5 comments about Film Posters of the 70s: Essential Movies of the Decade.

1. This is a wonderful book in the series with wonderful reproductions of the posters of the decade. Makes a wonderful gift for someone who loves movies as well as a great coffee table book. Highly recommended



2. When I first looked at this book, it was like going back to my childhood, well, sort of, it was so neat to see posters of some of my favorite films from back then and a lot from movies that I never knew they made. The artwork on those posters is most certainly something to see and admire!!! If you love art and or movies this is THE book to get you won't be disappointed!



3. Like the other decade books in this series Film Posters of the 70's is a sensational buy. You could either keep it intact as a collection of posters in a book to show and discuss with friends, or cut the book up and actually have a vast number of posters up on your wall. This book is about a third the size of your standard film poster and most movies are full page colour. Any of them would look great up on the wall.

   The 70's gave the world Star Wars, Grease, The Godfather, Mad Max, Alien, Taxi Driver, Texas Chainsaw Massacure, Halloween, Rocky and a very blood thirsty shark who changed human perception of sharks for decades to come named Jaws. These films along with other greats fill this book. Roger Moore also took over from Connery as James Bond and Clint Eastwood made a heap of Westerns. Find them here as well.




4. Excellent... add it to your book collection! If you are a Star Wars fan check this out!



5. back in the day this was the best visual present.if the poster was cool then the movie would get Love.a picture can tell a thousand words.and the 70's had the coolest posters and arguable the best films in Movie History.before video tape you walk to the movie house and see the poster and the reaction you felt led you or back the other way.a solid must have book.

1 comments about Movie Palace Masterpiece: Saving Syracuse's Loew's State/Landmark Theater.

1. This work celebrates the exotically beautiful Loew's STATE theatre in Syracuse, NY, USA. The 78 pages of the ten inch high by seven inch wide publication constitute a booklet within hard covers which are entirely black with a gold stamped spine 3/8ths of an inch wide. It has a section of 16 color plates on glossy paper, but the remainder of the sewn-in pages is of standard matte book paper.

   Those who would review a book on a theatre are those who love theatres and look forward to each new effort, and the former STATE (now the LANDMARK theatre) is certainly one of architect Thomas Lamb's most wonderful works and deserving of praise, but, unfortunately, this "booklet" is not. While not every book on an individual theatre could be the Magnum Opus that is, for example, "FOX-The Last Word" about the fabulous San Francisco FOX, such books can be more than this amateurish paste-up. The author, Alfred Balk, lists himself as "Editor" because there really is no text, as one would expect of an authored work. He is a former magazine editor and a professor of journalism, yet we find no evidence of the scholarship that such credentials might suggest. Instead, the Editor, in conjunction with a Production Editor apparently from the Syracuse University Press, has assembled a small collection of photos and news clippings together with some captions to tell the theatre's story. Had each of these been exhaustive, they might possibly have delivered all the information a $25 hardbound might be expected to. Sadly, that is not the case. Mr. Balk as a member of their Board of Directors and Archivist has merely pasted up dozens of newspaper clippings interspersed with photos, the black and white ones being of poor quality on the matte book paper. Often the layout is a montage with one clipping photographed atop another! Not only is the reproduction quality poor making for difficult reading, but often the clipping is cut off wherever the editor wanted to conserve page space and the reader looks in vain for the rest of the item.

   Is this book about the notable architecture and decor of this famous movie palace? Not really. The 16 pages of color photos do help one gauge the exotic ambience of what remains after much restoration, and there are three full pages of black and white photos which suffer from the book paper. These together with five b/w photos and captions lifted from "Marquee" magazine of the Theatre Historical Society in Elmhurst, Ill. as well as two theatres books, are augmented only by four reproductions of the giant blueprints in much reduced size. Even at reduced size the blueprints are seen to be works of art in themselves but cry out to have been made as foldouts in larger size so that they could be fully appreciated. It is rather like trying to look at the "Mona Lisa" through a peephole. Since it is difficult to economically reproduce 3 by 4-foot blueprints in a book, then there should have been drawings in simplified form made from these to delineate all major facets of the theatre. This is commonplace for floor plans, but not one such is in the book - including no floor plan, which is vital to understanding a structure. This work does, however, make good use of its dust jacket where the front panel is a glossy, varnished color photo of the lobby and the back panel gives us the only view of the organ console in 1950, apparently in situ, but there is no caption about it. So, this is not an architectural work about this 2,900-seat performance hall.

   Is it a commercial history? Only in the most limited sense in that clippings are again intended to be the bulk of the text about the history of this house.

   What is the book about? Mostly the "Save-the-State" campaign and subsequent restoration efforts. Sixty-one of the 86 clippings and over half the pages reflect the names involved in these efforts and comments on their progress, the hard work of which volunteers is to be applauded! But the last paragraph of the Introduction gives its real raison d'etre when it states that they hope the book will stimulate support from many sources. Is your purchase price going to help the LANDMARK with financial support? They don't say.

   It might be mentioned that the full page photo of the stage switchboard by Westinghouse is a welcome exposition revealing the nine light groups for the auditorium, and 15 such for the stage, all in three colors and ten presets. It is a pity that they didn't key the house controls to numbers on a photo of the auditorium. Such illuminating detail is often overlooked in other books (pun intended).

   Is this "booklet" worth $25? Yes, if one has no other images of so mystical a theatre, but those who have other theatre books such as "Great American Movie Theatres" will see almost as much there, albeit not in color. If only this grant-funded book were the masterpiece that the theatre is!

No comments about Classic Guitars: Identification And Price Guide (Classic Guitars: Identification & Price Guide).

5 comments about Marilyn Monroe: Cover to Cover.

1. This thoroughly unique and enjoyable approach to the documentation of Marilyn's career is a comprehensive collection of magazine covers from all around the world, featuring her throughout her career. The whole is an eclectic gathering of photos highlighting her metamorphosis from unknown young model to luminous superstar.
   
   Although many of the more well known American covers are absent, there is plenty here to satisfy! The variety and sheer number of colorful covers is impressive. The memorable quotes that accompany so many of the covers capture the essence of her endearing personality without being an actual biography, and the timeline is a good but brief overview of many of the important events in her life.
   
   Although I am not an avid collector of MM memorabilia, I'm sure the pricing information would be valuable to those who are. I found comparing the various values to be very interesting reading. I can only imagine the painstaking work that went into identifying each of these photos and determining the worth of each cover.
   
   This would be a welcome and unique addition to any MM library - highly recommended!



2. This is an unusual outstanding picture book.
   
   Marilyn in unforgetable pictures.
   
   Thank you!



3. I absolutely loved this book! It was fantastic. Marilyn Monroe was such a beautiful, talented person and this book definitely shows it. The pictures are sharp and bright and the captions are wonderful. The variety is nothing short of impressive. I highly recommend this "coffee table book" to any Monroe fan!



4. Now in a revised second edition, Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover by Clark Kidder is a unique collection for the fans one of Hollywood's best known personalities, as it features full-color illustrations of numerous magazine covers that showcased this talented actress and American heartthrob. Each picture offers a brief caption or memorable quote (often by Marilyn herself) about the picture, as well as the average selling price for good condition copies of the magazine. Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover is a very highly recommended resource for celebrity memorability collectors in general, and Marilyn Monroe fans in particular.



5. Clark Kidder has done it yet once again. His magnificent Marilyn Monroe magazine collector guide " Cover To Cover " is lavishly illustrated with gorgeous Norma Jeane covers from around the world. This book is very helpful for Marilyn Monroe collectors. I have been collecting Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia since 1991 and everytime one of Clark's great Marilyn books come out I learn so much valuable information. This book gets my highest recommendation. Simply delightful and is a definite must have referance guide for any serious Marilyn Monroe collector. Clark Kidder is a Marilyn Monroe Super Collector and his work promoting the hobby of collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia has done wonders for the hobby. Two Thumbs Up!

5 comments about The Guns of the Gunfighters: Lawmen, Outlaws & Hollywood Cowboys.

1. Many people and guns missing,Jeff Cooper,George A. Custer, Gen. George Patton, Charlton Heston, Robert Stack, Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood and many others.
   I lost my money



2. This book is about 1/3 on old gunfighters of the old west and 2/3 on the "B" Western cowboys. It is interesting to read but you should realize it is mostly movies.



3. This is the most disappointing book I have read in a long time. There is very little about the actual guns of the gunfighters and the few facts presented are very general and broad brush. The author obviously is a fan of old Hollywood westerns as half of his "gunfighters" are in fact only Hollywood actors! He also includes several modern gun magazine writers. Worse yet, many of the noteable real western gunfighters are ignored. The editing is also poor. Several photos of the same gun appear in more than one place in the book. Spend your money elsewhere.



4. The Guns Of The Gunfighters: Lawmen, Outlaws & Hollywood Cowboys by firearms historian and expert Doc O'Meara, is a meticulous and detailed survey of the weaponry carried by some of the most famous (and infamous) gunmen of the Wild West and the silver screen, including Wyatt Earp, Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, and many, many more. Black-and-white photographs, extensive attention to detail, and a wealth of hidden gun lore make The Guns Of The Gunfighters a superb giftbook for gun buffs, Western American history enthusiasts, and those having a special interest in Hollywood portrayals of the Old West.



5. This volume by noted gun writer Doc O'Meara is a fun and informative work for fans of the Westeren, Gun Buffs and anybody who enjoyed Saturday shoot em ups. The writing is bright and jaunty, like the subject matter. Well documented, and a treasure trove of beautiful photographs of the Gunfighters and their tools of the trade. A good reference volume sure to attract attention, the books suceeds on all levels.

5 comments about The Galaxy's Greatest Star Wars Collectibles Price Guide 1999.

1. A very nice book with lots of basic information about lost of different Star Wars collectibles (you name it, and it's probably in there). There are lots of full-color sample pictures, but you will not see pictures of EVERY item in a given category (i.e., all action figures). My favorite part of this book is that it actually provides a brief description of every single trading card and sticker (and there are about 1000 vintage cards and stickers... and a lot more new ones, which it also describes). Card prices are broken down by full box, empty box, unopened pack, just wrapper, complete set, and each individual card. Figure prices are included for just about every possible card variation, as well as for a mint/complete loose figure. The bad news is that the prices for the action figures and trading cards (that's mostly what I collect) are often far too high. I don't remember buying or selling for such high prices either before or after this book was written. Finally, I don't think you need both this book and the 2000 pocket size edition by the same author. If you want more detail, go for this larger edition. If you want something that travels well, go for the pocket edition. They are basically the same book, you just have to decide if you want detail or portability (keeping in mind that the prices quoted in both are probably far too high).



2. THINK AGAIN! THIS BOOK IS VERY HELPFUL IN IDENTIFING WHAT YOU HAVE. BUT...IF YOU LOOK THRU THIS BOOK AND THINK YOUR GONNA MAKE A KILLING ON EBAY, THINK AGAIN! THATS WHAT I THOUGHT. ITEMS ARE ONLY WORTH WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY AND MOST OF THESE PRICES SEEM HIGH. ACTION FIGURES AND RARE ITEMS ARE PROBABLY MORE "IN SYNC" WITH THE STATED MARKET VALUE THAN ALL OTHER ITEMS.



3. I have recently goten back in to collecting Star Wars stuff, and found the book very helpful in finding items that I never knew existed. With the popularity of online auctions, some of the prices are not really reflecting the "market value" of some of the items, but it does give you a baseline to work with. It explains things in an easy to understand way, and won't lose you if you aren't a hard core collector. There are a lot of photos to help out.



4. This is a very good book. I bought this book last year, and even though there are a few photo errors, (a few pictures had incorrect titles), this book is complete and the content far exceeds any little flaws you can find. This book shows prices of pratically every Star Wars item ever manufactured, from Star Wars paper bathroom cups, to Star Wars bed sheet. From posters, pins, magnets, to action figures, movie theater promos and tons of foreign Star Wars items, this book has it all complete with prices and color pictures. Buy it, you wont go wrong.



5. Great Book, color photos were excellent, a hand full of photo title errors, but overall great book. Detailed listings covering every posible Star Wars item, and prices.

4 comments about Collecting Japanese Movie Monsters.

1. Dana Cain's book is an enjoyable, well written guide to an increasingly popular sub-category of monster toy collecting. No book on pricing collectibles is likely to remain current for long, and its real value lies in providing the reader with a pictorial overview of its subject. COLLECTING JAPANESE MOVIE MONSTERS succeeds very well in this, and its text provides some lively historical background into that singularly odd period in cinema where colossal creatures used Tokyo as a ring and we watched guilt-free. Note to "serious" Japanese movie monster collectors: don't take it all so seriously. Those responsible for the men in the monster suits didn't.



2. While not perfect, this book is better than the earlier reviews said. The book is very well illustrated, and most of the pictures are very clear and sharp. To say that the pictures come mainly from a Toys-R-Us is simply false: The vast majority of the toys pictured are items not even distributed in the U.S., to say nothing of the movie posters, magazines, etc.

   Any price guide is eventually going to be out of date. Many of the prices in this book are still current, although there are several that are not. I did find a couple of errors, where a picture was incorrectly labeled. To be fair, Sean Linkenback's book has similar errors and in many examples his prices are more dated than Ms. Cain's, plus her book includes items not even listed in his.

   Yes, Linkenback's book is more in-depth, but it has its flaws too. As with other kinds of price guides, thinking of a single edition as being all encompassing or definitive is a mistake.




3. This is not the first price guide on these toys. Sean Linkenback's was the first and much better than this.... Ms./Mr. Cain should research the subject before saying what prices are. Linkenback is a respected dealer of Japanese toys and thus infitely more qualified for an endeavor such as this. Cain, you should take a research class.



4. I was really looking forward to this book, and unfortunately con not find much to recommend about it. The listings are woefully incomplete and many times inaccurate. Photography is only so-so, and is mainly filled with items from the local Toys-R-Us. A better book to get would be "The Unauthorized Guide to Godzilla Collectibles". The one bright spot is the 14 pages on Gamera, which while could be better is finally altogether under one cover.

5 comments about Hitchcock Poster Art.

1. the poster art is a nice blend of american and foreign and nicely captures the evolution of the medium, but the accompanying text is seriously worthless, consisting of synopses for each film written in the worst middle-school syntax and replete with glaring typographical errors. it would have been nice to read some informative blurbs about the poster art itself, and about how hitchcock, a master or self-publicity, advertised his pictures more broadly. the cover shot on the book is from the buzz-generating psycho campaign, yet the text accompanying the psycho posters mentions nothing of the policy of excluding tardy movie-goers from the picture so as to maximize the experience. the interested reader may find a broader collection of images online, although without the crisp clarity of the photographs in this book. three stars primarily because of the disappointing text.



2. You have to have this book it tells so much about alfred hitchcocks movies ...



3. I enjoyed looking at this book - I got it from the library. It's got many posters and lobby cards from Hitchcock's works, all in colour. And it's not just the same ones you see everywhere. This has posters from other countries too. Some of them are really WEIRD. Especially the Polish ones. But interesting. I think you should give this book a try if you like Hitchcock.



4. A great tribute to Hitchcock's centennial, featuring not only movie posters, but also book and magazine covers, lobby cards and album (soundtrack) covers from 1925 to 1976. Here's a list of my favorites: Life (1963), Cahier du Cinema (1980), Strangers on a Trains, US (1951), To Catch a Thief, Italian (1955), The Trouble with Harry, Japanese (1955) and The Birds, Polish (1963).



5. What a treat! From a leading collector of Hitchcockiana comes a centennial celebration of the master's work through pithy reflections on all Hitchcock's work complemented by posters and other memorabilia that in themselves reflect the evolution of poster art through the century. One feels cheated by the crisp and witty commentary on the master's films--the commentary leaves you wanting much more.

2 comments about The Wizard of Oz Collector's Treasury: Collector's Treasury.

1. I only have 1 complaint about this book: it needs to be updated every few years!! This Oz "reference book" is an absolute must-have for Oz fans and collectors. It's like looking through the Christmas "Wish Books" from the department stores when you were a kid, saying, "I have that......I want that......I need that...!"
   
   The photographs are a feast for the eyes! The text is perfect. The research that went into this book is unbelievable.
   
   If you can get your hands on this gem, BUT IT NOW!!



2. Very imformative.Exactly what I have been looking for. I have seen the book before but never bought it until yesterday. It is a must have for any Oz collector and I am an avid collector. I love Oz.

1 comments about Disney's Dinosaur! The Ultimate Sticker Book.

1. My 3 year old daughter has enjoyed this character filled sticker book. We did have difficulty matching some of the stickers to their proper page as they aren't marked at all. Over all this is a great way to spend time having fun with the Dinosaur characters.