Arts and Culture Books

Yeah, I've read hetero and gay porn columns and reviews, subscribe to Adult Video News, etc, but this is the most fun I've had finding behind-the-scenes stories about what happened on the set.. and other funny stories. I like this, even though it's dated.

I've read Gay Chicago and Sticky Remote and RAD Video and all of them have a biased slant of reviewers of guys who seem to only give reviews if people SLEEP with them. Don't trust them, go to someone who seems to have a reputation for fairness and objectivity. You can't just give your FRIENDS good reviews, like others do. That's why Mickey Skee has a book, and others have nothing, or just one version of their books.If you want it fair and funny, this is it.roland!

"I found the book very, very interesting and well written. I liked it so much ... I ordered a couple more for friends." -Joseph B. Martin (Los Angeles)

The Sticky Remote Guide, The Adam Gay Video Annual Guide, and Sabin's Gay Adult Video Guide are all worthwhile books. The first two are great for their photos and recommendations as well as their brief synopses of lots of films. Sabin's guide is very useful for containing info about a huge number of older films, and is very helpful to those who look for videos based on specific performers. The reason you also need Mickey Skee's book is because of the in-depth coverage and behind the scenes information he gives you on the best recent films. The photos are quite nice too. Definitely worth the investment.

"It is an excellent book!" -Gary Philip, Skinflicks

This was the first book (of many) that I have bought of Boyzone and I have to say that it's really cool. It includes the boyz opinions on each other, gorgeous pictures and check out the Q&A pages, they're a crack up. This book is a must for all Stephen and Ronan fans. Boyzone go east is a great book which provides insight into the lives of everyone's favourite Boyz!

The book was excellent.The pictures were great. The cover could have been more exciting and appealling to the eye but all and all it was a great read and I really enjoyed it.I have been a fan of Boyzone from the very beginning.My message to all you Boyzone fans out there ,is the go down to your nearest book shop and purchase this book NOW!!!

This book is a must for all boyzone fans. It tells the truth from boyzone's point of view. Having met the boyz, I think it really does reflect their personalities. All in all - a great book

This is a book that tells the boyzone story through the eyes of author (BP Fallon) who is a friend of the band so there are some prive moments as well in the book. When you read this book you understand all the stress and work there is in this business and how hard the five Irish boys have worked till now. After all it's not easy having so many hits and raeching every corner of the world. The book is really honest and you can see that the boys told exctly what they had to say- about each other (it seems that Keith and Mikey aren't so close), the business and the world. The pictures of the boys are from the far east and are amazing. So if you wanted to them sleeping, partying, singing, having a laugh or sad (there are some pics of them afre Diana's daeth) that's the book! You'll enjoy the book!!!

This was the first book (of many) that I have bought of Boyzone and I have to say that it's really cool. It includes the boyz opinions on each other, gorgeous pictures and check out the Q&A pages, they're a crack up. This book is a must for all Stephen and Ronan fans. Boyzone go east is a great book which provides insight into the lives of everyone's favourite Boyz!

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

As previous reviewers stated, this is a marvelous book, & it does have far too many Disney & Popeye posters in it. Considering the wealth of other 'vintage' cartoon posters that are around (even just searching on the net), Im suprised they didnt have a better selection for us to look at. Otherwise, Im very happy to have this book, and I'd LOVE to see a volume 2 some day!!!

I'll be truthful: I received Bruce Hershenson's CARTOON MOVIE POSTERS as part of a "grab-bag" special he was throwing a couple of years back. My tastes lie in the somewhat more arcane area of Horror & Science Fiction posters. What would a guy like me who covets copies of posters like BEAST WITH 1,000,000 EYES want with...harmless, namby-pamby kid's stuff? Plenty, as I soon discovered once I opened this excellent book. First-the reason I had been so unaware of cartoon posters, especially ones from the seven minute variety, is that so many of them are practically extinct. Cartoons, being the VERY bottom of the bill, were treated as 4th-class citizens, and if the studios bothered to make a poster at all, there weren't very many of them and the vast majority of those were tossed. What a shame! This book, which contains close to 400 exqusitely printed images, is an absolute riot of color and imagination that easily rivals any of my beloved fantasy pieces. Starting from cartoon pioneer Windsor McCay in 1911 and ending with the X-rated FRITZ THE CAT in 1972,(and touching on all points in between), Bruce includes examples ranging from the obvious (Disney, Warner Bros, & Fleischer) to the wonderfully obscure (there are several pages of pictures from Ub Iwerks'fairy tale cartoons from the 30s that are gorgeous, more than a little strange, and as rare as hen's teeth.) If you have even a passing interest in movie posters, it is mandatory that you order at least a couple of Hershenson's poster volumes. If you are a rabid, hopeless poster fiend like myself, they are invaluable for both reference and entertainment. Everything about them is first-rate: the printing, the choice of posters (ah, those 30s & 40s Disney 1-sheets...!)the short, inobtrusive, well-written snippets regarding the history of various posters: it's very tough to find fault here. This is the perfect gift for hard-core poster geeks and casual film/cartoon aficonados alike. Five stars all the way, and...abbah-dee, abbah-dee, abbah-dee....That's All, Folks!

Everyone has their own favorite film genre (animation, action and adventure, science fiction, etc.). Next to crime/film noir films, animation is mine. The beautiful thing about this book is the unexpected. Rather than delve into the standard Disney fare (which is included in great detail nevertheless), this book includes artwork from posters from "lesser seen or only mildly popular" titles. Besides Disney, everything from Fleischer to Avery is represented, works of art that can only be bought for thousands of dollars today at many of America's high echelon auction houses. If you are the least bit interested in the jaw-dropping beauty of what has become a lost art -- the exercise of drawing images associated with the advertising of a Hollywood film -- this is the book to have. This book is part of movie poster maven Bruce Hershenson's exhaustive multi-volume series of books highlighting the history and beauty of what much of mainstream America has only in the last ten years begun to recognize. And that is movie posters are a "popular art" form that can stand proudly next to all other styles of art from gothic to modern, from expressionist to impressionist. Great film art borrows from all of these styles and this volume, which focuses only on posters associated with animated films, illustrates innumerable examples whereby despite the restrictive nature of the genre (cartoons), not all posters went in the same direction in terms of style and presentation. From Pinocchio to Popeye, Hershenson and Allen have built an incredible archive (and legacy) of images in all of his books, capturing a period (when all posters were drawn by hand and then printed, as opposed to today's method of using photographic stock and manipulating them digitally and printing them by the thousands) that would otherwise be lost forever. A fine book for any collector (get the hardcover edition if you can, it's harder to find; if Amazon doesn't have it, it's available from Mr. Hershenson directly at mail@brucehershenson.com).

This review can easily apply to any of the books in the Bruce Hershenson edited series of film poster history. Hershenson rightly treats film graphics not just as pop culture artifacts but true works of art. His books are filled with a curator's eye for superior choice and reproduction, each poster in striking color and with a clarity of printing that rivals most any coffee table art book. Somewhere between advertising and illustration, film posters, like book jackets and record covers, inhabit that imaginative and atmospheric zone where one art reflects another. It's not just the history of film or the history of film design, it's a history of twentieth century Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights. How often we would go into the dark theatre armed only with the ideas and ideals of the posters outside, and then return to them afterward, perhaps with nodding affirmation or smirking disillusionment, but still a vision of what could be. This series of books should be subtitiled: THE FINE ART OF ANTICIPATION, for no matter if expectation was filled or emptied by the films behind them, their posters kept on shining.

This book is an example of truth giving fiction a run for its money. I'm sure that the stories were polished just a bit for publication, but the fact that they are true makes the book all the more interesting. I would list this book as one of the ten best that I have read in the past year. The story contains humor, suspense, and a web of intrigue that will tempt any law abiding citizen. I'll never look at a pilot the same way again.

I choose this book because I had seen the movie and every one said the movie is different from the book. The movie is different from the move in many ways.
It left out when he becomes a professer, when he moves to Paris, and when he is put in solitaire confinement.
I liked this book because it shows just how easy it was to rip off a bank in the 60's.I think it is funny how much training the tellers had at finding a bad check. Back then the tellers only asked for ID on large amounts, now we have technology so we can search out phonies.
This book is about Frank W Abagnale and how he conned every bank in New York City and several other major cities in all different countries. His schemes involved an airline pilot, an attorney, a physician, professor and a detective. He goes from state to state and from country to country and scams any one he can for what ever he needs.
The type of person that would like this book

a lot would be girls because he also tricks girls into helping him in his scams. I think that we all could learn a thing or two from this book. That is why I liked the book.

Catch Me If You Can is a great book. It is about an 18 year old con-man named Frank Abnagle. He was an airline pilot, a lawyer and a doctor before he turned age 21. He also stole over 2 million dollars through counterfeit checks. This is a great book and also a great movie.

You can't put this book down. A very good book if you are into true crime. What a story.

Words and photos to the Catch Me If You Can screenplay document the action which takes place behind camera and script for this re-creation of a con artist's life. This official pictorial moviebook includes over a hundred color production photos along with archival photos from Abagnale's personal collection, making for a keepsake for avid fans.

I haven't read the screenplay, yet. In fact, I'm debating on buying it or not after watching the movie, itself. As far as I know, a friend of a friend got the movie off from an editing reel...my friends remaining undisclosed at this time. I was never into the whole Charles Manson scene...in fact, this is the first piece of info. about Charles Manson that I've seen/read. The only thing I could base my thoughts about it is from what other have said about it. Then one day, me and quite a large group of my buddies were getting hammered, and my friend asked if we wanted to watch something. The way he described it was 3 hours of the sickest things you've ever seen, progressively getting worse, having graphic scenes of the twin towers blowing up, with porn scenes and football mixed together, followed by that midget "beetlejuice" doing obscene acts of...well...you don't want to know. But after watching this, I saw a side of the Manson murders that I never even fathomed of wanting to see. So, in conclusion....i would say that this is excellent reading material for the daily american psychopath, but you better make sure you have a lead stomach, cause' you're in for a bumpy ride. Email me if you want to add something.

~Jeff

Great book, the pictures were clear and crisp. I can't wait for this to come out on DVD!

This is something of a first, a published edition of the Screenplay of one of the best Underground films never to have been distributed. Up until now, only the lucky few attendees of Film festivals have been able to catch a glimpse of Jim Vanbebber's radical reworking of the Manson Family story since the Film has yet to have been distributed to Theaters. Now, while Vanbebber finishes his final cut, you can read the screenplay itself, browse the photos and add his take on the crime spree to your collection of classics like HELTER SKELTER. Of course, I can hardly wait for the film, but in the meantime... I'll take this. The retelling itself focuses on a theory of the crimes that has not been in the forefront. Vanbebber's take on the big question of WHY the murders took place is disturbing since it demystifies the crimes and shows them for the dirty, filthy, stupid and brutal murders they actually were rather than some statement on a fictional Race War. Ultimately, I feel his telling of the stories is more disturbing as a result of his refusal to be swayed by media myths.

I've been hearing about CHARLIE'S FAMILY for over five years and ever since I've been dying to see Underground Wunderkind, Jim Van Bebber's retelling of the Manson story. Sadly, it seems that the film is either not yet finished or has not yet acquired a Distributor. In a year when Blair Witch made so much money on such a false pretense, I gotta ask myself why this film hasn't seen the light of day? Still, Creation has now published the screenplay to this long-awaited project along with lots of groovy production stills which has calmed me down some. However, after reading the story which is a poignant but slightly sardonic look at Tabloid Culture, I only want to see the film more and more. Even so, I think anyone interested in Van Bebber's work (My Sweet Satan) can appreciate his narrative style and enjoy reading this screenplay. One advantage to reading it as a screenplay instead of some novelization is that you can see in your mind's eye, what shape the film will take place. It's like a secret glimpse into the creative process that few people outside of a studio ever get access to. The story itself is very up to date even if it is about Manson. The wrap-around story brings the moral questions of the Manson mystique into focus while the flashback scenes transport us back into the harrowing summer of 1969 when the Hippie movement jumped the tracks and a small band of Free-lovers and their ex-con Guru, Charlie, decide it's End Of The World Time and take their paranoia to the streets. The back then and then and the Here and Now of this telling blend very well and make us all wonder if it's very wise to objectify the monsters of our past. Personally, I'd like to see the author move on to a serious, sociological exploration of Manson-Worship but I doubt even he could stand to wallow in the Manson story much longer. Still, if you can overcome your reluctance to read a screenplay, you won't be sorry because in here are all the big answers to the questions raised by the Manson Murders, not the least of which is WHY ON EARTH they happened in the first place. Oh.. and the answer has very little to do with Helter Skelter.

I have purchased five copies of this book already and probably will buy more as gifts. This is a MUST HAVE BOOK for True Crime readers. Yes, I know, It's a screenplay. Even so, it manages to put across more hard info about the transformation of Charlie from Love Guru to General Charlie of the Acid Apocolypse than any book, article or expose since Ed Sanders' THE FAMILY. If you have a heart at all, the scenes recounting the murders of first Gary Hinman, the forgotten Manson Victim and then Sharon Tate and friends and then the poor La Biancas will leave you broken and weeping. I felt that for the first time, a work about Manson has put the Victims first. Not much else to say except buy this, read it, think about it and tell anyone else who might be falling into that "Manson was a misunderstood genius" rap that they NEED to read this book too.

This volume assuredly would be a welcome addition to the libary of anyone who loves Charles Dickens and/or the history of film. The style of writing is quite engaging, yet it does not descend into sentimentality or nostalgia.

The opening chapters, which provide a relatively brief yet surprisingly insightful treatment of Dickens' Christmas writings and social conscience, are a concise picture of the setting in which Dickens brought his classic to life. For those unfamiliar with the period, I would find this to be an essential background, lest A Christmas Carol be reduced to a fairy tale, as it is in certain film treatments. Those who are acquainted with these matters undoubtedly would find the quotations from Dickens' more obscure Christmas writings, and references to such other Christmas scenes as those in The Pickwick Papers, to form a comprehensive image of the combination of commentary and imagination in these works, and underlying themes which influenced a Christmas Carol itself.

The treatment of film adaptations, including the earliest silents, is extremely well researched and comprehensive. Even the biggest fan of "Scrooge pictures" would find some in this collection which were unknown. The classic films (for example, Alastair Sims' version) are analysed with an insightfulness that would increase anyone's understanding and enjoyment of their content.

As a Dickens lover, and also as one who is a "Christmas nut" (for whom the insights in this volume were a welcome and lovely nutcracker), I would highly recommend this book on all counts.

Dickens dose a great job introducing this book. He has very high vocabulary and his words are sometimes very confusing. However, that should not cloud over the book because it is a great read. In my opinion it is a must read. I think if any Christmas hater reads this book they will love it. It certainly was interesting.

Fred Guida has presented an incredibly well researched and beautifully written book that blends the literary history of this story along with the history of its various screen presentations. Thank you for this unique presentation.

I've been a fan of the 1953 version of a the Carol for as long as I remember. It was family tradition every Christmas eve to watch it. I've looked at as many possible versions and have yet to find it's match. This book is an amazing resource of all the various interpretations of the Dicken's classic has gone through from early lantern projected pictures, through the silent era, talking films, television, and animated specials. The early version were fascinating and I found it a special bonus that the author made note of various television shows which featured a special Christmas episode inspired by A Christmas Carol. Who could ever forget the "Six Million Dollar Man" Christmas special using the ideas from the novel. This brought back a lot of great television special memories. I was even able to track down two hard to find T.V. animated specials shown in the early 1970's but not seen since. (I found them on Amazon). All in all a great read, especially for fans. I did not agree with all of the criticisms, and the text is a rather dry read, maybe a little too academic. But still great stuff!!

Everyone has a favorite film or television version of Dickens beloved "A Christmas Carol." But few of us have any idea how very many adaptations there have been. Mr. Guida's wonderful book examines first the written "Carol," then goes on to detail some of the hundreds of adaptations and variations, from the early stage versions and magic lantern slides to modern made-for-television Carols. Mr. Guida discusses the major Carols with wit and humor as well as rare discernment: his love for his subject is evident. Minor Carols and variations are also covered, albeit more briefly. If you cannot find your favorite version in the text, you are sure to find it in the superb and very thorough filmography. The filmography is worth browsing in and of itself; did you know that there have been Western, country-western, rock-and-roll, and even science-fiction variations on "A Christmas Carol"? Or that actors as disparate as Cicely Tyson, Basil Rathbone, and Mr. Magoo have played Scrooge? If you love "A Christmas Carol" or simply dote on film trivia, I promise you will enjoy this book.

...and yes, someone needs to undertake a follow-up volume for the new episodes. However, this would be an intimidating task because Dawidziak has writen such a tremendous volume.

This is a great book rich with detail and exclusive interviews. I've read - and reread - the book a number of times.

This is a fine book - I've read it cover-to-cover. It's all you need if you are interested in the fumbling, bumbling ways of this great detective.

I hope that Mark Dawidziak revises it someday to include the newer additions to the Columbo saga.

This fine book shows just the sort of attention to detail the great detective would appreciate. It is a work of love, and is a good read for any fan of Columbo. The only problem is that the book is a little out of date now - well over a dozen episodes have screened since the last one listed. A new edition is in order. Please, please, give us the REST of the story!

I refer to the book many times when I watch Columbo episodes I've taped over the years. I think it's a great book, but like others, I think it should either be updated, or a sequel book, possibly titled "The Columbo Phile - Just One More Thing" that just covers the newer cases and updates the statistics (such as how many times William Shatner has been a murderer on Columbo, which used to be 1 and now is 2). Maybe they could use color photos in it, too.

Finally, a book not on how to design, but rather the experiences of many famous and wonderfully talented Costume Designers. This book gives a glimpse into the real world of Costume Design. I hear she is going to re-do the book in order to have it published again. How much information will change, I do not know. Either way, it is a very unique book for the subject matter and a fascinating read.

This book is great, if you want to be a costume designer or just interested in it this book is for you. It has a lot of good pictures and just really awesome!

This book is ideal for anyone interested in fashion or costume, and the creative process that goes into the creation of design. Landis, a costume designer herself, interviews most of the best costume designers working in film today. So unlike other books on costume design, where you get one person's opinion on the craft--and that person is usually a critic or academic who doesn't really have experience working in the field--here you get straight information direct from the creative people themselves.

The pictures are fabulous, so I think this book has appeal for anybody interested in clothes, movies, or design. Obviously, it will be a necessity for anyone interested in costume design or interested in being a costume designer.

Although there is a section on Landis' work on such movies as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Coming to America, she has obviously expertly edited the interviews that make up the text of the book. It seems as if the reader is sitting in the living room of these famous costume designers, chatting casually about how they got started, what inspires them, and some of their most interesting professional experiences.

Besides Edith Head, how many costume designers can you actually name? This book is a phenomenal collection of interviews with some of the best working film costume designers. You get a rare insight into what it's like to design for the stars, collaborate with the director and other craftsmen/women on a film set. Hollywood is well represented, but international designers get their due here as well. Designers describe what it's like to design for the much-lauded period films and the often-overlooked costumes of contemporary films (the author is herself an Oscar-nominated costume designer for "Coming to America"). The book includes lots of color photos and illustrations. You don't have to be a film historian to appreciate it.

This book is invaluable for anyone interested in learning about costume design--from the designers themselves. Fourteen highly accomplished designers discuss their craft in highly engaging and informative interviews, conducted by the author, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, herself an Academy Award-nominated costume designer. This is the kind of stuff that is usually neglected in "Making Of" film books and Hollywood history tomes. The interviews are augmented by hundreds of color and black-and-white photographs and costume sketches, which in themselves are more than worth the price of the book. Highly recommended!

I find this was a refreshing view point of a designer.He went into the nuts and bolts of the business,not just the artistic side. I enjoyed the book so much I ordered a copy for a gifted student of mine.

From the very first chapter, the author made it seem like he was speaking directly to me. This book is definitely for someone who is interested in Costume Design and wants to know absolutely everything about it, in detail (not for someone already in the field and familiar with how it works). It's not just a book that I'll read and then retire to my bookshelf. As I continue to aspire to be a costume disigner, this book will stay by my side for a long time. The ideas he gives you in the first chaper on how to break down the script is easy to learn, with practice. I urdge anyone who is interested in this field to buy this book first.

A graduation requirement for my high school is a year-long senior research project on a subject we choose. This project includes a year-long research portfolio, a piece of work applying the research, as well as a 20-30 minute presentation. I decided to research costume design for films. The first book I found was this book by Richard La Motte, and it was the most helpful book out of all 27 that I read for my research project. This book not only tells of costume designing itself, it shows what goes on behind the curtain, the business of it, the organization and preparation involved in costume design, etc. This book truly is a costume designer's manual. There is so much helpful information written in a clear way, there are examples in the book that help the reader understand the information even more clearly, as well as some designs by the author himself. This book helped me ace my Senior Project, and also inspired me to study and pursue costume design for films.

I found this book to be incredibly useful. Even though I work in stage theater, its information is immediately applicable for all levels of productions. It has tips for organizational skills, outlines of how things work, who does what, advice on how to manage your time, working with actors, dealing with unexpected problems, etc.

I've read it several times and each time I get something new out of it. Read this book, apply it, and you will be a shining star that gets hired again and again for productions.

This book is probably THE most informative book I have ever read, irregardless of the subject. Everthing you need to know about costume design is here, in this book. Critical information when contemplating a career, that you cannot get in a classroom. The author has been there, worked in the "trenches", for years, has had a successful career, and is now willing to share years of accumulated knowledge. I was amazed at all I gained from this book.

This book is hilarious and creepy all at once. It is also extremely well written by a unique individual with outstanding literary skill.
His Love/Hate essays had me clutching my sides and his observations are so far out of the mainstream that you just want to hug him! There should be more of it!! Viva Waters.

This book is so well-written, I think if John Waters hadn't become a film director he would have made an even better author. This book is so funny, but it is also a goldmine. There are so many references to obscure and interesting movies, books...all sorts of things. I learned so much! I had never heard of the film "Christmas Evil" before, but read about it in the book and was delighted to find it on netflix! It was insane!!! What a gem!

You could literally keep a notepad to scribble down movies to rent, books to read and things to google while reading this book. Lots of fun to read, and tons more to discover after you are done.

I just finished reading Crackpot last week, and it kept me entertained from beginning to end. I'm not an avid reader, so being able to get through any book is usually impossible for me, no matter what the length. Not only was the book nice and short, but John Waters really does know how to keep your attention. His writings are a great compliment to his films and I can't wait to read Shock Value! I love you, John!

amazon actually asked me to write a review of this book. some people must have found my last review useful (I've only written two previously).
anyway, I've only given the book 4 stars instead of five because its neither comprehensive nor definitive, but I value just about anything pertaining to john waters. so, let's see. john waters lives in a real city (Baltimore), and goes to new York and L.A. on business (expensives paid). living in baltimore gives john waters a wonderful slant on events. (Baltimore is associated with E. A. Poe -- I don't even like verse except for "the raven"!) so, we know from reading the book that john waters will subscribe to any publication that will publish an article he has written. the early days of his films must have been desperate times, requiring divine to eat dog excrement. can't say enough about the importance of divine to some of john waters's films. so far the best john waters movie seems to be "hair spray". divine and riki lake were incredible! can't imagine john travolta as Tracy's mom in the new picture directed by someone else, but the actress playing Tracy looks very good from what I have seen of the trailers. so, the book is definitely worth reading just to find out more about john waters. for instance really good to know that john waters steaks out the locations of his films in his tuna boat car like a detective before filming in Baltimore. imagining john waters in his comfortable apartment pondering his next move, while drinking
ovaltine.

I have been a fan of John Waters for years. I read Crackpot: The Obsessions of John Waters while sitting at a coffee bar near Bloomingdale's in NYC. I was surrounded by "the ladies who lunch." The book made me snicker, chuckle, guffaw, and produce a series of embarrassing noises produced when you try to suppress hysterical laughter in an inappropriate place. The embarrassing sounds made me laugh even more, and the looks of disgust from disapproving shoppers ultimately sent Diet Pepsi through my nose.

I could not offer a finer tribute to anything produced by the mind of John Waters. God bless you, John.