No comments about Tatopoulos Design: The Art and Concepts of Patrick Tatopoulos.

4 comments about Terminator 2: Judgment Day: The Book of the Film (Applause Screenplay Series).

1. Terminator 2 Jugment day was writen by: James cameron and william Wisher and Editor: boobie chase. this story is a good for people who are into action. this story takes place in Los Angeles 2029 were machine took over the world and sent a machine to protect John Conor form the terminator in the present day in 1984. the machines sent the terminator to kill John conor so he won't grow up and be the leader of the human race and defeat the machines. the last termenator killed 20 people before it was destroy, now his target has change and it's no longer sarah conor but its her 10 year old son John conor, now they have to fight for the human race.



2. Before the T2 Ultimate Edition DVD came out, this book was probably one of the most exhaustive sources of information regarding the movie, along with `The Making of T2' paperback. It's basically the final draft of the screenplay along with production notes and anecdotes about each scene. There are also hundreds of mostly black-and-white stills that correspond to each scene as the script goes on. Also included are the many moments that were cut from the theatrical release, most of which, thankfully, has been restored in the Special Edition. This includes Sarah's dream with Kyle Reese, The Dysons at home, the garage head surgery, T-1000's "glitching", and several other notable omissions. And as you read the screenplay, you'll see that quite a few of the lines spoken in the film differ from what is written. Some of the final ad-libs and slight changes of premise are discussed in the scene notes, and the various reasons (if any) for the slight alterations.

   The book also devotes a chapter to parts of previous drafts that included many scenes that were never filmed, mostly due to production costs, as well as notes and commentary about them. The most notable almost-scene is the time machine room, where the resistance sends Reese to 1984, and the second Terminator to 1994. Another abandoned moment is the T-1000 wreaking havoc at the Salceda camp (the trailer-park/junkyard-looking place in the desert) following the departure of the three heroes. This scene would've shown more T-1000 morphs and `gags'. Like the photos that correspond with the final script, the storyboards of these lost moments are shown along with the script to give you an idea of what each scene would've looked like.

   I found the most interesting part to be the introduction by co-writer/co-producer/director James Cameron. He talks about the grind of completing T2 in just a year, and probably his most profound revelation about himself: that writing the script is his least-favorite part of movie production. I found this little revelation to be rather ironic, because I always felt that his scriptwriting ability is his strongest suit. Well, maybe not with `Titanic', but that's me.

   Sadly, just about all of the stuff discussed in this trade paperback, and then some, has been incorporated into the Special Features disc of the Ultimate Edition DVD. If you've already entered the digital age of movie technology, this book is pretty much just a relic of the pre-DVD era.

   `Late!




3. I really enjoyed Terminator 2. It had some great scenes that the movie left out - like scenes with Kyle in the future and in Sarah's dream. Also had more characterization because you could read what the characters were thinking. Would have liked to have had the scene where the "learning chip" is turned on put in the movie. Mr. Frakes described a poignant moment when Miles Dyson dies. Highly recommend this book to all T1, T2, and sci-fi fans. Enjoy!



4. James Camerons follow up to the Terminator has recieved both critical acclaim and criticism. I for one, loved the first Terminator movie. Terminator 2 was a worthy followup to the series. The action, the drama, the message, it was all there. Sure, some of his was hammered home, but its such a fun ride, you don't care. The screenplay itself is remarkable. It contains commentary and scenes that didn't make the final cut. For all you how need a testement to Camerons genius, this is it.

No comments about Communicating Ethically.

No comments about Great Producers: Visionaries of American Theater.

1 comments about The Mystic in the Theatre: Eleonora Duse (Arcturus Books, Ab108).

1. The spirit of Eleonora Duse fills this excellent little book. Eva Le Gallienne, a master in her own right, clearly loves Duse, and she unapologetically deifies her. Weaving together histories, analyses, personal recollections, quotes, reviews, and theological musings, Le Gallienne creates a vivid image of the woman, and made me mourn that I could not see her myself. She even addresses that, responding to a young actor with the same complaint (with pity). But I did feel, after reading the book, that I had connected with Duse in some small way; In this, Le Gallienne is an actor on the page, guiding her audience to the character without forcing it upon them.

   The message I got was that Duse was a person first. Other actors are full of life when on the stage, and switch off once the curtain falls. For Duse, theatre was an extension of her life. Her craft (so strong that she seemed to have none) and her spirit filled the stage, but no more than it filled her life.

   I recommend this book to all actors- this book was written with us in mind- but also to all artists. It is one-sided, yes, but it is not meant to be an objective account. It shows some of Duse's flaws, but tone is always one of love.

1 comments about Free to Act: An Integrated Approach to Acting (2nd Edition).

1. A wonderful acting book (useful to both teachers and students alike) that is mind-boggling in it's scope and practicality. Anyone interested in getting their hands dirty in acting, who wants to learn everything from the basics of understanding dramatic conflict, to freeing the body and voice, to improvisations and group warm-ups, to script and character analysis would do well with this marvelously organized, encyclopedic, and USEFUL handbook.

No comments about Gotta Ballroom (Book & DVD).

4 comments about History Play: The Lives and Afterlife of Christopher Marlowe.

1. Farfetched, but lots of fun to read. Very imaginative and I, for one, would be happy if it were true that poor Kit was not murdered, but lived on to create.
   
   I enjoyed the descriptions of the politics and personalities of the time, especially my favorite villain, Sir Robert Cecil.



2. If you're a fan of Shakespeare, and want a way to experience the flavor of life in his times (Elizabethan England), there is no better book from the standpoint of entertainment and thought-provoking suppositions. Fiction? OF COURSE! And the author admits it. But what FUN! (This book has for me a lot of the exciting "you are there" of the film Shakespeare In Love: wildly informative and entertaining quasi-fantasy.)



3. This disturbing 'biography' is pure fiction and shows that anyone can write a book and get it published if you have connections. This is the silliest thing I have ever heard. The writer spent a lot of time making comparisons when there are none to be made.
   
   Marlowe wrote only seven plays in his young life, 'Dr. Faustus' the best known, and his poem "Hero and Leander" the only poem to outlive him. Perhaps with his interest in the occult and Satanism, a rumor has run amok that he returned in the adult human form of a famous playwright and literary figure, the prolific William Shakespeare. It's the darnest thing I ever saw. The majority of the fiction is about Shakespeare and very little about the man himself.
   
   Having been murdered at such a young age, there will always be speculation as to the cause. "Afterlife" -- I don't think so! It is all foolish hypothesis, and to dignify it at all in print is preposterous.



4. If you've ever been bemused by the fuss about who wrote the Shakespeare plays, this book will set you straight. The foreword reprints Sam Clemens' (aka Mark Twain's) inventory of all the positively known facts about Shakespeare, and it's a scanty list. Most striking is the fact that Will's children were illiterate, that he left no literary bequest but carefully distributed physical goods down to old furniture in his will, and that we know more about his life as a trader and bean counter than we do about his acting.
   
   Bolt takes as his premise that Shakespeare couldn't have written the plays attributed to him, and that he acted as a front for Christopher Marlowe who was writing from exile after narrowly escaping assassination; a stand-in died in his place in the infamous "tavern brawl". Bolt readily admits that this is a fiction, but argues that even supposedly reputable Shakespearean history is mostly invention, too. As he says in his Afterword: "Other writers have looked at the evidence and deduced a story; I have imagined a story, then supported it with the same sparse evidence."
   
   The book weaves a persuasive and instructive tapestry of Elizabethan life. (Bolt does a good job of signaling what's his invention, and what's based on accepted sources.) It gave me with a good sense of the intrigue and insecurity at the heart of the regime, of the making and staging of plays in that time and of the constant flux as people and ideas flowed freely across war-torn Europe. There are frequent references to, and reinterpretations of, Shakespearian poetry and plays, and many witty asides. I sense that I missed many of the puns, anagrams, and in-jokes, but they were done with such a light touch that this didn't bother me.
   
   My only quibble with the book is that Marlowe is a cardboard figure around whom the history turns. The peripheral characters are better drawn, from Shakespeare as a ambitious and venal minor talent, to Marlowe's friends and mentors in the spy world, to the puppetmasters like Sir Francis Walsingham and the slimy Sir Robert Cecil. This book is a history, as the title promises; it's not really a biography, even an imagined one.

1 comments about Of Muppets and Men : The Making of the Muppet Movie.

1. If you can get your hands on this book - DO SO! I grew up watching the Muppets and this book gave me the opportunity to dive back into my childhood and relive the fascination and excitement. I felt like I stepped backstage and experienced every moment like I was there, listening and watching what was going on. I believe this is because the book was written while the show was still in production, rather than years later. I learned how Miss Piggy became a karate expert as well as the Muppets anatomy and the antics, conversations and work that went on behind the scenes. Even if you never read the book, it's filled with color and black and white photos that are fun to look at! There's a picture of every guest star for 5 seasons. Remember when Star Wars hosted the show? I highly recommend this book for those of you who wish to see the magic and phenomenon behind the Muppets Show.

3 comments about Dance a While: Handbook for Folk, Square, Contra, and Social Dance (8th Edition).

1. This book has it all, from dance steps to instructions on how to successfully teach social dance. It has been a huge help and resource to me as I prepare my teaching curriculum for the year.



2. If you want to teach your class something about partner, folk, social, contra, and ballroom dance, it is here. This book covers everything from A to Z. It even gives you a glossary just in case you did not know some of those square dance calls. And, its many indexes and other additions at the back of the book are fabulous to help you plan and find all kind of relevant material. I wonder what happened to Ms. Pitman and Ms. Walker, co-authors of earlier editons. Yes, I have used Dance A While for years. It was recommended to me in college during the 60's. I lost it and am so happy to see it is still in print. Because, what ever other books I looked at when I needed information never came close to providing what I needed to find out. Thank you Jane Harris for updating and improving a great book.



3. This is the best book I used for learning how to teach dancing. It contains a good selection of simple dances which are suitable for novice dancers, and provides detailed dance descriptions and good advice for the teacher. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with music, so you have to track down a suitable recording for each dance. I have used this book for teaching recreational folk dance groups and school classes, and find it to be an excellent resource.