No comments about The Broadview Anthology of Drama, concise edition: Plays from the Western Theatre.

No comments about Shakespeare's Double Helix (Shakespeare Now!).

No comments about On Screen Directing.

5 comments about The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction (The Overlook Film Encyclopedia Series).

1. This is an outstanding book. Great reference and all that implies. I like Science Fiction and this book is indispensable. Seems to be little known but it is an outstanding reference work.



2. Bought this as a present for my husband though i had a look in it and it covers a-z of Sci-Fi flicks. Would recommend to any fan.



3. I've had this excellent book for several years, and I still go back to it at least once a month to look something up. There is simply no more complete reference guide to science fiction films available. Think you know science fiction cinema? Prepare to be humbled by the sheer volume of this book. I especially appreciate the reviews of the early, silent films, many of which we will probably never get to see.
   
   Some of the reviews are better thought-out than others. And you may occasionally marvel at how a film you were sure was an all-time classic only gets a mediocre review. But these are minor quibbles for an otherwise excellent volume.
   
   If you're a fan of sci-fi films, you absolutely MUST own this book. Yes, it's pricey, but it also might be the last film reference book you will ever need.



4. You can spend hours browsing trough this encyclopedia. Of course you will recognize many of the classic. Yet you may be surprised at the multitude of great films that you missed. There are better descriptions and stills than you find in most of the genre magazines.

   Contents:

   THE EARLY YEARS: Innocent Beginnings (1895-1919)
   THE TWENTIES: Dark Visions and Brash Adventure
   THE THIRTIES: Mad Scientists and Comic Book Heroes
   THE FORTIES: Science Fiction Eclipsed

   THE FIFTIES: Science Fiction Reborn
   THE SISTIES: Science Fiction Respectable
   THE SEVENTIES: Big Budgets and Big Bucks
   THE EIGHTIES: Science Fiction Triumphant

   I am not going to bore you with the list of my favorites but I challenge you not to fine one of yours.




5. This really has to be recognised as a monumental reference work. The sheer breadth of material found and reviewed by Hardy is extraordinary. I will be using this book for years to come.

2 comments about Fellini On Fellini.

1. At first I didn't understand as to why I couldn't put this novel down. I won't lie there is a 40 page slightly confusing introduction by Fellini that jumps back and forth from different periods down memory lane. However it's exactly that which makes you realize these words are Fellini's and only his. We get his insight into basically every film he ever made just with the introduction; and then he gives us the dish on how they all came to be. I have read a few of these "on" books and this is the first that truly interested me. Fellini was a genius and saw the world in a way we could only try to understand through his films. Thankfully to those resposible for trascribing all of his writings and materials this book will also help.



2. There is no better way to get into the mindset of Fellini than through his own words. This unassuming book is full of the director's thoughts and motivations. From behind the scene anectdotes to descriptions of scenes never filmed this is an excellent place to start learning about the movie world's best director ever!

5 comments about Apocalypse Movies: End of the World Cinema.

1. That is about it. This book contains more movie names and pictures than you would get in 10 of them there movie magazines.
   
   However the writing is more of a rattling with a few names dropped now and then to try to keep it coherent. There are a few tidbits of history and biography with no real backup information and the author is strongly opinionated.
   
   If you already know the movie then you can find this interesting as memorabilia and the pictures are fun for reminiscing. However, if you have not already seen the movie, at best this book will give you some titles to look-up. There the author has no time or inclination to really explain much as the next sentence must be reserved for another movie or two.
   
   There is a small three-page bibliography that does not contain any ISBN numbers.
   
   There is an extensive index to help handle the volume of titles. I looked-up "Them!" and got several references that were half sentences talking about something else and said like in the movie "Them!."
   
   Again the black and white stills from the movies are worth while.



2. When I first picked up this book I was expecting a cursory explanation of movies such as "Five" or "On the Beach," each film accompanied by a long-winded explication of the movie's social relevance and dull political analysis. To say I was pleasantly surprised upon reading this book is, to say the least, putting it mildly.

   Newman covers the phenomenon of end-of-the-world films with a zest and a writing style rarely seen in works such as this. He deftly traces the genesis of the movies back to their ancestors in literature, even citing Mary Shelley's "The Last Man," her second science-fiction novel. (It was written in 1826 and is about a plague that destroys mankind.) It takes a thorough knowledge of the subject-matter to be able to speak of Mary Shelley in the same breath as Roger Corman. And it takes a thoroughly facile writing style to keep us interested until the back cover. Fortunately, Newman possesses both.

   And did I mention Roger Corman? Yes I did, and this is what makes the book such a delight. Newman covers all end-of-the-world movies, noting correctly that the world does not necessarily have to end; the threat is enough. Whether it's "The Thing From Another World," or the ants of "Them," or even the paper-mache crabs of Corman's "Attack of the Crab Monsters," each film gets its due in Newman's pages.

   So for those who wiled away a Saturday afternoon watching Godzilla save Tokyo from yet another guy in a monster suit, remember: you weren't just watching a Grade-Z movie, you were watching an apocalypse movie.




3. To appreciate this book you must have enjoyed watching either giant insects (of any sort) or a zombie-like person stumbling after someone with a delicious brain. If either of these concepts sound like a bad idea for cinema, this book may not be for you. Kim Newman's Apocalypse Movies (End of the World Cinema) is a joy to read as he takes the reader through a rogue's gallery of weird charaters while charting the science fiction and horror movies that have signaled mankind's doom since cinema began. The book is well researched, nicely written and much fun. These joyous films will be presented to the reader in a new and larger context that will only deepen their delightfully guilty pleasure. A wonderful book.



4. Kim Newman's Apocalypse Movies (End of the World Cinema) is actually broader than the title implies as it covers all forms of threats to humanity over the decades in cinema. It is a fascinating, well-researched account that lets the author roam freely and entertainly over the horror and science fiction cinematic landscape. This book will have the reader running to the video store in order to spend many hours sitting in the dark watching (or more likely) re-watching much schlock (glorious, glorious shlock) with a new perspective and an ability to put these tarnished gems in their broader context. A wonderful read for film buffs or those who would like to become one.



5. A misleading title. Most of the movies listed here are NOT "apocalypse" films. There is also very little analysis. A pretty book with little substance. Poor.

No comments about Antigone.

4 comments about Sammy: The Autobiography of Sammy Davis, Jr..

1. I thought this book was very inspiring. This book was very good, and kept me very interested. I like how they put in pictures, and exact dates of when things happened to Sammy Davis Jr. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about an all around performer.
   
   Reviewer: Samantha, Cisneros



2. For beginners, this isn't bad. But those who are familiar with "Yes I can" and "Why Me?" (the Davis bios that this book was edited from) will not be happy. Too much of the good stuff from "Yes I Can" is missing, such as Sammy's guilt over his treatment of James Dean and his own mistreatment at the hands of other children and teenagers. Those were some of the most moving parts of that book and they should be included here. Oh well, you can always read the original.



3. I gladly give the life of Sammy Davis Jr. 5 stars, however, the Boyers have done this bright icon who came into their lives a disservice by simply expanding on Sammy's two previous autobiographies with more & longer details without any attempt to focus his memories or put order into the reading & that is why I give the book only 2 stars.

   Sammy Davis Jr. rose from childhood stardom in vaudeville to become one of the most famous African-Americans of the 1950s & 1960s. At the same time his career, friends & lifestyle were surrounded by controversy & his experiences as a black performer in segregated America.

   Of all the celebrities in the American star-studied panoply, Sammy Davis Jr., crossed over more lines. He converted to an unpopular religion; he had no fear of dating & marrying beautiful white women; he was close to the Kennedys & the Nixons; he was a member of Frank Sinatra's notorious Rat Pack & he played with alcohol & drugs.

   It's amusing to read his opinions of the two songs he liked the least as they became best-sellers - going platinum to his amazement.

   I think an Index of his best-selling songs, his legendary Las Vegas performances, his world-wide concerts & his movies & television shows should have been included. Sammy Davis Jr., was also a spokesperson for his people & an Index of the movers & shakers of the Civil Rights Movement & the politicians of his time with whom he consulted & for whom he worked, is vital.

   There isn't even a curriculum vitae! Do check out my full review of this & other biographies.




4. This book tries to cram together Yes I Can and Why Me? and in the process the humor and emotions which made those books great, especially Yes I Can, is lost. There is VERY LITTLE new material here. This book is a waste of time to anyone who already knows about Sammy and if they don't this isn't the place to start.

No comments about Theater And Incarnation.

5 comments about Singing and the Actor.

1. Having an actual Master's in vocal pedagogy (classical and non-classical), I would like to give an expert's opinion. This book was a great find when I was working on my master's thesis. The classical-only vocal pedagogy teachers are currently finding that they are being left behind, because of the emergence of scholarly, and expert evidence of the healthy and effective inclusion of ALL types of vocal techniques. Ms. Kayes book "Singing and the Actor" is not only CORRECT but, also desperately needed. Today's classical-only trained pedagogues may be just to embarrassed to admit they were dupped into believing that they have all the training they needed to work as a private voice teacher in the real world. If you are a voice teacher, and don't have this book, I beg you to get it- there is enough ignorance and arrogance some of today's voice teachers- it's 2006 for crying out loud!



2. This book contains detailed descriptions of the vocal qualities needed in today's theatre singing. It doesn't preach classical techniques, but it does tell you how to find sounds like twang, "speech", and cry safely and correctly. Clear and practical stuff with things to try out and assignments. A really useful book packed with information that I haven't seen published anywhere else. I loved it.



3. This book is filled with incorrect misleading information on ways to manipulate the human voice to achieve sounds (ie. belting) that are scientifically proven to be damaging. Many of the techniques described in this book require the physical manipulation of the vocal apparatus, a process which can lead to undue strain on the vocal folds and surrounding musculature. Though this books does occassionally contain accurate information on the process of healthy singing, there is far too much that is incorrect and poses permanent damage to the voice. The author frequently contradicts herself as she explains her process of vocal "training." The techniques of this book ask the reader to embark on an unhealthy and permanently damaging course of vocal study. I recommend this book only to those wishing to know how NOT to sing.



4. I've read several good books on voice for acting and singing. There's a lot to learn and I've found it helpful to look at it from many points of view. Other books cover the mechanics to some degree, but this one devotes a great deal of space to exercises that help you identify all the pieces that contribute to the production of sound. With these exercises, I find it a lot easier to methodically troubleshoot when something is not working and narrow it to the problem area, eg, larynx, support, etc. and action that causes the problem, eg, nasality, "excessive pressure on the vocal folds" etc. I also learned the mechanics involved in several techniques, such as "belting" or "crying". I would recommend this to any singer or actor starting out for understanding how the voice works.



5. I've read several good books on voice for acting and singing. There's a lot to learn and I've found it helpful to look at it from many points of view. Other books cover the mechanics to some degree, but this one devotes a great deal of space to exercises that help you identify all the pieces that contribute to the production of sound. With these exercises, I find it a lot easier to methodically troubleshoot when something is not working and narrow it to the problem area, eg, larynx, support, etc. and action that causes the problem, eg, nasality, "excessive pressure on the vocal folds" etc. I also learned the mechanics involved in several techniques, such as "belting" or "crying". I would recommend this to any singer or actor starting out for understanding how the voice works.