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A History of the Undead: Mummies, Vampires and Zombies
by Charlotte BoothA history of Western culture’s fascination with undead creatures in film and television.Are you a fan of the undead? Watch lots of mummy, zombie and vampire movies and TV shows? Have you ever wondered if they could be “real?”This book, A History of the Undead, unravels the truth behind these popular reanimated corpses.Starting with the common representations in Western media through the decades, we go back in time to find the origins of the myths. Using a combination of folklore, religion and archaeological studies we find out the reality behind the walking dead. You may be surprised at what you find . . .
A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture: Love at First Bite
by Violet FennAn exploration of the continuing appeal of vampires in cultural and social history. Our enduring love of vampires—the bad boys (and girls) of paranormal fantasy—has persisted for centuries. Despite being bloodthirsty, heartless killers, vampire stories commonly carry erotic overtones that are missing from other paranormal or horror stories. Even when monstrous teeth are sinking into pale, helpless throats—especially then—vampires are sexy. But why? In A History Of The Vampire In Popular Culture, author Violet Fenn takes the reader through the history of vampires in &“fact&” and fiction, their origins in mythology and literature, and their enduring appeal on TV and film. We&’ll delve into the sexuality--and sexism--of vampire lore, as well as how modern audiences still hunger for a pair of sharp fangs in the middle of the night.
A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length: More Movies That Suck
by Roger EbertMore of the Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic’s most scathing reviews.A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length collects more than 200 of his reviews from 2006 to 2012 in which he gave movies two stars or fewer. Known for his fair-minded and well-written film reviews, Roger is at his razor-sharp humorous best when skewering bad movies. Consider this opener for the one-star Your Highness:“Your Highness is a juvenile excrescence that feels like the work of 11-year-old boys in love with dungeons, dragons, warrior women, pot, boobs, and four-letter words. That this is the work of David Gordon Green beggars the imagination. One of its heroes wears the penis of a minotaur on a string around his neck. I hate it when that happens.”And finally, the inspiration for the title of this book, the one-star Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen:“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a doglike robot humping the leg of the heroine. If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.”Roger Ebert’s I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie and Your Movie Sucks, which gathered some of his most scathing reviews, were bestsellers. This collection continues the tradition, reviewing not only movies that were at the bottom of the barrel, but also movies that he found underneath the barrel. Movie buffs and humor lovers alike will relish this treasury of movies so bad that you may just want to see them for a good laugh!
A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length: More Movies That Suck
by Roger EbertMore of the Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic’s most scathing reviews.A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length collects more than 200 of his reviews from 2006 to 2012 in which he gave movies two stars or fewer. Known for his fair-minded and well-written film reviews, Roger is at his razor-sharp humorous best when skewering bad movies. Consider this opener for the one-star Your Highness:“Your Highness is a juvenile excrescence that feels like the work of 11-year-old boys in love with dungeons, dragons, warrior women, pot, boobs, and four-letter words. That this is the work of David Gordon Green beggars the imagination. One of its heroes wears the penis of a minotaur on a string around his neck. I hate it when that happens.”And finally, the inspiration for the title of this book, the one-star Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen:“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a doglike robot humping the leg of the heroine. If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.”Roger Ebert’s I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie and Your Movie Sucks, which gathered some of his most scathing reviews, were bestsellers. This collection continues the tradition, reviewing not only movies that were at the bottom of the barrel, but also movies that he found underneath the barrel. Movie buffs and humor lovers alike will relish this treasury of movies so bad that you may just want to see them for a good laugh!
A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli
by Mark GriffinIn this biography, Griffin, a writer and reviewer, traces the life and films of filmmaker Vincente Minelli (1903-1986), director of Meet Me in St. Louis, An American in Paris, and Gigi. Drawing from interviews with actors, colleagues, and friends (but neither of his daughters), Griffin recounts his childhood, unconventional upbringing, ambiguous sexuality, the autobiographical nature of his work, his work with famous actors, his many films, his family secrets, his marriages, including to Judy Garland, and his relationship with daughter Liza Minelli. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
A Kid's Guide to Fandom: Exploring Fan-Fic, Cosplay, Gaming, Podcasting, and More in the Geek World!
by Amy RatcliffeHelp young fans get in touch with their inner geeks with the ultimate guidebook for creating, sharing, and enjoying the world of fandom.Being a fan is a big deal. Whether it's comics, video games, podcasts, cosplay, books, films, or something else, there are so many ways to share and celebrate with the things that you love. So, it's high time for a guide to help young fans navigate the world of fandom and its many flourishing communities—from fan works to cosplay, gaming, podcasting, and more!Filled with history, trivia, tips and advice to getting started, and insight from creators and artists from across pop culture and specializing in a wide variety of mediums, A Kid's Guide to Fandom is the perfect geeky primer for young fans. Organized by type of fandom medium, each chapter offers a brief introduction, facts, history sidebars, and easy to digest information on how to:Create Fan Fic or Fan ArtDesign and Create a CosplayStart a PodcastDesign and Create Games (video games, tabletop, and other role playing games)Find and Create Supportive CommunitiesFind and Attend Conventions Plus, interviews with popular creatives like Alan Gratz, Erin Lefler, Jen Bartel, Daniel José Older, Rose Eveleth, Kat Kruger, Jordan Dené Ellis, Liz Crowder, and more.
A Kids Book About Imagination: Kids Are Ready (A Kids Book)
by LeVar BurtonA clear explanation of what the imagination is and the opportunities that come from the use of it. What is imagination? Most of us think of it as playing pretend or what happens when we&’re dreaming, but imagination takes us to worlds and galaxies beyond that. Imagination helps us travel between time, space, and reality. It gives us the power to dream up the world in our own vision and encourages us to think of not just what is, but what could be.Imagination is a superpower that unlocks endless possibilities, and all by asking one simple question: what if? This is one conversation that&’s never too early to start, and this book was written to be an introduction on the topic for kids.A Kids Book About Imagination features: - A large and bold, yet minimalist font design that allows kids freedom to imagine themselves in the words on the pages.- A friendly, approachable, yet empowering, kid-appropriate tone throughout.- An incredible and diverse group of authors in the series who are experts or have first-hand experience of the topic.Tackling important discourse together! The A Kids Book About series are best used when read together. Helping to kickstart challenging, empowering, and important conversations for kids and their grownups through beautiful and thought-provoking pages. The series supports an incredible and diverse group of authors, who are either experts in their field, or have first-hand experience on the topic. A Kids Co. is a new kind of media company enabling kids to explore big topics in a new and engaging way. With a growing series of books, podcasts and blogs, made to empower. Learn more about us online by searching for A Kids Co.
A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power
by Paul FischerBefore becoming the world's most notorious dictator, Kim Jong-Il ran North Korea's Ministry for Propaganda and its film studios. Conceiving every movie made, he acted as producer and screenwriter. Despite this control, he was underwhelmed by the available talent and took drastic steps, ordering the kidnapping of Choi Eun-Hee (Madam Choi)—South Korea's most famous actress—and her ex-husband Shin Sang-Ok, the country's most famous filmmaker.Madam Choi vanished first. When Shin went to Hong Kong to investigate, he was attacked and woke up wrapped in plastic sheeting aboard a ship bound for North Korea. Madam Choi lived in isolated luxury, allowed only to attend the Dear Leader's dinner parties. Shin, meanwhile, tried to escape, was sent to prison camp, and "re-educated." After four years he cracked, pledging loyalty. Reunited with Choi at the first party he attends, it is announced that the couple will remarry and act as the Dear Leader's film advisors. Together they made seven films, in the process gaining Kim Jong-Il's trust. While pretending to research a film in Vienna, they flee to the U.S. embassy and are swept to safety.A nonfiction thriller packed with tension, passion, and politics, author Paul Fischer's A Kim Jong-Il Production offers a rare glimpse into a secretive world, illuminating a fascinating chapter of North Korea's history that helps explain how it became the hermetically sealed, intensely stage-managed country it remains today.
A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander
by Jonathan MelvilleA behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic 1986 fantasy action-adventure film, featuring insights from the cast and crew.The story of an immortal Scottish warrior battling evil down through the centuries, Highlander fused a high-concept idea with the kinetic energy of a pop promo pioneer and Queen’s explosive soundtrack to become a cult classic.When two American producers took a chance on a college student’s script, they set in motion a chain of events involving an imploding British film studio, an experimental music video director still finding his filmmaking feet, a former James Bond with a spiralling salary, and the unexpected arrival of low-budget production company, Cannon Films.Author Jonathan Melville looks back at the creation of Highlander with the help of more than 60 cast and crew, including stars Christopher Lambert and Clancy Brown, as they talk candidly about the gruelling shoot that took them from the back alleys of London, to the far reaches of the Scottish Highlands, and onto the mean streets of 1980s New York City.With insights from Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor on the film’s iconic music, exclusive screenwriter commentary on unmade scripts, never-before-seen photos from private collections, and a glimpse into the promotional campaign that never was, if there can be only one book on Highlander then this is it!“A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander tracks down an astonishing number of the film's cast and crew to give an unparalleled account of its creation . . . if you’re one of the film’s many fans this is the perfect companion.” —The Courier, Book of the Week, 9/10As well as being the story of the Highlander film itself, it’s a fascinating look at the film-making process . . . Jonathan Melville’s A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander is an absolute joy to read and an absolutely essential purchase for any Highlander fan.” —We Are Cult
A Kiss Goodnight (Disney Editions Deluxe)
by Richard M. ShermanA beautifully illustrated storybook showcasing the lyrics to A Kiss Goodnight, written by Richard Sherman and heard every night at Walt Disney World and Disneyland during the fireworks shows.
A Knight at the Movies: Medieval History on Film
by John AberthImagining the Middle Ages is an unprecedented examination of the historical content of films depicting the medieval period from the 11th to the 15th centuries. Historians increasingly feel the need to weigh in on popular depictions of the past, since so much of the public's knowledge of history comes from popular mediums. Aberth dissects how each film interpreted the period, offering estimations of the historical accuracy of the works and demonstrating how they project their own contemporary era's obsessions and fears onto the past.
A Korean Approach to Actor Training
by Jeungsook YooA Korean Approach to Actor Training develops a vital, intercultural method of performer training, introducing Korean and more broadly East Asian discourses into contemporary training and acting practice. This volume examines the psychophysical nature of a performer’s creative process, applying Dahnhak, a form of Korean meditation, and its central principle of ki-energy, to the processes and dramaturgies of acting. A practitioner as well as a scholar, Jeungsook Yoo draws upon her own experiences of training and performing, addressing productions including Bald Soprano (2004), Water Station (2004) and Playing ‘The Maids’ (2013–2015). A significant contribution to contemporary acting theory, A Korean Approach to Actor Training provides a fresh outlook on performer training which will be invaluable to scholars and practitioners alike.
A Ladybird Book About Donald Trump (Ladybirds for Grown-Ups)
by Joel Morris Jason HazeleyAs we prepare to wave the President out of the White House, commemorate the past four years with this charming introduction to his very important life and his many, many friends - the perfect stocking filler this Christmas._________'When Donald won the election, he did not believe it."This election was a bad, unfair election," said Donald, about the election that he won.One day, Donald might lose an election. He will not like that election at all.And when Donald is told it is time to stop being the President, who knows what exciting things will happen next?'_________'Anyone can grow up to become the President.Or they can become President first and think about growing up later.'_________This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them.Something the President himself could do with.The large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope.Featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside brilliantly funny, brand new text.Praise for The Story of Brexit:'Hilarious' Stylist'One of the Best Comedy Books of 2018' The List'The latest offering in the hilarious Ladybird for Grown Ups series is a funny mickey-take of the Brexit debate (and boy, do we need some fun)' Sunday Post
A Level Film Studies: The Essential Introduction (Essentials)
by John White Freddie Gaffney Sarah Casey BenyahiaThis essential book covers the key areas for A Level Film Studies students, building confidence through a careful, step-by-step approach. The first part of the book establishes a basic understanding of the grounding of film analysis in the various elements of film construction, mise en scène, cinematography, editing, sound and performance, developing the knowledge students have of movies whilst challenging them to consider new films and ideas. Key theoretical approaches around narrative, genre, representation, spectatorship and authorship are introduced in part two, before we consider specific national cinemas from around the world in parts three and four. In part five, the book assesses a range of slightly different film experiences, looking at silent cinema, experimental films and documentaries; before, finally, part six shifts to evaluating creative approaches to students’ own filmmaking. Specifically designed to be user-friendly, the book has an easy-to-follow design, includes more than sixty colour images and is packed with features such as: 1. case studies on a range of films and filmmakers, 2. activities on such films as Sunrise (Murnau, 1927, US), Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958, US), Do the Right Thing (Lee, 1989, US), We Need to Talk About Kevin (Ramsay, 2011, UK), Stories We Tell (Polley, 2012, Can), 3. definitions of key terms, 4. suggestions for further reading and website resources. Matched to the current exam specification, A Level Film Studies: The Essential Introduction covers everything students need to study as part of the course. The book is supported by a companion website at www.alevelfilmstudies.co.uk offering further advice and activities.
A Level Film Studies: The Essential Introduction (Essentials)
by John White Sarah Casey BenyahiaBuilding confidence through a careful, step-by-step approach, this book is an essential companion for students undertaking A Level Film Studies.This book begins by establishing a basic understanding of film analysis, introducing film construction, mise en scène, cinematography, editing, sound, and performance. Key theoretical approaches to narrative, genre, representation, spectatorship, and authorship are then introduced, along with specific national cinemas from around the world. Next, students consider the unique experiences of silent cinema, experimental films, and documentaries. Finally, the focus shifts to evaluating creative approaches to students’ own filmmaking.Thoroughly revised and updated to match exam specifications for both Eduqas and OCR, the fourth edition of this essential textbook features: Case studies and activities relating to a number of films, including those new to the syllabus such as Get Out, Cléo from 5 to 7, and Belfast, each clearly signposted to the relevant board and specification Fully integrated online resources, cross-referenced within the text, to help students and instructors dive deeper into case studies and exam prep Even more chapter summaries and breakout boxes containing definitions of key terms, theories, and theorists throughout. Designed to be comprehensive and easy-to-use, A Level Film Studies: The Essential Introduction covers everything students need to succeed in their exams as well as inspiring further study.This book is supported by e-resources for students and instructors, including additional case studies, revision checklists, and key approaches to assessment.
A Life Worth Living: Acting, Activism and Everything Else
by Tommy Jessop'I can't recommend it highly enough' STEPHEN FRY | 'Everyone needs to hear his voice' MARK HADDONI'm a man on a mission to show that life with Down syndrome can be exciting and is worth living, so that other people understand and give us the chance to live life to the full and to be fulfilled. Tommy Jessop is a multi-award winning actor, theatre performer, and campaigner. Tommy has been at the vanguard of bringing awareness of the potential of people living with Down syndrome to the media, and to government. A Life Worth Living will be Tommy's story - from his journey into acting and campaigning while showing his unstoppable determination, charisma, and love for life. Tommy's natural instinct to help others leaps out from the pages, as does his wish to make people aware that those with learning disabilities just want to be treated like everybody else.
A Life Worth Living: Acting, Activism and Everything Else
by Tommy Jessop'I can't recommend it highly enough' STEPHEN FRY | 'Everyone needs to hear his voice' MARK HADDONI'm a man on a mission to show that life with Down syndrome can be exciting and is worth living, so that other people understand and give us the chance to live life to the full and to be fulfilled. Tommy Jessop is a multi-award winning actor, theatre performer, and campaigner. Tommy has been at the vanguard of bringing awareness of the potential of people living with Down syndrome to the media, and to government. A Life Worth Living will be Tommy's story - from his journey into acting and campaigning while showing his unstoppable determination, charisma, and love for life. Tommy's natural instinct to help others leaps out from the pages, as does his wish to make people aware that those with learning disabilities just want to be treated like everybody else.
A Life Worth Living: Acting, Activism and Everything Else
by Tommy JessopA powerful, moving and joyous memoir from Tommy Jessop, award-winning actor and activist.I'm a man on a mission to show that life with Down Syndrome can be exciting and is worth living, so that other people understand and give us the chance to live life to the full and to be fulfilled. Tommy Jessop is a multi-award winning actor, theatre performer, and campaigner. Tommy has been at the vanguard of bringing awareness of the potential of people living with Down syndrome to the media, and to government. A Life Worth Living will be Tommy's story - from his journey into acting and campaigning while showing his unstoppable determination, charisma, and love for life. Tommy's natural instinct to help others leaps out from the pages, as does his wish to make people aware that those with learning disabilities just want to be treated like everybody else. A Life Worth Living is a powerful, moving and joyous memoir, a must-listen. (P) Headline Publishing Group Ltd 2023
A Life in Movies: Stories from 50 years in Hollywood
by Irwin Winkler“A lively memoir . . . a first-hand work of cinema history . . . the testament of a pivotal figure in American moviemaking.” —Martin ScorseseThe list of films Irwin Winkler has produced in his more-than-fifty-year career is extraordinary: Rocky, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, De-Lovely, The Right Stuff, Creed, and The Irishman. His films have been nominated for fifty-two Academy Awards, including five movies for Best Picture, and have won twelve.In A Life in Movies, his charming and insightful memoir, Winkler tells the stories of his career through his many films as a producer and then as a writer and director, charting the changes in Hollywood over the past decades. Winkler started in the famous William Morris mailroom and made his first film—starring Elvis—in the last days of the old studio system. Beginning in the late 1960s, and then for decades to come, he produced a string of provocative and influential films, making him one of the most critically lauded, prolific, and commercially successful producers of his era.This is an engrossing and candid book, a beguiling exploration of what it means to be a producer, including purchasing rights, developing scripts, casting actors, managing directors, editing film, and winning awards. Filled with tales of legendary and beloved films, as well as some not-so-legendary and forgotten ones, A Life in Movies takes readers behind the scenes and into the history of Hollywood.“Charming and anecdote packed . . . popcorn for movie nerds.” —Newsweek“A deftly written recollection of an eventful and happy life in a precarious and, frankly, insane business; a remarkably clear-eyed look behind the scenes of moviemaking.” —Kevin Kline
A Life in Parts
by Bryan Cranston'Bryan Cranston has created a cinematic record of how an actor shapes a career and an identity and a legacy all at the same time' Tom Hanks'A superb anecdotalist with an honest take on how he dealt with fame found later in life' SUNDAY TIMES CULTUREWith BREAKING BAD, Bryan Cranston created moments that had the world on the edge of their seats and coined catchphrases that became famous all over the globe. Now, at last, we can learn of the man behind one of TV's most successful programmes ever. Bryan Cranston's profile has skyrocketed, due to his portrayal of chemistry teacher turned drug manufacturer Walter White, for five seasons in the award-winning BREAKING BAD.For the first time readers can discover how he beat off competition from Matthew Broderick and Steve Zahn for the role, to stories about the cast and life after Walter. Told with honesty and intrigue this will be Bryan's first - and - definitive autobiography. It is the ultimate book for the fans of BREAKING BAD.
A Life in Parts
by Bryan Cranston<P>A poignant, intimate, funny, inspiring memoir--both a coming-of-age story and a meditation on creativity, devotion, and craft--from Bryan Cranston, beloved and acclaimed star of one of history's most successful TV shows, Breaking Bad.Bryan Cranston landed his first role at seven, when his father cast him in a United Way commercial. Acting was clearly the boy's destiny, until one day his father disappeared. Destiny suddenly took a backseat to survival. <P>Now, in his riveting memoir, Cranston maps his zigzag journey from abandoned son to beloved star by recalling the many odd parts he's played in real life--paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, lover, husband, father. Cranston also chronicles his evolution on camera, from soap opera player trying to master the rules of show business to legendary character actor turning in classic performances as Seinfeld dentist Tim Whatley, "a sadist with newer magazines," and Malcolm in the Middle dad Hal Wilkerson, a lovable bumbler in tighty-whities. He also gives an inspiring account of how he prepared, physically and mentally, for the challenging role of President Lyndon Johnson, a tour de force that won him a Tony to go along with his four Emmys. <P>Of course, Cranston dives deep into the grittiest details of his greatest role, explaining how he searched inward for the personal darkness that would help him create one of the most memorable performances ever captured on screen: Walter White, chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin. Discussing his life as few men do, describing his art as few actors can, Cranston has much to say about creativity, devotion, and craft, as well as innate talent and its challenges and benefits and proper maintenance. But ultimately A Life in Parts is a story about the joy, the necessity, and the transformative power of simple hard work. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
A Life in Parts
by Bryan Cranston'Bryan Cranston has created a cinematic record of how an actor shapes a career and an identity and a legacy all at the same time' Tom Hanks'A superb anecdotalist with an honest take on how he dealt with fame found later in life' SUNDAY TIMES CULTUREA poignant, intimate, funny, inspiring memoir - both a coming-of-age story and a meditation on creativity, devotion, and craft - from Bryan Cranston, beloved and acclaimed star of one of history's most successful TV shows, Breaking Bad.Bryan Cranston landed his first role at seven, when his father cast him in a United Way commercial. Acting was clearly the boy's destiny, until one day his father disappeared. Destiny suddenly took a backseat to survival.Now, in his riveting memoir, Cranston maps his zigzag journey from abandoned son to beloved star by recalling the many odd parts he's played in real life - paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, lover, husband, father. Cranston also chronicles his evolution on camera, from soap opera player trying to master the rules of show business to legendary character actor turning in classic performances as Seinfeld dentist Tim Whatley, "a sadist with newer magazines," and Malcolm in the Middle dad Hal Wilkerson, a lovable bumbler in tighty-whities. He also gives an inspiring account of how he prepared, physically and mentally, for the challenging role of President Lyndon Johnson, a tour de force that won him a Tony to go along with his four Emmys.Of course, Cranston dives deep into the grittiest details of his greatest role, explaining how he searched inward for the personal darkness that would help him create one of the most memorable performances ever captured on screen: Walter White, chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin.Discussing his life as few men do, describing his art as few actors can, Cranston has much to say about creativity, devotion, and craft, as well as innate talent and its challenges and benefits and proper maintenance. But ultimately A Life in Parts is a story about the joy, the necessity, and the transformative power of simple hard work.(p) 2016 Simon & Schuster
A Life of Barbara Stanwyck
by Victoria WilsonFifteen years in the making, the first volume of the full-scale astonishing life of one of our greatest screen actresses whose career in pictures spanned four decades beginning with the coming of sound--the first to delve deeply into Stanwyck's rich, complex life and to explore her extraordinary range of eighty-eight motion pictures, many of them iconic; her work, her world, her Hollywood through an American century.Frank Capra called her, "The greatest emotional actress the screen has yet known." Yet she was one of its most natural, timeless, and underrated stars. Now Victoria Wilson, gives us the most complete portrait we have yet had, or will have, of this magnificent actresses, seen as the quintessential Brooklyn girl whose family was in fact of old New England stock...her years in New York as dancer and Broadway star...her fraught marriage to Frank Fay, Broadway genius, who influenced a generation of actors and comedians (among them, Jack Benny and Stanwyck herself)...the adoption of a son, embattled from the outset; her partnership with the "unfunny" Marx brother, Zeppo, together creating one of the finest horse breeding farms in the west; her fairytale romance and marriage to the younger Robert Taylor, America's most sought-after male star...Here is the shaping of her career working with many of Hollywood's most important directors: among them, Capra, King Vidor, Cecil B. Demille, Preston Sturges, all set against the times--the Depression, the rise of the unions, the coming of World War II and a fast-evolving coming-of-age motion picture industry. At the heart of the book, Stanwyck herself--her strengths, her fears, her desires--how she made use of the darkness in her soul, keeping it at bay in her private life, transforming herself from shunned outsider into one of Hollywood's--and America's--most revered screen actresses. Written with full access to Stanwyck's family, friends, colleagues, and never-before-seen letters, journals and photographs.
A Life of Barbara Stanwyck
by Victoria WilsonFrank Capra called her "The greatest emotional actress the screen has yet known." She was one of its most natural, timeless, and underrated stars. Now, Victoria Wilson gives us the first full-scale life of Barbara Stanwyck, whose astonishing career in movies (eighty-eight in all) spanned four decades beginning with the coming of sound, and lasted in television from its infancy in the 1950s through the 1980s--a book that delves deeply into her rich, complex life and explores her extraordinary range of motion pictures, many of them iconic. Here is her work, her world, her Hollywood. We see the quintessential Brooklyn girl whose family was in fact of old New England stock . . . her years in New York as a dancer and Broadway star . . . her fraught marriage to Frank Fay, Broadway genius, who influenced a generation of actors and comedians (among them, Jack Benny and Stanwyck herself ) . . . the adoption of a son, embattled from the outset; her partnership with the "unfunny" Marx brother, Zeppo, crucial in shaping the direction of her work, and who, together with his wife, formed a trio that created one of the finest horse-breeding farms in the west; her fairy-tale romance and marriage to the younger Robert Taylor, America's most sought-after-- and beautiful--male star. Here is the shaping of her career with many of Hollywood's most important directors: among them, Frank Capra, "Wild Bill" William Wellman ("When you get beauty and brains together," he said, "there's no stopping the lucky girl who possesses them. The best example I can think of is Barbara"), King Vidor, Cecil B. De Mille, and Preston Sturges, all set against the times--the Depression, the New Deal, the rise of the unions, the advent of World War II--and a fast-changing, coming-of-age motion picture industry. And here is Stanwyck's evolution as an actress in the pictures she made from 1929 through the summer of 1940, where Volume One ends--from her first starring movie, The Locked Door ("An all-time low," she said. "By then I was certain that Hollywood and I had nothing in common"); and Ladies of Leisure, the first of her six-picture collaboration with Frank Capra ("He sensed things that you were trying to keep hidden from people. He knew. He just knew"), to the scorching Baby Face, and the height of her screen perfection, beginning with Stella Dallas ("I was scared to death all the time we were making the picture"), from Clifford Odets's Golden Boy and the epic Union Pacific to the first of her collaborations with Preston Sturges, who wrote Remember the Night, in which she starred. And at the heart of the book, Stanwyck herself--her strengths, her fears, her frailties, her losses and desires; how she made use of the darkness in her soul in her work and kept it at bay in her private life, and finally, her transformation from shunned outsider to one of Hollywood's--and America's--most revered screen actresses. Writing with the full cooperation of Stanwyck's family and friends, and drawing on more than two hundred interviews with actors, directors, cameramen, screenwriters, costume designers, et al., as well as making use of letters, journals, and private papers, Victoria Wilson has brought this complex artist brilliantly alive. Her book is a revelation of the actor's life and work.
A Life with Ghosts: True, Terrifying, and Insightful Tales from My Favorite Haunts
by Steve GonsalvesThe official memoir from paranormal investigator and Ghost Hunters TV star Steve Gonsalves!Widely known as a lead investigator on the smash-hit TV series Ghost Hunters as well as Ghost Hunters Academy and the ratings king, Ghost Nation, Steve Gonsalves—already considered to be one of the top paranormal investigators in the world and a pioneer in the industry—showcases a collection of his most meaningful paranormal encounters from some of his favorite haunted locations. Along with the compelling history of each site, Steve recounts his terrifying experiences with disembodied voices, haunting EVPs, mysterious dark masses, and other unexplained phenomena—in addition to what he learned about living through a life with ghosts. His beliefs and theories on the craft of paranormal investigation are told through heartwarming, hilarious, and profound stories, reflecting the fun-loving personality that has garnered him millions of fans. Filled with facts and anecdotes to add an extra level of insight—all intricately woven together to create the perfect balance of unique information and spooky fun—this is the ultimate book for paranormal enthusiasts, history buffs, and horror fans.