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Living it Arg
by James ArgentOne of the original cast members of the award-winning reality TV series, The Only Way is Essex, Arg is best known for his long-term relationship with Lydia Bright and his affectionate 'Bro-mance' with Mark Wright. A key figure in the show, he remains a favourite with writers and is a character loved by male and female fans alike. But life for Arg hasn't always been easy - broken hearts, an on-going battle with weight and self-esteem issues - there is a lot more to Arg than meets the eye and he lifts the lid here for the first time. From his disastrous on-going quest to find 'The One' to his secret passion for The Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra, Arg is an old-fashioned soul who found over-night fame and he tells us what really goes on behind the scenes of one of ITV's biggest hit shows.
Kylie
by Sean SmithKYLIE is a major new biography, telling the life story of Kylie Minogue, a true pop icon, now back on our screens in hit show The Voice. Everybody loves Kylie. No popular figure in modern culture deserves the description 'iconic' more than the star whose name alone evokes more than twenty-five years of memories. KYLIE charts the incredible journey of a complex and misunderstood woman from the suburbs of Melbourne, who was never the girl next door. She captured our hearts as Charlene Mitchell in Neighbours before rising to her position today as a member of music royalty. She is more popular than ever thanks to her acclaimed role as a judge on The Voice. Her phenomenal success was threatened in 2005, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The world held its breath as she braved surgery and chemotherapy before she was given the all clear. Her honesty and dignity throughout gained her universal respect and improved awareness of the disease among young women - the Kylie Effect. KYLIE is the essential book for those wanting to learn more about how she has continually reinvented herself - as teen actress, chart star, creative musician, sex goddess, gay icon, style queen and female role model. It reveals her true loves, the men who have brought her disappointment and those that have helped her achieve the status of most popular female icon of our times. KYLIE is an inspirational celebration of a star we should never take for granted.
Inquebrantable
by Jenni RiveraLa única autobiografía autorizada de Jenni Rivera Jenni Rivera es la talentosa y aclamada cantante méxico-americana de música norteña, conocida como La Diva de la Banda, que falleció en un accidente aéreo el 9 de diciembre de 2012. Jenni había estado escribiendo su autobiografía, Inquebrantable, durante algunos años.Jenni Rivera fue madre de cinco hijos, abuela de tres nietos, cantante, compositora, actriz, productora de televisión, protagonista del show de televisión I Love Jenny y empresaria. Su vida estuvo llena de tragedias, problemas personales, perseverancia y éxito. Se convirtió en la cantante de música en español de mayor éxito en Estados Unidos con ventas récord de más de 15 millones de CDs. La vida personal de Jenni siempre estuvo en el centro de muchas historias en los medios de comunicación que expusieron su vida no tan perfecta. A Jenni la caracterizó la franqueza con la que hablaba de sus problemas personales y que la ayudó a formar un vínculo inquebrantable de confianza con sus fans. Como consecuencia, Jenni se convirtió en una figura de fortaleza y una fuente de inspiración para todas las mujeres. Inquebrantable es la única autobiografía autorizada por la familia de la cantante. En ella Jenni revive los momentos más cruciales de su vida y dificultades que nunca discutió públicamente. Jenni habla sobre sus experiencia de violencia doméstica, abuso sexual, sus divorcios, problemas de imagen personal por su peso, sus triunfos en una industria dominada por los hombres y cómo crió a sus cinco hijos como una madre soltera. En su libro, Jenni nos demuestra que nunca dejó de ser la Rivera rebelde de Long Beach, la joven que nunca perdía su sentido del humor, su positivismo y su espíritu luchador. "Son cosas muy fuertes las que han pasado en mi vida. No puedo enfocarme en lo negativo; eso te derrota, te destruye. Soy una mujer como cualquier otra. Las veces que me he caído me he levantado". --Jenni Rivera
The King and I
by Herbert Breslin Anne MidgetteLuciano Pavarotti's longtime manager and friend tells all. All.The King and I is the story of the thirty-six-year-old business relationship between Luciano Pavarotti and his manager, Herbert Breslin, during which Breslin guided what he calls, justifiably, "the greatest career in classical music." During that career, Breslin moved Pavarotti out of the opera house and onto the concert (and the world) stage and into the arms of a huge mass public. How he and Pavarotti changed the landscape of opera is one of the most significant and entertaining stories in the history of classical music, and Herbert Breslin relates the tale in a brash, candid, witty fashion that is often bitingly frank and profane. He also provides a portrait of his friend and client--"a beautiful, simple, lovely guy who turned into a very determined, aggressive, and somewhat unhappy superstar"--that is by turns affectionate and satirical and full of hilarious details and tales out of school, with Pavarotti emerging as something like the ultimate Italian male. The book is also enlivened by the voices of other players in the soap opera drama that was Pavarotti's career, and they are no less uncensored than Herbert Breslin. The last word, in fact, comes from none other than Luciano Pavarotti himself!The King and I is the ultimate backstage book about the greatest opera star of the past century--and it's a delight to read as well.
Mime Very Own Book
by Josh Poncemime" Perry Scott Allen Perry Eric Curtis Adam Mock Doug JonesA hilarious visual smorgasbord, this vibrant photo narrative offers a quiet, introspective look into life as a silent emoter. Replete with images of actor and mime artist Doug Jones shot against an array of artistic and real-world backdrops, this social commentary spoofs pop culture and fairy tale favorites. Witty photo parodies include Frank 'n mime, Marilyn Mime-roe, Mime-hammad Ali, Mime a Llama ding-dong, and Mimeageddon, as well as the "Once Upon a Mime" tales in which the big bad wolf gets bested in a series of mime encounters based on Little Red Miming Hood and the Three Little Pigs-poking fun at legendary personalities, characters, and moments while showcasing photographer Eric Curtis's trademark vision.
The Truth Is...: My Life in Love and Music
by Melissa Etheridge Laura Mortonln the ten years since she burst on to the international music scene, Melissa Etheridge has released six albums that have sold more than 25 million records worldwide, garnering not only public adoration for her uncompromising honesty but numerous critical awards, including two Grammys and the prestigious ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award. She has given the world unforgettable hits such as "Bring Me Some Water," "Similar Features," "Come to My Window," and "I'm the Only One," with lyrics that touch on a universal nerve and the deeply human side of relationships. Her personal journey has been captured over the years through her music, transforming her voice and musicianship into inspiring messages of love, consciousness, hope, longing, desire, and pure passion. <P> The Truth Is... is a bold and unflinching account of an extraordinary life, described as only Melissa can: from her Kansas roots through her early love of music to her brilliant rise to stardom, becoming a female superstar in a male-dominated rock world. Melissa will openly discuss the massive impact of her public coming-out, a revelation that only increased her popularity and made her a highly visible spokesperson for the gay and lesbian community. The Truth Is ... shares Melissa Etheridge's fascinating story--sometimes shocking, always inspiring--with unprecedented candor and insight.<P> Filled with personal insights, the stories behind the music and lyrics, and never-before-seen personal photographs, The Truth Is ... is a poignant, thoughtful, sometimes difficult expression of who Melissa Etheridge has been, who she is, and who she hopes to become.
Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers
by Mario Zucca Robert SchnakenbergStrange-But-True Tales of Cross-Dressers, Drug Addicts, Foot Fetishists, and Other Legendary Filmmakers. With outrageous and uncensored profiles of everyone from D. W. Griffith to Quentin Tarantino, Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers reveals the little-known secrets of all your favorite directors. Why did Charlie Chaplin refuse to bathe for weeks at a time? Was Alfred Hitchcock really missing a belly button? Is Walt Disney's corpse preserved in a state of suspended animation? And why on earth did Francis Ford Coppola direct a 3-D pornographic movie? The legends of the silver screen will never be the same!
Bye For Now: A Wishers Story
by Kathleen ChurchyardThe candles dripped onto the icing as Robin deliberated. What could she possibly wish? She wanted to wake up the next day and learn all her problems were gone. But since her problems weren’t going to disappear, she didn’t want to be Robin anymore. “I wish I was somebody else,” Robin wished. And in that moment, she meant it. She blew out the candles. After the worst eleventh birthday ever, Robin wakes up the next morning in the body of Fiona, an eleven-year-old girl from London with an amazing life. Fiona is gorgeous, with glamorous parents, and she’s the star of a major theatrical production. Why would Fiona have wished herself out of her own body? Slowly, Robin discovers a whole network of girls like her-girls who have gotten their wish and are living somebody else’s life. But what happens when Robin finally decides she wants to go home? Does anybody in the Wishers network know how to make this happen? In this exciting first novel, Kathleen Churchyard asks: What if you wished for someone else’s life-and it came true?
Into the Dark Book #1: The Shadow Prince
by Bree DespainHaden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High--a haven for children of the rich and famous--Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race. Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High's prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father's mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn't the only student in Olympus who doesn't quite belong. Haden and Daphne--destined for each other--know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers' lives collide. But Daphne won't be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended--he's fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds. A pulsating romance of epic proportions, Bree Despain's The Shadow Prince will leave her fans breathless for the next book in the Into The Dark series.
The Ultimate: The Great American Arguments Settled Once and for All
by William PoundstoneThe Ultimate is sophisticated fun, literate trivia in the witty, anecdotal and provocative style familiar to Poundstone fans across the country. Here Poundstone establishes objective ways of determining what really is the biggest, the highest, the greatest, and the best.
Mom in the Movies
by Turner Classic Movies, Inc. Richard CorlissWith a foreword written by Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher, and sidebar essays by Eva Marie Saint, Illeana Douglas, Jane Powell, Sam Robards, and Tippi Hedren, this book is packed with an incredible collection of photographs and film stills. Mom in the Movies makes a great gift for any mom--and for anyone with a mother who oughta be in picturesFrom the cozy All-American mom to the terrifying Mommie Dearest or the protective Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, when it comes to mothers on the silver screen, it takes all kinds. Turner Classic Movies and film historian Richard Corliss presents Mom in the Movies, a definitive, fully illustrated book that shares the many ways Hollywood has celebrated, vilified and otherwise memorialized dear old Mom. Here, you will meet the Criminal Moms, like Shelley Winters in Bloody Mama, and the eccentric Showbiz Moms, including those from Gypsy and Postcards from the Edge. You'll also find Great American Moms, as warm and nourishing as apple pie, in movies such as I Remember Mama and Places in the Heart, along with Surrogate Moms, like Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother, Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame, Dianne Wiest in Edward Scissorhands and Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. And who can forget the baddest mothers of all? No book on movie moms would be complete without Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate.
Dirty Daddy
by Bob SagetBob Saget, the decidedly irreverent stand-up comedian and beloved TV star, delivers uproarious, uncensored, and heartfelt stories from a life in entertainment and beyondMillions of viewers know and love Bob Saget from his role as the sweetly neurotic father on the smash hit Full House, and as the charming wisecracking host of America's Funniest Home Videos. And then there are the legions of fans who can't get enough of his scatological, out-of-his-mind stand-up routines, comedy specials, and outrageously profane performances in such shows as HBO's Entourage and the hit documentary The Aristocrats. In his bold and wildly entertaining publishing debut, Bob continues to embrace his dark side and gives readers the book they have long been waiting for--hilarious and often dirty yet warm and disarmingly sincere. Bob talks about the connection between humor and pain, offering insights into his own life, including the deaths of his beloved sisters. He pays homage to the people who shaped and inspired him: his mom, Dolly; his father, Ben (the comedy influence who instilled his love of "sick silliness"); and the teacher who told him, "You need to make people laugh," as well as legendary comedians such as Richard Pryor, David Letterman, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams.Bob believes there's a time and a place for filth and immature humor--and for gentle family comedy. Dirty Daddy is packed with both, from his never-before-heard stories of what really went on behind the scenes of two of the most successful family shows of all times, with costars like John Stamos, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Ashley Olsen, to his liberating experience in The Aristocrats, his Comedy Central roast, and his role of playing an extreme version of himself on Entourage. Bob opens up about his career, his reputation for sick humor, his pride and love for Full House, and how he's come to terms with the fame of being DT--"Danny Tanner." Throughout, he shares tales of close friends and colleagues like Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickles, and recalls his experiences with show business legends, including Johnny Carson and George Carlin. Told with his highly original blend of silliness, vulgarity, wit, and heart, Dirty Daddy reveals Bob Saget as never before--a man who loves being funny and making people laugh above all else.
Life and Def
by Russell SimmonsRussell Simmons, the original and eternal hip-hop mogul, is one of the most innovative and influential figures in modern American business and culture. When no one outside of inner-city New York had even heard of hip-hop, Simmons saw the seeds of a global force that would change the way people talk, dress, listen to music, and choose the heroes they hang on their walls. Today, he oversees a sprawling, multimillion-dollar empire of culture-defining businesses in everything from music to fashion, advertising to film, and media to visual art. At the same time he's broadened his interests and influence and pushed hip-hop to new plateaus of power and relevance. Life and Def is a one-of-a-kind tale that interweaves the remarkable journey of Russell Simmons with the story of the culture he's transformed and been transformed by. In his own brash, compelling voice, Simmons chronicles his numerous business successes and occasional failures. He tells the story of the founding of the legendary Def Jam Records, whose roster stretches from original rap icons like L.L. Cool J, Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys to today's top stars, including Jay-Z and DMX. He traces the launching of Def Comedy Jam, the long-running hit television series that introduced a new generation of black comedic stars to America, from Martin Lawrence and Bill Bellamy to Bernie Mac and Chris Rock. He spins hilarious tales of his adventures in Hollywood, where he's produced hit movies like Eddie Murphy's The Nutty Professor and worked with quirky geniuses like Abel Ferrara. He also tells the story of Phat Farm, the wildly successful pioneering urban clothing label whose origins lay in Russell's longtime fascination with fashion (and fashion models).Simmons's story is also one of personal transformation, from the driven man who in the heady days of early success indulged himself with drugs, sex, and world-class decadence to the husband and father he is today, a man who has found meaning in activism, philanthropy, and spiritual practice while never losing his passion for the social, political, artistic, and commercial potential of hip-hop.Through it all he relates telling anecdotes about the characters he's dealt with: models and gangsters, street poets and gurus, and major players like Donald Trump, Sean Combs, Jon Peters, and Tupac Shakur. Full of advice, opinions, and behind-the-scenes scoop, Life and Def is the story of the quintessential hip-hop life.From the Hardcover edition.
Norman Mailer: A Double Life
by J. Michael LennonFrom the biographer who knew Norman Mailer for decades comes the definitive, authorized portrait of the eminent novelist, journalist, and controversial public figure, based on extensive interviews and unpublished letters.Norman Mailer was the one of the most famous writers of his generation, a figure as notorious for his stormy romances and quarrels with other writers as he was respected for his numerous bestsellers and literary accolades. In this candid biography, J. Michael Lennon brings a wealth of research informed by his years of personal acquaintance with Mailer, as well as the cooperation of Mailer's family, to reveal the life and work of an American legend. In a career that produced eleven bestsellers, Mailer lived through every great postwar event of the twentieth century and commented on many of them. From his initial success with his World War II novel The Naked and the Dead, through his observations on the convulsive 1960s in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Armies of the Night, to his own quixotic run for mayor of New York City, his life was a reflection of the turbulent times in which he lived. A man of sharp complexities, he was loved and loathed, the most prominent public intellectual of his time, at once an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and the bête noir of the women's rights movement. Lennon explores Mailer's dualities: journalist and activist, devoted family man (he was married six times and was the father of nine children) and notorious philanderer, intellectual and fighter, writer and public figure, all of them evolving through Mailer's self-conscious effort to create a distinctive identity for himself. Capturing this protean life as never before, Norman Mailer: A Double Life gives us the man in full--a remarkable and unique figure, a giant in the context of his time.
Love Life
by Rob LoweROB LOWE IS BACK WITH STORIES HE ONLY TELLS HIS BEST FRIENDS. When Rob Lowe's first book was published in 2011, he received the kind of rapturous reviews that writers dream of and rocketed to the top of the bestseller list. Now, in Love Life, he expands his scope, using stories and observations from his life in a poignant and humorous series of true tales about men and women, art and commerce, fathers and sons, addiction and recovery, and sex and love. In Love Life, you will find stories about: * KISSING UNEXPECTEDLY * THE SECRETS THEY DON'T TEACH YOU IN ACTING SCHOOL * HIS GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER'S ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION * PARKS AND RECREATION, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, AND CALIFORNICATION * TRYING TO COACH A KIDS' BASKETBALL TEAM DOMINATED BY HELICOPTER PARENTS * THE HOT TUB AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION * STARRING IN AND PRODUCING A FLOP TV SERIES * CAMPING AT SEA WORLD * PLAYING SAXOPHONE FOR PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON * THE FIRST JOURNEY TO COLLEGE WITH HIS SON * WARREN BEATTY * THE BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE Throughout this entertaining book, you will find yourself in the presence of a master raconteur, a multi-talented performer whose love for life is as intriguing as his love life.
The Women of Duck Commander
by Jessica Robertson Lisa Robertson Missy Robertson Kay Robertson Korie RobertsonThe wives of the Robertsons all came into the family the same way: they fell in love with one of the Robertson boys. In the Duck Dynasty TV series, the women often come into their own when the whole family gathers around the table together to eat dinner, and fans of the show get a good glimpse into their lives, but that is hardly the whole story, which is why they decided to write this book... In The Women of Duck Commander, the wives show how they have worked together to help one another and to support the family in all its work and its happiness. They are committed to timeless values, and in the book they share the insights, stories and experiences that have made them who they are. The appeal of the Duck Dynasty comes, not because they are showing us anything new, but they are reminding us of the values our culture is in danger of losing.
Thendral: Vol. 14, Issue 05, April 2014
by MadhurabharathiThis issue features an interview with Kalakshetra’s Director Priyadarshini Govind , two short stories, ‘Payanam’ talks about a visit to Marymoor Park in Washington, ‘Samayam’ features Ayirathen Vinayagar temple, an article paying homage to T.K.Sivasankaran and Kushvanth Singh, mouth watering recipes, an article on Achievers featuring Kuralarasi Geetha Arunachalam and a few other young achievers ,an article on the veteran writer Kumuthini along with usual features like Thendral Pesukirathu ,Kathiravanai Kelungal,Nalam Vaazha, Kavithai Pandhal, Pudhinam and important events of last month.
Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics (Fifth Edition)
by Michael Rabiger Mick Hurbis-CherrierThe book is full of practical advice on every stage of production, that covers human, psychological, and technical knowledge that every director needs in the fascinating process of film-making.
Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist
by Charles RosenCharles Rosen is one of the world's most talented pianists -- and one of music's most astute commentators. Known as a performer of Bach, Beethoven, Stravinsky, and Elliott Carter, he has also written highly acclaimed criticism for sophisticated students and professionals. In Piano Notes, he writes for a broader audience about an old friend -- the piano itself. Drawing upon a lifetime of wisdom and the accumulated lore of many great performers of the past, Rosen shows why the instrument demands such a stark combination of mental and physical prowess. Readers will gather many little-known insights -- from how pianists vary their posture, to how splicings and microphone placements can ruin recordings, to how the history of composition was dominated by the piano for two centuries. Stories of many great musicians abound. Rosen reveals Nadia Boulanger's favorite way to avoid commenting on the performances of her friends ("You know what I think," spoken with utmost earnestness), why Glenn Gould's recordings suffer from "double-strike" touches, and how even Vladimir Horowitz became enamored of splicing multiple performances into a single recording. Rosen's explanation of the piano's physical pleasures, demands, and discontents will delight and instruct anyone who has ever sat at a keyboard, as well as everyone who loves to listen to the instrument. In the end, he strikes a contemplative note. Western music was built around the piano from the classical era until recently, and for a good part of that time the instrument was an essential acquisition for every middle-class household. Music making was part of the fabric of social life. Yet those days have ended. Fewer people learn the instrument today. The rise of recorded music has homogenized performance styles and greatly reduced the frequency of public concerts. Music will undoubtedly survive, but will the supremely physical experience of playing the piano ever be the same?
Dreaming in the Rain
by David SpanerVancouver is now North America's third largest center for film and television production, recently witnessing the filming of Halle Berry's Catwoman and Will Smith's I, Robot, among others. But Vancouver has been hosting filmmakers for years, coming into its own in the early 1970s when Robert Altman, Warren Beatty and Julie Christie made McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Mike Nichols, Jack Nicholson and Candice Bergen filmed Carnal Knowlege.Dreaming in the Rain tells the story of how Vancouver became North by Northwest, from its early days as a Hollywood studio backlot to its becoming home to a vibrant indigenous scene that is among the most acclaimed, provocative, independent filmmaking communities anywhere.But with Hollywood's growing concern over "runaway" productions, Vancouver's growing filmmaking scene is wrought with controversy. The city's American-based film industry is powerful enough to inspire loathing and threats from Hollywood.Along with tracing the art and commerce of Vancouver filmmaking, Vancouver Province movie critic David Spaner brings to life the flamboyant film personalities who left their marks. From visitors like Errol Flynn and Robert Altman, to local heroes such as The Matrix's Carrie Anne Moss, who grew up in Vancouver, and Kissed star Molly Parker and director Lynne Stopkewich, vital players in the groundbreaking Vancouver indie scene.Includes more than 40 black and white photographs.". . . [Spaner] has . . . scrupulous attention to detail and an obvious curiosity and passion for both Vancouver and its film industry."--Entertainment TodayDavid Spaner is a movie critic for the Vancouver Province.
Trash: A Queer Film Classic
by Jon DaviesTrash, one of three inaugural titles in Arsenal Pulp Press' new film book series Queer Film Classics, delves into the legendary 1970 film that was arguably the greatest collaboration between director Paul Morrissey and producer Andy Warhol.<P> The film Trash is a down-and-out domestic melodrama about a decidedly eccentric couple: Joe, an impotent junkie (played by Warhol film regular Joe Dallesandro), and Holly, Joe's feisty and sexually frustrated girlfriend (played by trans Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn). Joe is the hunky yet passive center around whom proud Holly orbits; while Morrissey intended to show that "there's no difference between a person using drugs and a piece of refuse," Woodlawn's incredible turn reverses his logic: she makes trash as precious as human beings.<P> The book examines the film in the context of Morrissey and Warhol's legendary partnership, with a special focus on Woodlawn's acclaimed performance: a glorious embodiment of "trash" and glamour that was so stunning, director George Cukor led a campaign (albeit unsuccessful) to win her an Oscar nomination.
Gods and Monsters: A Queer Film Classic
by Noah TsikaGods and Monsters, one of three inaugural titles in Arsenal Pulp Press' new film book series Queer Film Classics, deals with the acclaimed 1998 film about openly gay film director James Whale, best known for the Frankenstein films of the 1930s.<P> Written and directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls), Gods and Monsters stars Ian McKellen as Whale in the final days of his life during the 1950s. Moving from the slums of Britain in the early twentieth century to the new era of "talkies" in Hollywood and beyond, Gods and Monsters trains a gay eye on the historical events that helped shape Whale and his films. The result was widely acclaimed, winning an Oscar for Condon's screenplay and nominations for both McKellen and costar Lynn Redgrave.<P> This book examines Gods and Monsters from a variety of perspectives, highlighting the complexity and significance of its achievements, including its fusion of fantasy and biography. It also delves into a history of gay Hollywood during this era, including both its homophobic surface and its queer underpinnings.
Law of Desire: A Queer Film Classic
by José QuirogaLaw of Desire, one of three inaugural titles in Arsenal Pulp Press' new film book series Queer Film Classics, focuses on the 1987 homoerotic melodrama by Pedro Almodóvar, Spain's most successful contemporary film director.<P> The film Law of Desire is a grand tale of love, lust, and amnesia featuring three main characters: a gay film director (played by Eusebio Poncela); his sister, an actress who was once his brother (Carmen Maura); and a repressed, obsessive stalker (a young Antonio Banderas). In the twenty-plus years since its first release, Law of Desire has been acknowledged as redefining the way in which cinema can portray the difficult affective relationships between homosexuality, gender, and sex. Taking his cue from the golden age of Latin American, American, and European melodrama, Almodóvar created a sentimental yet hard-edged film that believes in the utopian possibilities for new relationships that redeem people from their despair. Since its release, Almodóvar has become an Oscar-winning filmmaker who regularly delves into issues of sexuality, gender, and identity.<P> This book examines the political and social context in which Almodóvar created Law of Desire, as well as its impact on LGBT cinema both in Europe and around the world.
Fire
by Shohini GhoshA Queer Film Classic: the 1996 film by Indian-born director Deepa Mehta, about the burgeoning relationship between the wives of two brothers; its unprecedented lesbian themes led to riots outside cinemas in India.
Farewell My Concubine
by Helen Hok-Sze LeungA Queer Film Classic: Chen Kaige's 1992 film about two male Peking opera stars and the woman who comes between them; its treatment of gender performance and homosexuality was unprecedented in Chinese film. Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes.