5 comments about Roman.

1. When Roman Polanski wrote this autobiography, he was still under a pall of pessimism following the murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, 15 years earlier. I imagine that a lot has changed in his life since 1984, considering his remarriage and new family. But "Roman by Polanski" is a very readable, articulate, and seemingly candid account of Polanski's childhood in German-occupied Poland, his youth under communism, his professional struggles and emergence as a coveted talent in the 1960s, when he took up a bohemian lifestyle in Hollywood and London. That was shattered, of course, by the murder of 5 people, including his wife, as his L.A. home by the Manson "Family" in August 1969, an event which is often cited as the end of the freewheeling '60s. Polanski later fled the United States over sentencing irregularities in a statutory rape case, and he offers his view of that situation as well.
   
   Polanski recounts the making of his films in varying degrees of detail, from his student productions in Poland through "Tess". At the time he wrote this book, he was burned out on filmmaking and had returned to the stage to play the part of Mozart in Peter Schaffer's play "Amadeus". Polanski lays out the events of his personal and professional life plainly. He has had an interesting life, accentuated by the stark contrasts between communism and capitalism, poverty and wealth, freedom and persecution. Readers may be more curious about Polanski's character, though. He relished his lifestyle, was accused of rape, and so became the libertine that everyone loves to bash. His driving ambition in everything he attempts and his social values, from his reckless generosity to his many lovers, come across as having shaped his life. And they gave him many interesting stories to tell.



2. Covers his childhood memories of war-torn Poland, reminiscent of "Schindler's List". His struggles as a young director and the heartache of the tragic murder of his wife Sharon Tate and their unborn child. And he even discusses his envolvement with the underaged girl at Jack Nicholson's place, that caused his exhile from the U.S. to this very day. You be the judge. An all-around well written autobiography.



3. Roman Polanski, born on august 18, 1933, has written a fascinating autobiography. He is a sinner and a genius, a chaotic man and a passionate, he is a machismo and a vulnerable human being, he overcame the WWII, the Polish ghettos and the Holocaust as a resilient child and he lost his wife Sharon Tate and an unborn child in 1969 by the Manson Group massacre, and on the other hand he overcame (as an adult) a special pattern of machismo-self-destruction (with 13 year old girl accusing him of sexual contact). He had lived a lousy life in Nazi-surpressed Polish ghettos and he had lived with too much pride and arrogance in Hollywood, he was arrested in the United States and nevertheless now he releases movies in Paris (presently married with French actress Emmanuelle Seigner). He is a gifted filmmaker and indeed: a writer, better than any crime-author I know; his book, published in 1984, is not a larmoyant, self-pitiful autobiography alike 1001 others - it is an absorbing story about a personality-mixture-hybrid of a Robin Hood mixed with Mac Beth, an Idi Amin mixed with a Mother Theresa, it is the story of "Roman" P., who started his life 1933 in Paris as "Raymond" P.; the first sentence of his autobiography: "For as far back as I can remember, the line between fantasy and reality has been hopelessly blurred." That became his helping trick to survive some struggles and tragedies, downfalls and comebacks ...



4. I lost my copy of this book years ago and am so glad to have it back. Anyone who admires Polanski's work will love this book. Anyone who questions Polanski's love of life, Sharon, and the World he lives in should read this book. You will understand him in a whole new light. He's amazing. Read this before any other about him. Please!!!!!!



5. I have always admired Roman Polanski. He strikes me as a person with a very powerful presence and state of mind and that impression certainly comes through in his films.
   
   Although published 20 years ago, Roman bared his soul to the world, telling his story in a way that you felt you lived his life right there beside him.
   
   People who believe that those who have had lousy lives should be excused from taking responsibility for their crimes should read Roman's book. After all he's been through, he had every excuse in the world to be a lowlife, drunken, drug addict, thief, murderer, scumbag. Instead, this man took all the bad things that have happened to him in his life and turned it into something positive.
   
   And even though he has expressed his emotions through his movies, he is still a very mysterious man whose depths no one will ever know.
   
   That's what makes Roman so damn intriguing.

No comments about The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre (Cambridge Companions to Literature).

5 comments about Total Television: Revised Edition (Total Television).

1. This reference is superb in it's completeness. Anything you want to know about any program broadcast from 1948-1996 is in this 1251 page book. The 88 page index of names of performers appearing during those years is unbelievable. It includes specials, miniseries and the top 20 rated shows for each of those years. I use this reference at least 2 to 3 times a week.



2. First, we might note that "... To the Present," in the book's title, means through late 1995. So nothing in the last ten years is included. For years, I have enjoyed "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present" by Brooks and Marsh. I prefer the format of the Brooks and Marsh book to that of the NcNeil book--e.g., the cast is in list form, which makes for easier and quicker reading; the showing time is also included. The chief advantage of the McNeil book is that it includes daytime TV, which the Brooks and Marsh book does not.



3. Where this book is not as easy to use as Brooks and Marsh's "Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows"(see my review for this one), it offers more-as far as the addition of daytime shows and more explanation of the entries. I like the other guide mainly because it's a good quick reference for prime time. However, if I'm really interested in detail or, again, a daytime program-like some Saturday morning cartoon of my childhood-then this is the one to get. I have both books, actually-for reasons specified here.



4. Alex McNeil's "Total Television" is the Mother of all TV reference volumes. If you can't find it here, it ain't worth knowin' about. How he was able to compile all this information covering 50+ years of TV is beyond me. Crack open this book at any page and you will be reading for hours, probably days.



5. Alex McNeill's "Total Television" is one of those reference works which is useful both for settling trivia arguments at parties and for helping those engaged in serious scholarly study of television programs and their impact upon popular culture. As of this review, "Total Television" is in its fourth edition.

   The book is basically an alphabetical encyclopedia of thousands of television programs in every possible genre: dramas, sitcoms, game shows, cartoons, and more. Each entry lists the series' air dates, principal performers, and other relevant data.

   In addition to the main body of encyclopedic entries, the book includes a wealth of supplemental features: lists of Emmy winners, a chronological gathering of one-shot specials, and more. Particularly interesting are the programming grids, which show the nightly lineups on each network for each night of the week. You can turn to a season (say, 1951-52) and see what choices the American TV viewer had each night! This feature is great for historians.

   Although most of the entries on each series are brief, McNeill spends more time and space on certain series of outstanding impact. These extended articles on "All in the Family," "CBS Evening News," "Dallas," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and more are truly fascinating.

   TV has been derided by many with such epithets as "the Boob Tube" and "The Idiot Box." On the other hand, it was praised in an episode of "The Simpsons" as "teacher, mother. . . secret lover." McNeill captures TV in all of its facets: from the depths of inanity to the heights of cultural significance. This book is a great achievement whose reputation, I believe, will increase with future editions.

2 comments about Making of Casablanca, The: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II.

1. Have you ever purchased something twice and started to read or listen to it and realize you have already read or purchased it before?
   As Bogart says in his cafe, " I was misinformed". A few years ago,I bought and read this book under the title, "Round Up The Usual Suspects" and I enjoyed it very much. I then bought it again (recently, I'm not that disoriented-yet) under it's new title, "The Making of Casablanca" same book, and same level of enjoyment. Aljean Harmetz was a New York Times correspondent and she is a skilled writer. Ms. Harmetz unfurls the story of the production of "Casablanca" in an entertaining fashion. So many things could have been undone by the studio and the government (released before World War II) the producer Hal Wallis kept the production on even keel and how Wallis went about it, is the crux of the story. Great insight into the era and the number of refugees who portray refugees, Bogart stories and Bergman tales. A really absorbing read, especially if you are a fan of the movie...and who isn't?



2. I read this book in hardcover, and loved it. CASABLANCA is my all-time favorite film, and I've read all the other books about it, too, but this one is by far the best. It's a great study of how the film got made, at a level of (fascinating!) detail not found in other references. I recommend it without reservation.

5 comments about The Addams Chronicles: An Altogether Ooky Look at the Addams Family.

1. There's not as much difference between the two Addams Chronicles editions as there is with the two Munsters books. But the added info and color photos make this Addams Chronicles the definate one to own.



2. I really loved the Addams family and this book brought it all back. Great info on what happened to each member after the family ended. If you're a fan it's a must read.



3. "The Addams Chronicles" is a wonderful book that delves into the nooks and crannies of one of the best, most thought out and well crafted TV shows ever produced. The cast histories, behind-the-scenes stories and color photos are exhilarating. The chapter on the ravishingly beautiful Carolyn Jones who played Morticia is way way too short.



4. I loved the first edition of this book so much that I HAD to buy the revised edition! This is a must-have for all Addams Family fans! Stephen Cox makes you feel like you're part of the family!



5. Will we ever again see a TV show as full of nonconformity, deep dark humor, and head-scratching eccentricity as the Addams Family? I doubt it. This book is a treasure trove of trivia and collector's info for Addams geeks worldwide. Stephen Cox is as knowledgeable an enthusiast as you could hope for, though his writing could use some work. That's usually not a problem in a fun trivia book like this, though when it comes to cultural analysis he does get in over his head sometimes. Examples are his weak attempts to compare the show to the French playwright Moliere, or to explain the deep cultural significance of Gomez's love for cigars. But otherwise, you'll learn some great Addams TV tidbits here, like who played Thing (Ted Cassidy, better known for playing Lurch), and who did Cousin Itt's voice (soundman Tony Magro). You also may not have known that the pig who played Pugsley's frighteningly alive piggy bank also played Arnold on Green Acres. The only real problem with this book is the very quick and rather uninformative biographies of the stars. With the exception of Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester), most of the actors get bios that are only two or three pages long. But in the end, I'm especially happy to learn that I'm not the only one who thinks that Carolyn Jones as Morticia was quite sexy, rather than creepy. [~doomsdayer520~]

3 comments about Magic of Light: The Craft and Career of Jean Rosenthal, Pioneer in Lighting for the Modern Stage.

1. It wasn't until I first read this book that I truly understood the purpose of light on the stage. As Jean stated at the beginning of the book, she was a pioneer of lighting design. Her book is not about gadgetry, even though she does list some aspects, it is about lighting as an art form, lighting as a business, and lighting as a career. I still use this book as an inspiration whenever I become complacent or dismayed in the industry, and it helps me remember the overall picture of which lighting is only a part. Every lighting designer should read this book at some point early in their career, and then come back to it often.



2. I was a technical theatre student in the mid-80s, and this is the only book which I've kept from the many we had to buy. While it doesn't include all the modern technical gadgets available, it is a wonderfully readable and entertaining discussion on the art of lighting theatre, dance and opera. Jean Rosenthal was a pioneer in stage lighting, moving designers away from making sure the stage wasn't dark to illuminating the plot, characters and theme. This book is hard to find now, which is a pity. It would do many designers well to read it with care. We've gone from "light to see" to Jean's art to "showing off our gadgetry".



3. While this book is not up to date with the current gadgets of the industry, moving lights, projections, lazers etc. It is still a definitive book on excellent lighting design. It is hard to find but it well worth it. The sections about lighting for dance are outstanding. The book focuses on integrating the lighting design with the overall design of the event. Find other books for technology but get a copy of the Magic of Light. When your friends in the industry ask to borrow your copy tell them to get lost. Otherwise you will have to find another copy. [thanks amazon]

No comments about Promenade and Other Plays (PAJ Books).

No comments about Monologues for Actors of Color: Women (Theatre Arts (Routledge Paperback)).

2 comments about The Lyric Book: Complete Lyrics for Over 1000 Songs from Tin Pan Alley to Today.

1. My husband and I can sing the first two lines to practically any
   song but we don't know the rest of the lyrics -- this book comes to the
   rescue providing ALL the words, just the way the song is supposed to
   be.
   The organization of the all the song lyrics can be confusing and sometimes
   it is difficult to find a particular song lyric but over-all this
   is a fun reference book top own and use.



2. If you already have "Reading Lyrics," this will provide some more recent songs, including rock. But the lyricists aren't the great poets of the 20th century, as are those in "Reading Lyrics."

5 comments about Ten Sure Signs a Movie Character is Doomed, and Other Surprising Movie Lists.

1. I was looking though this book and it's easy to look through--large type small sentences lots of white space, and found myself reading material I know this "author" did not write, because the material was lifted whole sale from items found on the internet and in books published prior to this one (try E TAILS volumes 1-3).
   
   The essays "Ten Sure Signs a Movie Character is doomed" and "13 Great Perks of Being a Movie character" and "9 rules of drinking in the movies" were Internet forwards. The man known as Roeper didn't write this, and I suspect, much of the rest of the book was swiped from the internet.
   
   I never did like this guy as a movie reviewer. This book "by" Roeper only confirms my feelings he's not much of a reviewer, not the least bit honest, nor worthwhile with dealing with.



2. Sure, I have read the other reviews on here where people complain that for such a quick read, $14 is a high price to pay, and if you would just read straight through this book once and put it down, I would agree, $14 is awfully steep, but that isn't the kind of book this is.
   This is a book you will pick up time and time again.
   Whether it is his list of movies in the AFI top 100 that didn't belong there, or his list of actress who went nude with no business doing it, it is great to hear someone with something of an authority on what is good in the movie world kicking overrated bunk off of its high pedestal and putting it in its proper place.
   Who else is going to dog on Jimmy Stewart's character in It's a Wonderful Life or say Helen Mirren really needs to learn to keep her clothes on on camera (she doesn't have the body she used to)?
   There is some great moments of humor, such as "7 Movies In Which Ben Affleck Cries Like a Big Fat Baby" and also some pleasant surprises, such as naming Life of Brian third best Easter movie ever. It also has the one thing every American wants to read, something that makes them feel like in some way they are better than the celebrities they seen on the big screen, which is provided to us through lists such as "Worst Oscar Acceptance Speeches."
   This is a great book to pull out and read from time to time. It will always bring a smile to your face.



3. This is a fun book. He has plenty of lists that are oft times humorous but sometimes rather banal. The "sure sign that you're doomed" list has been gone over so many times that we all know the jokes about characters that go down the steps to investigate the noise or who have important information to tell the protagonist. None of the lists are particularly illuminating, but many are funny and that's really all this book is aiming for. Unfortunately, this book is also so thin that it takes less than an hour to read. While that's great for a gift book or a book that you find in the dollar bin, paying full price seems ridiculous.



4. Know any film buffs? Chances are you do. It seems like they like to see movies just because they are movies. They are apt to be reminded of this scene or that line from some film most folks remember vaguely. They like to draw connections between seemingly unrelated movies, and they have a strong sense of the "man behind the curtain" of moviedom: the clichés, the stolen plotlines, the mistakes, and so on.
   
   Richard Roeper knows this audience well. 10 Sure Signs is a quite unique film buff's document. It manages to be a both a book that will please film nerds, but also one that will not alienate less devoted movie fans. This is no dry tome filled with pages of figures, dates, and unadorned quotes. It is as much a book of humor as a study of film.
   
   However, one should note that, since it is a book of lists, the readability is a little low. It is the sort of book that works well in small doses-great dipping into periodically, but not for that long evening at home. It may also become dated fairly quickly, as new films arise that belong on the list-but part of the reader's fun may be in thinking of those new films.



5. Mr. Roeper did a good job with this book. It was truly humorous and enjoyable. I also learned about what good movies have been made over the years, and also ones to avoid. Sometimes I didn't agree but I feel better equipped to go to the video rental store.