2 comments about Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX.

1. Very interesting book. My daughter wants to do special effects. She found many interesting ideas and this has made her more interested in the career.



2. This book gives a history of makeup effects through biographies of the biggest contributors to the field. Whether you are looking for a career in the industry, or just want to know how movie effects are created, this is a great resource

5 comments about Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance: Awakening Spirituality Through Movement and Ritual.

1. I do not want to talk about how the author handled all other "sacred dances", but, since I am well-familiar with the Indian classical dance, I do have a clear impression that the author, although apparently quite intellectual, has a very superficial (typical of a western rationalistic mind) idea of what the real classical Indian dance practices are about, and has no idea at all of what is Natya Yoga.



2. This book offers deeply insightful information regarding the history and symbolism of dance (mostly folkloric and Oriental, not ballet) as it relates to femininity and by extension, feminism in the spiritual, nonpolitical sense of a free self-expression.
   
   The entire book is exceptional and engrossing, but I particularly enjoyed the chapter about the history of percussion/drumming, not only musical history but spiritual, religious, and psychological history as well. The chapter about trance dancing is very informative also, even alluring in its descriptions.
   
   The book's many pictures are stunning (as is the author herself), and certainly every picture enhances already intriguing text.
   
   My favorite picture is a photograph of Russian dancer Vera Morova (who gave up ballet to pursue Oriental dance) in a pose from her Snake Dance - the most exotic costuming and form imaginable!
   
   A generous resource guide, notes section, and bibliography conclude the book.



3. This book is very informative and wonderfully and intelligently written. I recommend it to any one that is interested in connecting with the ancient art of sacred movement. The illustrations are beautiful. It is wonderful to read books that are embracing the sacredness of the woman! Its time for women to unite and bring peace back into this world..This book is a great place to begin in understanding the importance of this!



4. This is a wonderful book for any woman who is searching to uncover her own hidden "feminine" gifts thorough dance, or for one who is searching out all woman history to re-build her own. Dance has been changed through out the centuries but the core is still present.
   A book that will expand the beginners understanding of how dance is connected to the spiritual. Much substance.



5. This book has an unusual approach to the history of dance. It has lovely photos/illustrations, and thorough notations throughout. I recommend ot for its unique approach to dance, but not for its (sometimes suspect) history. It's an interesting book, with a lot of information.

   I can see using this book as a form of meditation I suppose that's as spiritual as you want it to be. There are interesting ideas here, and women who are exploring the meaning and origin of dance will probably find it a good read. As women's studies (which is one of the subjects this book falls into), it's a little lacking. She doesn't really provide enough hard evidence with some of her theories and interpretations to consider this a scholarly work. Women who are interested in the goddess will also find value in this book.

   I recommend it as an interesting read, as long as the reader understands that much of what she writes is an interpretation of history, and cobbled together from whatever sources were available. Since much of women's history was never written, interpretation is necessary, of course, but I don't know how much is interpretation and how much is embellishment.

3 comments about A History of the Hal Roach Studios.

1. I debated for quite some time on whether I wanted to read what I feared would be boring background information on the inner-workings of a studio from the distant past. However, I finally decided to purchase this book, since I am a big fan of the studio's product, principally Laurel & Hardy, Our Gang, and early Harold Lloyd. Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised. This book is a very interesting read, the author having done a remarkable job of fleshing out the story of Hal Roach Studios. If you have even a passing interest in the artists who worked at Hal Roach Studios, or are interested in the story of a tireless, risk-taking entrepreneur (i.e., Hal Roach), then I highly recommend this book. My only complaint is that I wish there had been a few more pictures. But those the author chose to include are quite interesting. My thanks to the author for writing this excellent book.



2. I just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it.I've really laerned a lot about what life was like behind the scenes of the films I grew up with,such as Our Gang and Laurel & Hardy.I highly recoomend this book.



3. During the 1910s, Hal Roach started a little comedy studio. By the late 1920s, he had eclipsed rival Mack Sennett both artistically and financially. His studio built Harold Lloyd and Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy into major comedy stars. And lots of lesser comedians like Snub Pollard, Charley Chase, Our Gang, Will Rogers, and Thelma Todd made funny films there too.
   
   While a comprehensive artistic history of the studio has yet to be written, Mr. Ward's book goes into great detail on the inner workings of the business side of movie making. From the beginning of the studio, Roach had problems with Pathe booking his films into theaters. Pathe complained that the Roach films were not funny, and did not always pay Roach enough to make a good profit. After Roach signed a distribution agreement with M-G-M, things were much rosier, especially because Laurel & Hardy became such big stars.
   
   Roach even secretly made a Laurel & Hardy feature film, and many more followed. Roach also made a few dramatic films too, like OF MICE AND MEN and ONE MILLION BC. Roach's studio survived into the 1950s, being run by Hal Roach, Jr. and making television programs. However, after World War II the studio's glory days were behind them.
   
   If you are a fan of Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase, or Our Gang, this book is a must read. While critical assesments of films are only in a small appendix, this book will tell you everything else about the struggles that the Roach personnel had making great comedies. Although Roach certainly was successful, you will be surprised with all of the failed comedy series that he tried. And you will discover that Roach was a much better producer than director. His later directoral films were not very good.
   
   Mr. Ward's book is extensively researched and end-noted. It belongs on the bookshelf of any silent comedy or sound comedy fan.

1 comments about On Thrones of Gold: Three Javanese Shadow Plays.

1. This Book is still one of a kind. Since it was published in 1970, it is still the only reliable Book which gives the complete Text of three Wayang Kulit (Javanese Shadow Puppet) Lakon (Plays). "The Reincanation of Rama" from the Ramayana and "Irawan's Wedding" and "The Death of Karna" from the Mahabharata. The Book begins with a fine introduction to Wayang, the Plays, Performance and Translation. The translation from Javanese was rendered by Pandam Guritno, one of the froemost Javanese Wayang Scholars of all time, whom I knew personally. Next follow the texts of the three Plays, which include 143 illustrations. James Brandon has also included descriptions of the action that takes place and the musical pieces that are played. The reader can thus review three performances through reading. At the end of the Book are useful Appendices, Notes on Sources, a good Glossary and a now outdated Bibliography. This Book is useful for those who are interested in Wayang, Javanese Culture, Theater Arts, Sanskrit Literature and many other subjects. That is what makes Wayang so wonderful. It is many things in one.

3 comments about Jane Martin Collected Works Volume I: Collected Plays 1980-1995 - Paper.

1. This has a lot of great scenes and monologues for female actors. The writing is terrific. I really enjoy it.



2. This is a "must-have" for any lover of contemporary theatre. My copy was stolen from my backpack! They left everything else, but took my Jane Martin!

   All of her(?) works are finely crafted and shaped. Through this volume, I was exposed to her popular "Keely & Du" (breathtaking), while at the same time discovering a new favorite in "Vital Signs."

   I've successfully used several monologues from "Vital Signs" and they continue to provide me with one of the most lethal weapons in an audition setting: fresh pieces.

   I highly recommend this book -- especially to actresses!




3. Theater for people who thought they did'nt like theater. Jane Martin is a rare non-pretentious (Her identity is unknown) yet artistically challenging playwright. This collection is a mix of short and long pieces of theater with a common thread for you to ponder. The dialogue is quick, smart, crude and fall over funny. Feminine issues are explored with refreshing honesty and inclusiveness. I recomend this to all lovers of theater and playwrights who wish to examine the subleties of timing and audience reaction. Most important perhaps is the fact that these plays engage an audience to the extent that previous "theater haters" start to loose their prejudices. If Jane Martin plays were played next to movie theaters people might actually begin to reverse the affects of the "Titanic" plague. "Criminal Heart" "Vital Signs" and "Cementville" are must reads. When you're done you'll be seeking out live performances and in for a whole new experience.

5 comments about Spaghetti Westerns: the Good, the Bad And the Violent: A Comprehensive Illustrated Filmography of 558....

1. First got this book when it was released in the early-mid '90s and in those days pre-internet days it initially blew me away, however it soon became evident that ALOT of the credits to the films were inaccurate at best and in many cases totally wrong! Also from reading the film 'reviews' its obvious he hasn't seen (at that time) many of the films, a difficult task even now as many of them probably haven't seen the light of day since they were first released. So why write a review of a movie you haven't seen as if you have)and give totally incorect credits for it)!!!? Better to have at least listed the film and give what info you can. I remember at the time this book was slammed by the then euro-western fanzine/bible Westerns al'Italiana for these very same reasons. The best guides to the euro-western are Tom Betts WESTERN ALL'ITALIANA trilogy, written by a true devotee. Weisser here shows his true love lies with Italian gore and horror movies by making reference to them no matter how slight the connection. Still worth a look but be warned. The IMDB is way more accurate....



2. This is actually a great book, and I would give it 4.5 stars. The other reviewers are correct in the wealth of information between the covers; not only in-depth reviews of almost 600 movies (which as a reviewer said, comes in handy in a genre where there are sooooooo many stinkers; this book saved me from one or two costly purchases), cross-referenced by writer, director, actors, alternate titles (re-"Duck You Sucker-Fistful of Dynamite") and possibly most important, musical composers. My only two contentions with this book are the following:
   
   Not all of the alternate titles are listed consistently. It took me awhile to find the original title for "Samurai!" (aka "The White, the Yellow, and the Black"). Luckily for the directorial filmography, I was able to look it up by director. 1/2 star off.
   
   But a full star off goes to the binding. Most likely a low-budgeted produced book with a high price, the binding split just hours after I began reading it. At almost $40 list price, it almost is priced out as a cheap college course textbook. I would have hoped at least it would have been in hardcover.
   
   All in all, if you can look over these two details (one minor, one major, in my opinion), this is a FANTASTIC reference for anyone's genre library, up there with "Videohound's Dragon: Asian Action & Cult Flicks". Check that out too!



3. I purchased a hardcover of this book some time ago. [It's dated 1992, first print?]. Amazing that over 500 of these films were made.
   Worth it for the lists by performer and director (among others).
   The illustrations are mostly movie posters and are in B & W, unless this new book has changed that.
   Something to be aware of is spoiler alerts. In quite a few of the descriptions Weisser gives away key moments like the character dies or the money is counterfeit and the like.
   Top Western on my Want list: Blindman
   Can't find this anywhere.



4. This book describes most if not all of the Italian Westerns made in that era. It's a great book to go to about certain westerns that were made by the directors like Sergio Leone, Corbucci and Sollima. I have many books of this type and this one stands out as one of my favorites. Thank you Thomas Weisser for producing this book!!



5. This is the definitive reference guide on the Spaghetti Western. An excellent, well written and informative book. In addition to factual information on each film (titles, original foreign language titles, cross references, director, actors, basic plot, etc.), Thomas Weisser also gives brief recommendations and opinions, which definitely come in handy in a genre in which there were a lot of really bad, low budget movies made. For the most part, the facts are accurate, and the opinions are useful. There are also best and worst lists, actors appendices and other great extras. Absolutely recommended!!

2 comments about Talking With.

1. I have performed 2 of these monologues and i have to say, i love it. this book it soo, words cant describe this book. Clear Glass Marbles was a pleasure to perform, as was Audition.
   Its 6 dollars, what have you got to waste? Grab it!



2. I was introduced to this play of monologues 11 years ago when I was in high school. There are many quirky, bizzare, frightening and ultimately moving characters that Ms. Martin introduces us to. Now, as a drama teacher I regularly recommend this to my students.

No comments about Romantic vs. Screwball Comedy: Charting the Difference (Studies in Film Genres).

1 comments about Managing Television News: A Handbook for Ethical and Effective Producing (LEA's Communication Series) (Lea's Communication Series).

1. I use this book in my course "News Producing" at the University of Missouri. It provides an excellent combination of practical lessons and context about the producer's role in television news. There is information about working with other players in the TV news environment, from anchors to the assignment desk to production staffers. This is especially helpful for young producers trying to navigate a world where most of their colleagues are older and more experienced than they. Sections on writing, using production elements, helping reporters with their live shots, ratings and understanding who's watching the local news are also very helpful. The book includes first-person advice from television news professionals, which really brings the textbook to life.

No comments about The Tempest (Barnes and Noble Shakespeare).