No comments about Theorizing Diaspora: A Reader (KeyWorks in Cultural Studies).

2 comments about Imagining to Learn: Inquiry, Ethics, and Integration Through Drama.

1. I was one of Jeffrey Wilhelm's 7th grade students, and actually, I am one of the ones who is mentioned in this book. i remember filling out the endless forms for allowing my interviews and work to be allowed into this book.

   When I was presented with the book in 2000, about 5 years after my 7th grade year, I was excited. The book described my 7th grade reading class experience perfectly, and the techniques were ones that i experienced firsthand, which excited all of my classmates, as well as myself, about reading. I don't think any of us read that much for fun as we did for that class.

   I read the book from cover to cover, even though only one chapter pertained to me, and i am not going into the teaching field. if you are looking at getting your students, or yourself into reading, get this book.




2. IMAGINING TO LEARN is the most readable of the five books I have read on process drama. Wilhelm and Edmiston write with personality, which seems to be rare in the field. I found seventeen drama strategies scattered through the book. Having these strategies close at hand makes it easier to guide the students as they take off with a topic.

   The chapter on using drama for inquiry was intriguing. It makes me want to teach my next class as an investigation, using drama strategies plus other comprehension strategies. Brain toys are fun!

1 comments about Culture Clash in AmeriCCa.

1. This is a funny collection of Culture Clash material. They are consistently funny as they point out the very real problems faced by Latino people in America. They mix history with serious satire with flat out goofiness. A great book for any thinking person.

4 comments about Rock Hudson.

1. Rock Hudson by David Bret is interesting but poorly reserched and edited.Bret's book features glairing inacuracies such as stating that James Dean was nominated for best supporting actor oscar when in fact he was co-nominated for best lead actor along with Rock for this film. Bret states that Robert Stack won the oscar for Written on the Wind when in fact he lost to Anthony Quinn! How sloppy these mistakes are. In his plot description of The Mirror Crack'd he states that Elizabeth Taylor is playing Elizabeth the Great and Kim Novak Mary Queen of Scotts in the movie within the movie when in fact it is the other way around!
   If Mister Bret can't even get the most obvious facts straight so to speak how is one to take or trust all the gossip about the many loves and lovers of Rock? The book is readable and entertaining but disapointing due to so many mistakes. As was stated by a previous reviewer, this book is filled with many plot summaries of Hudson's films, love it or hate it, I for one like it in my film star bios but once again, sloppy and inconsistant. Bret goes into great depth about "Embryo",totally ignores "avalanche",and doesn't do "Pretty Maids All In A Row" justice.
   David Bret has fifteen other biographies listed to his credit beware of this hack, I'm sure he has more on the way.



2. A friend recommended this author to me for his biography of Joan Crawdord. I have since read his biographies of Tallulah Bankhead and now Rock Hudson. The author does not gloss over any of the sordid details in any of these three biographies. All the dirt is there whether you want it or not.



3. Balanced, straightforward biography of Hollywood's favorite leading man of the 1950's. The fact that he was both gay and promiscuous meant endless headaches for Hudson and his career managers during that most repressed of decades. The tension between big libido and big box-office underlay the actor's entire career, which author Bret tracks in pretty unsparing terms from early fan mags to coverup marriage to final tragic outing. The emerging portrait is generally favorable, particularly that of a generous on-screen professional, who at the same time could be a fickle and sometimes ungenerous lover off-screen. Names are named and there is a gossipy dimension for the curious. But the intimations remain pretty forthright without becoming catty or distasteful. Bret has handled this difficult but necessary aspect with understandable sensitivity. Still and all, he fails to clear up that murky veil drawn around Hudson's marriage to studio secretary Phyllis Gates, or the exact nature of his relationship with the controversial Marc Christian. So readers looking for resolution of these troubled phases of Hudson's personal life may be disappointed. My one real misgiving is with the plot synopses of Hudson's many films, big and small. Their inclusion in the text interrupts the flow and serves no discernable purpose other than padding the book's length (not that it needs padding). I found myself skipping entire pages as a result. Anyway, the biography comes across as an honest attempt to deal with the conflicted life of a movie legend, who, for better or worse, symbolizes an entire entertainment era.



4. I've never had the pleasure of reviewing anything by David Bret before, but his new biography of the late film star Rock Hudson is one of the best biographies I've read in years. There are some figures for whom there can never be enough biographies to suit my taste, and I've read five or six or seven apiece on Kipling, Oscar Wilde, Hitchcock, Emily Dickinson, Custer and who knows how many more. To that list add the improbable name of Rock Hudson. Bret is a British journalist who seems remarkably free of Hollywood cant. He tells it like he sees it, and when he doesn't know something, he says so.
   
   Hudson was born Roy Scherer Jr in 1925, in Winnetka, and had what seems to be a difficult relationship with his family. Before long he had sort of drifted into acting, becoming the protege of the he-man director Raoul Walso, who directed him in several early pictures. Hudson also informed Walsh of his homosexuality, and the two of them apparently didn't think it would be much of a problem. Hudson did the Cary Grant-Randolph Scott thing at first, living openly with a lover or two on the fringes of Hollywood society, but as his parts and his fanbase grew bigger more censorious minds prevailed and Rock became a ladies man in the press, although hardly to his friends and intimates.
   
   As an actor Hudson was more of a star than anything else, but he was so great in all of his pictures that one hardly cares about his "skills." After all, you don't pay money to see good acting, you buy your ticket to get close to your dreams. And Rock Hudson was the man of everyone's dreams, male or female, straight or gay, for a good ten years in a row, during which time he made several films for Douglas Sirk.
   
   Bret names names, and you will be startled, as I was, to find out exactly how many Hollywood leading men of the 1940s and 1950s were actually gay but hiding it. By the time the book was over my mind was reeling with all the names. On the set of AIR CADET, so Bret tells us, troubled leading lady Gail Russell was more troubled than usual when she found her new husband Guy Madison in bed with one of the cadets. The story of Hudson's "beard" romance with the equally troubled dacing star, Vera-Ellen, is a pathetic parable of Hollywood truths and illusions.
   
   Of course the charade eventually came to an end, first with Hudson's spectral illness which no one could identify, then with his accepting a romantic role on TV's DYNASTY which would require him to kiss Linda Evans, and then with his admission that he was gay and he had AIDS. Even after his death the glamor continued to evaporate as his onetime boyfriend, Marc Christian, sued the Hudson estate for concealing the fact that Hudson was seropositive. A parade of gross details followed on the stand, things that made one's heart sigh. I suppose in the end it doesn't matter. The pictures that he made will live forever and I predict that each year from now his stock as an actor will rise until the day comes when people will show him the respect they now give to, oh I don't know, that old fraud Spencer Tracy.

5 comments about There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale.

1. There and Back Again is a book you will either love or hate.
   
   You will love it if:
   1. You are a Sean Astin fan, or if you are interested in the actor and his life beyond the LOTR experience.
   2. You are aware that this is an autobiography, where it is natural for the author to talk mainly about himself.
   3. You can appreciate ultimate honesty, especially from someone who has every reason not to be honest.
   4. You are able to read between the lines and see that Sean Astin is actually a good guy.
   
   You will hate it if:
   1. You are interested solely in the making of the LOTR trilogy.
   2. You expect an objective account of the making of the LOTR trilogy.
   3. You are offended by a strong word here and there (to me the language is not really offensive, but well, I'm European).
   
   After reading this book, I feel like I know Sean Astin. He describes the events and his emotions so vividly I could almost feel his joy and pain, both closely intertwined throughout the book. About the most debated issue, my conclusion is that it is not Sean's intention to belittle his co-actors, but is just bluntly honest about the feelings he had during the filming, even though he is often ashamed of them and regrets them. Sean is human, with his share of shortcomings, but also a good deal of positive traits. Writing this book was a kind of psychotherapy for him and publishing it was a courageous decision, but I'm glad he did it. In just over 300 pages he slowly but steadily grows on you.
   
   The only thing slightly wrong with the book is the title, which gives a misleading message what this book is about. It probably attracted many young LOTR fans, whereas this is not a book for children.
   
   I absolutely loved this book. I liked the story as well as Sean's way of expressing himself. I vote for a sequel, if not before, a good oportunity would be when Sean wins an Oscar (which he is more than capable of). I'm really interested to read how the story goes on!
   
   About the audio version:
   
   I listened to the 4 CDs after reading the book. The audio version is abridged, and logically, the LOTR parts are kept, which means that many sections describing Sean's personal life are gone. This is good news for LOTR fans who are mainly interested in the films. However, to me it felt as if the book was stripped of its flavor.
   
   What I like in the audio version is Sean's sweet voice, but it should be stresses that he is merely reading the book, not acting it (except for a couple of short Sam speeches from the films, which are of course not as well delivered as in the films, but the listener gets an idea). Listening to his reading made me think it must be hard to read your own autobiography aloud. Especially one as honest as this.



2. Sean's book is such an interesting and moving narrative. A frank and charming story behind the actor's involvement in filming of The Lord of the Rings, and also an interesting account of his private life and impressions, and understandings. All told in Sean's sweet voice. You don't want to miss this one, believe me!



3. As a serious Lord of the Rings fan (both of the books and the films), I eagerly picked up this book by Sean Astin to gain some insight into the filming of the magnificent trilogy. Unfortunately, the actual stories of the movies are few and far between, while we get an overabundance of Sean's observations in a repetitive manner. And while there are some redeeming things about this book, I have to admit that at times I nearly put it down because frankly, I felt like I'd been there, and back, before.
   
   Sean Astin is indeed a gifted actor, and at times his fun personality shines through the writing. It is great fun reading about the little conversations between the actors, and how the filming progressed and changed over time. Sean gives a good view of Peter Jackson's vision, and he is nothing but fair in describing his relationships with his fellow actors. Unfortunately, at times he is over-reaching in his need to show how he really, really, really does have respect for his friends; he says something negative and then spends the next five paragraphs explaining why it's not necessarily true. Sean also spends a good deal of time overanalyzing himself, though this is probably a by-product of his upbringing. A good editor might have helped Sean stay on subject over the course of a few pages and would have added cohesiveness to the story.
   
   True fans of the Lord of the Rings will enjoy this book, and I did. The photos and tales of the filming are indeed a joy, and you do feel as though you are there amid the cast and crew. But the casual reader hoping to increase his/her knowledge of this fantastic cinematic journey will come away disappointed, and even fans may have a hard time pushing through Sean's neuroses. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it.



4. After thoroughtly enjoying The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and while taking a second look...(a read of all the good Tolkein books) a secind play of the extended versions, including all the commentaires what a nice find this is, something coming from one if the cast members...a very human telling; something like sitting down at the local Shire Hobbit Pub there and having abit of a good go over chat with the son of the Old Gaffer himself ...SO, all you critics take the weight off, put up a good mug and perhaps even a pipe if one be so inclined and enjoy. And if one o'there them Hobbits ever wats ta have a good chat well then go on and give a a knock on the internet door.



5. I don't have to much time so i'll make this short.
   Not just is Sean Astin a great actor ( yes, he is i think. ) but he is a great entertainer and most of all narrator!
   
   If you have listened to the Cast Audio Comment on the LotR Parts you'll probably already have realized this. I think i can say it's a real pleasure to listen to him remembering so many details so many anecdotes from the film making process. ( Of course the other actors are great story tellers too ;) )
   
   This Audiobook isn't just entertaining but also aducating in terms of the process of filmmaking, film history etc.
   You realise that Mr. Astin is a guy who really knows film, quoting on many films, giving examples of the industry behind the magic and just simply giving people who are not in the film industy a look insight.
   
   He does that in a way that offers unequaled. The honesty, the love for detail, the commitment makes you enthusiastic. It is this very enthusiasm, this power from the actors which was one of the most important reasons why lotr became such e great epic masterpiece i think. And not at least why pete ( jackson ) picked him for the role of sam.
   
   It is this very "new zealandish" "can do" approach to films as some may call it. It is true, honest and commited film making and just the love for film itself.
   
   By having written this book Mr. Sean Astin didn't just report about an actor's life but much more created a really entertaining wonderfull documentary about the process of making lotr and gives you a great look insight filmmaking in general.
   
   Furthermore i am very pleased to see THAT the lotr continues in form of various media; book, audiobook, internet sites etc.
   I don't think - as some people do - it is sheer money making - but much more keeping such a masterpiece as lotr alive - be it books by the actors, be it documentarys, be it extra dvd's etc.
   
   Lord of the Rings shell live on and on - in the hearts and minds of the people.
   
   
   I want to comment on the critics on Mr. Astin:
   Apparently there are some people who think of him as an 'arrogant, selfish, other poeple interupting' person. As they source they name the LotR Audio commentary. ( Which is insufficient to rate a person )
   
   I don't hink he is arrogant at all - he's much more enthusiastic and really infects other people with his passion.
   If he interrupts other people on the Audio Commentary than it is ridicolous to imply he's a arrogant person. He's much more the enthusiastic little boy who loves films if you want so.
   And that's a good thing.

2 comments about Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films.

1. This is absolutly one of the bibles for anyone into strange cinema. Whilst the book has its faults (hence not a full 5 star rating) it does provide a major survey of a little regarded (even in Japan)aspect of world cinema. It contains details of so many mouthwatering films, that one feels compelled to foregive the numerous mistakes in the film synopsise. However the main difficulty with this book is that films are listed under the literal translation of their Japanese titles, so be prepared to examine your video cases to try and work out what title the film is listed under (a cross index of titles in English/ International release titles would be v. welcome). Having said that it is an utterly invaluable volume, which sets a benchmark for the rest of the Weissers' series. Recommended for anyone into World Cinema not just exploitation anoraks!



2. This book, by Thomas and Yuko Mihara Weisser of Asian Cult Cinema fame, takes on the "Pink Film" era with an unprecedented scope. The era of the "Pink Films," one of cultural and artistic daring and experimentation in Japan, has hardly been chronicled in the English language, but this book solves that problem! The book is a giant volume, filled with reviews and articles. The Weissers made it their intent to catalog every "Pink Film" that had a theatrical release, and they come as close to doing that as possible! Add to that the intelligent, thought-provoking articles on the history of the medium and an introduction by "Pink Film" star of stars, Naomi Tani, and the result is an absolutely stunning achievement in film history and criticism! A must-have work for any Japanese film completist.

5 comments about Silent Players: A Biographical and Autobiographical Study of 100 Silent Film Actors and Actresses.

1. This book is wonderful for those of us who collect books on the silent cinema however, if you're looking for the big stars this might not be the book for you. If you're looking for a glowing book about the talents from films silent age look elsewhere. I actually found myself searching for one biography in which Mr. Slide didn't say something mean, improper, or speculative about an actor and could find but a few. It was his personal feelings about these people, not short biographys of actors. Some of it was interesting but I could care less if Viola Dana was promiscuous or Patsy Ruth Miller was a racist. I'm interested in their films, not who they slept with and whether they were nice to him when he interviewed them. Because of all this "gossip" the book disappointed me but I have to say I have discovered a few more actors from the silent era. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had written the book while any of these people were still alive.



2. This is not a review since I haven't read the book.
   
   I've read the following in a previous review:
   
   "Take the story of Lowell Sherman, a splendid D. W. Griffith villian, who ended up directing a sound film in his underwear and dying of pneumonia on the day the film opened. Since he was filming a fantasy novel of Thorne Smith (of "Topper" fame) it sounds like the plot of a Smith novel."
   
   Almost completely untrue! Sherman did die of pneumonia (he probably had larynx cancer). But it was during the filming of "Becky Sharp", an adaptation of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair". And he usually wore shorts and a shirt on movie sets, not merely his underwear!
   
   I don't think I'm going to buy this book even though I read everything I can find on silent movies. Most of the reviews make it sound like an obnoxious, pretentious, unreliable mix of "Hollywood Babylon" and "Les cahiers du cinéma" to me.



3. I was a little disappointed with this book. It contained too many personal and general comments. Mary Brian is a friend and so she gets a glowing description of her ability. What the Silent Era needs is a factual enclyopaedia of the stars. This should include list of films, popularity polls, contemporary critics views written at the time the films first appeared. And more detail of how and why stars careers faltered. I also find it depressing how Mr Slide so dismissive of actors and films that makes me wonder whether he really likes Silent Films. He is not alone with this ie Kevin Brownlow's "The parades Gone By" is another example. I feel we are getting half a story.



4. I found this book extremely interesting. Mr. Slade profiled a large number of silent actors ranging from the obscure (the queen of the extras Bess Flowers) to the semi-famous (the delightful Mary Brian who did successfully transition into the talkies) to the famous (Valentino and Harold Lloyd).
   What did I specifically like about this book? Slide provided mini-critiques of his subjects acting abilities. Since many, if not most, of their films are not readily accessible I found this helpful in understanding why many of his subjects were unable to move into the talkies successfully.
   Mr.Slide and his partner Robert Gitt knew a great many of the actors covered. A.S. provided his insights regarding their personal querks as well as personalities. This was delightful! One particularly amusing profile was that of Jetta Goudal who appears to have over-inflated opinion her acting ability and prominence within the film community. Goudal could have been the prototype for the Norma Desmond character in Sunset Blvd.
   If you have an interest in cinema and know little about silent film, I believe this will stir your interest.
   A.S. is a gifted writer and a compelling story teller.



5. An amusing bit of fluff for those unfamiliar with silent stars but I was stunned by the number of factual errors (dates, film titles, names)--especially for someone with so many decades writing about the subject! Did Mr. Slide have no editor on this project, or is he, ummm, "slipping?"

5 comments about Astaire and Rogers.

1. I agree with Meriam -- this book is SO DRY, SO UNBELIEVABLY ANALYTICAL it's ridiculous. In fact, I would suggest that if anyone who has never seen an Astaire/Rogers film managed to get through this book, they would never WANT to see one. How anyone could write about Astaire and Rogers without expressing the sheer joy, fun, and overall entertainment value of their work is beyond me, but Gallafent has managed to do it big time. And verbose? The author uses 100 words to describe what could be said in 10. What a complete waste of print, paper, and time.



2. I adore Fred Astaire and his artful genius. Nobody does it better. Ginger is his best dance-partner, for certain. But this book is the dryest, most boring recitation of dead data that I have ever read. It is almost worthless, even for the most avid Astaire devotee. These two vibrant stars deserve better than this dismal book. And they get it; if you can find, "Astaire Dancing" by John Mueller, the ultimate Astaire/Rogers book, (pricey but spectacular) buy it. It is everything the Astaire/Rogers fan could possibly want.



3. As a huge Astaire/Rogers fan I found this book to be nothing more than a collection of over analyzed run-off with a few interesting tidbits thrown in. There's very little entertainment in the reading. One get's the impression this book was authored by Sigmund Freud. Different maybe, but yuck.



4. This book is more about the careers and images of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from 1934-49 than it is a study of their movies together and their dancing. If you are a dance enthusiast and want to read a detailed account of their dances, this is NOT the book for you.

   However, I am not a dance person, but I like classic Hollywood films, and I found this book interesting. It shows how the Fred&Ginger films share some concerns with screwball comedy, how World War II affected the images of both stars, and how stars age in the public eye. Gallafent isn't the most graceful of writers, and I got confused in his discussion of "Once Upon a Honeymoon," but I thought he did a good job connecting the Fred&Giner phenomenon to other developments and careers in classic Hollywood.




5. Gallafent reviews the films of Astaire and Rogers, both those they made separately and those they made together, from their first pairing through the late forties. Gallafent makes a plausible case for continuity and development from one musical to another. Even as you find his arguments logical and believable, you know Hollywood doesn't work that way. Few people expect or want anything more from an A & R movie than the unalloyed pleasure of the singing and dancing. Gallafent even manages to connect the films Rogers did without Astaire (of which there were many more than I had realized). In spite of his quirky premise, Gallafent is interesting and entertaining throughout, and the book is chock full of stills from the films.

2 comments about Romances (Everyman's Library).

1. A good collection to have. It seems as if people have the basic Shakespearean tales, but these are some of his best and many people don't know about them. They are easy to read - uncumbersome. Wonderful for the classroom.



2. We all know about Shakespeare, so a review of his writing is not required. However, I would like to say that the Everyman's Library series are worth getting. Unlike omnibus editions (such as the Riverside Shakespeare), these are actually portable so you don't need a table to hold them up while you are reading. The Everyman's Library series have good hardbindings, are conveniently sized to carry around, and have illuminating and extensive introductions. The typeface used is old, but the letters are large and easily readable (something that is a concern with some other editions).

   Romances contains: Pericles; Cymbeline; The Winter's Tale; The Tempest

5 comments about Creating Your Own Monologue.

1. This book contains two parts. The first part tells you how to write a monologue. The second is a compilation of interviews with one-person show actors and actresses. It is the second part I find most informative where each artist tells what this type of performance means to him. One artist describes it as theatre where the audience is part of the cast. Very true. But I find the monologue writing part of the book useless. Nothing I don't already know. The monologues included in the book are not much better.



2. After years of looking all over for that "perfect" monologue I finally bought Mr. Alterman's book. It was a god-send. I actually wrote a WONDERFUL monologue due to this book. I now write monologues all the time and they get a terrific response! This book is really an actors dream Try it, you'll see. It's really a totally empowering book for actors!



3. I feel that this book is the most helpful book I've ever read about monologues. Mr. Alterman ABSOLUTELY knows his subject! I have written 5 wonderful monologues due to this brilliant book. Every step was so clear. The interviews were also quite wonderful!



4. Barely literate grammar and sloppy copy editing match this book's thin content. The book ignores masters of the genre, presents formulae for doing what everybody's doing. Some of the interviews contain useful hints, but nothing to justify purchasing or reading the book. Shame on the publisher!



5. I take acting lessons in a group acting course and this book Creating Your Own Monologue, not only helped me with my own acting but the class and coach was thrilled that I had brought it in because using this book helped all of us to improve our work tremendously .