceeds their initial medium, much as Disney's Mickey Mouse surpasses the value of his cartoons. And if Mickey means amiable family entertainment, the Crypt Keeper signifies a particular kind of horror tale: one combining brevity, gore, black humor, and moral irony.

Tales From the Crypt is also a multimedia property. Digby Diehl touches most bases along its history, beginning with the origin of comics books, a marriage between newspaper comic strips and pulp fiction. In 1896, Richard F. Outcault created The Yellow Kid, a comedic strip of cartoons about ... a yellow kid (allowing its publisher to showcase a newly invented, bright yellow ink, a favorite practice of tabloid yellow journalists). Until the late 1920s all cartoon strips were comedic, hence, a comic strip.

In 1933, Max Gaines conceived of reprinting comic strips into pulp books, making him the Father of the Comic Book. In 1945, his partners at Action Comics bought him out and he founded Educational Comics, publishing titles such as Picture Stories From the Bible and Bouncy Bunny in the Friendly Forest. He died in a 1947 boating accident, saving a child's life while perhaps sacrificing his own.

Bill Gaines grew up hating and avoiding comics because they had represented Max, a critical and demanding father. Now Bill's mother insisted that he run EC. He did, changing EC from Educational to Entertaining Comics, and hiring Al Feldstein to draw an Archie clone, Going Steady With Peggy. But Bill soon dropped the idea of cloning successful trends, a standard publishing practice then (and now?), and created what he called his New Trend titles.

The history of EC's New Trend horror and crime comics (Tales From the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, Shock SuspenStories) informs much of Diehl's book, but there is much else. We read of Weird Science and Weird Fantasy, Bill's sci-fi comics tolerated out of love since they never achieved the success of their horror siblings; the GhouLunatics (Crypt Keeper, Vault Keeper, Old Witch); Harvey Kurtzman's distaste for horror, his meticulous attention to military detail in his beloved EC war comics (Two-Fisted Tales, Frontline Combat), and his creation of, and defection from, MAD; EC's plagiarism of Ray Bradbury's "What The Dog Dragged In," leading to a long, congenial working relationship with Bradbury (but who later requested that his name not be put on covers, as he worried that being adapted by the comics hurt his authorial reputation); and the cloning of the New Trend, so that by 1953 about 150 competing horror titles were being published, today mostly forgotten.

Sections on each EC artist includes bios and samples of his unique style. Al Feldstein, who wrote and edited most of the New Trend, demanded that each artist have his own signature style. Bill Gaines encouraged it by instituting an "Artist Of The Issue" kudos page, a respect rarely accorded by other publishers.

EC's five horror and crime titles all folded in 1954, due to public outcry against comic book sex and violence. Psychiatrist Dr. Fredric Wertham of the New York Department Of Hospitals and Harlem's Lafargue Clinic led the fight. Powerful enemies against EC included gossip columnist Walter Winchell, waging a vendetta against EC business manager Lyle Stuart (whose book had revealed the "seamier side of Winchell's private life"); Senator Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn) of the Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency and a presidential hopeful; and EC's competitors, particularly Archie Comics's John Goldwater and DC's Jack Liebowitz. As President and Veep of the Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA), Goldwater and Liebowitz prohibited the words "horror, terror, crime, and weird" for a comic book to earn the CMAA's new seal of approval, required by distributors. EC's strength was its horror and crime titles, unlike its competitors. Ironically, Bill Gaines had called the meeting at which the CMAA was formed.

Wertham recruited support from "women's groups and religious organizations," vilifying horror and crime comics for their "detailed descriptions of all kinds of felonies, torture, sadism, attempted rape, flagellation" and portraying women "in a smutty, unwholesome way, with emphasis on half-bare and exaggerated sex characteristics." He decried all horror and crime comics, but EC had the most to lose. Ironically, EC was rare among publishers in diluting its horror with humor. The GhouLunatics' wry commentaries distanced readers from the suffering characters.

One rare political hero was New York Governor Thomas Dewey, who vetoed "numerous bills outlawing horror comics." But though attempts at state censorship failed, bad press, public pressure, and boycotts discouraged distributors and retailers from carrying EC. Bill Gaines summarized, "Magazines that do not get onto the newsstand do not sell."

Gaines requested permission to testify before Kefauver. In his statement (reprinted by Diehl) Gaines says, "I do not believe that anything that has ever been written can make a child hostile, over-aggressive, or delinquent." Here he was disingenuous, or at least contradictory. Gaines believed in comics' power to influence youth, periodically publishing what he called preachies (tales condemning racism, anti-Semitism, drugs, etc.), usually in Shock SuspenStories. And if art can influence for good, it follows that it can influence for ill.

The question should not have been: are violent comics potentially harmful? Tobacco, marijuana, airplanes, cars, guns -- and yes, art and ideas -- are all potentially harmful. To users, to third parties, to children. The proper question is: Do we chose to live and raise children in a society that assumes the risks of liberty, or do we wish a society cocooned, safe, and inoffensive, hypersensitive to the sensibilities of all?

Although Diehl makes no connection, Wertham began his campaign in 1948 and Bradbury began Fahrenheit 451 in 1950. One wonders what influence the psychiatrist had on the author. For the society in Fahrenheit 451 is a democracy, one in which whatever book offends any group is banned, until none are left. Unlike 1984's obvious state totalitarian target, Fahrenheit 451 reveals that people can discard their freedom by choice.

Yet as EC so often demonstrated in its pages, you can't keep the dead down. The Crypt Keeper lived on. In fanzines, in Russ Cochran's hardcover reprints (published in black & white so as to display the artists' meticulous ink lines), in the Amicus films, in the HBO series (Diehl includes a 93-episode guide covering the first seven seasons), in the more recent films, in the Tales From the Cryptkeeper cartoon. All covered, if only a page. There are a few errors (remarkably, Boris Karloff is referred to as William Henry Platt). Thankfully, there's an index, albeit incomplete. No reference to Karloff under any name.

Not covered are the Amicus film novelizations by Jack Oleck. Although pictured in the collectibles section, there's no information on its making. I miss it because it was both my introduction to Tales From the Crypt (being underage for the Amicus film) and my first "adult" book. To boomers, Tales From the Crypt is a comic book. To Xers, an HBO series. To those born in between, the Crypt Keeper is Ralph Richardson, seen on the back of Oleck's novelization.

Diehl's book reprints four "classic" stories and all 105 EC horror and crime covers (nine per page). Extensively researched, generously illustrated. If you have a serious interest in Tales From the Crypt, you'll want this book.

While I was never a big fan of the HBO cable series - I always felt it was more a star vehicle than a scare vehicle - I did always enjoy the comics it was based on, and with this, the offical history of EC and all their creations, you too will become a fan all over again. This book comes fully equipped and packed with features. It spotlights the history of EC and beyond, background profiles on artists, writers and producers, as well a comprehensive listings of episodes from the HBO series, plus four reprinted classics from the original run (LOWER BERTH/THE THING FROM THE GRAVE/HORROR WE? HOW'S BAYOU? and THE OCTOBER GAME - adapted from a story by Ray Bradbury... who has an interesting history with EC), plus a cover gallery running the gambit of all the EC horror series. This is a must for any fan of the series or collector of comics in general. Very fun, very nice package and very well done. My only complaint is that on occasion the material can read a bit light, but it never bores you... and you learn a thing or two, like: Just who owns all the original art work from MAD #1? To find out - buy and and read inside.

Super!!! It has a lot of juggle combos and all the special moves!!!
it's really worthy to buy it if you are a tekken fan it's a must have

A good strategy guide I would have to say, very good. it lists every characters moves and what level each move hits and anything special about each move except Jinpachi since you cannot use him but I would've enjoyed an analysis of Jipachi within this guide. It also gives a list of combos for each characters which are mostly juggles which is the main thing to do in Tekken 5 if you want to play with crazy fanatics who play for many hours which, I am somewhat kinda like that. It also gives pictures and the cost of each customization item which was kind of interesting. Also it gives some secrets away in the back and it comes with a free wall scroll. of course in there are some typos within the guide but it happens in most guides, no big deal. This is helpful and convenient.

This is a good book and it tells me how to play this game. Also, it tells me which players versus each other is good or bad. In addition, the Tekken: Devil within game isn't tell me a lot, but each thing it tells is useful. So, it is a good book to buy to play with the game together. Go for it. :)

All the details described by the other readers are all true. There is only one thing this guide falls short of, it doesn't have maps of the Devil Within Game and the Strategies for the Devil Within Game are insufficient. Other than that, this guide is complete!

This is a fascinating look at a long-gone time. Mr. Blake's book not only gives the reader great insight into the artistry and work of Lon Chaney, it is a peak into the past, of the days of silent film.

Beyond the other rave reviews for this book relative to the artist, what made this book all the more valuable to me was Mr. Blake's description on movie-making at the turn of the 20th century. We can hear, feel and almost smell the greasepaint of that time, the hard work, the ramshackle artistry of these cinema pioneers.

This is one of the best books on early film, and a credit to the magic of Lon Chaney.

Before reading this book, I knew almost nothing of Lon Chaney except his reputation as a horror actor. I was amazed to discover exactly how misleading that title actually was. Blake's work introduced a genius at makeup and pantomime who was capable of playing any role convincingly. Through it, I gained a respect for a great but seldom-discussed actor.

This is one sequel that is worth waiting for! Armed with new information from the files of Lon Chaney's former business manager, Blake has written a worthy follow-up to his first book on the famous actor. This time, Blake covers Chaney's performances and the making of many of his films in the reader-friendly tone he established in his first book. Blake has broken new ground in film history, revealing that it was Chaney's idea to make "Hunchback of Notre Dame", NOT Universal's studio head, Irving Thalberg!! It is just amazing what new nuggets of information Blake dug up, including lengthy interviews with probably the only surviving crew memeber from Chaney's MGM days and a nurse who attended him during his last trip to New York where he sought a cure of his cancer. He also debunks the myth that Chaney would have played the title role in "Dracula". It is heavily illustrated with many super rare photos. This book is just as good, if not better, than Blake's first effort. Both are a MUST if you're an admirer of Lon Chaney.

Michael F. Blake's second book on Lon Chaney, A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures, is a worthy and much-welcome companion volume to the author's first book: Lon Chaney: The Man Behind The Thousand Faces. This book serves a two-fold purpose: First, Blake reveals a lot of new information he uncovered about the actor's life and films since his first book. Second, this time around biography takes a backseat to a detailed look at the films themselves (although there is still plenty to be learned of Chaney's life).

Being THE acknowledged Chaney authority and having acted himself at an early age, Blake is able to provide a knowledgeable and well-balanced analysis/commentary of Chaney's films (at least those that are not "lost"). While certainly the biggest fan of Lon Chaney, Blake maintains the needed objectively to fairly critique each film and performance. As with his first book, a big highlight here is the wealth of rare photos presented (including Lon both in and out of make-up), as is the always fascinating information on how Chaney, a make-up master, created those amazing characters. Blake is to be lauded for his vast efforts in keeping alive the legacy of one of the greatest talents of the silent era. Thanks to author Blake, all the many fans of Lon Chaney can be assured that Chaney's many talents and contributions to the world of film (and film make-up!) will never be forgotten.

Threads of Fate is not a long, complex game by any stretch of the imagination, and I was honestly expecting the guide to reflect what I'm more accustomed to; a cursory overview of the two quests, the basic navigation and boss guides, and a list of hard-to-find items.

What I was pleasantly surprised by was the fact that not only does Tim Cox delve into the things one expects from the guide, but he also touches upon several of the things that make the 'real' Threads of Fate experience; the useless asides that you can engage in.

The game itself is highly linear in overall presentation, but what it benefits from is that, throughout, there are times when you can take a side-trip somewhere and have a miscellaneous conversation, or not engage in a certain battle and have the dialog change down the line, or else find a string of hidden conversations that add interest, if not vital information. Tim Cox does what many guides will not do, and actually explores the routes to some of these hidden gems, or makes notes about altered dialog trees. In reading the guide, he even reminded me of an alternate dialog path that I had long forgotten how to reach.

In short, it's a wonderfully constructed guide that touches upon thing that really make this game what it is, and I would recommend it not only to people who need the help, but to anybody who is a fan of the game itself. It's a real treat.

This book rocks. It's way better than anything else. Tim Cox is the best author ever. Thanks for such a great guide!!!

Threads of Fate is the most entertaining game there is! With help from the strategy guide you can go through this game with ease. I also recommend this game for the girls who play(like me!). You have the choice of being a cute little boy who changes into animals or a girl with magical powers and a attitude to go with it. As I said before its fun and entertaing. Everyone should buy the guide and game!

Threads Of Fate is a really challenging game and many parts I thought were impossible. This really helped me through it.

David M. Lubin's "Titanic" offers valuable and interesting insights into James Cameron's 1997 Academy Award-winning film by the same title. Lubin, a professor of art at Wake Forest University, brilliantly positions the film within its artistic, historic and cultural context, relating it to art (Frederic Church's "The Icebergs" and "Heart of the Andes," George Caleb Bingham, Jacques-Louis David, among others), literature (Crane, London, Twain, Whitman, et al.), music (Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld," Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde," etc.), theatre (the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, etc.), and even to still photography (Lewis Hines' "Young Russian Jewess at Ellis Island," Alfred Stieglitz's "The Steerage"). Lubin also connects "Titanic" to numerous other films, especially "It Happened One Night" and "A Night to Remember," and filmmakers, including Hitchcock, Welles, Ford and Kubrick. Lubin says "Titanic" is "not by any means an intellectual film," yet his book seems to belie this statement. How could a film that poses "questions about society's divide between rich and poor, the nature of love, the meaning of sacrifice, and modernity's faith in...technological prowess and mastery over nature" be anything but an intellectual film?

For a movie that was almost universally loathed by "high-brow" critics, "Titanic" gets a very lovingly detailed and in-depth analysis courtesy of Mr. Lubin. His analysis is interesting and well-researched without going too overboard or reaching too far for metaphors and artsy-fartsy obscure parallels, as some BFI contributing authors have.

This book afforded me a fascinating 12th look at a film I've already seen 11 times, and I feel enriched for having read it. It is scholarly without being boorishly so, and resists the chance to take gratuitous potshots at the flimsiest part of the film -- the dialogue. Lubin rightfully defends writer/director James Cameron's film even at its weakest points, probably because to single out the flimsy and shallow dialogue is to overlook the mastery that went into every other single detail of getting this epic film made. Visually, it is so rich in detail and craft that to malign it for "teen-speak" dialogue is just to be petty. But make no mistake --- Lubin is not playing the cheerleader for the sake of doing so. He is carefully examining the film for its comments on class distinctions, its parallels to art and opera, its classic story structure, and how the timing of the making and release of the film is nearly as significant as the timing of the actual sinking from the perspective of changing cultural and social mores. Or something like that -- Lubin phrases it so much better than I ever could.

To those who would chastise Cameron for the dialogue, let's see how well YOU do writing dialogue while simultaneously juggling the 40 thousand details, large and small, of a project this massive!

Lubin acknowledges the film's flaws but also pays due heed to the elements that work well, and the film is full of them.

Just read the damn book, folks.

Any movie as large (in every respect) as James Cameron's TITANIC, deserves to be understood, not only in the contemporary consumer context in which it was created, but also through the complex philosophical, cultural, and artistic history which served as its genesis. David Lubin's splendid, captivating, and handsomely packaged little book is a rare jewel for any reader interested in popular culture as subject for serious analysis. We come to understand Cameron's film, although cloaked in melodrama and crude dialogue, as a fully realized "synaesthesia," striving (not entirely unsuccessfully) to consume and re-imagine everything that came before it. Lubin, without a hint of pedantry, goes a long way towards revealing the mysterious zeitgeist at the heart of a global blockbuster. This is a marvelous book, and it deserves to be read.

You think you understood this simple (if expensive) movie? Think again. David Lubin demonstrates why Titanic can really be seen as an allegory--about race and class, humanity and technology, and much more--with amazing depth and sophistication. He's an academic but he writes like a journalist, and you'll be amazed at all the fascinating tidbits he comes up with. Plus the book is beautifully produced with dozens of photos from the film to illustrate (literally) the points he's making. Just a great read.