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West Side Story: The Jets, the Sharks, and the Making of a Classic (Turner Classic Movies)
by Richard BarriosA captivating, richly illustrated full account of the making of the ground-breaking movie classic West Side Story (1961).A major hit on Broadway, on film West Side Story became immortal-a movie different from anything that had come before, but this cinematic victory came at a price. In this engrossing volume, film historian Richard Barrios recounts how the drama and rivalries seen onscreen played out to equal intensity behind-the-scenes, while still achieving extraordinary artistic feats.The making and impact of West Side Story has so far been recounted only in vestiges. In the pages of this book, the backstage tale comes to life along with insight on what has made the film a favorite across six decades: its brilliant use of dance as staged by erstwhile co-director Jerome Robbins; a meaningful story, as set to Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's soundtrack; the performances of a youthful ensemble cast featuring Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and more; a film with Shakespearean roots (Romeo and Juliet) that is simultaneously timeless and current. West Side Story was a triumph that appeared to be very much of its time; over the years it has shown itself to be eternal.
West Virginia's Traditional Country Music (Images of America)
by Ivan M. Tribe Jacob L. BapstWest Virginia has been known for a century as a rich repository of traditional country music and musicians. Beginning in the mid-1920s, phonograph recordings and radios brought this music to a wider audience. With the passing of time and the influence of commercialization, this music developed into what became first known as "hillbilly" and then into the more refined "country" because of its long appeal to those of rural background. Although modernization has caused the traditional element to recede considerably, much still remains. Many folk still cling to the older sounds exemplified by the "raw" traditionalists and the neo-traditional bluegrass style that emerged in the 1940s. From the earliest recording artists, such as the Tweedy Brothers and David Miller, who was blind, to contemporary stars like Kathy Mattea and Brad Paisley, West Virginians and others have held their musicians in high esteem.
West of Eden
by Jean SteinAn epic, mesmerizing oral history of Hollywood and Los Angeles from the author of the contemporary classic Edie. Jean Stein transformed the art of oral history in her groundbreaking book Edie: American Girl, an indelible portrait of Andy Warhol "superstar" Edie Sedgwick, which was edited with George Plimpton. Now, in West of Eden, she turns to Los Angeles, the city of her childhood. Stein vividly captures a mythic cast of characters: their ambitions and triumphs as well as their desolation and grief. These stories illuminate the bold aspirations of five larger-than-life individuals and their families. West of Eden is a work of history both grand in scale and intimate in detail. At the center of each family is a dreamer who finds fortune and strife in Southern California: Edward Doheny, the Wisconsin-born oil tycoon whose corruption destroyed the reputation of a U.S. president and led to his own son's violent death; Jack Warner, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, who together with his brothers founded one of the world's most iconic film studios; Jane Garland, the troubled daughter of an aspiring actress who could never escape her mother's schemes; Jennifer Jones, an actress from Oklahoma who won the Academy Award at twenty-five but struggled with despair amid her fame and glamour. Finally, Stein chronicles the ascent of her own father, Jules Stein, an eye doctor born in Indiana who transformed Hollywood with the creation of an unrivaled agency and studio. In each chapter, Stein paints a portrait of an outsider who pins his or her hopes on the nascent power and promise of Los Angeles. Each individual's unyielding intensity pushes loved ones, especially children, toward a perilous threshold. West of Eden depicts the city that has projected its own image of America onto the world, in all its idealism and paradox. As she did in Edie, Jean Stein weaves together the personal recollections of an array of individuals to create an astonishing tapestry of a place like no other.
West of Eden: An American Place
by Jean SteinJean Stein transformed the art of oral history in her groundbreaking book Edie: American Girl, an indelible portrait of Andy Warhol "superstar" Edie Sedgwick, which was edited with George Plimpton. Now, in West of Eden, she turns to Los Angeles, the city of her childhood. Stein vividly captures a mythic cast of characters: their ambitions and triumphs as well as their desolation and grief. These stories illuminate the bold aspirations of five larger-than-life individuals and their families. West of Eden is a work of history both grand in scale and intimate in detail. At the center of each family is a dreamer who finds fortune and strife in Southern California: Edward Doheny, the Wisconsin-born oil tycoon whose corruption destroyed the reputation of a U.S. president and led to his own son's violent death; Jack Warner, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, who together with his brothers founded one of the world's most iconic film studios; Jane Garland, the troubled daughter of an aspiring actress who could never escape her mother's schemes; Jennifer Jones, an actress from Oklahoma who won the Academy Award at twenty-five but struggled with despair amid her fame and glamour. Finally, Stein chronicles the ascent of her own father, Jules Stein, an eye doctor born in Indiana who transformed Hollywood with the creation of an unrivaled agency and studio. In each chapter, Stein paints a portrait of an outsider who pins his or her hopes on the nascent power and promise of Los Angeles. Each individual's unyielding intensity pushes loved ones, especially children, toward a perilous threshold. West of Eden depicts the city that has projected its own image of America onto the world, in all its idealism and paradox. As she did in Edie, Jean Stein weaves together the personal recollections of an array of individuals to create an astonishing tapestry of a place like no other.
West of Everything: The Inner Life of Westerns
by Jane P. TompkinsA leading figure in the debate over the literary canon, Jane Tompkins was one of the first to point to the ongoing relevance of popular women's fiction in the 19th century, long overlooked or scorned by literary critics. Now, in West of Everything, Tompkins shows how popular novels and films of the American west have shaped the emotional lives of people in our time. Into this world full of violence and manly courage, the world of John Wayne and Louis L'Amour, Tompkins takes her readers, letting them feel what the hero feels, endure what he endures. Writing with sympathy, insight, and respect, she probes the main elements of the Western--its preoccupation with death, its barren landscapes, galloping horses, hard-bitten men and marginalized women--revealing the view of reality and code of behavior these features contain. She considers the Western hero's attraction to pain, his fear of women and language, his desire to dominate the environment--and to merge with it. In fact, Tompkins argues, for better or worse Westerns have taught us all--men especially--how to behave. It was as a reaction against popular women's novels and women's invasion of the public sphere that Westerns originated, Tompkins maintains. With Westerns, men were reclaiming cultural territory, countering the inwardness, spirituality, and domesticity of the sentimental writers, with a rough and tumble, secular, man-centered world. Tompkins brings these insights to bear in considering film classics such as Red River and Lonely Are the Brave, and novels such as Louis L'Amour's Last of the Breed and Owen Wister's The Virginian. In one of the most moving chapters (chosen for BestAmerican Essays of 1991), Ttompkins shows how the life of Buffalo Bill Cody, killer of Native Americans and charismatic star of the Wild West show, evokes the contradictory feelings which the Western typically elicits--horror and fascination with violence, but also love and respect for the romantic ideal of the cowboy. Whether interpreting a photograph of John Wayne of meditating on the slaughter of cattle, Jane Tompkins writes with humor, compassion, and a provocative intellect. Her book will appeak to many Americans who read or watch Westerns, and to all those interested in a serious approach to popular culture.
Western Broadcasting over the Iron Curtain (Routledge Library Editions: Broadcasting #38)
by K.R.M. ShortWestern Broadcasting Over the Iron Curtain (1986) examines the development of broadcasting policy by Western democracies, levels of government control of policy, efforts by communist regimes to minimize the effects of western broadcasting, and Soviet and Eastern European audience opinions on such diverse subjects as the success or failure of socialism and the Korean airline disaster.
Western New York Amusement Parks (Images of America)
by Rose Ann HirschFor more than 100 years, western New Yorkers have enjoyed the region's exciting amusement parks. During the days of trolleys and steamships, area businessmen created Celoron Park, Crystal Beach Park, and other fine local summer resorts. Decades later, lifelong memories were formed for neighborhood baby boomers who visited Glen Park and Fantasy Island, as well as one of New York State's finest theme parks, Darien Lake. Western New York has always been a proving ground for some of the nation's most famous roller coasters. The terrifying Cyclone, the fast and furious Silver Comet, and the extreme Ride of Steel have attracted the very bravest of visitors. In the new millennium, the summer tradition of visiting local amusement parks continues with a blend of family-orientated parks and theme parks that appeal to all ages.
Western Pennsylvania's Lost Amusement Parks (Images of America)
by Rachel E. SmithAt one time, Western Pennsylvania was home to dozens of small amusement parks, many of them trolley parks. These parks, originally designed to bolster streetcar business, were a way for workers to seek respite from the crowded, dirty cities. While some of these parks never developed into much more than a dance hall and a merry-go-round, others became full-scale amusement parks with rides, entertainment, and other amusements. After years of battling floods, changing economies, the decline of streetcars, and competition from other amusement parks, many of these amusement parks ended up closing their gates for good, the thrills they once provided now relegated to memories. With many of these parks all but lost to time, it is time to take a look back and remember some of the most prominent lost amusement parks of Western Pennsylvania.
Westerns: The Essential 'Journal of Popular Film and Television' Collection
by Gary R. Edgerton Michael T. MarsdenFor nearly two centuries, Americans have embraced the Western like no other artistic genre. Creators and consumers alike have utilized this story form in literature, painting, film, radio and television to explore questions of national identity and purpose. Westerns: The Essential Collection comprises the Journal of Popular Film and Television’s rich and longstanding legacy of scholarship on Westerns with a new special issue devoted exclusively to the genre. This collection examines and analyzes the evolution and significance of the screen Western from its earliest beginnings to its current global reach and relevance in the 21st century. Westerns: The Essential Collection addresses the rise, fall and durability of the genre, and examines its preoccupation with multicultural matters in its organizational structure. Containing eighteen essays published between 1972 and 2011, this seminal work is divided into six sections covering Silent Westerns, Classic Westerns, Race and Westerns, Gender and Westerns, Revisionist Westerns and Westerns in Global Context. A wide range of international contributors offer original critical perspectives on the intricate relationship between American culture and Western films and television series. Westerns: The Essential Collection places the genre squarely within the broader aesthetic, socio-historical, cultural and political dimensions of life in the United States as well as internationally, where the Western has been reinvigorated and reinvented many times. This groundbreaking anthology illustrates how Western films and television series have been used to define the present and discover the future by looking backwards at America’s imagined past.
Westerns: The Institutes Of Architecture Of Western Australia (Routledge Film Guidebooks #1)
by John WhiteIt is a common assertion that the history of America is written in its Westerns, but how true is this? In this guidebook John White discusses the evolution of the Western through history and looks at theoretical and critical approaches to Westerns such as genre analysis, semiotics, representation, ideology, discourse analysis, narrative, realism, auteur and star theory, psychoanalytical theory, postmodernism and audience response. The book includes case studies of 8 key westerns: Stagecoach My Darling Clementine Shane The Good, The Bad and the Ugly McCabe and Mrs Miller Unforgiven Brokeback Mountain The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Including a chronology of significant events for the Western genre, a glossary and further reading, this introduction to an important genre in film studies is a great guide for students.
Wet Hot American Summer: The Annotated Screenplay
by Michael Showalter David WainThe screenwriters behind the cult classic comedy present the definitive behind-the-scenes companion volume.With its unbelievable ensemble cast, Wet Hot American Summer hilariously skewered 1980s teen comedies while becoming a beloved classic in its own right. Now screenwriters David Wain and Michael Showalter have created a behind-the-scenes annotated version of the original screenplay that launched a thousand Halloween costumes. They provide commentary on how and why they made the artistic decisions they did while writing and filming the movie, as well as the Netflix series that came after. The book also features reproduced ephemera from filming—photos, original (and scathing) reviews, AIM chat conversations, marked up script pages, and so much more. Written and curated by Wain and Showalter, this is the must-have guide to all things Wet Hot.
Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas
by Zachariah OHoraA captivating informational picture book about Paul Horn, a musician who communicated with orcas through the power of music. For fans of Shark Lady and Margaret and the Moon.Unbelievable but true, this is the story of two whales, two Pauls and two boys.The whales are Haida and Chimo, captive orcas who lived in an aquarium called Sealand of the Pacific in the 1970s.The Pauls are Paul Horn, a professional flute musician, and Dr. Paul Spong, a scientist studying the orcas in order to learn more about these mystifying creatures.And the boys are Marlen and Robin, Paul Horn's sons, who are fascinated with the orcas despite their father's fear of the giant whales.What follows is the spellbinding story of how the Pauls, through the power of music, learn to communicate with the orcas — and set into motion an entire anti-captivity movement dedicated to protecting these intelligent and majestic animals.
Wham!, George Michael and Me: A Memoir
by Andrew RidgeleyFor the first time, Andrew Ridgeley—one half of one of the most famous bands in the world—tells the inside story of Wham!, his lifelong friendship with George Michael, and the formation of a band that changed the shape of the music scene in the early eighties. In 1975 Andrew took a shy new boy at school under his wing. They instantly hit it off, and their boyhood escapades at Bushy Meads School built a bond that was never broken. The duo found themselves riding an astonishing roller coaster of success, taking them all over the world. They made and broke iconic records, they were treated like gods, but they stayed true to their friendship and ultimately to themselves. It was a party that seemed as if it would never end. And then it did, in front of tens of thousands of tearful fans at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Andrew’s memoir covers in wonderful detail those years, up until that last iconic concert: the scrapes, the laughs, the relationships, the good, and the bad. It’s a unique and one-and-only time to remember that era, that band, and those boys.
Wharfie Animator: Harry Reade, The Sydney Waterfront, and the Cuban Revolution
by Max BannahThis book examines the life of the Australian artist Harry Reade (1927–1998) and his largely overlooked contribution to animation. It constitutes a biography of Reade, tracing his life from his birth to his period of involvement with animation between 1956 and 1969. It explores the forces that shaped Reade and chronicles his experiences as a child, his early working life, the influence of left-wing ideology on his creative development, his introduction to animation through the small but radical Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit (WWFFU), and the influence he had on the development of Cuban animation as an educational tool of the Revolution. Key Features The text offers an alternative framework for considering the political, social, and cultural themes that characterised 1950s Australia and 1960s Cuba. A rare look into the cultural heritage of labor organizations and the populist power of animation to stimulate radical social consciousness. The book also crosses a range of intellectual disciplines, including Animation Studies, Art History, Cinema Studies, and the Social and Political Histories of Australia and Cuba. Max Bannah lives on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Between 1976 and 2010, he worked in Brisbane as an animator producing television commercials, short films, and cartoon graphics. He also lectured in Animation History and Practice and Drawing for Animation at the Queensland University of Technology where, in 2007, he completed his Masters by Research thesis, "A Cause for Animation: Harry Reade and the Cuban Revolution."
What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Humor for Screenplays, Stories, and More
by Brad Schreiber Chris Vogler“People have forgotten how to be funny,” says Chris Vogler in his foreword to What Are You Laughing at? Luckily, experienced and award-winning humor writer Brad Schreiber is here to remind us all how it’s done. If laughter is the best medicine, be prepared to feel fit as a fiddle after perusing these pages. Brad’s clever wit and well-timed punch lines are sure to leave you grasping your sides, while his wise advice will ensure that you’re able to follow in his comedic footsteps.With more than seventy excerpts from such expert prose and screenwriters as Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., as well as unique writing exercises for all situations, this comprehensive tutorial will teach you how to write humor prose for any literary form, including screenwriting, story writing, theater, television, and audio/radio. Additionally, readers are given sage advice on different tactics for writing comedic fiction versus comedic nonfiction. Some of the topics discussed include:Life experience versus imaginationHow to use humor to develop theme/setting, character, and dialogueRhythm and sound of wordsVulgarity and bad tasteHow to market your humor prose in the digital marketThoroughly revised and updated, and with new information on writing short, humorous films, What Are You Laughing at? is your endless source to learning the art of comedy.
What Can You Do With Your Will Power
by Russell H. ConwellIn "What You Can Do With Your Will Power," Russell H. Conwell, the esteemed Baptist minister, lawyer, and founder of Temple University, explores the immense power of the human will and its critical role in achieving personal and professional success. This enlightening book offers practical insights and motivational wisdom that inspire readers to harness their inner strength and transform their lives.Conwell delves into the nature of willpower, illustrating how it can be developed and utilized to overcome obstacles, achieve goals, and realize one’s full potential. He shares inspiring stories and practical advice on how to cultivate a strong will, maintain focus, and persevere in the face of challenges.Key themes include:The Nature of Will Power: Conwell defines willpower as the inner strength and determination that drives individuals to pursue their goals relentlessly. He emphasizes that everyone possesses this power and can cultivate it through conscious effort and practice.Cultivating Will Power: The book provides practical strategies for strengthening willpower, such as setting clear goals, developing disciplined habits, and maintaining a positive mindset. Conwell encourages readers to practice self-control and stay committed to their objectives.Overcoming Obstacles: Conwell discusses the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. He offers guidance on how to stay motivated and focused, even when confronted with setbacks and difficulties.The Role of Will Power in Success: Through compelling anecdotes and real-life examples, Conwell demonstrates how willpower has been a decisive factor in the achievements of successful individuals. He highlights the transformative impact of a determined and focused mind.Balancing Will Power and Flexibility: While emphasizing the importance of strong willpower, Conwell also advises on the need for flexibility and adaptability. "What You Can Do With Your Will Power" is an inspiring and practical guide for anyone looking to strengthen their resolve and achieve their ambitions. Russell H. Conwell’s timeless wisdom and motivational insights provide readers with the tools they need to unlock their inner strength and reach their fullest potential.
What Charlie Heard
by Mordicai GersteinDescribes the life of American composer Charles Ives, who wrote music which expressed all the sounds he heard in the world, but which was not well received during his lifetime.
What Cinema Is!: Bazin's Quest and its Charge (Wiley-Blackwell Manifestos #65)
by Dudley AndrewWhat Cinema Is! offers an engaging answer to Andre Bazin's famous question, exploring his 'idea of cinema' with a sweeping look back at the near century of Cinema's phenomenal ascendancy. Written by one of the foremost film scholars of our time Establishes cinema's distinction from the current enthusiasm over audio-visual entertainment, without relegating cinema to a single, older mode Examines cinema's institutions and its social force through the qualities of key films Traces the history of an idea that has made cinema supremely alive to (and in) our times
What Do you Mean, Murder?: Clue And The Making Of A Cult Classic
by John HatchUnlock the mystery behind the making of the 1985 cult-classic Clue, with details on the beloved film from author John Hatch, who offers plenty to chew on for die-hard buffs and casual fans alike, plus new insights from writer-director Jonathan Lynn and actress Colleen Camp.When the film Clue came out in 1985, audiences were baffled. A movie based on a board game, with three different endings, and you had to pick which one to go see? Bad reviews compounded the problem, and instead of choosing one ending, most people stayed away entirely. Clue, outgrossed at the box office by films that had been released months earlier, quickly faded away. When it unceremoniously premiered on Showtime a year after its theatrical debut, there was no sign it was destined for anything other than obscurity, another flop bound to be forgotten. Instead, Gen Xers and millennials, raised on pop culture and cable TV in an era long before the streaming wars, discovered this zany farce about a group of six strangers locked in a remote house with a killer. The movie appealed to kids. The creepy mansion and eerie music contrasted with slapstick gags and double entendres, deflating the tension. Today, almost forty years later, Clue is the epitome of a cult classic, with midnight screenings, script readings for charity, cosplaying fans, and a stage play. "What Do You Mean, Murder?&” dives deep into the making of Clue and walks fans through the movie they know and love. From producer Debra Hill&’s original idea of Detective Parker bumbling around a mansion to Carrie Fisher&’s casting as Miss Scarlet, from Madeline Kahn&’s iconic &“flames&” ad-lib to the legendary deleted fourth ending, it&’s all here. With asides on fandom, Gen X nostalgia, and at how movies were made in the 1980s, the book offers plenty to chew on for die-hard buffs and casual fans alike.
What Does a Jew Want?: On Binationalism and Other Specters (Insurrections: Critical Studies in Religion, Politics, and Culture)
by Udi AloniIn the hopes of promoting justice, peace, and solidarity for and with the Palestinian people, Udi Aloni joins with Slavoj Zizek, Alain Badiou, and Judith Butler to confront the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their bold question: Will a new generation of Israelis and Palestinians dare to walk together toward a joint Israel-Palestine? Through a collage of meditation, interview, diary, and essay, Aloni and his interlocutors present a personal, intellectual, and altogether provocative account rich with the insights of philosophy and critical theory. They ultimately foresee the emergence of a binational Israeli-Palestinian state, incorporating the work of Walter Benjamin, Edward Said, and Jewish theology to recast the conflict in secular theological terms.
What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches
by PeachesOne of the Huffington Post's Best Art Books of 2015"[Peaches] has teamed up with her longtime tour photographer Holger Talinski to look back at a brazen career that has captured the attention of outsider artists and massive pop stars alike, ranging from Michael Stipe to PJ Harvey to Iggy Pop...Along with Holger's uncompromising, often raw imagery, the book includes stories from artists who have championed Peaches's work over the years."--New York Times T Magazine"It takes a lot of grueling work to pull off what Peaches does so subversively night after night on tour and in theater productions. That's the takeaway from this revealing (and NSFW) photo book on the electro-pop provocateur, as seen through the lens of photographer Talinski and featuring essays by Michael Stipe, Yoko Ono, and [Elliot] Page."--Boston Globe"Electronic musician and performance artist Peaches has made a career out of pushing boundaries, and her new book is equally transgressive. Photographer Holger Talinski captures the artist onstage and off in the outrageous costumes that have been a performance signature for her, and in quieter moments away from the strobe lights."--San Francisco Chronicle"One flip through the glossy new monograph What Else Is In the Teaches of Peaches is all it takes to get absorbed into the post-punk wonderland of pop culture icon Peaches."--W Magazine"Peaches is an attitude and a sensibility....She's iconic, and her iconography is important."--The Globe and MailOne of Loud and Quiet Magazine's Best Books of 2015"The bare-all book shows Peaches on and off stage, focusing on her efforts to shatter gender stereotypes, promote sex positivity, and push the boundaries of art and performance."--Vice Magazine, The Creators Project"What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches, a new book of photography, attempts to capture more: Peaches onstage, backstage, in her 30-boob breastplate, on the crapper, on a cross, passed out, convalescing, performing for Yoko Ono, curled up with family, recording with Iggy Pop. It's a groupie's delight."--SF Weekly"For Peaches fans, the collection offers glimpses into both the public and private life of the artist who put feminist electroclash on the map. Peaches led the way, not only for other underground electronic acts like Le Tigre, Ladytron, and Chicks on Speed, but also artists that went on to major mainstream success. Would M.I.A. exist without Peaches? Lady Gaga? In her current iteration, Miley Cyrus?...In the end, [What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches] is a reminder that Peaches, the artist and the musician...forged a vibrant, genre-bending career that continues to throb with spirit, transgression, energy, and ambition."--KQED Arts"Perhaps what hits you most of all, maybe more than the striking costumes and occasional nudity, is how much fun Peaches' life appears to be. Less than halfway into the book, you start to trust the Peaches/Talinski collaborative union, and you somehow come to realise that it's all authentic, magic and reality. There's none of the staginess that you sometimes see in photo books of pop stars, particularly those who are led around by their egos."--PopMattersThis volume presents a mesmerizing collection of Holger Talinski's evocative and sometimes erotic photos of transgressive musical icon Peaches, on and off stage, with accompanying text by Peaches, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Yoko Ono, and the actor Elliot Page, best known for their lead role in the film Juno, which garnered them an Oscar nomination.
What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career
by Joseph McBrideA &“personal and passionate&” account of the Citizen Kane director&’s years as an expatriate and self-funded filmmaker (Los Angeles Times). At twenty-five, Orson Welles directed, co-wrote, and starred in Citizen Kane, widely considered the best film ever made. But Welles was such a revolutionary filmmaker that he found himself at odds with the Hollywood studio system, and his work was so far ahead of its time that he never regained the popular following he once enjoyed. Frustrated by Hollywood and falling victim to the postwar blacklist, Welles left for a long European exile. But he kept making films, functioning with the creative freedom of an independent filmmaker before that term became common and eventually preserving his independence by funding virtually all his own projects. Because he worked defiantly outside the system, Welles has often been maligned as an errant genius who squandered his early promise. Film critic Joseph McBride, who acted in Welles&’s unfinished film The Other Side of the Wind, challenges conventional wisdom about Welles&’s supposed creative decline in this first comprehensive examination of the films of Welles&’s artistically rich yet little-known later period. During the 1970s and &’80s, Welles was breaking new aesthetic ground, experimenting as adventurously as he had throughout his career. McBride&’s friendship and collaboration with Welles and his interviews with those who knew and worked with him make What Ever Happened to Orson Welles? a portrait of rare intimacy and insight. Reassessing Welles&’s final period in the context of his entire life and work, this revealing portrait of this great film artist will change the terms of how Orson Welles is regarded. &“[An] anecdote-illuminated account of Welles&’s later years.&” —The Washington Post &“Joseph McBride. . .has a clearer understanding of Welles and his films than almost anyone.&” —Martin Scorsese &“A definitive study.&” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What Falls Away: A Memoir
by Mia FarrowIn an exquisitely written memoir, Mia Farrow introduces us to the landscapes of her extraordinary life. Moving from her earliest memories of the walled gardens and rocky shores of western Ireland and her Hollywood childhood to her career as an actress, she writes of these experiences and her struggle to protect her children in a painful custody battle with Woody Allen. It was this crisis that led her to reflect upon the incidents that had brought her to a place so incomprehensible. Now, in What Falls Away, a memoir resonant not only in its honesty but also in its beautifully crafted prose, Mia Farrow speaks for the first time.She was born the third of seven children to the beautiful actress Maureen O'Sullivan and successful writer/director John Farrow, but the isolation of a polio ward brought her childhood to an abrupt end at the age of nine. Several years later, two deaths shattered the security of the family forever, and Mia Farrow embarked upon a journey that would lead her away from the convent education that was to sustain her spiritual courage, to starring roles in Peyton Place and Rosemary's Baby, a marriage to Frank Sinatra, divorce, a defining trip to India, work on the London stage and in film, and marriage to André Previn. Their life together in England brought them three sons and three daughters before that marriage, too, dissolved and she returned to the United States.The year 1979 saw the beginning of a new career with brilliant performances in thirteen of Woody Allen's most distinguished films.Told with grace and deep understanding, as well as humor, What Falls Away goes beneath the surface of this amazing life, with all its drama, success, and pain, and exposes the inner workings of a mind and spirit for whom truth, compassion, and faith are essential.Mia Farrow's story is ultimately one of hope and courage in the face of difficulty; of commitment to others--most important of whom are her children; and of spiritual strength. Readers will not easily forget this remarkable book, even long after the last page has been turned.
What Film Is Good For: On the Values of Spectatorship
by Julian Hanich and Martin P. RossouwFor well over a century, going to the movies has been a favorite pastime for billions across the globe. But is film actually good for anything? This volume brings together thirty-six scholars, critics, and filmmakers in search of an answer. Their responses range from the most personal to the most theoretical—and, together, recast current debates about film ethics. Movie watching here emerges as a wellspring of value, able to sustain countless visions of "the good life." Films, these authors affirm, make us reflect, connect, adapt; they evoke wonder and beauty; they challenge and transform. In a word, its varieties of value make film invaluable.
What Fresh Lunacy is This?: The Authorized Biography of Oliver Reed
by Robert SellersOliver Reed may not have been Britain's biggest film star - for a period in the early 70s he came within a hairsbreadth of replacing Sean Connery as James Bond - but he is an august member of that small band of people, like George Best and Eric Morecambe, who transcended their chosen medium, became too big for it even, and grew into cultural icons. For the first time Reed's close family has agreed to collaborate on a project about the man himself. The result is a fascinating new insight into a man seen by many as merely a brawling, boozing hellraiser. And yet he was so much more than this. For behind that image, which all too often he played up to in public, was a vastly complex individual, a man of deep passions and loyalty but also deep-rooted vulnerability and insecurities. Why was a proud, patriotic, intelligent, successful and erudite man so obsessed about proving himself to others, time and time again?Although the Reed myth is of Homeric proportions, he remains a national treasure and somewhat peculiar icon.