Video Books

Gayle Mitchell has written an informative guide to the sometimes overwhelming world of BVS (Bonus Video Slots). The number and variations on this new technology often leads to confusion on the casino floor and confusion translates into losing money. In clear language, Gayle leads us through the ins and outs of these multiline machines.

In All Slots Made Easier #2, the author untangles the 'Jungle of Bonus Video Slots' for readers by explaining, rating and reviewing over 80 versions in a concise guide. I have chosen several from the author's recommendations and now enjoy my casino visits and profits. My hat is off to Ms. Mitchell.

This book is another winner in the Casino Gambling Made Easier Series by Gayle Mitchell.
The 'how-to' and 'what' versions of play, re: new bonus slots is revealed.
Three of my favorites are Little Green Men, Easy Street and Slingo--what fun.

Almodovar became the enfant terrible during the '80s for his outrageous actions on and off the film set. Frederic Strauss's collection of interviews helps to dispel many of the myths surrounding the Almodovar mystique. Almodovar burst on to the scene with "Pepi, Luci, Bom," a film renowned for a woman in it being urinated upon, and Almodovar's films have been doused in controversy ever since. Almodovar points out that he creates characters who live on the fringes of society and rebel against laws and regulations. Yet he does not pick up on the fact that as a homosexual director in the male world of Spanish cinema he works outside of the norms to create his films. Almodovar's comments on film making illuminate the artificial world he creates. Almodovar has refused to acknowledge the remnants of Franco's Spain and builds his narratives without societal contexts. "Law of Desire" takes place in a dizzying world of discos, beaches, and theatres while "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" breaks down the fourth wall by setting some of the action on the set of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown." No other director has consistently played with film narrative and conventions as Almodovar does and I wonder if we really need to know the backstage gossip. The truth dispels the myths and I am not sure I want to relinquish the myths. Nonetheless, Almodovar's observations and revelations are fascinating, especially in regards to his actors. He comments that he treats Antonio Banderas like a child in order to get a workable performance out of him. He lectures Victoria Abril on how to say simple phrases like "I love you" and "Have a good day." He became so professionally entangled with Carmen Maura on the making of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" that their occupational divorce made headlines all over Europe. I wonder who this collection of interviews is intended for. As a connoisseur of his films, I relished his delineation of the creative process that goes into the making of his films even when they told many of his secrets. Yet I am in the minority, as many Americans do not even know Almodovar or his films. If they do, it's as a footnote in Antonio Banderas's film bibliography. Potential film directors will salivate over interviews that place a microscope upon the workings of a director. Actors will be fascinated by Almodovar's comments on acting such as when he criticizes Robert DeNiro for showing technique instead of building a character. He prefers the French method of acting where the actor IS the character. He believes that the performances of Antonio Banderas and Carmen Maura in "Law of Desire" are his greatest achievements as a director. Yet, he has been hailed as resurrecting the floundering Spanish film industry with such worldwide hits as "Matador," "Labyrinth of Passion," and "High

Heels." Almodovar has always maintained a love/hate relationship with the Spanish film industry. Almodovar was denied funding for "Matador" due to his critique of the machismo inherent in the world of bullfighting. He linked the violence of bullfighting with the practice of necrophillia infuriating much of the Spanish public although the film was a smashing success. He was again denied funding when the board rejected the homosexual themes that make up "Law of Desire." AIDS activists accused of failing to deal with the disease because he failed to mention it altogether. Almodovar points out that his movies do not exist in a real place and in his world, AIDS does not exist. As with his collection of stories, "Patti Diphusa and Other Stories," Almodovar's interviews have a care-free attitude that is infectious. He discusses all of his eleven films including last year's "The Flower of My Secret" which many critics compared favorably to the women's films of the early '40s. This collection of essays is a gentle kiss harking back to such a magical women.

Frédéric Strauss brings us this amazing piece of work from the hand of Pedro Almodóvar, in which he describes the life: the beggining and the actual work, of the spanish director. He describes what he wants to inspire in his movies and if you have seen them you might get to understand them a little better. If you like this director's movies, you might want to get this book.

Known throughout the world for his unique directorial style and his often absurd characters, Spanish director Pedro Almodovar talks about his films, plots, actors, and other interesting facts that many of his fans knew little about. The book, which is part of series that spotlights many of the world's talented film directors, features Almodovar speaking about many of his films up from "Pepi, Luci, and Bom" to "The Flower of My Secret."

Providing interesting views, facts, and insight on many of his films and actors, there is no one who knows more about Almodovar than the man himself. His discussions are usually very open, especially when discussing several incidents that were high publicized in the European press, mainly his falling out with his most famous actress, Carmen Maura, after the completion of his masterpiece "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown." Their professional divorce left Almodovar without a dependable leading lady (feature lead actresses Victoria Abril and Marisa Paredes never could capture Maura's persona) and it marked Maura's somewhat decline in Spanish film (she later went on to do several unsuccessful Spanish films and some television work before moving to France to break into French cinema.).

The book which is out of print is one of the best one-to-one interviews I've ever read. Almodovar's contributions to world cinema are so numerous that they can be all listed here, and his work has opened the door for many other Spanish and Latin American film directors such as Carlos Arau and Bruno Bareto in showing the world that foreign language films can be as professional and productive as any big budget film churned out by Hollywood.

"Almodovar on Almodovar," is a must have for any Almodovar fan and film studies student. An excellent book on one of the world's most gifted directors.

Wow this book is good and fast. I read it in one night. I like how its like an online rpg, only its for real. Anybody who plays video games should read it.

if you like video games you will like this book. THe gmae is like a roleplaying game, and the characters get trapped in it. They need to complete the quest to get out. It's funny.

Joe and Katie find themselves in a strange store at the mall, and jump at the chance to buy their favorite computer card game - which turns out to be all too real. Transported into a world of dragons where the goal is to locate a five-piece amulet, the two travel a dangerous world in their leisure time, struggle with the questions of parents and friends when not at play - and wonder what will happen if they fail. The Amulet Of Komondor is a riveting story of a computer game gone awry.

This collection is very well edited and well conceived. I'm grateful to the editor for including the smart interviewers as well as others who asked idiotic questions - but most of all for including the interviews where Tarkovsky treads on culturally controversial ground. This collection of interviews fills the gap between Sculpting in Time and books about the director by various authors. I would consider this and Tarkovsky's own book as the two essential texts. Also, a few very funny, antagonistic answers to interview questions make for great reading. You're unlikely to finish this book and still wonder why some crew members found it difficult to work with him.

This book of interviews with the master is a must for all who love great film, and especially fans of Russian Cinema (and of course Tarkovsky). Thanks Mr. Gianvito!

This book is an absolutely fascinating read for any Tarkovsky fan. It gives a real insight into the individual films but more significantly it also helps you understand much better where Tarkovsky himself was coming from. It will also be of interest to people interested in modern cinema, but it is probably best to have seen most of Tarkovsky's films first (there are only about 7 of them). One amusing aspect of the book is seeing different interviewers ask the same, often stupid, questions over a twenty-year period. However, there is plenty of rich material in the book so the repeated questions do not really detract from it, indeed, it is amusing to watch how Tarkovsky deals with them in different times and different contexts.

I am very pleased with these cards - sketches, posters & scenes from movies. I will have fun sending these. And, 100! What a price for 100 cards!

When I bought this, I was expecting them as the description states, coiled and in a box. When they arrived, to my suprise, they are not coil bound at all, but each postcard is loose and kept inside the box. This was great, as I was planning on putting some of these in frames around the house anyways.

The price....let me tell you, they are worth it. If you work it out, thats about 17¢ each, where most generic postcards go for $1 or more. The artwork covers all the features and shorts from Pixar to date, including their upcoming feature Cars.

After showing these to my animation collegues, they agree, this is one purchase you cannot be without if you are a lover of Pixar's work.

This was a great set of postcards, real high quality paper stock. My intention was to use them to mail to my nephew away at school, but once my kids saw the cards, they all took some for their walls to hang. With 100 cards there is plenty to go around. My favorite is the old man from the toy story shorts...

Ed has been doing our production for 20 years. He is truly the master. Now he has put all of his trade secrets in a book. It is truly phenomenal.

For years, Ed has added his wisdom about audio and video production to the premier events for the National Speakers Association. His advice has helped hundreds make a better living through better marketing material. The man knows what he's doing. And now his wisdom is available for the masses.

I have known and worked with Ed Primeau, the author of this book, since I started my speaking businesses in 1993. This guy is an experienced professional and knows what he is talking about. In fact, he is the first person to ever professionally audio tape my speeches, and has filmed and produced several videos for me. Together we have created both demos and products and I can say that it has been one of the most enduring friendships and business relationships I have ever had. Not only is he a great audio and video producer, he is also a great friend, an honest business person, a creative force and the ultimate cheerleader for those he works with. I could not recommend him or his new book more, and I look forward to many more years of his expertise and friendship.

After reading this book and experiencing the incredibly well produced and expertly printed visual images it is clear that this book is one for the times. It is one that can be opened and opened again and again never losing its constant appeal. Very well worth the price and I highly recommend it to everyone.

ART OF THE DIGITAL AGE represents the first major illustrated survey of digital art and gathers works by over a hundred artists from around the world. Introduced by a history of the genre and discussion of how it differs from conventional art, chapters provide key works by established and emerging digital artists and pairs discussions of virtual reality and digital effect with critical insights on the featured artists. Color photos abound in this fine comprehensive survey, a recommended pick for any art library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

THis book is very well done, very nicely printed, everything - well worth the money. - the only thing I didn't like was the fact that it didn't share anything about how the artist created the specific piece (i.e. what programming language or software was used, etc)

the pieces enclosed were just fantastic, and I'm glad I bought the book.

I just happened upon this book when I was shopping for manga and thought it looked like a good read. Well, it's a great read! Finally a book in English about Tezuka!

Schodt does an amazing job breaking down Mighty Atom/Astro Boy along with Tezuka. He actually knew Tezuka so he brings a great insight to this work. The images in the book are great as well, especially the color inserts at the beginning of the book. Included are a great index of all the manga and anime episodes, and a character guide with both Japanese and English character names.

If you are a fan of anime, manga, or both, you will want to read this book to know why the two art forms are so popular today, not only in Japan, but all across the world!

I don't think the onslaught of Japanese pop culture would not take fruition if not for the talented work of Osamu Tezuka. He influenced his country men for many generations and his manga books are still published today and are fresh as they were printed over 60 years. The man has left a mark on more artists/animators than Walt Disney ever did. Frederik L. Schodt delves into the framework of this genius who set the blueprint to all manga and anime that we are used to. If not for Osamu Tezuka, I think Japanese manga and anime would be dormant, as with the Beatles a slew of bands followed them, but there was only one Beatles and they will always be standing tall in their heap in the part pop culture as will Osamu Tezuka will be for the Japanese culture, his name is under every breath of new creation that comes from that part of the world and has crossed oceans with his universal ideas and will leave a giant imprint for many more years yet to come. Astro Boy Collection Box Set

You will not believe me when I try to tell you about Osamu Tezuka. He drew over 150,000 pages of manga in his lifetime, more than 700 separate series, and more than 70 anime, films and movies. He was a pioneer every genre, from hard sci-fi to mahou shoujo to adult films. He developed the drawing and animation techniques that still dominate the industry today. Today's greats, from Rintaro to Yoshiyuki Tomino, worked and studied with him. He was a political activist, writing against war, racism, environmental exploitation, medical corruption. He was a national hero of Japan, and under consideration for the Nobel Prize in literature when he passed away in 1989. Astro Boy, Black Jack, Kimba the White Lion, Metropolis, Phoenix, Buddha and Princess Knight are only the best known of literally hundreds of creations which have impacted every corner of the manga world. If you think this sounds like too much for one man to plausibly accomplish in a lifetime, you're far from the only one who finds Osamu Tezuka a little superhuman.

Fred Schodt, author of Dreamland Japan Manga! Manga!: the World of Japanese Comics and translator of Phoenix, Astro Boy and more, was a personal friend of the "God of Comics" and his translator when Tezuka visited America. In his long-awaited Astro Boy Essays, Schodt gives a concise and detailed introduction to the life, influence and significance of Tezuka in the history of Japan and the international comics world. Focusing on Tezuka's best known work, the anti-racist children's classic Astro Boy, it gives efficient, approachable portraits of Osamu Tezuka's life and personality, the atmosphere in Japan during and after WWII and their effect on the manga industry, the nightmarish behind-the-scenes production schedule that birthed Japan's first animated TV series, and the spread of Astro Boy as a Japanese, and later an international symbol of peace, technology, hope for the future, and above all of Japan itself. The rocky history of Astro Boy's American distribution gives a fascinating look at the beginnings of American anime fandom, and how many barriers had to be broken to achieve the comparatively-smooth licensing and distribution system in place today. All the material is presented in a format beginners can understand, but with enough details that even experts will find themselves learning more with every page. The Astro Boy Essays is an invaluable contribution to manga scholarship, and provides a window for American otaku to finally learn about the "God" who made anime what it is today.

For more information about the book, see:
www.stonebridge.com/AstroBoy/AstroBoy.html

For more information about Osamu Tezuka, his life and works, see:
TezukaInEnglish.com

All of Bruce Hershenon's books are worth a dozen times what he sells them for; flawless, stunning reproductions of great movie posters. Buy them ALL!

What a book! All the poster/lobby card compilations by Hershenson and Allen are great, particularly Volume 10, Serial Movie Posters, which I suspect is their best seller to date, soon to be topped by this one.

We can argue about the "B Movie" in the title, since many of the posters and lobby cards shown are for exploitation, road show, and drive-in films, and there are some A features to be found in these pages as well. But that's a quibble.

What images! These were intended to get the farmers off their wagons and into the theatre, and they do serve that purpose. Have a gander at the incredible poster for I LOVE TROUBLE (39), a masterpiece in several senses of the word and from many points of view. The poster for TOMCATS (237) exhibits a very poor understanding of human anatomy but it would cause any healthy male of any age to fumble unconsciously in the general direction of the fly of his trousers. A number of posters and lobby cards feature the immortal Mamie Van Doren, protruding further than seems humanly possible (100, for instance) and Jayne Mansfield (for example 112) is no slouch along those lines herself.

I'd love to have seen a poster for BOP GIRL GOES CALYPSO starring Judy Tyler, but one can't have everything! Highest possible recommendation, and keep those hands away from that fly.

This volume from the series of books from Bruce is fantastic.The beatifull artistic designs of the posters contained in this volume are true classic examples of the fond memories I have from my youth when drive-ins were at the peak of popularity. Although the films were Ed Wood grade z type shlock fare the posters promoting them were class a in artistic design. The general rule of thumbs used by us frequenting the weekly drive-ins was the more outragius off the wall display on those posters(usualy a scanty cladd female and verball quotation to entice the movie going individuals) the most likely the film is a real turkey.Many of us loved making the weekly treck to the driv-ins just to see if the latest presentation could topple the king Plan 9 From Outer Space in realy bad filmmaking.The color posters contained in this volume all are examples of classic poster designing that sadly is lacking in "bland" fare that has been created for film posters from the late 80's to the present day.I highly recomend this gem of a book to any lover of film posters, the price for it is "dirt cheap pocket change" considering the outstanding content it has.A truely unique one of a kind book that I long have searched for and untill now, was never available.

I found this book a welcome gift. It was very helpful when picking out films I could enjoy with the grand-children. Thank-you, Willie, for the often humorous reviews.

I sometimes see Willie on our local FOX-TV station, and he's very easy to relate to.

I just received this as a gift, and it's a great, humorous resource for movies you might not think about first when visiting the video store or scanning those on-demand listing on cable. A lot of the review had me laughing out loud. I always enjoy reading his current reviews online. A great resource for your film library.

Movie critic Willie Waffle has produced a delightful guide for people who want to get past the "new releases" shelf at the video store and find something that may have missed the multiplex. Waffle's astonishing range and engaging descriptions make this book an indispensible reference and as much fun as the movies he writes about.