The Big Bang Theory
The definitive, behind-the-scenes look at the most popular sitcom of the last decade, The Big Bang Theory, packed with all-new, exclusive interviews with the producers and the entire cast - from journalist and the host of The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, Jessica Radloff.The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it's a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don't know in its entirety. The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, executive producers Steve Molaro and Steve Holland, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It's a story of on-and-off screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn't know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever led on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom's major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans. AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2022 BY GLAMOUR "Talking with Jessica, I realized how easy it had been for me to kind of put all 12 years of my time on Big Bang Theory under one general umbrella, as it were. The questions she asked and the information she'd reveal to me from someone else she'd interviewed forced me into a frame of mind where each season - and sometimes each episode - became it's own, separate entity again. . . Frankly, it turned into a version of therapy I hadn't realized I'd needed and couldn't have known how much I'd enjoy." --Jim Parsons
Survivors
Premiering in April 1975 on BBC1, Survivors presented viewers with the starkest premise imaginable: that only a tiny number of people had emerged unscathed from a deadly global pandemic, into a devastated, dangerous and unrecognisable world. Created by Terry Nation, the first thirteen episodes of Survivors explored how these few individuals band together to confront the daunting challenges of survival.Featuring new interviews, original source material and previously unpublished photographs, this comprehensive and meticulous study explores all aspects of the first series of an exemplary post-apocalyptic BBC TV series from what's now celebrated as a golden era of British genre television.
Sick Flicks
WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART (OR STOMACH).From arterial spray ballets to flesh-rending freakouts, Sick Flicks: Volume 1 slices deep into 50 of the most unforgettable splatter films ever unleashed upon unsuspecting audiences. Whether it's George Romero's genre-defining Dawn of the Dead or the gut-wrenching insanity of Nacho Cerda's Aftermath, no gore gag goes unexamined.Written by Mike Bracken-better known as The Horror Geek from Comedy Central's Beat the Geeks and host of the cult YouTube series Sick Flicks-this book is your blood-soaked passport to the wonderfully warped world of gore cinema. Whether you're a veteran gorehound or just dipping your toe into the crimson tide, there's something here to delight and disturb.Featuring films from around the world, Sick Flicks: Volume 1 is your guided tour through the back alleys of horror-where the cameras roll, the blood flows, and the censors weep.Smart. Funny. Absolutely covered in viscera.You've seen the channel. Now read the book.EDITORIAL REVIEWS: "...entertaining, insightful, at times funny, and [Mike's] persona as presenter/critic made it all fun to watch."-Jack Sholder, Director of The Hidden, Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge"[Sick Flicks is] my favorite show on YouTube"-Chet Zar, Dark Arts Society
Man Of A Thousand Fails
If you love classic Hollywood crime films and their famed yet not famous character actors, this book is for you.Award-winning Film Noir cultural analyst Bernie Dowling makes a deep dive into the career of legendary character actor Elisha Cook Jr. Cookie stunned generations of film fans with remarkable support roles as the perpetual loser, the man of a thousand fails.What's Inside: Reviews of twenty-five Cook films, and more than 250 photographs of Elisha, classic Hollywood films, and the people who created them.The forgotten masterpiece: Dowling examines the 1937 proto-noir with Elisha and Lana Turner as bit players in a genre in which they would craft careers.Stranger on the Third Floor 1940: The true first film noir, 60 minutes of saturation in German Expressionist acting, direction, photography, set design, and music. The Maltese Falcon 1941: The film that launched the great expeditions into the dark of noir by director John Huston and actors Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, and Elisha Cook Jr.The Big Sleep 1946: The film that gave us Bogie and Bacall at their most magnificent, and Elisha as Harry Jones in the most compelling seven minutes of screen time of a bit player ever recorded.Born to Kill 1947: A film so dark, even by tough noir standards, that critics refuse to recognize it as the masterpiece that it is.The Killing 1956: The noir that gave Stanley Kubrick the discipline to temper his arthouse elitism to become one of the greatest cinematic auteurs in history.Throughout, Dowling's sly humor and sharp cultural analysis make this more than just a film history book-it's a reverential applause for Elisha, the actor named after a miracle worker.A treat for cinephiles who understand the essence of the bit player in noir. Entry through a different door of perception for cinema students. Essential reading on the journey into the heart of noir.
Never Ending Wonder
Never Ending Wonder is a lyrical and rigorous exploration of the sensorial, philosophical, and affective territories of contemporary cinema. With a keen eye for nuance and a broad intellectual foundation, Julio Bezerra draws connections between film and phenomenology, weaving together the thought of Merleau-Ponty, Deleuze, Bazin, and Ayfre with the work of filmmakers such as Claire Denis, Pedro Costa, Tsai Ming-liang, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.This is not a conventional work of film theory. Rather, it is an evocative meditation on cinema's capacity to transform perception, dissolve dualisms, and bring forth new modes of being in the world. Moving beyond narrative and representation, Bezerra engages with a cinema of atmosphere, embodiment, and affect-a cinema that touches, disorients, and embraces, inviting the viewer into an experience that is both intimate and open-ended.Written with poetic clarity and philosophical depth, Never Ending Wonder invites us to reimagine how we watch, think, and feel cinema. It speaks not only to scholars and cinephiles but to all who believe in the power of film to challenge, console, and awaken. This is a passionate, personal, and intellectually generous inquiry into a cinema that does not aim to explain the world, but to encounter it, feel it, and remain in awe of its infinite becoming.
Outlander and Scotland
What is the 'Outlander Effect'?How does Outlander shape understanding of clan identity and Jacobite allegiance?How does the series balance modern feminist perspectives with historical realities?How does Diana Gabaldon answer ten key questions about her work?Inspired by Scotland's tumultuous history of 'treachery, betrayal and murder', the Outlander series has fired unprecedented global interest in Highland dress, Scottish history and Gaelic culture. In this landmark book, Diana Gabaldon shares her strong views on cultural appropriation and answers ten key Outlander questions. Outlander and Scotland offers a fascinating and sometimes surprising range of insights. Informed voices from the worldwide Outlander community discuss the storytelling, the characters, the real histories behind the fiction and the questions of gender and power Diana Gabaldon raises.
Studio Ghibli Castle in the Sky Notebook
This luxe, lined notebook with lay-flat binding features beloved characters from Castle in the Sky, Studio Ghibli's fantasy adventure about a boy and a girl and their quest to find the legendary floating castle, Laputa. With a cloth-bound, foil-stamped case, lined pages, and lay-flat binding, this notebook invites you to let your creativity fly! Perfect for writers, notetakers, collectors, and animation fans alike. Pair it with other themed merchandise, including Castle in the Sky Journal, Castle in the Sky Sketchbook, or Studio Ghibli 100 Collectible Postcards volumes 1 and 2, to create an extra-special present. (c) 1986 Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli LUXE FORMAT NOTEBOOK: Distinctive and durable cloth-bound hardcover featuring beloved characters from Castle in the Sky with foil stamping, full-color endsheets, and lined pages. Measures 6 x 8 inches, 128 pages, 140 GSM wood-free FSC-certified paper, and is nicely sized for all types of work and for carrying along in a backpack or tote. LAY-FLAT BINDING: This notebook lays flat for ease of writing. GREAT GIFT: Part of an officially licensed line with Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli, this notebook makes a great gift or self-purchase for writers, animation enthusiasts, collectors, and fans of Japanese art, stationery, and pop culture. BELOVED STUDIO WITH MASSIVE FAN BASE WORLDWIDE: The Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and Ghibli Park are popular destinations in Japan. The studio won the Academy Award(R) for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron and earned Academy Award(R) nominations for Howl's Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, and The Red Turtle. Perfect for: Studio Ghibli fans of all agesCastle in the Sky fansAnimation enthusiastsDiary-keepers and journalersJapanese art, stationery, and pop culture collectors
You Know You Love Me
Growing up is hard to do, but the kids on Gossip Girl sure made it look easy-and sexy, to boot. Set in the always-alluring penthouses and exclusive clubs of New York City, Gossip Girl followed, as its intro said, the "scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite," through the eyes of an omniscient narrator that had her eyes, ears, and hands in everything. Gossip Girl was enticing in a "lifestyles of the rich and famous" sort of way, but when you added on the fact that these pretty people had pretty problems and someone watching their every move, it was almost too good to resist. In You Know You Love Me, Lindsay Denninger gives an unprecedented inside look at how this icon of '00s pop culture captured the hearts, minds, and eyes of millions of viewers; influenced the worlds of fashion and media; and continues to reverberate in the culture today. Weaving together oral history interviews with all of the show's key personnel-performers, crew, writers, and showrunner Josh Safran-Denninger doesn't just reveal behind-the-scenes drama. She shows how Gossip Girl was an early harbinger of the cultural landscape to come, spanning from the very dawn of social media to the fractious internet of today, and from the autumn years of broadcast television (it aired on the CW) to the streaming era. Packed with juicy tidbits, unvarnished accounts, and unapologetic nostalgia, this is a thrilling behind-the-scenes look at the show that New York magazine, with a casual brio befitting its subject, dubbed "The Greatest Show of Our Time."
100 Movies of the 1960s
Positioned precariously between the uptight '50s and the freewheeling '70s, the 1960s marked a transitional decade in the film industry. As art, mass market, and pop culture merged and collided in true pop art style, cinema swirled with psychedelic energy. This handbook gathers the best films of the era, exploring the making and the mastery of such cinematic star turns as The Leopard, The Birds, Belle de Jour, A Fistful of Dollars, and Doctor Zhivago.With audiences ever more glued to their TV sets and the loosened rules about what was "permissible" in cinema with the abolition of the Production Code, filmmakers embraced the freedom to explore the possibilities of film as an art form. As was often the case, the Europeans led the way, the French with Nouvelle Vague directors like Godard and Truffaut, and the Italians with such innovative films as Fellini's 8 1/2 and Antonioni's Eclipse.By the mid-'60s the United States also began to exercise greater creative liberties, especially in films from young underground directors such as Russ Meyer, John Frankenheimer, and Sam Peckinpah. Meanwhile, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music ushered out the grandiose Hollywood musical era with a bang while the Spaghetti Western became an instant phenomenon, and Kubrick set new standards for sci-fi with 2001: A Space Odyssey.Though the term "feminism" may not have been ready for prime time, the decade was also one of major advances in female characterization. From Jane Fonda's Barbarella to Holly Golightly of Breakfast at Tiffany's to Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde, it was the 1960s that saw women on-screen graduate from decorative accessories to complex, kick-ass personas.
100 Movies of the 1970s
The 1970s: that magical era betwixt the swinging '60s and the decadent '80s, the epoch of leisure suits and Afros, the age of disco music and platform shoes. As war raged on in Vietnam and the Cold War continued to escalate, Hollywood began to heat up, recovering from its commercial crisis with box-office successes such as Star Wars, Jaws, The Exorcist, and The Godfather. Thanks to directors like Spielberg and Lucas, American cinema gave birth to a new phenomenon: the blockbuster. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, while the Nouvelle Vague died out in France, its influence extended to Germany, where the New German Cinema of Fassbinder, Wenders, and Herzog had its heyday. The sexual revolution made its way to the silver screen (cautiously in the U.S., more freely in Europe) most notably in Bertolucci's steamy, scandalous Last Tango in Paris. Amid all this came a wave of nostalgic films (The Sting, The Last Picture Show) and Vietnam pictures (Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter), the rise of the antihero (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman), and the prestigious short-lived genre, blaxploitation.
F1 the Movie
This meticulously-crafted book offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the making of Apple Original Films' F1(R) The Movie , the most authentic racing film ever. Whether you're a die-hard gearhead or a lover of cinematic spectacle, this collector's edition is a must-have tribute to the artistry of F1(R) The Movie and the adrenaline-fueled world of FORMULA 1 itself. Through in-depth interviews with director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun: Maverick), star and producer Brad Pitt, and cast members Damson Idris, Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon, readers will discover how Hollywood's biggest filmmakers and stars brought the world of FORMULA 1 to the big screen. From casting and training, to innovative filming techniquest, to filming at actual Grand Prix events around the world, the book reveals how precision, preparation, and passion collided in this groundbreaking production.Packed with stunning and exclusive photos of the film and its production, storyboards, concept drawings, and behind-the-scenes imagery of the cars and the featured racing tracks, props, costumes, set designs and much more, F1(R) The Movie is both a celebration of an epic film and an homage to FORMULA 1. F1(R) The Movie also includes special "under the hood" access that will appeal to FORMULA 1 fans, delving into the cutting-edge engineering and innovation that define the sport of racing. Racing enthusiasts and cinephiles will revel in explorations of the cars' design and capabilities, from detailed sketches, to interviews with the design team, to exclusive documentation of the film's scenes at Grand Prix weekends, and beyond.
Tim Burton
Dive into the whimsical, surreal and often macabre world of one of cinema's most unique visionaries. From his early days animating for Disney to earning cult-classic status, Tim Burton's trajectory in film is nothing short of extraordinary. In this book, Olly Richards explores the director's peculiar yet brilliant filmography and pairs each of his best-known works with behind-the-scenes stories and stills. With a repertoire ranging from outright spooky (Sleepy Hollow) to wholesome (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory); from superhero movies (Batman) to likeable anti-heroes (Wednesday and Pee-Wee Herman), it is apparent that Tim Burton is not afraid to get weird and let his imagination fly. Fall down the rabbit hole and celebrate one of history's most iconic directors.
Joking Apart
In the heart of 1920s England, where the glittering facade of London society conceals a labyrinth of human relationships, emerges a comedy-drama novel that dances on the edge of wit and satire. This once-lost gem, out of print for decades, has been lovingly republished by Alpha Editions, offering a fresh lens on the timeless dance of social satire and the complexities of early 20th-century fiction. With dialogue as sharp as a Dorothy Parker quip and scenarios that could rival the humour of PG Wodehouse, this narrative captures the essence of an era while resonating with the intricacies of today's world. The story unfolds with a vivid tapestry of characters, each navigating the delicate balance between societal expectations and personal desires. As the pages turn, readers are drawn into a world where laughter and introspection coexist, showcasing the enduring power of witty dialogue to illuminate the human condition. This edition is not just a reprint - it's a collector's item and a cultural treasure, meticulously restored for today's and future generations. For literary enthusiasts and casual readers alike, this book stands as a testament to the enduring allure of British literature. With its poignant exploration of themes that remain relevant, it invites adult readers to delve into a narrative that is both a reflection of its time and a mirror to our own.
Hitchcock's North by Northwest
Possibly Alfred Hitchcock's most popular and elaborate film, North by Northwest follows advertising executive Roger Thornhill's frantic cross-country race to free himself from a false murder charge and a mistaken identity pursuit by foreign spies. In a series of lively, self-contained chapters geared to both film buffs and casual viewers, the book explores all of the structural and thematic elements that combine to make this one of the master of suspense's most remarkable achievements. Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Hitchcock's favorite production team and a perfect cast including James Mason and Eva Marie Saint are celebrated at the height of their creative talents.
Classic Films - Famous and Forgotten Films
Classic Films: Famous and Forgotten Films is the first release of a multi-volume book series containing film reviews by Constance Metzinger, author of the long-running film blog Silver Scenes. Whether you are a devoted classic film enthusiast or a curious newcomer, you will relist the reviews and behind-the-scenes tidbits of treasured favorites from Hollywood's golden era and unearth forgotten jewels like MGM's Beauty for Sale, 20th Century Fox's The Luck of the Irish, and Walt Disney's The Moon-Spinners. Prepare to rediscover the art of cinema one film at a time. Included are reviews from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Above Suspicion (1942), Road to Utopia (1945), Picnic (1955), The Shaggy Dog (1958), How to Steal a Million (1966), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968), and many more!
A History of Shock Film
"A History of Shock Film" tells the story of movies that broke taboos, specifically in the realms of sex, violence, profanity, sacrilege, controversial messaging, and a few other areas that many cultures find transgressive.The book shows how what constitutes shocking content has changed over the past century-plus of movies. It starts with an 1895 short of a woman dancing on stage and ends on a 2010 film that had to be edited to get an NC-17 rating. Throughout, these films sparked public controversies. The conflict between freedom of expression and various forms of censorship is central to the narrative of "A History of Shock Film." While "A History of Shock Film" focuses mainly on the films of the United States, it also covers influential movies from around the world. A grand total of 321 official shock films from 27 countries are chosen as the most important to the story of shock cinema. Among the official shock films are well-known classics like "Psycho," "Pink Flamingos," "Blue Velvet," "The Exorcist," "Battleship Potemkin," "Do the Right Thing," "Frankenstein," "Taxi Driver," and "Monty Python's Life of Brian." You'll also learn about more obscure art films and exploitation movies. Important figures range from art-film deity Ingmar Bergman to schlockmeister Herschell Gordon Lewis.Author Eddie Daniels keeps the tone light and conversational; this is not an academic text. It is full of wild anecdotes about the people who made the movies. Daniels infuses his personality throughout, clearly delineating his own opinions from historical facts. He believes any statement of a film's effectiveness should be couched as a subjective judgement; he often uses phrases like "in my opinion" to emphasize that he's not trying to speak on behalf of all filmgoers. Eddie Daniels' previous book, "The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected," was a moderate success by the standards of self-publishing. It was a combination of baseball history and humor book. In "A History of Shock Film," Daniels leaves much of the comedy behind in favor of historical critique.
Scriptnotes
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The ultimate guide to writing a great screenplay and building a screenwriting career, from the creators of the hit podcast Scriptnotes--featuring contributions from film and TV legends Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Michael Schur, Rian Johnson, Aline Brosh McKenna, Ashley Nicole Black, Seth Rogen, and many more. With decades of Hollywood experience, John August and Craig Mazin know what it takes to write a successful script for the screen. And over the past twelve years, they've analyzed generation-defining movies and shared their wisdom on their popular podcast Scriptnotes, inviting experts in the craft to discuss everything that makes a script shine. Now, in their first book, August and Mazin draw on more than a thousand hours of Scriptnotes conversations, as well as their own storied careers, to help readers begin, refine, and sell their own scripts. Part writing class, part informational interview with the best creators in the business, this essential book shares tips on: - The Basics--including the rules of screenwriting and when to break them- The Craft--including how to create a compelling story with captivating protagonists, worthy antagonists, and a sound structure- The Business--including how to pitch a script and the do's (and don'ts) of working collaboratively on a project Perfect for screenwriters, film buffs, and anyone who enjoys analysis of iconic movies like Die Hard, this one-of-a-kind resource provides exclusive access to the screenwriting process--and will inspire anyone ready to pen their own successful screenplay.
Last Week in End Times Cinema
An almanac of every bad thing that happened in the film industry from March 2024 to March 2025. From A. S. Hamrah, the film critic at n+1 and the author of The Earth Dies Streaming: Film Writing, 2002-2018, comes this unique archive of unfortunate movie bulletins, compiled for his weekly newsletter, Last Week in End Times Cinema, and presented here in digest form. These customized batches of misfortune and upheaval record a full year of wrong thinking, bad decisions, and man-made disasters from the world of filmmaking. Set against the backdrop of the crazed push for AI, the wildfires in Los Angeles, and the reelection of Donald Trump, the general disaster of current commercial cinema in the age of streaming platforms, theater closures, and the dead-end reliance on IP franchising becomes apparent. As the Hollywood film industry plunged into near irrelevance, these weekly roundups tracked every passing mistake, every easily avoided blunder, every up-to-the-minute example of unnecessary garbage as it emerged from the content mills of our newly tech-based movie business. Presented without commentary, footnotes, or links, inspired by F矇lix F矇n矇on's Novels in Three Lines and the Coffee News, this compilation lists filmland items in naked form, stripped of any ameliorating showbiz happy talk. As Fred Allen once wrote about Hollywood, beneath all that phony tinsel there is real tinsel. Here it is, all the shiny nothingness of an industry gone astray.
The James Bond Archives. the Complete Films
"Bond, James Bond." Since Sean Connery uttered those immortal words in 1962, the most dashing secret agent in the history of cinema has been charming and thrilling audiences worldwide. This impeccably British character created by author Ian Fleming has starred in 25 EON-produced films played by six different actors over seven decades.Paul Duncan, who has compiled this volume covering every James Bond film ever made, beginning with Dr. No (1962) and ending with No Time To Die (2021), had access to the official Bond archive of photos, designs, storyboards, and production materials. The wealth of rare photography, set designs, storyboards, and production memos is a tribute to the legend of Bond, James Bond.JAMES BOND, 007, and related James Bond copyrights and/or trademarks authorized for use by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., exclusive licensee of London Operations LLC. (c) 2025 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Billy Elliot
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the UK miners' strike (1984-5), Billy Elliot (2000) follows eleven-year-old Billy as he pursues his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Hailed for its heartfelt portrayal of working class life and its powerful challenge to gender stereotypes, Stephen Daldry's film is recognised today as a significant contribution to the tradition of British social-realist cinema. James Leggott's insightful study explores the creative forces behind Billy Elliot's development, drawing from interviews with many of the core production team, such as the screenwriter Lee Hall, the choreographer Peter Darling and the composer Stephen Warbeck. Leggott identifies influences from the worlds of theatre, dance, photography and music, including inspirations specific to the North East of England, and calls attention to the film's innate musicality in its bold and playful combinations of soundtrack and action, with songs by Marc Bolan and T. Rex, The Clash and The Jam among others. Tracing Billy Elliot's global impact and its remarkable afterlife as a hit stage production, Leggott makes a case for the film's enduring significance in British cinema history.
The 'Before' Trilogy
In Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995), two young lovers, the American Jesse (Ethan Hawke), and the Frenchwoman Celine (Julie Delphy), meet on a train travelling across Europe and spend a magical night together in Vienna before parting at dawn. Filmed in nine-year intervals, the film's sequels Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013) forge an unexpected trilogy brimming with longing, second chances and resentments as the couple meet again and build a relationship. Lucas Hilderbrand reflects on the experience of falling in love with, living with and having one's own life shaped by the Before trilogy. Tracing the story of the films' production, he considers the contribution of the leading actors, particularly Delphy, to their screenplays. He offers a close reading of each of the Before films, considering the extent to which they operate beyond the generic norms of romantic comedy or melodrama, incorporating aspects of realism and emotional authenticity through their location shooting, long takes and near-real time temporality. Treating the films as time capsules of their respective historical moments, Hilderbrand considers how evolving politics and technologies impact or interrupt the characters' intimacy, while placing the trilogy in conversation with other films. All the while, he pays attention to the trilogy's subjective impact on viewers across its eighteen-year timespan - and its continuing afterglow.
Kaagaz Ke Phool (Paper Flowers)
Guru Dutt's final film as a director, Kaagaz Ke Phool/Paper Flowers (1959), follows the successful film-maker Suresh Sinha (played by Dutt himself) as rumours of his affair with his actress Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) lead him to lose his family, descend into alcoholism and ultimately retreat from the film industry. Initially met with critical and commercial failure, the film is now revered for its technical prowess and considered one of the finest self-reflexive works in Indian cinema. Lalitha Gopalan explores Kaagaz's innovative visual style, being the first Indian film shot in CinemaScope, highlighting cinematographer V. K. Murthy's essential contribution. She also analyses the soundtrack, composed by S. D. Burman with lyrics by Kaifi Azmi, examining the now-classic picturisations of songs such as 'Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam'. Drawing on interviews with practitioners and people close to Dutt, Gopalan reconstructs the original contexts of the film's production and reception. Finally, using Kagaaz as a lens, she assesses Dutt's influence on popular Indian cinema during the 1950s, as well as on global film melodrama more broadly.
The Art of Invincible Season Two
This official behind-the-scenes companion to Prime Video's second season of the hit animated series, INVINCIBLE, featuring a foreword from co-creator Robert Kirkman! The Art of Invincible Season Two features exclusive character, background, and vehicle designs along with key art and more! This volume takes fans behind the scenes and includes interviews with key creatives, including INVINCIBLE creators Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker.
Beasts in the Cellar
First published in 2005, this is the 20th Anniversary re-issue of Beasts in the Cellar, the definitive study of Britain's Greatest Exploitation Film Producer. Tony Tenser has earned an unrivalled position as the godfather of low-budget British films. Amongst his many movies are the notorious 'nudie' Naked - As Nature Intended and Roman Polanski's ground-breaking Repulsion. Most notably it was Tony Tenser whose entrepreneurial wit and creative spark fanned the flames of the entire Folk Horror genre with his seminal classics Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan's Claw. Tenser made movies in every genre, working with household names such as Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, Raquel Welch and Norman Wisdom, and his early career highlights include using strippers to picket central London cinemas and converting a Soho basement into Britain's most successful private cinema club. By the time he started producing films such as The Black Torment and The Pleasure Girls, Tenser's name was a byword for colourful titles, controversial themes and outrageous publicity stunts. He would enjoy mainstream success with the likes of Cul-de-Sac and Hannie Caulder but his company, Tigon, is not only synonymous with the Folk Horror genre, but also with a great many other spectacular horror hits including The Sorcerers, Curse of the Crimson Altar, Frightmare and The Creeping Flesh. By drawing on exclusive interviews, original production files and private correspondence, John Hamilton pieces together the stories behind the movies that made Tenser the most admired and successful exploitation producer in British cinema. From battles with the censor to studio in-fighting, and from tantrums on set to post-production interference, the cut and thrust of British filmmaking on a budget is revived in glorious detail. Featuring: - Detailed analysis of all of Tenser's films complete with the inside story behind the making of the movies, full production details, contemporary reviews and box-office statistics. - Rare and unpublished photographs, many from Tenser's private collection - A foreword and extensive interview with Tony Tenser, as well as contributions from many of the film-makers and stars of his movies. - An exhaustively researched filmography covering all of the films produced or distributed by Tenser as well as a wealth of detail on unfilmed projects.
Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration
Through objects from his personal archive, Bong Joon Ho reveals his inspirations and creative processes for his films including Snowpiercer, Parasite and Mickey 17Published with Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. From his earliest short films through his international breakthrough The Host and the Oscar-winning Parasite, the films of Bong Joon Ho defy simple categorization. Whether set in 1980s Korea or an imagined future time and space, they address issues that are transnational and universal: class disparity, social injustice, the environmental crisis and political and moral corruption. Bong embeds social critique into deeply humorous, unexpected and thought-provoking stories, and his protagonists are everyday people--often unlikely heroes--who confront the absurdities of modern life. With unprecedented access to the filmmaker's archive and personal collection, Bong Joon Ho: Director's Inspiration features storyboards, notebooks, concept art, models, props, behind-the-scenes photography and more. The book includes a new interview with Bong by film scholar Nam Lee, essays by exhibition curator Michelle Puetz and film critic Amy Taubin, and personal reflections by friends and colleagues that give insight into the Academy Award-winning director's inspirations and creative process.Bong Joon Ho (born 1969) is an Oscar-winning director and writer whose films include Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer, Okja and Mickey 17. His 2019 film Parasite was the first South Korean film to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes and the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
1971
1971 was a landmark year for cinema. Woody Allen, Robert Altman, Dario Argento, Ingmar Bergman, Stanley Kubrick, Sergio Leone, George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Roman Polanski, Nicolas Roeg, and Steven Spielberg -- among many others -- were behind the camera, while an extraordinary array of stars filled the screen: Warren Beatty, Marlon Brando, Michael Caine, Julie Christie, Sean Connery, Faye Dunaway, Clint Eastwood, Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and Vanessa Redgrave all featured in films released that year. The remarkable artistic flowering of New Hollywood was just beginning. The old guard was fading, the new guard rising. With cinema attendance in decline by the late 1960s and studios struggling to gauge box-office success, executives granted unprecedented freedom to a new generation of filmmakers -- and the results changed cinema forever. Drawing on interviews with cast and crew, bestselling author Robert Sellers explores this pivotal year in film history -- a moment when Hollywood and British cinema alike stood at the thrilling crossroads of revolution and reinvention.
Staying Gold: The Oral History of the Outsiders
The definitive oral history of the 1967 novel for teens, turned blockbuster film turned Tony-winning musical, and commemorated with a newly opened museum. This groundbreaking story has managed to stay gold for nearly sixty years. *Includes interviews with Rob Lowe, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell Leif Garrett, David Arquette, Dennis Quaid, and more! When a story resonates with audiences generation after generation, it reaches "classic" status. Francis Ford Coppola saw that potential in S. E. Hinton's novel about two rival groups in 1960s Tulsa and knew it was meant for the silver screen. Now, in this definitive oral history, we're given a rare glimpse into the filmmaking process: How Coppola's team recruited unknown actors destined to become household names. How a film that could have easily been shot in a Hollywood studio was instead produced on location where the original novel was set. How an author who could have stood in the shadows came to be a major influence on the film, the actors, and the director himself. This oral history explores the legacy of The Outsiders, defining its historic impact since first arriving on bookshelves sixty years ago. Over a series of fascinating interviews with actors, casting directors, and others close to the project, it swiftly becomes clear how The Outsiders has managed to--as the adage goes--stay gold.
A Sudden Flicker of Light
From one of cinema's wisest and most penetrating observers, an arresting new perspective on the sweep of film history. David Thomson has been called "the greatest living writer on the movies." Here is a career capstone of sorts--a one-volume history of film and screens as illuminating and provocative as his classic Biographical Dictionary of Film. In tracing the progress, from the Lumiere Brothers to the Coens, Thomson glories in the great movies, but admits to increasing unease over what the medium has done to us--promoting fantasy, misleading models of sexual identity, the cult of authority, power, and happy endings. This revisionist history is as alert to technology and business as it is to art and fun in tracing our pursuit of the lifelike instead of life. By turns trenchant, lyrical, and comic, Thomson uncovers our addiction to voyeurism and villainy, and a habit of passivity that has betrayed our political and cultural identity. In a survey that reaches from Metropolis to Rear Window to Anora, this will redirect ideas about film everywhere. As The New York Times has put it, "Thomson proves anew that he is irreplaceable."
I Only Believe in Myself
A long-form dialogue--on cinema and survival--with the visionary French filmmaker. The virtuous always engage in a pseudoreligious morality. But there's one thing they never say: the desire for pleasure is thought in motion. It's what makes you transfigure a dull and repetitive sexual act into something that can bring you to ecstasy and an idea of eternity ... --Catherine Breillat to Murielle Joudet Catherine Breillat has always told just one story: her own, the story of a young girl whose existence was forbidden, who was, from childhood, cut in half, split between her mind and her sexuality, marked by the shame of being born female. She became a filmmaker at a time when choosing that vocation meant disobeying the world. During six months between September 2022 and March 2023, the film critic Murielle Joudet interviewed Catherine Breillat for thirty hours, often following up with further discussion over the phone. Joudet and Breillat discuss each of her films in chronological order, moving freely between Breillat's cinematic vision, her life, and the situations, artworks, and thought that have inspired her films. From A Real Young Girl (1975) to Last Summer (2023), Breillat has made films in an attempt to recover what she believes was stolen from her-- the "unfilmable," inexhaustible grey area of the feminine where shame, transgression, sensuality, disgust, and the search for oneself intertwine until they become indistinguishable. Her work proposes a haunting imperative to know oneself ... and for her heroines, this spiritual search plays out as an open war with the opposite sex. A conversation with Catherine Breillat is as much a cinema master class as it is a lesson in survival.
Die Hard
Upon its release, John McTiernan's Die Hard (1988) was met with immense commercial and critical success; breaking the $100 million mark at the box office in its first run, and resulting in four Academy Award nominations. Jon Lewis's study of the action classicclosely examines the film's novel and script adaptation, highlighting the influential role of producer Joel Silver. He delves into Silver's ground-breaking 'whammy theory', which redefined script structure by organizing scripts around timed 'beats' rather than traditional acts or scenes, tracing its impact not only in Die Hard, but also in other iconic franchises like Lethal Weapon, Predator, and The Matrix. Lewis goes on to consider the film's evocation of post-Vietnam male panic and its connection to the Iron John movement. He highlights Die Hard as a prime example of the 'male rampage film' genre, where white male protagonists express frustration with cultural antagonists like feminism, economic regulation, government bureaucracy, and political corruption. Finally, he reflects on how Die Hard resonated with its 1988 audience, looking for new antagonists in a changing world. The film's anticipation of European radical political groups and later terrorism rooted in North Africa and the Middle East foreshadows the era-defining 'war on terror' that would follow.
India'S Problem, Krishna Or Christ
A stirring question at the crossroads of faith: must India choose Krishna or Christ? In India s Problem: Krishna or Christ?, John P. Jones mounts a passionate, clear-eyed exploration of India s spiritual dilemma, tracing the clash and convergence of Hindu and Christian thought during a pivotal era. Part sermon, part scholarly inquiry, the book compares religious philosophy in India, examines missionary work in India, and probes the deeper currents of religious identity India faces amid social change. Jones frames the debate Krishna vs Christ not as mere polemic but as a searching invitation to Hindu-Christian dialogue. Historically significant and surprisingly timely, this work captures early 20th-century perspectives on comparative religion India and Christianity in India, offering readers a textured account of religious debate India that shaped missionary strategies and cultural responses. Jones s voice is both earnest and provocative, making the book valuable to casual readers interested in spiritual questions and to classic literature collectors tracking influential texts in religious studies. Long out of print, this edition has been lovingly restored and republished by Alpha Editions. More than a reprint, this is a collector s item and cultural treasure carefully prepared for today s and future generations seeking clarity on Hinduism vs Christianity and India s religious conflict. Essential for anyone engaged in religious philosophy India, Hindu-Christian dialogue, or the history of missionary work in India.
The Highland Fling And How To Teach It
A spark of Highland fire discover the steps, spirit, and instruction behind Scotland s most beloved solo dance. This restored classic teaches more than movement; it unlocks a living tradition. Horatio N. Grant s The Highland Fling And How To Teach It is an authoritative Scottish dance guide that combines clear, step-by-step dance guidance with the cultural context every teacher and dancer needs. Inside, Grant lays out Highland dance instruction and Highland Fling tutorial techniques from basic posture and footwork to rhythms and regional variations making it an indispensable Scottish dance for teachers and a practical Scottish dance guide for beginners. Detailed illustrations and practical exercises translate traditional choreography into modern, teachable methods, ideal for mastering Highland Fling or introducing Scottish cultural dance in classrooms and clubs. Historically significant, this Horatio N. Grant book preserves early 20th-century pedagogy and the living language of Scottish heritage dances, offering insights valuable to historians, performers, and collectors. Long out of print, Alpha Editions has carefully restored the text for today s and future generations this edition is not just a reprint but a collector s item and cultural treasure, remastered with fidelity and care. Whether you re a casual reader curious about Celtic arts, a dance teacher seeking proven traditional dance teaching techniques, or a collector of rare works, this essential Highland dance instruction volume brings tradition back to life. Keywords: Highland dance instruction, Scottish dance guide, traditional dance teaching, learn Highland Fling, dance techniques for beginners, step-by-step dance guide, mastering Highland Fling, Scottish heritage dances, Scottish dance for teachers.
Christopher Nolan
Crack open the magic box of Christopher Nolan's twisting universe with this definitive and fully updated exploration of one of cinema's most visionary filmmakers. 'What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate.' - Cobb, Inception How has Nolan become this leading director? Is he the new Kubrick? What do audiences get out of his games? Visually, he offers a steely science-fiction noir with the highlights of big stars and a magician's flourishes. In narrative terms, his films twist and turn, provoking as many questions as they answer. Since the 2022 edition, Nolan has secured his place among cinema's greats, earning Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Oppenheimer. This new edition delves into the film's extraordinary cultural impact and offers an early preview of The Odyssey, Nolan's upcoming Greek epic slated for 2026. As well as this, veteran film writer, Ian Nathan, uncovers: A film-by-film analysis from Following to Oppenheimer, revealing Nolan's signature visual style and narrative innovations. New insights into The Odyssey(2026) and how it marks Nolan's next evolution in Nolan's filmmaking. Behind-the-scenes stories, influences and critical reception of each major work. Explorations of recurring themes, collaborators, and Nolan's enduring legacy in modern cinema. Striking imagery that illuminates the worlds Nolan builds on screen.This new edition offers a compelling journey into the mind of one of contemporary cinema's greatest visionaries, bringing the exploration fully up to date.
Animation Techniques
Animation can be used to illustrate, simplify and explain complicated subjects, as well as to transform stories into engaging, fantastical narratives. There are many types of animation, all of which can incorporate different artistic techniques such as sculpture, drawing, painting, printing and textiles. In this practical guide, animation tutor Steve Roberts explores the twelve basic principles of animation, demonstrating the different techniques available and offering helpful exercises for readers to practise in their chosen style. From pencils to pixels, flip books to feature films, and plasticine to puppets, this helpful book covers everything you need to know about how to start animating and will be of great interest for anyone looking to learn how to make their own animated films.
The Hollywood History of Art
How Hollywood has portrayed the lives of artists, from Kirk Douglas' Vincent van Gogh to Salma Hayek's Frida KahloEver since the dawn of the sound era, Hollywood and friends have made a series of elaborate feature films about the lives of the great artists: the cast of colorful characters includes Fredric March as Cellini, Charles Laughton as Rembrandt, George Sanders as Gauguin, Jos矇 Ferrer as Toulouse-Lautrec, Kirk Douglas as Van Gogh, Charlton Heston as Michelangelo, Mel Ferrer as El Greco--and, more recently, Jeffrey Wright as Jean-Michel Basquiat Derek Jacobi as Francis Bacon, Ed Harris as Jackson Pollock, Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo, and many others.To attain box office success, these films have represented the lives of artists in stories that take audiences on a journey from garret to gallery to glamour to gutter to grave. Although sometimes dismissed by art historians and curators, these films can tell us a great deal about how art and artists have entered the cultural bloodstream of Western culture.Until now, there has never been a full-length book devoted to the fascinating story of artists and Hollywood. Based on many years of archive research and interviews with participants, The Hollywood History of Art will appeal to museum and gallerygoers, film buffs, art fans and of course those with fond memories of Kirk Douglas being attacked by crows, Charlton Heston swallowing a mouthful of paint as he frescoes the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Ed Harris dripping brushfuls of paint onto a huge canvas, and Salma Hayek being transported at speed in a four-poster bed to a contemporary art gallery in Mexico City.Christopher Frayling (born 1946) is Professor Emeritus of Cultural History at the RCA and a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge. His previous books with Reel Art Press include The 2001 File (2015), Frankenstein: The First Two Hundred Years (2017), Once Upon a Time in the West: Shooting a Masterpiece (2019) and Sergio Leone by Himself (2024).
Born to Lose
August 22, 1972: Two men attempt to rob a bank in Brooklyn. They fail miserably: the money they'd hoped for isn't there, the cops get tipped off immediately, and within 30 minutes they're in a hostage situation with the FBI. Things really get crazy when reporters learn that one of the robbers is gay and married to a trans woman. The crowd of journalists and onlookers grows into the hundreds, desperate for a glimpse of this charismatic live-wire who's robbing the bank not for greed or thrills, but to fund his partner's sexual reassignment surgery. Sound familiar? This is the plot of Dog Day Afternoon, the 1975 film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, and Chris Sarandon. It remains a high-water mark of New Hollywood, where the best acting talent of the day came together on a film that was truly exceptional. But equally exceptional was the fact that the film was based on a true-life incident. Drawing on extensive archival research, film historian Rachel Walther delves into the film's backstory, tracing how an unbelievable true crime tale of love, bank robbery, and LGBTQI+ activism became a box-office smash and catapulted a group of Brooklyn outsiders into the media spotlight. Name-checked on TV shows from The Simpsons to Drunk History, and now a Broadway play, Dog Day Afternoon's legacy continues to inspire filmmakers, writers, and actors. Walther's deep dive interrogates the film's place in the 1970s zeitgeist, set against a background of antiwar activism and the fight for gay and trans rights, and in doing so shows its continuing relevance today.
Post-Cinema
Post-cinema designates a new way of making films. It is time to ask whether this novelty is complete or relative and to evaluate to what extent it represents a unitary or diversified current. The book proposes to integrate the post-cinema question within the post-art question in order to study the new ways of making filmic images. The issue will be considered at three levels: the impression of post-art on regular films; the relocation (Casetti) of the same films that can be seen using devices of all kinds in conditions more or less removed from the dispositif of the theater; the integration of cinema into contemporary art in all kinds of forms of creation and exhibition, parallel to the integration of contemporary art in regular cinema.
Cheryl
Number One Sunday Times Best Seller. For the first time Cheryl tells her full story, her way. Revealing the truth behind the headlines, this is the only official autobiography, giving the fans the true story they've been waiting for. Includes exclusive, personal photos. The nation's sweetheart, Cheryl has achieved unrivalled success with Girls Aloud, as a solo artist, a judge on the X Factor, a fashion icon and as the face of L'Oreal. However, the path to fame is rarely easy and for Cheryl it has been a colourful journey. From happy but humble beginnings growing up on a tough Newcastle estate, Cheryl saw firsthand the damage that drugs and alcohol can do. But this feisty Geordie never gave up on her dreams of being on stage. With success came a level of fame no one could prepare for. As Cheryl's career went from strength to strength her personal heartache was played out in the national media. From her divorce to her battles with malaria, Cheryl's every move was captured by paparazzi. There was nowhere for Cheryl to hide. However, a true fighter, Cheryl emerged from every challenge stronger. Now it's Cheryl's turn to set the record straight. In this heartfelt account, she opens up about all of the incredible ups and downs of her life. Told with searing honesty this is Cheryl as you've never seen her before.
Rewinding the '80s
Take a trip back to your favorite video store with this in-depth journey through the highs and lows of '​80s cinema--with profiles of hundreds of films--and how Hollywood studios around the globe reflected a period of cultural change. The movies were flying blind in 1980. "New Hollywood" was over and the era of auteur-driven, personal films that had defined moviemaking since the late '60s came to a symbolic end with Heaven's Gate (1980), replaced by a new world of multiplex blockbusters supported by massive marketing campaigns. But beyond the high-school comedies and hardbody action films came a new wave of cinematic excitement--an era defined by Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Purple Rain, When Harry Met Sally, E.T., and Top Gun, each of which are now classics for a new generation of nostalgic movie lovers. The decade saw works that uniquely captured an era of cultural and technological change, from new indie auteurs to the highs and lows of animation, an emergent LGBTQ+ cinema, the last days of the Cold War, and the explosive impact of MTV. With wit and authority, author John Malahy provides fresh insight about the films, filmmakers, and stars who illuminated each of the exciting new facets of Hollywood throughout the decade. Illustrated with more than 200 full-color photos, Rewinding the '80s is a lively, intelligent, and immersive look at an indelible moment in modern history.
The Star Wars Archives. 1999-2005
From the moment Star Wars burst onto the screen in 1977, audiences have been in equal parts fascinated and appalled by the half-man/half-machine hybrid Darth Vader. In 1999, creator George Lucas began the story of how Anakin Skywalker grew up to train as a Jedi under Obi-Wan Kenobi, found love with the Queen of Naboo, Padm矇 Amidala, before turning to the dark side of his nature and becoming more machine than man. After driving the development of nascent digital technology, George Lucas perceived how he could create new creatures and new worlds on a grander scale than ever before. He created the first digital blockbuster, and met fierce resistance when he pushed for widespread digital cameras, sets, characters, and projection - all of which are now used throughout the industry. He essentially popularized the modern way of making movies. Made with the full cooperation of George Lucas and Lucasfilm, this second volume covers the making of the prequel trilogy -- Episode I The Phantom Menace, Episode II Attack of the Clones, and Episode III Revenge of the Sith -- and features exclusive interviews with Lucas and his collaborators. The book is profusely illustrated with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters.
The Greengrass Papers
Rabble-rouser. Trouble-maker. Speaker of truth to power. Released to coincide with his 13th feature, The Greengrass Papers reveals how Paul Greengrass came to be venerated as a game-changing director. In 2004, Greengrass's adaptation of Robert Ludlum's spy thriller, The Bourne Supremacy, gave the shooting of action films an entirely new cinematic syntax -- urgent, visceral, immersive, immediate -- that everyone rushed to replicate, including the Bond and Mission Impossible franchises. A veteran of Granada TV's groundbreaking current affairs programme, World in Action, Greengrass uses documentary techniques to imbue his thrillers and docudramas with the heat and crackle of chaotic, fast-moving, real-life events. This is the first time he has been involved in a book around his work, and he has given exclusive access to Tom Shone to share the story of the revolution he brought to Hollywood filmmaking, which is showcased here alongside never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photographs. As well as a portrait of a filmmaker, The Greengrass Papers is a deep-dive into espionage, assassination and the political violence that Greengrass has laid bare in his films, bringing these worlds to the screen with more visceral power than any other British director working today.
Rear Window
The definitive, in-depth look inside Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window--the all-time classic of voyeurism, paranoia, and murder that became one of Hollywood's greatest achievements and turned generations of viewers into "a race of Peeping Toms." A must-read for film buffs, Hitchock fans old and new, and fans of classic movies and Hollywood insider history. Before the internet and social media offered voyeuristic glimpses into the lives of others, the acclaimed Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, exposed the dangers and delights of looking--and knowing--too much in his 1954 masterpiece Rear Window. Widely hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, it stars James Stewart and Grace Kelly at the top of their game but, in an unusual gamble, is shot entirely from within a Greenwich Village apartment . . . Using this limited point of view, Hitchcock forces his audience to participate in his protagonist's voyeuristic impulses and darkest obsessions--a bold move in the era of the Hollywood Blacklist and restrictive Hays Code. But the gamble paid off, and Rear Window became a timeless classic. This eye-opening book goes straight to the source of Rear Window's genius by mining the original papers of Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart, and Thelma Ritter, revealing little-known facts behind the scenes: Why taking the role of Lisa Fremont was one of the toughest decisions Grace Kelly ever made; How Hitchcock intertwined suspense and romance with inspiration from Ingrid Bergman; How he used a topless scene to distract the censors from other scenes to which they may have objected; and how Hitchcock crafted the film's unforgettable villain, Lars Thorwald, by modeling him on a producer he loathed--the infamous David O. Selznick. Filled with eye-catching photographs, outrageous anecdotes, and delicious details, this exciting book pulls back the curtain on a classic thriller that's as relevant today as ever--and every bit as thrilling.
Behind the Pink Curtain
Behind the Pink Curtain takes the reader on a wild joy ride deep into the hinterlands of Japanese culture, society and radical politics by way of the weird and wonderful world of the country's distinctive sex film movements. Jasper Sharp's definitive study focuses on one of the most notorious sectors of Japanese filmmaking, the erotic Pink Film, or pinku eiga genre, and the closely related Roman Porno films produced by Nikkatsu studios from 1971 to 1988. From the early '60s onwards major Japanese film studios and independent producers alike have kept up a conveyor belt level of output of pornographic features intended purely for cinema release. Up until the 2010s, just short of 100 such titles were shot on 35mm every year intended for screening in a specialist network of adult cinemas across the nation. Many such films have been released on home video in the West or screened at international film festivals, while a significant number of Japan's most noted filmmakers today cut their teeth in this industry. Based on extensive interviews with many of the leading figures in the field, Behind the Pink Curtain is a colourful and exhaustive expos矇 of Japan's most vibrant and prolific filmmaking sector. Read about: -- the ins and outs of Japanese censorship from the wartime onwards; -- how topless deep sea diving girls came to woo local audiences in the '50s; -- how a TV nature documentary maker made nude female Tarzan movies; -- how '60s mavericks K繫ji Wakamatsu and Masao Adachi met John and Yoko; -- how one of Nikkatsu's leading directors went it alone to make a film about powerboat racing and ended up in the bad books of the yakuza; -- how the sex farce Horny Home Tutor: Teacher's Love Juice was re-titled The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai and became one of the most talked-about Japanese films ever, playing at more than twenty international film festivals.
Bob Dylan as Filmmaker
"Michael Glover Smith's Bob Dylan as Filmmaker is the most compelling reconsideration of Bob Dylan's work as a filmmaker written to date." -- Erin C. Callahan, author of The Politics and Power of Bob Dylan's Live PerformancesA deep dive into one of the most overlooked -- and fascinating -- sides of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature winner: Bob Dylan, the filmmaker. While his music and lyrics have been studied endlessly, his work behind (and in front of) the camera remains largely unexplored. No other book has taken this angle, and with Dylan's legend still growing, the audience is more than ready for a bold new take. Bob Dylan as Filmmaker, the first book of its kind, opens up exciting new ways to think about the artistry of Bob Dylan. It offers a captivating exploration into movies that, according to Michael, showcase Bob Dylan not just as a subject, but as the primary author. These include Eat the Document--a short, experimental television film shot in 1966 and released in 1972; the sprawling, genre-blurring epic Renaldo and Clara (1978), both directed by Dylan himself; and the darkly surreal Masked and Anonymous (2003), directed by Larry Charles but co-written by and starring Dylan. Bob Dylan as Filmmaker explores what these movies reveal about "how it feels" to be Bob Dylan during three defining eras of his career: the revolutionary 1960s, the introspective 1970s, and the enigmatic early 2000s. Just as crucially, they illuminate Dylan's remarkable instinct for using film not merely as a medium, but as a deeply personal mode of expression. The book also provides an essential survey of Dylan's most recent movie projects, including those by other directors, in which Dylan's influence is less overt but no less powerful. Here, Michael argues that Dylan operates as a kind of "invisible co-author" in Martin Scorsese's Rolling Thunder Revue (2019), where Dylan appears as a slippery, self-mythologizing interviewee; Alma Har'el's haunting Shadow Kingdom (2021), a stylized livestream performance; and James Mangold's A Complete Unknown (2024), the Timoth矇e Chalamet-led biopic shaped in part by Dylan's behind-the-scenes "script approval."
