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Mark Feeney's book provides a more intelligent examination of Richard Nixon, the movies and the twentieth century than anyone writing. That he blends them all together in a seamless narrative is just amazing. He is fair minded and, rare for an intellectual, brimming with common sense.

That doesn't mean that I agree with his analysis of Nixon. In particular, there are three substantive events of the Nixon era on which it is easy to disagree with Feeney:
1. Cambodia: Feeney seems to buy the line that Nixon brought about the fall of Cambodia. He should have read less Anthony Summers and more Lewis Sorley. No respectable historian believes Summers, William Shawcross and their ilk anymore. Sorley (no friend of Nixon) shows just how nearly we came to winning. A quick glance at the map should show anyone that once South Vietnam fell, so would Cambodia. Blaming Nixon is just the way the left avoids its responsibility for genocide.
2. Yom Kippur: Feeney treats Nixon's rescue of Israel in a couple of subordinate clauses, but this was one of the great moments of his Presidency and it was Nixon's personal peculiarities that brought it about. The military tried to block him, his advisors were unenthusiastic ("Get off your fat ass and get those planes in the air, Henry," Nixon is quoted as saying) and the left accused Nixon of organizing a coup d'etat. Only Nixon made it happen and saved Israel in the process.
3. Civil Rights: there have only been 5 US Presidents who furthered civil rights (Grant, Harding, Truman, LBJ and Nixon). Interestingly, they all left office at the bottom of the list of Presidential reputations and they all have revisionist cheerleaders, although only Truman has been pulled out of the gutter so far (Grant will be next). Nixon's signal acheivement was to pursue a liberal civil rights program (integrating the schools in the South, affirmative action, etc.) while winning white southerners to the Republicans. This depoliticized civil rights to such an extent that today the most conservative institution in America - the military - is also the least racist.

There is far too much emphasis generally on Nixon's anger and poverty creating the "Nixon Era" of break-ins and wiretaps (Feeney does a better job than most). The "Nixon Era" began in 1931 when Herbert Hoover used Naval Intelligence to break into the office of an unfriendly biographer (see Conflict of Duty by Dorwert). FDR, JFK and LBJ expanded the "Nixon Era" until, about the time Bill Moyers, then LBJ's aide, ordered the FBI to dig up dirt on Republican homosexuals for blackmail purposes, the FBI decided to go freelance, setting up COINTELPRO and assorted other programs without outside knowledge (possibly even without J. Edgar's knowledge). Ironically, it was Nixon's efforts to make the FBI more responsive to elected officials that turned Mark Felt into Deep Throat and brought Nixon down.

Nixon ended the Nixon Era by being so uncharismatic. Just as OJ, Robert Blake and Michael Jackson could get away with their crimes because of their celebrity, FDR and JFK could, too. The growth of government has not been ended but the growth of its shadier bits is firmly under control thanks to Nixon, because when he fell, so did a lot of average people. The rules changed for public servants. "Just following orders" no longer got you a gig on public television the way it did Bill Moyers (just compare the good Charles Colson has done for society with what Moyers, a premature angry old man has failed to do). Bill Clinton's sale of technological secrets to China for private gain was made known by the Director of the FBI, because he knew that if he stonewalled, he would be punished.

And Nixon's contempt for the Ivy League was far healthier than LBJ's awe of them. LBJ had big doubts about Vietnam but yielded to the "Harvards" in his administration who ran the war into the ground. Nixon's contempt for their intellect kept them in line ("Get off your fat ass, Henry"). Nixon may have been angry at Kissinger's attempt to steal credit for his own ideas, but he must have gained a certain satisfaction out of it, too. What better way to prove your superiority than to have a Harvard professor cheat by copying from your exam?

Today, it is obvious that Nixon really won. Richard Ben-Veniste, the golden boy of Watergate, was last seen engineering a crude and sordid coverup of a scandal in which, unlike Watergate, Americans did die, thousands of them. The media now is rated by the public [another irony!] on a par with used car salesmen. Dan Rather, the newsreader who delighted in tormenting Nixon, was forced to resign, proving himself to be both unethical and stupid to boot. And for the first time since 1930, conservatives control all three branches of the government.

It is that last point with which Nixon would not take so much satisfaction. Nixon was the most leftist President we ever had, the "last liberal," Garry Wills called him. "I gave them a sword," Nixon told David Frost. But he didn't give it to the Democrats; he gave it to the right wing of his own party. It was Barry Goldwater and Howard Baker who told Nixon that he had to resign because the rightwing wouldn't stand by him. The right took Nixon's sword and gave us the modern world of Reagan and Bush2 by thrusting it into the belly of liberal Republicanism.

Bill Clinton was a bigger crook than Nixon (beginning with Hillary's shortsales of pharmaceutical stocks as a newly appointed health care czar and ending with a wholesale auction of pardons to any gangster with enough Benjamins). He was also as rightwing as Nixon was leftwing, with his main accomplishment being the shutting down of the SEC, turning Wall Street over to crooks who cost the economy a larger share of the national wealth than was lost in the Great Depression. Clinton gave the leftwing of his party a sword too, but the left, fools that they are, committed hari kiri with it.

Feeney may disagree with the above, but his splendid book shows how we got here nonetheless.

This is an incredible book, approaching Nixon's life through the movies he was known to have seen and liked. The result is an overlapping portrait that is both unexpected and insightful--in one chapter he's being likened to Walter Neff from Double Indemnity; in the next he's seen wishing desperately (yet a touch ambivalently) to be John Wayne. I'm entranced--something I never thought I'd say about anything related to Nixon.

There should be equal time for a book about JFK and the movies. JFK appears everywhere in the American cinema, from THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE to PT-109 to THE GREEK TYCOON, not to mention his own real life romances with movie stars like Gene Tierney. His father made a pass at becoming a tycoon during his own affair with silent star Gloria Swanson. It might be, however, as Feeney suggests, that Nixon is a more natural film subject, if only because the shadows are darker when it comes to Nixon, and the contrasts between the light of California and the darkness of Watergate and Cambodia is more shocking.

We knew that Nixon watched a lot of movies while he was President, but it's startling indeed to see him attending several movies a week even when he was "in between jobs." Feeney shows how Nixon and American film grew up at the same time, even though he may be stretching a point to cite De Mille's SQUAW MAN (1913) as the first American full length film, that's simply wrong. You might as well call John Waters' SERIAL MOM the last American movie, since bizarrely enough that was the number one movie at the box office the day Nixon died (April 22, 1994).

I liked Feeney's writing throughout, and the parallels he makes between Nixon's character, and the character of several American film heroes (like the part Jack Lemmon plays in THE APARTMENT) is always clever and rings surprisingly true. There is something, perhaps, about identifying oneself as a member of the moviegoing audience, as Nixon did, that makes you a little more --what, passive? -- than other US politicians.

Did Nixon miss his calling? Should he have been a Hollywood film reviewer? Nixon was born near Hollywood, where characters were reshaped and manufactured, in 1913, the same year that Hollywood produced its first film, Cecil B. DeMille's "The Squaw Man." In a time before DVD's and VHS/Betamax (when "R" rating meant Regular, not Restricted (hehe)), he watched 538 films during his 67 months in the Presidency (not counting his Vice Presidency under Eisenhower); he was screening about two 35mm films per week, sitting in a darkened room. But aside telling us that Nixon viewed PATTON three times during the VietNam War and Cambodian incursion (both Patton and Nixon suffered the indignities of serving under Eisenhower), or that he loved the works of John FOrd, and in his last White House years, more classic films were selected for him, the author creates a fascinating portrayal of Nixon and a cultural history of America's hopes and dreams and myths and realities, specifically through the metaphors of some of the following films: THE CONVERSATION (1974, Gene Hackman is filled with guilt and secrets, hidden away); PATTON (1970, war, leadership, and Eisenhower); MISTER ROBERTS (1955, the banality of being an administrator); DARK VICTORY (1939, Reagan plays a playboy as Bette David is dying and George Brent is trying to sure her, contrasting Nixon's ambitions to those of a playboy); and DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944, growing up in Southern California)

I absolutely loved this book! Every chapter is full of insights into Nixon and the movies. Mark Feeney takes five movies Nixon is known to have enjoyed, and wrings out all kinds of fascinating connections between the story line and Nixon's own personality. Not only politics, but culture and sex and money and ambition and pain -- this book teaches amazing lessons on everything that shaped Nixon. Don't miss the sections on Elvis and Nixon as twin icons of un-cool!

My only complaint is that Feeney never brings Humphrey Bogart into the mix. The amazing and authentic "movie diary" at the end of the book makes it clear that Nixon screened both THE CAINE MUTINY and THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE while in the White House. Why didn't Mark Feeney jump on the SCREAMINGLY obvious ties between Nixon and Bogey?

Look at Humphrey Bogart's face -- the mean, kicked around face of Richard Nixon. Look at the unshaved beard, the shifty, beady little eyes. Look at how every man Bogart ever played was a cold, paranoid loner at heart, often with a homicidal streak. It's much easier for me to see Nixon as the vicious small time prospector Fred C. Dobbs (in TREASURE) or as the frightened, incompetent naval officer Philip Queeg (in CAINE) than as the smooth, sexually confident insurance salesman played by Fred MacMurray in DOUBLE INDEMNITY.

Note how Fred C. Dobbs is convinced everyone is after him. Note how he's capable of holding on to sanity -- just barely -- until he finally strikes it rich. The fact of finally having gold is what makes him lose his fragile grip on reality -- just the way Nixon survived years of political exile but cracked up the moment all his dreams were within his grasp. By turning on his buddies in bandit country, Dobbs ensures his own downfall systematically. He commits all the most horrifying acts of betrayal, but in his tortured mind it's always a matter of self-preservation. ("No, not murder, partner, not murder, your mistake! I'm saving my life that you'd be taking from me!")Sound familiar?

And how could Feeney have skipped writing a chapter on Bogart's role as Commander Philip Queeg in THE CAINE MUTINY? Nixon is so obviously Queeg it's like the movie was an eerie prophecy. Queeg is a weak, shifty eyed nervous wreck pathetically masquerading as a heroic military commander. Queeg knows he's not the John Wayne type. And he knows his officers know it. He constantly feels menaced by "disloyal officers" and insists "from the first they were all against me." Queeg routinely lies and cheats in order to avoid taking responsibility for his own ineptness as a commander. ("Take the towline . . . defective equipment . . . nothing more!")Queeg longs to rouse and inspire with his speeches, but his attempts at frank man to man talk are pathetically hollow. ("I kid you not.")THE CAINE MUTINY is the best movie ever made about Watergate.

Humphrey Bogart would have been the most logical choice to play Nixon in a major motion picture. He understood Nixon and acted out his tragedy back when Nixon himself was just a young congressman from California. How did the brilliant Mark Feeney miss the Bogart connection?

Bought this as a present for my husband though i had a look in it and it covers a-z of Sci-Fi flicks. Would recommend to any fan.

This really has to be recognised as a monumental reference work. The sheer breadth of material found and reviewed by Hardy is extraordinary. I will be using this book for years to come.

This is an outstanding book. Great reference and all that implies. I like Science Fiction and this book is indispensable. Seems to be little known but it is an outstanding reference work.

I've had this excellent book for several years, and I still go back to it at least once a month to look something up. There is simply no more complete reference guide to science fiction films available. Think you know science fiction cinema? Prepare to be humbled by the sheer volume of this book. I especially appreciate the reviews of the early, silent films, many of which we will probably never get to see.

Some of the reviews are better thought-out than others. And you may occasionally marvel at how a film you were sure was an all-time classic only gets a mediocre review. But these are minor quibbles for an otherwise excellent volume.

If you're a fan of sci-fi films, you absolutely MUST own this book. Yes, it's pricey, but it also might be the last film reference book you will ever need.

You can spend hours browsing trough this encyclopedia. Of course you will recognize many of the classic. Yet you may be surprised at the multitude of great films that you missed. There are better descriptions and stills than you find in most of the genre magazines.

Contents:

THE EARLY YEARS: Innocent Beginnings (1895-1919)
THE TWENTIES: Dark Visions and Brash Adventure
THE THIRTIES: Mad Scientists and Comic Book Heroes
THE FORTIES: Science Fiction Eclipsed

THE FIFTIES: Science Fiction Reborn
THE SISTIES: Science Fiction Respectable
THE SEVENTIES: Big Budgets and Big Bucks
THE EIGHTIES: Science Fiction Triumphant

I am not going to bore you with the list of my favorites but I challenge you not to fine one of yours.

This book was extremely informative and answers most of the questions you would have about the gaming industry. I'm hoping for a second edition! Definitely purchase this book if you are considering a career in this field.

I bought this for my bf because he was thinking of a video game career, he hasn't done anything with this field yet, but he said the book was good

Are you considering going into the video games industry, but you want to find out more about it before making the decision to make the jump? This book will give you an honest and insightful look at just about every facet of this competitive industry.

Whether your serious or curious about the games industry, you'll enjoy this entertaining read. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

This book gave me more insight about what the Gaming work world is like than all the other research I did my whole life.

This is an essential read for anyone who wants to design electronic games!

As a graduate advisor for gaming students at Westwood College Online, I can not stress enough how important and worthwhile this book is. I recommend this book to every student that I work with because it is full of numerous "wake-up calls" and good ideas for breaking into the industry. Check this book out, it will greatly help you in your career search.

I really enjoyed the way the book was put together. Clear step by step tutorials that walk you through each of Photoshop CS3 extended new 3D capabilities.
I found it to be easy to read and fun to work with. It will make a great reference book for future projects.

I thought that this book was written very well. I was impressed with the clear and concise way in which each feature was discussed as well as pictured. I consider this book a must for working with the extended version of Photoshop CS3. I am excited to see what the author does next!

I love how easy to read this book is. It makes learning to use the different aspects of this program more user friendly. I have been using Photoshop for several years but never would have attempted to use CS3s video and 3D features without this book.
I also love how the author used the files that are included with CS3 extended so that I could practice on my own without having to find other sources.

Thank you for writing in the way I can understand. The illustrations were so helpful when working on simular topics. It's nice to have a book that does'nt intimidate you when using it. I cant wait to see what you write next. I would love to have a simple version of Photoshop to keep with me at all times. (like a mini Bible).

The author uses a personal writing style that makes the book much more engaging than your average computer manual. Step-by-step instructions start with basics--This book didn't intimidate me! Enough info on advanced functions to satisfy anyone. Color examples and sample screens help a lot.

It's hard to find information on Pier Angeli so this book written by Jane Allen is a perfect source. I originally bought this book because I am a huge fan of James Dean and she is mentioned in so many of his biographies. After reading the chapter on him, I felt compelled to find out about what happened to her later on after his death. And it was not happy. I see Anna Maria Pierangeli as a young woman looking for love in all the wrong places and in the wrong people, hoping to recreate the security and comfort she had with her father who had died just as she reached stardom.

She was a misunderstood young woman who wasn't prepared for how big she was getting in the movie industry and who was too trusting, though this was not her fault but mainly part of her nature. She was a kind person who had a good heart and had the best intentions for those she cared about, especially her sons. But too many heartbreaks (the end of her relationship with James Dean, his death), failed marriages to Vic Damone and Armando Travajoli, the physical and mental abuse she endured from lovers she hoped to find companionship with, hoping that it would lead to some sort of happiness in the end.

All of this took over her life, thereby making her believe that she could not find the happiness she longed to have. This biography is very intimate and shows the readers a side of her that she desperately tried to hide away for fear of rejection, rejection that she frequently experienced. A lot is provided about her personal life, the betrayals, the never-ending events of unhappiness, disappointment, etc. It seems that life never really treated her fairly and during the times when it seemed that all was well, they were simply too good to be true and always came to a miserable end. I felt sympathy for her because of what she had to go through, an independent life which she desperately wanted when she was dating James Dean and when she got it, she found that she couldn't harness it herself, especially after James had died. All that she went through led to her untimely death, which was NOT suicide, apart from what fans and/or other biographers claim.

It hurts me to think of all her pain and misery, thinking that Jimmy Dean would have been heartbroken if he was watching over her after his death. It's true, she was a loving person even though at times she turned to alcohol and pills to relieve her of her pain, even if it was only temporary. She believed she could depend only on love to get her through, part of her idealistic life. But in the end, she could not have this. As true to the title of her biography, she did have a fragile life. I could not put the book down and page by page, I felt that I could relate to her, her emotions, her views, and her reasons for her actions which weren't in her best interest, though through no fault of her own but simply her misguidance by those who controlled her and her weakness to stand up for what she wanted, to be a non-conformist (an influence that Jimmy Dean had tried to help her to demonstrate).

After reading that Pier considered Jimmy to be her one true love, you start to think about what could have been between them had fate not intervened, leading up to his unexpected and sudden death. Pier went through many hardships, many that she should not have had to endure. Whether you are a James Dean fan or not, this book is a must-read, you won't be disappointed.

Jane Allen, lets us all know the truth about how much Pier Angeli and James Dean really loved each other. The questionable paternity of one of her children. The shocking papers that were found in James Dean's Porche after his death. The eyewitnesses who saw the lengths each one had gone to to see each other. There has to be a movie made about this relationship that gets deeper into their rocky romance not just their intimate moments in Malibu at the beach house but their long talks. They had so many interests in common not just a loss of a parent which is what everyone who has seen the other television movies about James Dean have found out. Their love for each other was emphatic in every way. I know that they were reunited when she left this world, accidentally, as Jane Allen points out, on September 9th, 1971. This is a great book.

The only thing I have to negatively comment about is Jane Allen's belief that Pier wanted to be envied. Pier wanted to be adored by her fans. She always wanted praise but not envy.

this was a wonderful read, and beautiful written story of the life of the equally beautiful yet flawed pier angeli, i think the title was a bit misleading because i don't think pier was as fragile as the world thought she was, in the book i saw a woman who just didn't really have her piorites right and made bad decisions.the only thing i critize about the book is the book format, it's written as though you are reading a newspaper with very small print.

And I don't say that lightly. This is an incredible book for several reasons.

Information, especially good detailed information on Pier Angeli is quite hard to find and here is a whole book in English, just about Pier.
The book is well researched and is written in a warm , respectful tone towards its subject.
You don't always see that in a biography.
I also enjoyed the format and layout of the book. I thought it was done beautifully.It also had some photos of Pier I'd never seen before.

Most of all I was just grateful for an opportunity to find out more about Pier . And I was happy to see her story sympathetically told.Her story should be much more well known and she is sadly underrated as an actress.
I first heard of Pier because I am a huge fan of James Dean.
But I have became a fan of Pier in her own right.The book touched me deeply. I did not know that Pier had experienced so much unfairness and agony in her life, especially in her final years. I knew she had experienced some rough times throughout her life, but I did not half the things she had been through.I think Jimmy would be saddened to know all the pain that his "Annarella" has suffered.
Pier was a sensitive , fragile, unique woman and I relate to certain aspects of her character such as her oversensitivity and the part of her that never wanted to fully grow up and let go of the innocence and free spirit of childhood very much.
What happened to Pier was a tragedy.I still don't understand why the studios turned their backs on this beautiful , talented actress. That was a huge mistake because it cheated both Pier and her fans out of all the terrific work she was capable of doing.
If the major studios hadn't unfairly turned their backs on her , she would have had the lasting quality career she deserved.Her life would have probably have been different and she might even be alive today.Who knows?
I don't mean to make this book seem all negative because its not.Pier's story is a heartbreaking one thats for sure, but the book also celebrates the good things in her life-her beauty, her love and loyalty to family, her love for her children, her talent, her once luminous career.And the book also presents proof that Pier DID NOT commit suicide as is so wildly reported and believed.
I would recommend this book to any fans of Piers, any fan of classic Hollywood , its personalities and its darkside,and also to fans of James Dean. There is a chapter about her relationship with him and several mentions about him in the book.

My only possible complaint about the book is sometimes I feel the Author tried to insert her own speculations as to what Pier was thinking and feeling at certain moments, when nobody not even her family or friends could know that unless Pier came out and explicity told them, but I suppose thats common practice in a biography.
But it don't feel it takes away any from the high quality of the book.

Information on Pier Angeli is hard to find; I'm so glad I found this book! Pier's story is wonderfully told - I simply could not put this book down. I highly recommend it!

Buy this book right now. Even if you aren't interested in film. If you've ever walked by a poster advertising a film, buy this book. Why are you still reading this review? Why aren't you ordering this book? In fact, don't order it online here, run to your local Borders and pick it up right now. Hurry, it'll close soon! Well, okay, buy it online, but you'd better use overnight shipping! I'm warning you!!! Buy it.

Now!!!!!

"Saying that Jerry Ziesmer probably has delivered the greatest assistant director book ever written doesn't do it justice. His tales from the Kleig was in "Ready When You Are, Mr. Coppola, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Crowe" are not only an insider-insider's look into what actually happens in the making of movies--from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" to "Apocalypse Now" to "Jerry Maguire"--but also a compendium of perceptive glimpses at the personalities and decision making by great filmmakers and actors across four decades. This book relates the biz and its lore with color, intimacy, candor and horse sense..."

An amazing inside story of filming with Frances Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Cameron Crowe told by their assistant director. The author relates the tales of filming "Apocalypse Now", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Jerry Maguire", "Scarface" and so many others. A truly enjoyable book for the film professional or for those who just enjoy films.

Jerry Ziesmer tells the kind of inside stories you usually only hear (if you're lucky) over beers after shooting's wrapped for the day. Without ever whitewashing or pulling punches, he offers a thoughtful, compassionate perspective on the trials and tribulations that led to some of the greatest films of our day. This is simply one of the best books ever written on the nuts and bolts, the passions and personalities of filmmaking, period. Thanks Jerry.

Disclaimer--I know Jerry from working with him on the Director's Guild Council, and I have utmost respect for him as a professional filmmaker. But I never knew his talents extended to such cogent, fun-to-read, full-of-insight writing until reading this wonderful book. It combines the best of both worlds--the "inside baseball" stuff that pro's with years of experience will still find new and fresh and helpful to their work AND the "Hollywood" anecdotage that any fan of great movies and moviemakers will read with a chuckle and a tear and a lot of smiles. If you really want to go "Behind the scenes"--save the trip to Universal's tour and get this book instead. You'll learn a lot, and have a great, great time!

I have all RenderMan books on the market.
This one is impressed me!
The authors explain step by step and that make readers understand RenderMan more.

Same as other reviews, lacking of CD is the shame.
However, overall still be very good to me.
And if you consider the price is very worth for money.
That's why I think this book should be given 5 stars.
Hopefully, There will be more good RenderMan books available soon.

Tee

The RenderMan Shading Language Guide is an excellent resource. It contains numerous examples of shader code, to help get you started with writing your own shaders. I was happy to see the robust section on illumination models, with some sl code provided for most of them. I found the section that had common functions (like gamma() and remap()) very helpful, and appreciated the disscussion on more sophisticated components of the shading language (like subsurface scattering and global illumination). In addition, for the user who is new to the process of writing and compiling shaders, a number of pages are devoted to explaining how to achieve these goals. All in all, I would highly recommend this book to any user who wants to learn how to write his/her own RenderMan shaders.

I caught wind that this book was coming out well before it actually came out and could hardly contain my excitement. I had it ordered before it was even off the press.

Let's face it, trying to learn Renderman online is like trying to ride a bike with a flat tire. You can go, but not very fast or very far. I own several other renderman books but found them to be a bit out of date and lacking in areas. Since leaving school and entering into the industry I had actually been considering writing a Renderman book myself. I am glad to say that now I don't have to!

I have been enjoying my copy of the book since december of last year. I admit that I was thrown off by all the refrences to the accompanying cd, as well as a few typos throughout. I was overjoyed however to find the website today! This is the book that I have needed for a long time. It is well worth what you pay for it.

I have read many technical manuals relating to the 3D Animation and Visual Effects industries, and I can honestly say that this is easily one of the best available.

Given the limited library of Renderman books, I'd call this an absolute must have for any Lighting/Rendering/Shader TD, or any artist or technical director involved in the look development and shot finaling pipelines.

Even if you haven't yet worked within a Renderman pipeline, this is the perfect publication to introduce you to, and bring you up to speed in, the Renderman Shading Language (RSL).

I've found that the majority of technical manuals suffer from a number of common flaws:

1. The information is presented chaotically, and with minimal use of examples or descriptions, resulting in a publication that would readable only by those that already know everything it has to teach.

2. The information is presented so laboriously that what should take a paragraph instead takes up three chapters.

The Renderman Shading Language Guide is perfectly paced for beginners and intermediate users alike, and indeed when I showed the book to a couple of highly experienced Renderman TDs, they were surprised by the sheer volume of information and ordered copies for themselves.

Everything is presented in short blocks with an easily readable description, examples, shortcuts and conclusions. There is no unecessarily complicated geek speek, and neither is the reader treated like a 4 year old.

Even though I barely remember my high school math, and in the most flattering estimation I'd be considered a competent beginner when it comes to the math involved in RSL, I found the examples relatively easy to follow for the most part. And in those parts where the math went well over my head, I found the simple descriptions and concise, well explained instructions to be all I needed to quickly understand the topic.

From cover to cover this book is crammed full of useful information. There is no wastage of space in these pages. It seems that every conceivable question is answered - every possible topic covered from introduction to an advanced level of understanding and a practical and immmediately useful conclusion.

And at the price? This book is a steal.

One very minor complaint I would make is in regards to the occasional typographical error. An equation or two is printed with "?" in place of "*" or another symbol, and there are a few spelling and grammatical errors. But as I said, it is a minor complaint.

Also, I would have liked to have seen more complete shader examples demonstrated in a step-by-step process, as while this book is overflowing with informative mini-tutorials, it all seems a little incongruous. It would have been good to see a few more examples where the information was brought together in real-world ways to create some amazing completed shaders. Perhaps in a sequel? ;)

All in all, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, from an industry Lead Lighting TD.

9.5/10

I'm quite pleased with the depth of this book. So many of the CGI titles I've bought that claim to be intermediate or advanced aren't. While the RenderMan Shading Language Guide assumes that you have no starting knowledge of RSL, it immediately dives into technical details without overwhelming the novice. For someone wishing to learn RSL (or even just shader theory), this book is wonderfully paced, containing a great depth of information, very well explained.

At the same time, this isn't a book for dabblers. To get much out of the RenderMan Shading Language Guide, you need to be willing to put some effort and practice into it. This is a textbook and needs to be treated as a subject of study, rather than a casual enhancement for playing with CGI. If RenderMan intrigues you, but you don't want to get too deep into the technical (and programing/scripting) aspects, you'd be better off getting Pixar's RenderMan for Maya and a Digital Tutors or similar training DVD. You'll learn more of the simple, day-to-day things and get started making renderings faster.

As another poster mentioned, the text mentions an included disk which isn't. The website doesn't have downloads either. That omission would knock the book down to 4.5 stars, but since I can't rate with half-stars, 5 stars more accurately reflects the value of the book than 4.

What an absolutely awesome book! Mr. Kohler did a wonderful job. I love this book and recommend it to everyone interested in retro gaming. It is packed full of useful and insiteful information. To top it all off, the book is in a fun, easy-to-read and enjoyable format. I can't recommend it enough.

I hope Mr. Kohler does a revised and updated edition of this book. The information in it is too good to be allowed to just fade away. I'll definately buy an updated copy.

Just one comment to the author Chris Kohler should he read this review: How about a hack about the Scot Adam's text adventure series for the section of your book on Text Adventure games? Scot Adam's was big in the early 80s.

Thanks!

A great reference for those who like to tinker with the hardware side of retro games. I found this book to be a very good reference, well thought out and very applicable to the hobby of retro gaming and will appeal to the enthusiast at all levels.

Chris Kohler's RETRO GAMING HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR PLAYING THE CLASSICS tells how to emulate classic games on cell phones to computers, how to locate vintage game hardware, how to convert gaming tools, and how to write your own retro-style games in various programs. From playing old games on original hardware or making conversions, RETRO GAMING HACKS is for avid gamers who want to tweak the experience.

Some of these 'hacks' I knew about, many i did not. But every 'hack' in here offered some level of detail that made my retro gaming experience just that much better.

The bulk of the hacks are focused on emulators - how to get them, how to use them, etc. Which means that you will be Retro-gaming on your PC. Before I nabbed this book, I thought that would be a slightly less than awesome experience. Mainly because the controls leave a lot to be desired (who wants to use a keyboard to play Satan's Hollow.) But thanks to one of the hacks, I now know where to go to get retro game controllers that fit right into your PC.

While retro-gaming on the PC is the the focus of the book, it by no means describes all the content. There is tunds of cruncy goodness in here on obtaining old platforms and cartridges, to hacking your old cartidges / games into your modern platform.

All in all a joy to read, and even more fun to implement. Pick it up! Its a good 'un.

Are you an avid game player, programmer or video game journalist? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Chris Kohler, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that shows you everything you need to know to get your retro game on.

Kohler, begins by showing you how to play the real thing, setting up classic game systems, fixing broken hardware, and getting good deals on buying games. Then, the author covers new hardware and software that plays old games, whether on an all-in-one joystick or on the PalyStation 2. He continues by covering MAME from all the angles, learning how to play classic arcade games on the PC and other platforms. Next, the author shows you how to play classic console games. Then, the author brings back those classic computers, showing you how to set them up or emulate them. He also shows you how to play with text adventures. Then, he shows you how to get DOS games to work properly under modern operating systems, or even get DOS up and running again. The author continues by showing you how to play at game design. Finally, the author shows you how to hack around inside games, exploring glitches and bugs to your advantage.

The author of this most excellent book shows you how to emulate classic games on everything from cell phones to computers. More importantly, after reading this book, you will have everything you need to have to rediscover classic games in style.

This is a great book to have if you are a fan of Wes Anderson or of the film.

My favorite thing about this screenplay is being able to read scenes that did not end up in the movie or the deleted scenes. I would recommend this for any Royal Tenebaums or Wes Anderson fan.

It is the screenplay of the movie, the same one that should have won the Oscar this year. For people who haven't seen the movie, reading the screenplay first may not be such a great idea. I know this movie went over a lot of people's heads, and I'm not positive one can fully appreciate the story from just reading it. However, I definately recommend reading it after seeing the movie, there is so much great dialogue that is easily missed and a lot of subtle humor that is more obvious written on the page. This was one of the best movies of 2001 and the screenplay is a great way to appreciate it again while waiting for the dvd.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" is really a great and clever film. Although it's not really classified as a solid comedy, it had me laughing aloud from start to finish. Then again, I like that weird kind of humor. To me, it was just a great film that took chances. It wasn't out to win a popularity contest. Wes Anderson makes films the way he envisions them and the way he wants them to be.

The thing that stands out the most in "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the brilliant script that was written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson. The dialogue witty and realistic, and each character stands out and leaves an impression on us.

The story is about Royal Tenenbaum and his dysfunctional family. Him and his wife separated many years ago, but the divorce was never final. His wife, Etheline, kept the house and raised the children by herself. They each reached to fame in some way or another, but not without problems lurking about. After many years have passed, Royal finds out that Etheline has been asked to take somebody's hand in marriage. Royal comes up with a scheme on how to get himself back into the picture, bringing forth a crazy and unexpected family reunion like you have never seen.

With only set directions and dialogue, this reads more like a play. There are no camera angels, which is why it reads like a script for a play. You'll appreciate it more if you've seen the movie, but reading it is just as enriching and enjoyable to me. You get to relive your favorite moments and exchanges through words.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson is a magnificent screenplay and can be enjoyed many times over. With great dialogue exchanges, characters, and out-of-control and unpredictable situations, this is a screenplay worth reading over and over again. A work of art, if you ask me.

Favorite line from the movie: "Anybody feel like grabbing a couple of burgers and hitting the cemetery?" - Royal Tenenbaum

I thought that the Royal Tenebaums was one of the best films I have seen this year, after what I thought had been a disasterous year of film making,it was a breath of fresh air, the only other two films I feel are on a level with it are Amelie and The Man who wasn't there!
From the very opening I wanted to go and see the film, with it's bright colours and quirky story line, the very advertisment had me drooling with delight.
I had mixed reviews from some of my friends, some thought it was boring, others hilarious, after going to see it with my brother and sister it was a unanimous decision, this film was AMAZING!
The plot itself was so simple, yet the characters made the film what it was, I absolutely loved Richie and I thought that Pagoda was brilliant, going to see this film has to be one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.

Now that Hollywood has finally given Scorsese his due with what amounted to a career-Oscar, the time is ripe to read the revised edition of this superb book. The questions asked of the director are intelligent, not fawning, and his answer's are lengthy and fascinating. The generous space devoted to his childhood and early years help one better understand why Scorsese has been so attracted to a particular genre and how he executes it so well. This director is, of course, immensely knowledgeable about the history of film, and his comments on other directors' work are fascinating. A readable mine of information about one of the most important popular artists of our time.

I bought this book out of respect and deep admiration for Martin Scorsese. What I got was keen insight into a creative genius. The numerous interviews reveal a side to Scorsese that not many people see outside the camera. It's a lot more personal than that. When he talks about his movies, he ultimately parallels them to what his life was like at that time. So it's a fine blend of his personal life mixed with his professional life. There's also the obvious vibe that this man always was and always will be a student of film; his passion is infinite. Perhaps that's what makes him as influential and well-respected as he is.
You're the best there is, Marty!!

There are few filmmakers more brilliant than Martin Scorsese, and this book provides wonderful insight into the sources of his obsessions. Almost any book on Scorsese is worth reading, but this volume gives equal time to his less-appreciated, (but no less wonderful), films like The King of Comedy and After Hours. By far, the most informative book on Scorsese yet.

This reader felt almost privileged to read these interviews, lectures, and conversations with Martin Scorsese. He simply shares everything, and indeed he is, if nothing else, a true fan of movies!

The insightful words of Scorsese, arranged to parallel his filmography up through New York Stories, are annotated by the redoubtable editors Thompson and Christie. Scorsese is arguably the greatest postmodern artist, (and I would have to say the only postmodernist I unhesitatingly adore -with possible exception of Matt Groening), and the reader really gets to see how Scorsese constructs a film. His inspirations are as predictable as directors Pasolini and Powell, yet as diverse as Mahatma Ghandi and Little Richard. He loves all with equanimity and enthusiasm.

That's the joy of this book... the guy loves movies, loves making them, and all that energy just shines through.

Extremely valuable resource for the student of film, but good fun for the humble film buff, too. Bonus: interesting black and white photos you won't find elsewhere. Excellent (though naturally out-of-date) filmography appendix.

I absolutely devoured this book, essentially reading in two sittings a day apart. A rare and privledged look into the mind of Scorsese in his own words, followers of his work will be thrilled with the insights and anecdotes. Anyone half-aware of the man's work can recognize the thought that goes into it, but these interviews reveal the incredible depth and passion for film and its history that underlies his craft.

An essential read for anyone that considers her- or himself a film buff.