No comments about The Human Video Handbook: Christian Outreach in Dramatic Movement and Music.

1 comments about 'Love Me Or Kill Me': Sarah Kane and the Theatre of Extremes.

1. I have no doubt in my mind, that Sarah Kane's influence will be compared to that of Beckett's, in about twenty or thirty years. Unfortunately, those of us in the United States have had little opportunity to see her works staged, as of yet. Nevertheless, Saunder's book provides a somewhat thorough overview of her works.
   The book is divided into two parts. After a brief introduction, there is a discussion of each of her plays, and Saunders traces Kane's journey and development. Common themes are discussed, her movement toward stripping down language to the barest essentials, her reliance on image over the word, her destroying of the boundaries and limitations of theatrical structure, common characteristics of her characters, etc. Most of the time is spent on Blasted!, which I can understand, but I found the insight to be less in-depth on some of my favorite plays, including about a ten page discussion each for both Cleansed and Crave. It leaves one feeling that merely the surface has been scratched. However, new information was introduced, which did add to my enjoyment and understanding of the plays. The second half of the book includes a number of interviews with actors, directors, agents, and such, that had the opportunity to work directly with Kane. This section adds a different perspective from the first, and adds a much more personal approach that books of this sort are usually lacking.
   Hopefully, this book will help direct some attention to Kane's work. It seems that we are the only country not invested in her works, and maybe this book will help de-mystify her for American audiences. Maybe this will help get her fellow playwrights some attention as well, such as Mark Ravenhill, Anthony Neilson, and David Greig. This book marks a positive step toward understanding the work of someone who innovated and challenged so much, that we will only fully comprehend her impact in the distant future. Its worth the read, and applause for Saunders for taking this crucial step.

5 comments about The Lighting Art: The Aesthetics of Stage Lighting Design (2nd Edition).

1. This is a great book for thought and discussion however, the version available here is a facimile. This is a BLACK AND WHITE COPY of the original published book. none of the many photos or color graphs and charts are usable, for that matter visible. Amazon does not have the color version at all. I did get a speedy refund and free return shipping, but I missed the time before my upcoming show to read it. The show DID go on.



2. A wonderful book!!! Finally a text that talks about the aesthetics of lighting. I was so tired of reading thru design books that spent more time on technical specifications of luminaires than actual design. I strongly urge any and all lighting design professors to utilize this book in the classroom. It is so much more stimulating to an aspiring design student than disussions on double plano convex lenses. I would also recommend Francis Reid's book "Lighting the Stage".



3. Without a doubt, the best book on the market in its treatment of stage lighting as a vital dramatic art form. There isn't the usual multitude of chapters on the basics of wiring, bulbs, equipment which is obsolete before the book reaches the shelves, blue + green =?, etc., etc. Dr. Palmer simply explains how to create a beautiful picture on the stage. This is the step up for which the professional lighting artist has been waiting. Congratulations Richard.



4. This is the first modern book I have read dealing with Lighting Design as an Art Form. It seriously investigates Lighting Design for the stage at an advanced level.



5. the first text for stage lighting that does not spend half the book explaining electrics... concentrates on aesthetic choices, on developing your own sense of aesthetics, and how to apply your choices to the play.

No comments about Skirmishes..

5 comments about Taxi Driver (BFI Film Classics).

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this insightful little book, especially it's satisfying psychological portrait of Travis Bickle, "Taxi Driver's" disturbed and fascinating protaganist, deftly played by Robert De Niro. Amy Taubin is a gifted writer, whose acute sensitivity--perhaps a bit too acute regarding some of her comments about Bremmer--makes for an engrossing read. It's inconceivable to me that anyone who reads this work could put it down without a deeper appreciation of this seductive, volatile film.



2. This is a very short book that summarizes the plot of Taxi Driver. The author adds a handful of ideas along the way, ranging from the obvious (Travis Bickle is a borderline personality) to the questionable (when buying guns, he's choosing from a wide range of penises). It helps that the author is a woman. Her take on the violence and sexuality of the story is slightly different from the other (male) reviews I have read. However, there's so little here that is new, it's not worth buying. This would be better as a chapter in a larger book.



3. I felt that many of the ideas 'behind' Taxi Driver postulated here were rather far-fetched to the point of being ludicrous. I can't elaborate as it's been years since I've read it.



4. This is a very good look at "Taxi Driver." Taubin covers the making of the film (the money Scorsese got for making it might buy one day's worth of catering today) and gives the movie a very close analysis. She touches on key issues such as 1)how it stays close to and deviates from Arthur Bremer's experiences as he tracked George Wallace 2) the interplay between Bernard Herrmann's score and the images 3)how "Taxi Driver" can be seen as borrowing from the horror film 4) how Travis Bickle relates to black people. These are topics that, to me, have not really been covered in such depth before.

   "Taxi Driver" is very well done, one of the best in the BFI series.




5. With this entry in the BFI Film Classics collection, Amy Taubin has written a very well-researched, entertaining and informative examination of this indisputable American film classic. In addition, this book isn't too literate or hard to understand, as some of these type of film analyses can be. It is written clearly and with a great deal of detail. A must for any fan of this film, anyone interested in American cinema of the 70's, or fans of legendary director Martin Scorsese. Excellent!

4 comments about Swinging At The Savoy The Memoir of a Jazz Dancer.

1. In the 1930s and 1940s, Swing jazz captivated America in a way no musical style ever had before. Swing was largely developed in Harlem and its driving beat made dance an inevitable component of this new music. The new dance created was the lindy hop, a non-classic couples dance largely created on the floor of the Savoy Ballroom.

   Swinging at the Savoy traces the life of Harlemite Norma Miller, who came of age just at the perfect time to invest her entire future in a faddish dance despite protests from her disapproving mother.

   Of course, Norma beat the odds and made a decent living as a performer, but this is not what the book is about. The real draw of this book is the chance to glean musical and dance history straight from the horses mouth. Indeed, Norma discusses the bands, the clientele, the lifestyle, the celebrities she met, and racial issues, but more often than not the bubbly Norma gets caught up in the warmth of her very dear memories.

   Swinging at the Savoy follows Norma through innumerable dance
   performances, which were far from dull thanks to infectious Norma's joy and enthusiasm for dance. However, I would have preferred that her performances had been given a bit less weight and more had been included a few more anecdotes on Duke Ellington and Chick Webb, more discussion on issues such as the development of the music and dance, and how interracial dancing was possible in the dark ages of the 1930s.

   Of course, the book is subtitled The Memoir of a Jazz Dancer and so I cannot really fault the book for putting the events of Norma's life at the center. Furthermore, the book is prefaced with an excellent essay by jazz expert Ernie Smith that provides a solid historical perspective on the music and dance of Swing.

   Swinging at the Savoy is a breeze to read and includes a good number of photographs that help bring the book to life. I recommend this book to anyone interested in African-American culture, jazz, dance, or U.S. history.




2. Norma Miller, the youngest member of the original swing dance troupe, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, had to do some sneaking around in order to dance at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem some 60-odd years ago.

   If the spunk she has now is any indication of what she was like at 15, though, it's no surprise she helped invent a whole new dance form.

   This down-to-earth personal memoir by an effervescent woman whose first and last love is the excitement of swing is an invigorating read for almost anyone.

   It might make you want to drop everything and go out and dance . . .or it might just give you a better understanding of the history of Harlem and the extraordinary people who helped keep it on the map all these years with their artistic spirits and rich energy.




3. Forget those neo-swing books... this is the one to get if you want to know about the tales and stories from the start of it all. Wonderfully told from a first person account...



4. Norma Miller is one of the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers who danced at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. It has some nice Pictures and some great information ,although it is about her personal bio at the Savoy and other dance spots she was in over the years, it is a little biased about Norma (understandably) and The role that she and the Hoppers played in the Making of popular Lindy Hop. It could have had more stories about the other dancers and places. It is however a major recomendation for any Swing Dancer/Fan.

No comments about Caribbean Dance from Abakua to Zouk: How Movement Shapes Identity.

No comments about Outdoor Recreation.

2 comments about The Making of Jurassic Park.

1. i thought this bokk was awsome and if you liked the movie you will love this book.



2. I'm looking for another copy of this book right now since mine is rather worn out. That's just because it's a great book. It has storyboards of key scenes, and great behind the scenes pictures of preproduction, and production. If you liked the movie, you'll love this behind the scenes book!

1 comments about Spunk: Three Tales by Zora Neale Hurston.

1. THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL! HURSTON IS A WONDERFUL WRITER. IT IS A SHAME THAT SUCH A TALENTED WRITER DID NOT RECEIVE MUCH RECOGNITION UNTIL AFTER HER DEMISE. "THE GILDED SIX-BITS" HAS TO BE THE MOST COMPELLING SHORT STORY WITHIN THIS ANTHOLOGY. IT IS A VIVID TALE THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE POWER OF MONEY. IT ILLUSTRATES THE EXTENT THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL GO TO IN ORDER TO GET THEIR HANDS ON "THE GREEN." SIMULTANEOUSLY, IT DOES REINFORCE THE IDEA THAT "ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD." MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS STORY ILLUSTRATES THE POWER OF LOVE AND THE BEAUTY OF LOYALTY AND "FORGIVENESS." NEVER BEFORE HAVE A READ SUCH A POSITIVE STORY ABOUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN LOVE.