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Cary Grant: A Biography
by Marc Eliot"Everybody wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant." --Cary Grant. He is Hollywood's most fascinating and timeless star. Although he came to personify the debonair American, Cary Grant was born Archibald Leach on January 18, 1904, in the seaport village of Bristol, England. Combining the captivating beauty of silent-screen legend Rudolph Valentino with the masculine irresistibility of Clark Gable, Grant emerged as Hollywood's quintessential leading man. Today, "the man from dream city," as critic Pauline Kael once described him, remains forever young, an icon of quick wit, romantic charm, and urbane sophistication, the epitome of male physical perfection. Yet beneath this idealized movie image was a conflicted man struggling to balance fame with a desire for an intensely private life separate from the "Cary Grant" persona celebrated by directors and movie studios. Exploring Grant's troubled childhood, ambiguous sexuality, and lifelong insecurities as well as the magical amalgam of characteristics that allowed him to remain Hollywood's favorite romantic lead for more than thirty-five years, Cary Grant is the definitive examination of every aspect of Grant's professional and private life, and the first to reveal the man behind the movie star. Working with the most talented directors of his time, Grant starred in an astonishing seventy-two films, ranging from his groundbreaking comedic roles in such classics as Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks) and The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor) to the darker, unforgettable characters of Alfred Hitchcock's Suspicion and Notorious, culminating in the consummate sophisticates of An Affair to Remember (Leo McCarey), North by Northwest (Hitchcock), and Charade (Stanley Donen). The camera loved Grant, and his magnetism helped illuminate his leading ladies, some of the most glamorous women ever to grace the silver screen: Mae West, Irene Dunne, Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, and Sophia Loren, among others. Yet, because of his pioneering role as an independent player, Grant was repeatedly denied the Oscar he coveted--a snub from the Academy that would last until 1970, when he graciously accepted a special lifetime achievement award. Grant's sparkling image on-screen hid a tumultuous personal life that he tried desperately to keep out of the public eye, including his controversial eleven-year relationship with Randolph Scott, five marriages, and numerous affairs. Rigorously researched and elegantly written,Cary Grant: A Biography is a complete, nuanced portrait of the greatest Hollywood star in cinema history.
Caught in the Web: Dreaming up the World of Spider-Man 2
by Mark Cotta VazTheSpider-Man 2Dream Machine—from original idea to final cut— unmasking the creative genius at work in the blockbuster movie The epic adventure of one of the greatest superheroes of all time explodes on the silver screen as never before. Now, in this captivating journey behind the scenes and into the imagination, fans can discover how the myth and magic became real inSpider-Man 2, as they plunge deeper into Spider-Man’s world to meet the characters, explore the environments, and follow the storyline in a stunning visual journey. Packed with hundreds of amazing production illustrations, prepared by many of the most talented illustrators in Hollywood,Caught in the Webfeatures • Original sketches, artwork, and doodles that became the inspirations for characters, sets, and computer–generated imagery • Climactic scenes from the movie as they first appeared in conceptual art • Design work used to develop costumes and visual effects—as well as blueprints and architectural drafts used in the construction of both physical and virtual environments • Unique insights into the genesis of Doc Ock—revealing how he evolved from his comic-book origins • An intimate behind-the-scenes look at the full creative process forSpider-Man 2 Enter the amazing realm where dreams come true and discover how the epic adventure was created as you immerse yourself in the action and atmosphere ofSpider-Man 2, from the first rough sketches to the final on-screen adventure. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood
by Robert S. Birchard" ""Far and away the best film book published so far this year.""--National Board of Review Cecil B. DeMille was the most successful filmmaker in early Hollywood history. Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood is a detailed and definitive chronicle of the screen work that changed the course of film history and a fascinating look at how movies were actually made in Hollywood's Golden Age. Drawing extensively on DeMille's personal archives and other primary sources, Robert S. Birchard offers a revealing portrait of DeMille the filmmaker that goes behind studio gates and beyond DeMille's legendary persona. In his forty-five-year career DeMille's box-office record was unsurpassed, and his swaggering style established the public image for movie directors. DeMille had a profound impact on the way movies tell stories and brought greater attention to the elements of decor, lighting, and cinematography. Best remembered today for screen spectacles such as The Ten Commandments and Samson and Delilah, DeMille also created Westerns, realistic "chamber dramas," and a series of daring and highly influential social comedies. He set the standard for Hollywood filmmakers and demanded absolute devotion to his creative vision from his writers, artists, actors, and technicians.
The Cheetah Girls Movie
by Jasmine JonesJoin the Cheetah Girls with this exciting junior novel based on the Disney Channel Original Movie!
Children's Learning From Educational Television: Sesame Street and Beyond
by Shalom M. FischAt its best, educational television can provide children with enormous opportunities and can serve as a window to new experiences, enrich academic knowledge, enhance attitudes and motivation, and nurture social skills. This volume documents the impact of educational television in a variety of subject areas and proposes mechanisms to explain its effects. Drawing from a wide variety of research spanning several disciplines, author Shalom M. Fisch analyzes the literature on the impact of educational resources. He focuses on television programs designed for children rather than for adults, although adult literature is included when it is particularly relevant. In addition, much of the discussion concerns the effects of unaided viewing by children, rather than viewing in the context of adult-led follow-up activities. The role of parent-child co-viewing and issues relevant to the use of television in school or child care also receives consideration. This volume is intended to make the disparate literature on educational television's impact more accessible, by bringing it together into a centralized resource. To that end, the volume draws together empirical data on the impact of educational television programs--both academic and prosocial--on children's knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior. In addition to its emphasis on positive effects, this volume addresses a gap in the existing research literature regarding children's learning from exposure to educational television. Acknowledging that little theoretical work has been done to explain why or how these effects occur, Fisch takes a step toward correcting this situation by proposing theoretical models to explore aspects of the mental processing that underlies children's learning from educational television. With its unique perspective on children's educational television and comprehensive approach to studying the topic, this volume is required reading for scholars, researchers, and students working in the area of children and television. It offers crucial insights to scholars in developmental psychology, family studies, educational psychology, and related areas.
Children's Responses to the Screen: A Media Psychological Approach (Routledge Communication Series)
by Patti M. ValkenburgThe past several decades have witnessed thousands of studies into children and the media. Yet, much academic research is still in its infancy when it comes to our knowledge about the uses, preferences, and effects of different media. This distinctive volume moves the field forward in this regard, with its insights into the latest theories and research on children and the media. Author Patti M. Valkenburg explores "screen" media (i.e., television, films, video and computer games, and the Internet), and focuses her study on the most fundamental topics in the study of children and the media. In each chapter, Valkenburg examines an essential topic on children and the media: the effect of media violence, children's emotional reactions to news and entertainment, the intended and unintended effects of advertising, and the uses and effects of computer games and the Internet. She has structured the chapters to provide an overview of existing theories and research on a particular topic, and supplements the work of others with her own ground-breaking research findings. She provides a careful and even-handed treatment of research in children's media, and includes current and noteworthy studies. As a resource for study in children and media and media psychology, this volume provides a timely and thorough examination of the state of theory and research. It will serve as a valuable reference for scholars and as an engaging text for advanced students.
Chinese National Cinema (National Cinemas #20)
by Yingjin ZhangThis introduction to Chinese national cinema covers three 'Chinas': mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Historical and comparative perspectives bring out the parallel developments in these three Chinas, while critical analysis explores thematic and stylistic changes over time. As well as exploring artistic achievements and ideological debates, Yingjin Zhang examines how - despite the pressures placed on the industry from state control and rigid censorship - Chinese national cinema remains incapable of projecting a single unified picture, but rather portrays many different Chinas.
Choctaw Tales
by Tom MouldIncluding stories from the 1700s to today, Choctaw Tales showcases the mythic, the legendary and supernatural, the prophecies and histories, the animal fables and jokes that make up the rich and lively Choctaw storytelling tradition. The stories display intelligence, artistry, and creativity as Choctaw narrators, past and present, express and struggle with beliefs, values, humor, and life experiences. Photographs of the storytellers complement the text. For sixteen tales, the Choctaw-language version appears in addition to the English translation. Many of these stories, passed down through generations, address the Choctaw sense of isolation and tension as storytellers confront eternal, historical, and personal questions about the world and its inhabitants. Choctaw Tales, the first book to collect these stories, creates a comprehensive gathering of oral traditions from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Each story brings to life the complex and colorful world of the Choctaw tribe and its legend and lore. The shukha anumpa include tall tales, jokes, and stories of rabbits, turtles, and bears. The stories of the elders are populated by spirits that bring warnings and messages to the people. These tales provide a spectrum of legend and a glimpse of a vibrant, thriving legacy.
The Choice: Global Domination or Global Leadership
by Zbigniew BrzezinskiAmerican power and a pervasive globalization are the central realities of today's world, and the source of its thorniest dilemmas. Yet while America's unprecedented might should be the source of global security, Americans today feel less secure than ever. Globalization promotes American dominance even as it breeds anti-American resentment. In The Choice, former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski addresses the historic choice facing America at this very moment: Will it strive to dominate the world, or lead it? Reminding us that American dominance should not be confused with omnipotence, Brzezinski shows how America's well-being and the world's are entwined, and that America must find a way to be both guarantor of global security and promoter of the global common good. "When it comes to what might be called the 'philosophy' of foreign policy-the relationship of U. S. power and policy to broader historical and cultural trends-no statesman of Brzezinski's generation is in his league. . . . A tour d'horizon of U. S. foreign policy [that] discusses the inevitable contradictions and tensions that enmesh a democratic society that is also a global hegemon, criticizes the Bush administration, and articulates his own vision of the way forward-all in a little over 200 pages. Even those who do not accept Brzezinski's critique of the Bush administration will admire the sagacity of his views; for Democrats attempting to assemble a serious and thoughtful alternative to Bush's foreign policy, The Choice is indispensable. "-Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs
Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore
by Albert MudrianThis exciting history, featuring an introduction by famed DJ John Peel, tells the two-decade-long history of grindcore and death metal through the eyes and ringing ears of the artists, producers, and label owners who propelled them.
The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski: Variations on Destiny and Chance (Directors' Cuts)
by Marek HaltofSince his death in 1996, Krzysztof Kieslowski has remained the best-known contemporary Polish filmmaker and one of the most popular and respected European directors, internationally renowned for his ambitious Decalogue and Three Colors trilogy. In this new addition to the Directors'Cuts series, Marek Haltof provides a comprehensive study of Kieslowski's cinema, discussing industrial practices in Poland and stressing that the director did not fit the traditional image of a "great" East-Central European auteur. He draws a fascinating portrait of the stridently independent director's work, noting that Kieslowski was not afraid to express unpopular views in film or in life. Haltof also shows how the director's work remains unique in the context of Polish documentary and narrative cinema.
The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski: Variations on Destiny and Chance
by Marek HaltofSince his death in 1996, Krzysztof Kieslowski has remained the best-known contemporary Polish filmmaker and one of the most popular and respected European directors, internationally renowned for his ambitious Decalogue and Three Colors trilogy. In this new addition to the Directors'Cuts series, Marek Haltof provides a comprehensive study of Kieslowski's cinema, discussing industrial practices in Poland and stressing that the director did not fit the traditional image of a "great" East-Central European auteur. He draws a fascinating portrait of the stridently independent director's work, noting that Kieslowski was not afraid to express unpopular views in film or in life. Haltof also shows how the director's work remains unique in the context of Polish documentary and narrative cinema.
Cinematherapy Goes to the Oscars
by Nancy Peske Beverly WestGet ready for some of the best movie medicine ever made. The smash hit women's film guide Cinematherapy taught women that comfort, self-acceptance, inspiration, and humor were no farther away than the video store - and inspired the daily prime-time show on the WE Network (Women's Entertainment). Now the authors are back with a Cinematherapy take on the Oscar canon and how these award-winning films serve not only as a celluloid pharmacy but also as a window into ourselves, our relationships, and our times. Starting with the present and working backward by decade, Cinematherapy Goes to the Oscars uncovers the grand themes of each decade's award-winning films, from the Father Issue films of the seventies, with their ambiguous father figures (Patton, Kramer vs. Kramer) to bad girls acting out for disapproving fathers' love (Klute, Cabaret), to the Unsung Hero films of the fifties (On the Waterfront, The African Queen). Along the way there is great dish on who wore what on the Red Carpet, who said what in their acceptance speeches, and party tips for throwing a four-star Oscar bash, as well as returning popular sidebars like the Handy Hunk Chart. As the first female take on these sacred cows of the Silver Screen, focusing on the moments, messages, leading ladies, and supporting men that matter to us most, Cinematherapy Goes to the Oscars is the ultimate indulgence for every woman ready to curl up and take charge of her own remote control.
Climbing Higher
by Montel Williams Lawrence GrobelIn 1999, after almost twenty years of mysterious symptoms that he tried to ignore, Montel Williams, a decorated former naval intelligence officer and Emmy Award-winning talk show host, was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Like others suffering from the devastating and often disabling disease, which attacks the central nervous system, Montel was struck with denial, fear, depression, and anger. Yet somehow he emerged with a fierce determination not to be beaten down by MS, and to live the most vital and productive life possible while becoming a dedicated spokesperson and fundraiser for the disease. Montel Williams's Climbing Higher is a penetrating and insightful look at a remarkable man, his extraordinary career, and the tumultuous life that graced him with hard-won courage and wisdom. Now he shares that wisdom in this powerful, searing book on the divergent roads a life can take and recounts how he rose to meet the painful challenges he has faced. In addition, with the help of a team of leading doctors, Montel offers up-to-the-minute information on new MS research and invaluable guidance for managing MS. Deeply personal and sure to be controversial, Climbing Higher is as honest, inspiring, and motivating as its author.
Closely Watched Films: An Introduction to the Art of Narrative Film Technique
by Marilyn FabeHow do films work? How do they tell a story? How do they move us and make us think? Through detailed examinations of passages from classic films, Marilyn Fabe supplies the analytic tools and background in film history and theory to enable us to see more in every film we watch. Ranging from D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, and ending with an epilogue on digital media, Closely Watched Films focuses on exemplary works of fourteen film directors whose careers together span the history of the narrative film. Lively and down-to-earth, this concise introduction provides a broad, complete, and yet specific picture of visual narrative techniques that will increase readers' excitement about and knowledge of the possibilities of the film medium. Shot-by-shot analyses of short passages from each film ground theory in concrete examples. Fabe includes original and well-informed discussions of Soviet montage, realism and expressionism in film form, classical and modern sound theory, the classic Hollywood film, Italian neorealism, the French New Wave, auteur theory, modernism and postmodernism in film, political cinema, feminist film theory and practice, and narrative experiments in new digital media. Encompassing the earliest silent films as well as those that exploit the most recent technological innovations, this book gives us the particulars of how film--arguably the most influential of contemporary forms of representation--constitutes our pleasure, influences our thoughts, and informs our daily reality.
Closely Watched Films: An Introduction to the Art of Narrative Film Technique
by Marilyn FabeThrough detailed examinations of passages from classic films, Marilyn Fabe supplies the analytic tools and background in film history and theory to enable us to see more in every film we watch. This concise introduction provides a broad, complete, and yet specific picture of visual narrative techniques that will increase readers' excitement about and knowledge of the possibilities of the film medium.
Coast To Coast: A Family Romance
by Ellen R. Sasahara Nora JohnsonNora Johnson was a young child when her parents' marriage collapsed. Her father, Nunnally Johnson, the writer, producer, or director of many acclaimed movies, such as The Grapes of Wrath and The Dirty Dozen, remained in California, where he would continue to be a major Hollywood presence for more than three decades. Nora's mother, Marion, a beautiful but unsettled woman, took her to New York to start a new life -- one surrounded by her mother's lovers and eccentric literary friends instead of movie stars ...
Coming Attractions: Reading American Movie Trailers
by Lisa KernanStarting from the premise that movie trailers can be considered a film genre, this pioneering book explores the genre's conventions and offers a primer for reading the rhetoric of movie trailers. Lisa Kernan identifies three principal rhetorical strategies that structure trailers: appeals to audience interest in film genres, stories, and/or stars. She also analyzes the trailers for twenty-seven popular Hollywood films from the classical, transitional, and contemporary eras, exploring what the rhetorical appeals within these trailers reveal about Hollywood's changing conceptions of the moviegoing audience. Kernan argues that movie trailers constitute a long-standing hybrid of advertising and cinema and, as such, are precursors to today's heavily commercialized cultural forms in which art and marketing become increasingly indistinguishable.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing
by James MendrinosComedy is serious business—and serious money. In this guide, comedian, writer, and teacher James Mendrinos explains the principles of comedy and how to apply them to forms from stand-up to sitcoms- including fiction, film, speeches, articles, essays, and more. He also includes exercises designed to hone the craft, break through writer&’s block, and tailor a piece to its intended audience. In this Complete Idiot&’s Guide®, you get: • Foolproof advice for writing scripts, feature films, plays, cartoons, stand-up jokes—even working humor into your presentation at work. • Terrific techniques for brainstorming, free associating, and drafting lists to make your writing better—and funnier. • Stand-up tips on identifying with and writing for your audience and genre. • Navigation tools for the inroads to marketing and selling your comedy.
Computers in Broadcast and Cable Newsrooms: Using Technology in Television News Production (Routledge Communication Series)
by Phillip O. KeirsteadComputers in Broadcast and Cable Newsrooms: Using Technology in Television News Production takes readers through the use of computers and software in the broadcast/cable newsroom environment. Author Phillip O. Keirstead began writing about television news technology decades ago in an effort to help television news managers cope with technological change. In this text, he demonstrates the myriad ways in which today's journalism is tied to technology, and he shows how television news journalists rely on varied and complex technologies to produce timely, interesting, and informative broadcasts. Using a hands-on, practical approach to cover the role computers play in various parts of the newsroom, the volume will be of great practical value to undergraduate and graduate students in advanced broadcast/news television courses.
Confessions of a Stripper: Tales from the VIP Room
by Lacey LaneI started moving slowly, trying to work my way into the core of the beat. Soon, I forgot I was perched atop a bar and thought only of the music's rhythm, freeing my body to move in synch with the beat. I peeled my bottom wrap off seductively and hardly heard the whistles and catcalls that followed. Ditto for my top; I was now just a skimpy T-back away from full nudity, and the best part about it was that I was becoming more at ease with the situation. Or maybe I was an exhibitionist at heart. Or I was so goddam petrified that nothing mattered. Whatever the A A case, inside, I was celebrating. I truly felt liberated. / / Find out first-hand, as career stripper Lacey Lane unlocks the doors to the secret sanctums at the center of the action in gentlemen's clubs across America. Confessions of a Stripper puts you in the middle of the VIP Room, /here freaks, fetishists, scammers, and even normal guys match wits /ith the dancers. Here, outlandish fantasies are bought and sold, and Imost nothing is beyond the realm of possibility. These true stories, culled from Lane's years of performing in doz-is of clubs around the country, also provide the lowdown on the ins id outs of the topless trade, including suggestions on tipping, finessig the bouncers, negotiating for services, avoiding sucker traps, and ?s, even scoring a date with a dancer.
Conquest of the Useless: Fever Dreams in the Jungle
by Werner HerzogNewly repackaged as a Penguin paperback, Conquest of the Useless, the legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog's diary of the making of Fitzcarraldo, one of his most revered and classic filmsIn 1982, the visionary directory Werner Herzog released Fitzcarraldo, a lavish film about a would-be rubber baron who pulls a 320-ton steamship over a mountain. It was hailed instantly by critics around the globe as a masterpiece and won Herzog the 1982 Outstanding Director Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, affirming Herzog&’s reputation as one of the most revered and enigmatic filmmakers of his time.Conquest of the Useless is the diary Herzog kept during the making of Fitzcarraldo, compiled from June 1979 to November 1981. Emerging as if out of an Amazonian fever dream during filming, Herzog&’s writings are an extraordinary documentary unto themselves. Strange and otherworldly events are recounted by the filmmaker. The crew's camp in the heart of the jungle is attacked and burned to the ground; the production of the film clashes with a border war; and, of course, Herzog unravels the impossible logistics of moving a 320-ton steamship over a hill without the use of special effects.In his preface, Herzog warns that the diary entries collected in Conquest of the Useless do not represent &“reports on the actual filming&” but rather &“inner landscapes, born of the delirium of the jungle.&” Thus begins an extraordinary glimpse into the mind of a genius during the making of one of his greatest achievements.
Contemporary American Independent Film: From the Margins to the Mainstream
by Chris Holmlund Justin WyattFrom Easy Rider to The Blair Witch Project, this book is a comprehensive examination of the independent film scene. Exploring the uneasy relationship between independent films and the major studios, the contributors trace the changing ideas and definitions of independent cinema, and the diversity of independent film practices. They consider the ways in which indie films are marketed and distributed, and how new technologies such as video, cable and the internet, offered new opportunities for filmmakers to produce and market independent films. Turning to the work of key auteurs such as John Sayles and Haile Gerima, contributors ask whether independent filmmakers can also be stars, and consider how indie features like Boys Don't Cry and Shopping for Fangs address issues of gender, sexuality and ethnicity normally avoided by Hollywood. For all students of film studies and American studies, this cultural journey through independent film history will be an absolute must read.
Contemporary Feminist Theatres: To Each Her Own (Gender in Performance)
by Lizbeth GoodmanContemporary Feminist Theatres is a major evaluation of the forms feminism has taken in the theatre since 1968. Lizbeth Goodman provides a provocative and interdisciplinary study of the development of feminist theatres in Britain. She examines the treatment of key issues such as gender, race, sexuality, language and power in performance. Based on original research and fresh data, Contemporary Feminst Theatres is a fully comprehensive and admirably clear analysis of a flourishing field of practice and inquiry.
Cowboys as Cold Warriors: The Western and U.S. History
by Stanley CorkinThough the United States emerged from World War II with superpower status and quickly entered a period of economic prosperity, the stresses and contradictions of the Cold War nevertheless cast a shadow over American life. The same period marked the heyday of the western film. Cowboys as Cold Warriors shows that this was no coincidence. It examines many of the significant westerns released between 1946 and 1962, analyzing how they responded to and influenced the cultural climate of the country. Author Stanley Corkin discusses a dozen films in detail, connecting them to each other and to numerous others. He considers how these cultural productions both embellished the myth of the American frontier and reflected the era in which they were made. Films discussed include: My Darling Clementine, Red River, Duel in the Sun, Pursued, Fort Apache, Broken Arrow, The Gunfighter, High Noon, Shane, The Searchers, Gunfight at the OK Corral, The Magnificent Seven, The Alamo, Lonely Are the Brave, Ride the High Country, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.