Best of
Movies

2004

The Art of The Lord of the Rings


Gary Russell - 2004
    Many of the images included in this volume, depicting pivotal scenes and characters, were previously embargoed and have never appeared in book form. The work of Alan Lee and John Howe — the two artists most closely associated with Tolkien’s world — is featured, along with that of many other talented artists and designers. The artists’ own descriptions of the design process used in creating the look of the films both enlighten and enliven this essential book.

On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director


Alexander Mackendrick - 2004
    Alexander 'Sandy' Mackendrick directed classic Ealing comedies plus a Hollywood masterpiece, Sweet Smell of Success. But after retiring from film-making in 1969, he then spent nearly 25 years teaching his craft at the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles.Mackendrick produced hundreds of pages of masterly handouts and sketches, designed to guide his students to a finer understanding of how to write a story, and then use those devices peculiar to cinema in order to tell that story as effectively as possible. Gathered and edited in this collection, Mackendrick's teachings reveal that he had the talent not only to make great films, but also to articulate the process with a clarity and insight that will still inspire any aspirant film-maker.

The Story of Film


Mark Cousins - 2004
    Mark Cousins’s chronological journey through the worldwide history of film is told from the point of view of filmmakers and moviegoers. Weaving personalities, film technology, and production with engaging descriptions of groundbreaking scenes, Cousins uses his experience as film historian, producer, and director to capture the shifting trends of movie history. We learn how filmmakers influenced each other; how contemporary events influenced them; how they challenged established techniques and developed new technologies to enhance their medium. Striking images reinforce the reader’s understanding of cinematic innovation, both stylistic and technical. The images reveal astonishing parallels in global filmmaking, thus introducing the less familiar worlds of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern cinema, as well as documenting the fortunes of the best Western directors. The Story of Film presents Silent (1885-1928), Sound (1928-1990), and Digital (1990-present), spanning the birth of the moving image; the establishment of Hollywood; the European avant-garde movements, personal filmmaking; world cinema; and recent phenomena like Computer Generated Imagery and the ever-more “real” realizations of the wildest of imaginations. The Story of Film explores what has today become the world’s most popular artistic medium.

The Lord of the Rings: Complete Visual Companion


Jude Fisher - 2004
    Tolkien's Middle-earth as depicted in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.Fully illustrated with almost 300 color photographs, including stunning new images from the extended director's versions of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, and exclusive "first-look" shots from The Return of the King, this Complete Visual Companion now tells the whole tale of The Lord of the Rings in sumptuous detail.The many characters, creatures, and strange lands of Middle-earth encountered by the Fellowship of the Ring in their epic journey are here brought to life: from the magical Elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien to the abandoned Dwarven kingdom of Moria; from the wizard Saruman's stronghold at Isengard to the land of the Horse-lords, Rohan; from their last-ditch fortress at Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith, the city-kingdom of the proud Men of Gondor; from the haunted Paths of the Dead to the battlefields of Pelennor and the overrun city of Osgiliath; from Cirith Ungol and the Nazgul's tower of sorcery at Minas Morgul into the very heart of Mordor. Along the way our heroes will encounter Elves and Ents, Uruk-hai and Orcs, Trolls, and Haradrim on their towering war-elephants, the mumakil. The Companion introduces readers to the monstrous Shelob the spider, to the Corsairs of Umbar, and to that pitiful but deadly creature Gollum.This omnibus edition also includes brand-new sections appearing in print for the first time, which take the story of the quest of the Fellowship beyond Mount Doom, all the way to the hearbreaking finale at the Grey Havens.

The Matrix


Joshua Clover - 2004
    Starring Keanu Reeves as Neo, a computer programmer transformed into a messianic freedom fighter, The Matrix blends science fiction with conspiracy thriller conventions and outlandish martial arts created with groundbreaking digital techniques. A box-office triumph, the film was no populist confection: its blatant allusions to highbrow contemporary philosophy added to its appeal as a mystery to be decoded.Joshua Clover undertakes the task of decoding the film. Examining The Matrix's digital effects and how they were achieved, he shows how the film represents a melding of cinema and video games (the greatest commercial threat to have faced Hollywood since the advent of television) and achieves a hybrid kind of immersive entertainment. He also unpacks the movie's references to philosophy, showing how The Matrix ultimately expresses the crisis American culture faced at the end of the 1990s.

Coach Carter


Jasmine Jones - 2004
    With Coach Carter at the helm, the Oilers' record soon stands at 12 and 0. But when the coach learns that some members of his team are cutting class and failing academically, he locks them out of the gym, incurring the wrath of the players, the school, and the community. Coach Carter's determination to adhere to his convictions puts his philosophy and his players' trust to the ultimate test.

'Tis Herself


Maureen O'Hara - 2004
    I'm Maureen O'Hara and this is my life story.-- From Chapter One of 'Tis HerselfIn language that is blunt, straightforward, and totally lacking in artifice, Maureen O'Hara, one of the greatest and most enduring stars of Hollywood's "Golden Era," for the first time tells the story of how she succeeded in the world's most competitive business.Known for her remarkable beauty and her fiery screen persona, Maureen O'Hara came to Hollywood when she was still a teenager, taken there by her mentor, the great actor Charles Laughton. Almost immediately she clashed with the men who ran the movie business -- the moguls who treated actors like chattel, the directors who viewed every actress as a potential bedmate.Determined to hold her own and to remain true to herself, she fought for roles that she wanted and resisted the advances of some of Hollywood's most powerful and attractive men. It was in the great director John Ford that she first found someone willing to give her a chance to prove herself as an important actress. Beginning with the Academy Award-winning How Green Was My Valley, she went on to make five films with Ford and through him first met the great John Wayne, with whom she also made five films.In O'Hara, Ford had found his ideal Irish heroine, a role that achieved its greatest realization in The Quiet Man. And in O'Hara, John Wayne found his ideal leading lady, for she was perhaps the only actress who could hold her own when on screen with "The Duke." Ford, however, was not without his quirks, and his relationship with his favorite actress became more and more complex and ultimately deeply troubled. The on-screen relationship between Wayne and O'Hara, on the other hand, was transformed into a close friendship built on mutual respect, creating a bond that endured until his death.Writing with complete frankness, O'Hara talks for the first time about these remarkable men, about their great strengths and their very human failings. She writes as well about many of the other actors and actresses -- Lucille Ball, Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, John Candy, Natalie Wood, to name a few -- with whom she worked, but ultimately it is about herself that she is most revealing. With great candor and a mixture of pride and regret, she reflects on just how this young girl from Ireland made it to America and onto movie screens all around the world. There were missteps, of course -- a troubled and deeply destructive marriage, a willingness to trust too readily in others -- but there were triumphs and great happiness as well, including her marriage to the aviation pioneer Brigadier General Charles F. Blair, who tragically died in a mysterious plane crash ten years after their marriage.Throughout, 'Tis Herself is informed by the warmth and charm and intelligence that defined Maureen O'Hara's performances in some sixty films, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Miracle on 34th Street to The Parent Trap to McLintock! to Only the Lonely. 'Tis Herself is Maureen O'Hara's story as only she can tell it, the tale of an Irish lass who believed in herself with the strength and determination to make her own dreams come true.

Spongebob Squarepants Movie: A Novelization of the Hit Movie!


Marc Cerasini - 2004
    Krabs is held accountable for the crime! So it's up to SpongeBob and his trusty sidekick, Patrick, to make the dangerous trip to Shell City to retrieve the crown and save Mr. Krabs's life. Meanwhile, the evil Plankton has set his plan into motion: to steal the secret Krabby Patty formula and rule the sea! Will SpongeBob and Patrick be able to save the crown "and" make it back in time to save the fate of Bikini Bottom?

The Hellraiser Chronicles


Clive Barker - 2004
    The Cenobites soon returned, and their leader, the chilling Pinhead (played by Doug Bradley), became an worldwide icon.The Hellraiser Chronicles is a beautifully produced, full colour photographic companion to Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. It features stunning, specially shot portrait photography unavailable elsewhere, plus script extracts, design sketches, behind-the-scenes stills and interviews. The only official Hellraiser book, it is a must for all fans of the series.Time to play"

Sideways: The Shooting Script


Alexander Payne - 2004
    The newest screenplay from the Oscar®-nominated writers of Election and About Schmidt, Sideways is the tale of two men's adventure in California wine country.Based on Rex Pickett's acclaimed first novel, Sideways tells the story of Miles (Paul Giamatti), a failed novelist, and his soon-to-be-married friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a washed-up actor.To salute the remains of their youth, the two men take one last road trip in the week before Jack's wedding.A serious wine enthusiast, Miles is determined to educate his friend on the region's beloved Pinot Noir wines before the week is out.Jack indulges his best friend's passion for the grape but is mainly interested in living his last week of bachelorhood to the hilt.Trouble ensues with wine and women (Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh), and the duo comes to some profound realizations as they come to terms with maturity.

Making Friday the 13th


David Grove - 2004
    Cunningham, Robert Englund, Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer and Tom Savini- iconography, including Jason, the hockey mask, and a body count in the hundreds

March of the Penguins: Companion to the Major Motion Picture


Luc Jacquet - 2004
    Timed perfectly for the holidays and the November release of the DVD!Read the incredible, endearing story of the Emporer penguins' yearly Antarctic odyssey and the long months of endurance, self-sacrifice and love as they raise a new generation of chicks.

The Scarecrow Video Movie Guide


Scarecrow Video - 2004
    is to bookstores: independent, iconoclastic, and obsessed. With more than 60,000 titles in a single outlet, it's a paradise frequented by serious movie lovers and staffed by movie freaks. Loaded with a deep appreciation and understanding of movies, these fanatics have assembled one of the most eclectic movie lists to date. This is a unique list of essential, cool, funny, laughable, important, fluffy, outrageous, you-just-gotta-see videos for anyone interested in the art (both high and low) of moviemaking. This book easily satisfies every reader's personal penchant. Includes the best of the best and the worst of the worst in biker flicks, documentaries, foreign films, psychotronics, action, experimental, kids, film noir, murder mysteries, gay and lesbian, music, anime, and more.

The Movie Posters of Drew Struzan


Drew Struzan - 2004
    Struzan, “the last of the great poster artists,” according to The Boston Globe, has created the images for some of the biggest and most successful box office hits in cinematic history, including Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Back to the Future, the complete Star Wars series, E.T., Blade Runner, Rambo, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Hook. This compilation of his cinematic art, accompanied by text explaining his particular vision of each character, features a foreword by the director George Lucas.

Shock! Horror!


Harvey Fenton - 2004
    From a private collection of rarities, this documents those outlaw years of malevolent art with- 200 of the greatest horror video covers from the British 'video nasty' era- full-page, full-color reproductions- banned or suppressed video covers- cover for "Evil Dead, Last House on the Left, Werewolves on the Wheels, and "Zombie Creeping Flesh

Big Fish: The Shooting Script


John August - 2004
    Bloom’s mythic exploits dart from the delightful to the delirious as he weaves epic tales about giants, blizzards, a witch, and conjoined-twin lounge singers.Bloom charms everyone he encounters except for his estranged son Will (Billy Crudup). When his mother Sandra (Jessica Lange) tries to reunite them, Will must learn how to separate fact from fiction as he comes to terms with his father’s great feats and great failings.In addition to the complete screenplay, this Newmarket Shooting Script book includes a foreword by Daniel Wallace, an introduction by John August, a special color photo insert capturing the film’s vivid visuals, production notes, and complete cast and crew credits.

Becoming Something: The Story of Canada Lee


Mona Z. Smith - 2004
    Such is the story of Canada Lee. Among the most respected black actors of the forties and a tireless civil rights advocate, Lee was unjustly dishonored, his name reduced to a footnote in the history of the McCarthy era, his death one of a handful directly attributable to the blacklist. Born in Harlem in 1907, Lee was a Renaissance man. A musical prodigy on violin and piano at eleven, by thirteen he had become a successful jockey and by his twenties a champion boxer. After wandering into auditions for the WPA Negro Theater Project, Lee took up acting and soon shot to stardom in Orson Welles's Broadway production of Native Son, later appearing in such classic films as Lifeboat and the original Cry, the Beloved Country. But Lee's meteoric rise to fame was followed by a devastating fall. Labeled a Communist by the FBI and HUAC as early as 1943, Lee was pilloried during the notorious spy trial of Judith Coplon in 1949, then condemned in longtime friend Ed Sullivan's column. He died in 1952, forty-five and penniless, a heartbroken casualty of a dangerous and conflicted time. Now, after nearly a decade of research, Mona Smith revives the legacy of a man who was perhaps the blacklist's most tragic victim.

The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 MGM Classic


Jay Scarfone - 2004
    Why does Oz endure? This lavishly illustrated book reveals all as it explores the making of the movie at the height of Hollywood's Golden Age. Details of Oz's costumes, make-up, and special effects are revealed, accompanied by rare stills, Technicolor test frames, over 300 colour and b and w illustrations (many published for the first time) and much, much more.

The Essential It's a Wonderful Life: A Scene-By-Scene Guide to the Classic Film


Michael Willian - 2004
    Providing a fresh perspective, this companion includes a handy film chronology and an overview of the plot, a complete breakdown of the musical score, a fun and challenging quiz, a DVD bookmarking feature designed to give instant access to favorite scenes and other points of interest, informative historical sidebars, the complete lyrics to "Buffalo Gals," and never-before-seen maps and diagrams of downtown Bedford Falls, downtown Pottersville, the Building and Loan, and 320 Sycamore. In addition, film lovers will learn why George should have spent Christmas Eve in jail, who crashes the Bailey family Christmas Eve gathering, the story behind the sudden demise of Mr. Gower’s son, how to make a flaming rum punch, the real-life site of the Bedford Falls High School "swim-gym," and other fascinating trivia related to the classic.

Essential Cinema: On the Necessity of Film Canons


Jonathan Rosenbaum - 2004
    Guided by a personal canon of great films, Rosenbaum sees, in the ongoing hostility toward the idea of a canon shared by many within the field of film studies, a missed opportunity both to shape the discussion about cinema and to help inform and guide casual and serious filmgoers alike.In Essential Cinema, Rosenbaum forcefully argues that canons of great films are more necessary than ever, given that film culture today is dominated by advertising executives, sixty-second film reviewers, and other players in the Hollywood publicity machine who champion mediocre films at the expense of genuinely imaginative and challenging works. He proposes specific definitions of excellence in film art through the creation a personal canon of both well-known and obscure movies from around the world and suggests ways in which other canons might be similarly constructed.Essential Cinema offers in-depth assessments of an astonishing range of films: established classics such as Rear Window, M, and Greed; ambitious but flawed works like The Thin Red Line and Breaking the Waves; eccentric masterpieces from around the world, including Irma Vep and Archangel; and recent films that have bitterly divided critics and viewers, among them Eyes Wide Shut and A.I. He also explores the careers of such diverse filmmakers as Robert Altman, Raúl Ruiz, Frank Tashlin, Elaine May, Sam Fuller, Terrence Davies, Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-hsien, and Orson Welles. In conclusion, Rosenbaum offers his own film canon of 1,000 key works from the beginning of cinema to the present day. A cogent and provocative argument about the art of film, Essential Cinema is also a fiercely independent reference book of must-see movies for film lovers everywhere.

L.A. Noir: Nine Dark Visions of the City of Angels


William Hare - 2004
    The largest metropolitan area in the country, home to an ever-changing population of the disillusioned and in close proximity to city, mountains, ocean, and desert, the City of Angels became a center of American film noir. This detailed discussion of nine films explores such topics as why certain settings are appropriate for film noir, why L.A. has been a favorite of authors such as Raymond Chandler, and relevant political developments in the area. The films are also examined in terms of story content as well as how they developed in the project stage. Utilizing a number of quotes from interviews, the work examines actors, directors, and others involved with the films, touching on their careers and details of their time in L.A. The major films covered are The Big Sleep, Criss Cross, D.O.A., In A Lonely Place, The Blue Gardenia, Kiss Me Deadly, The Killing, Chinatown, and L.A. Confidential.

Heaven and Hell to Play With: The Filming of The Night of the Hunter


Preston Neal Jones - 2004
    Every aspect is revealed of the film's development and production - casting, design, shooting, scoring, and editing - to the profound disappointment upon its release. This book is the result of over a decade of archival research and interviews with a dozen key people associated with the film, including Grubb, Gregory, actors Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish and cinematographer Stanley Cortez. Their oral histories, along with numerous artifacts and film stills, are here deftly assembled into an account that is as compelling as the movie it celebrates.

Fear in a Handful of Dust: Horror as a Way of Life


Gary A. Braunbeck - 2004
    . . so I've decided to take it a couple of steps . . . well, let's say sideways: one's reaction to horror movies and literature is a highly subjective and personal thing, emphasis on the latter term. Consider this to be a thinly-disguised autobiography by means of reflections about movies, books, and writing. It's not enough for someone to simply say, 'I liked it,' or 'I really hated it'; those are not opinions in and of themselves, they are prefaces to opinions. To qualify as actual opinions, they must be followed by reasons why, and in order for you to understand the reasons why, you have to understand something about the person giving the opinion." -- Gary A. Braunbeck

British Isles: A Natural History


Alan Titchmarsh - 2004
    Written in Alans uniquely readable style, the book chronicles the different periods in Britain's evolution, exploring everything from the geology and geography to the flora and fauna that make up the diverse landscapes of the British Isles. It also includes a gazetteer section detailing where you can explore for yourself Britain's natural treasures. Beautifully illustrated with 180 colour photographs, it will appeal to natural history enthusiasts and everyone who cares about the country they live in. The book contains the latest research gathered in the making of this new landmark series from the BBC's NHU in Bristol. Alan Titchmarsh is a bestselling BBC author and has sold over a million copies of his books which include How To Be A Gardener 1 and 2 and Royal Gardeners.

Shrek 2


Jesse Leon McCann - 2004
    Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey are trying to live "happily ever after" but it isn't easy, and you can get in on all the fun just by reading this book.Shrek and Fiona return from their honeymoon to find Donkey living happily in Shrek's house in the swamp. Before they can discover the reason why, a herald from the Kingdom of Far, Far Away arrives with an invitation. Fiona's parents, the King and Queen, want to meet her Prince Charming. But the reunion does not go smoothly. With the addition of a Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, and a fierce ogre-hunter named Puss-in-Boots, chaos ensues. Join your fairy tale favorites for a hilarious adventure that proves that nothing is quite what it seems and that living happily ever after isn't easy.

It Came from Horrorwood: Interviews with Moviemakers in the SF and Horror Tradition


Tom Weaver - 2004
    Originally published as It Came from Weaver Five in 1996, this collection goes behind the scenes with 20 of the most talkative people of Hollywood's horror, science fiction and serial films of the 1930s through 1960s. Delores Fuller loaned Ed Wood her angora sweater, but didn't fully realize he was a transvestite until Glen or Glenda was released. Tom Hennesy played the title role in Clint Eastwood's first movie--Revenge of the Creature. The interviewees include Fuller, Hennesy, Junior Coghlan, Charlotte Austin, Les Baxter, John Clifford, Mara Corday, Kathleen Crowley, Michael Fox, Anne Gwynne, Linda Harrison, Michael Pate, Gil Perkins, Walter Reed, Joseph F. Robertson, Aubrey Schenck, Sam Sherman, Gloria Stuart, Gregory Walcott and Robert Wise. Also included is A Salute to Ed Wood, with illustrations by Drew Friedman.

The Film Preservation Guide The Basics For Archives, Libraries, And Museums


National Film Preservation Foundation - 2004
    The Film Preservation Guide is designed for these organizations. It introduces film preservation to nonprofit and public institutions that have collections of motion picture film but lack information about how to take care of them. Written and produced by the National Film Preservation Foundation, the book is a primer for “beginners”—professionals trained in archival studies, librarianship, museum work, or history but unschooled in this technical specialty.The guide grew from user workshops at Duke University and the Minnesota Historical Society. At the sessions, beginners talked with technical experts about what they needed to know in order to preserve and make available their film collections. "Keep it simple!" was the watchword of the discussions.Following this advice, the guide describes methods for handling, duplicating, making available, and storing film that are practical for research institutions with limited resources. It is organized in chapters tracing the path of film through the preservation process, from acquisition to exhibition, and includes case studies, photo-illustrations prepared by the staff of George Eastman House, charts, 10-page glossary, bibliography, and index.The Film Preservation Guide was made possible through the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the contribution of scores of preservationists. The publication has been translated into Chinese, Farsi, Japanese, Korean, and Thai and is used by film archivists around the world.

Sleepover


Suzanne Weyn - 2004
    They're all heading to Julie's house for a sleepover bash. It's a pretty uneventful night until Staci--the most popular chick in the most popular clique challenges Julie and her buds to the ultimate dare: an all out scavenger hunt-where winner takes all--the prized spot in the cafeteria! Bring it on!Scholastic's movie novelization brings young readers along for the ride. Includes color pix of the cast.

The Magic Behind the Voices: A Who's Who of Cartoon Voice Actors


Tim Lawson - 2004
    Often as amusing as the characters they portray, voice actors are charming, resilient people-many from humble beginnings-who have led colorful lives in pursuit of success. Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill's Mike Judge was an engineer for a weapons contractor turned self-taught animator and voice actor. Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) was a small town Ohio girl who became the star prot�g� of Daws Butler-most famous for Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and Quick Draw McGraw. Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine) and Minnie Mouse (Russi Taylor) are a real-life husband-and-wife team. Spanning many studios and production companies, this book captures the spirit of fun that bubbles from those who create the voices of favorite animated characters.In the earliest days of cartoons, voice actors were seldom credited for their work. A little more than a decade ago, even the Screen Actors Guild did not consider voice actors to be real actors, and the only voice actor known to the general public was Mel Blanc. Now, Oscar-winning celebrities clamor to guest star on animated television shows and features.Despite the crushing turnouts at signings for shows such as Animaniacs, The Simpsons, and SpongeBob Squarepants, most voice actors continue to work in relative anonymity. The Magic Behind the Voices features personal interviews and concise biographical details, parting the curtain to reveal creators of many of the most beloved cartoon voices.

Hick Flicks: The Rise and Fall of Redneck Cinema


Scott Von Doviak - 2004
    The popularity of these hick flicks grew throughout the '70s, and they attained mass acceptance with the 1977 release of Smokey and the Bandit. It marked the heyday of these regional favorites, but within a few short years, changing economic realities within the movie business and the collapse of the drive-in market would effectively spell the end of the so-called hixploitation genre. This comprehensive study of the hixploitation genre is the first of its kind. Chapters are divided into three major topics. Part One deals with good ol' boys, from redneck sheriffs, to moonshiners, to honky-tonk heroes and beyond. Part Two explores road movies, featuring back-road racers, truckers and everything in between. Part Three, In the Woods, covers movies about all manner of beasts--some of them human--populating the swamps and woodlands of rural America. Film stills are included, and an afterword examines both the decline and metamorphosis of the genre. A filmography, bibliography and index accompany the text.

Shrek 2


Gail Herman - 2004
    There may be an army of elves standing in his way, but that's not going to Shrek and his pals. They're going to get that potion or else!

Unforgiven


Edward Buscombe - 2004
    William Munny, wonderfully played by Eastwood himself, finds himself confronted not only by the formidable sheriff Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman) but also by his own inner demons and the awful realities of violence and death. On its appearance in 1992 the film proved a popular and critical success, securing Academy Awards for Best Picture, for Eastwood as Director, for Gene Hackman as Best Supporting Actor, and for Joel Cox as Editor. Unforgiven is Eastwood's last Western to date, and the film may prove to be his swan song in a genre he has graced for more than forty years. Edward Buscombe explores the ways in which Unforgiven, sticking surprisingly close to the original script by David Webb Peoples, moves between the requirements of the traditional Western, with its generic conventions of revenge and male bravado, and more modern sensitivities.

Groundhog Day


Ryan Gilbey - 2004
    One of the first films to use a science-fiction premise as the basis for romantic comedy, it tells the story of a splenetic TV weatherman, Phil Connors (Bill Murray at his disreputable best), who finds himself indefinitely repeating one drab day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The film is a deeply ambivalent fable: before he finds redemption Phil must plumb the depths of suicidal despair--and even after he has survived this, there are no guarantees that he will live happily ever after. Ryan Gilbey begins his account of Groundhog Day with the long and unlucky gestation of the script by Danny Rubin, who was interviewed for this book. Gilbey celebrates the inspired casting of Murray, Andie MacDowell, and less well-known actors such as Stephen Tobolowsky. In a subtle analysis, he unpacks the film's remarkable blend of humor and melancholy, revealing Groundhog Day to be a rare beast--a mainstream Hollywood comedy that grows richer with each repeat viewing.

In the Picture: Production Stills from the TCM Archives


Turner Classic Movies - 2004
    A unique photography book unto itself from the commanding archives of Turner Classic Movies, In the Picture collects 150 of these disarming and fascinating documentary images, imparting the delight of vintage Hollywood as well as a wealth of details for all movie lovers. Stills from beloved classics -- Ben-Hur, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz on up to Giant, The Dirty Dozen, and Bullitt -- reveal masterful set compositions and period details as well as images of actors between takes conferring with directors and crew. Capturing beloved movie moments both on- and off-camera from the silent era through the '60s, In the Picture provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood at work.

Lips Hips Tits Power: The Films of Russ Meyer


Doyle Greene - 2004
    Russ Meyer is the breast-fixated filmmaker who started as a nude pin-up photographer and progressed through his own startling brand of B-cinema to direct probably the most bizarre film ever funded by a major Hollywood -studio-"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,"Meyer's 1960s films-including "Mudhoney, Motorpsycho!" and the legendary "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"-are now venerated as modern classics, and "Lips Hips Tits Power" examines Meyer's entire cinematic oeuvre in -detail, affording it the serious analysis it undeniably warrants.Featuring famous girls from Meyer's repertory company such as Tura Satana, Kitten Natividad, Uschi Digard, Haji and Erica Gavin, "Lips Hips Tits Power" offers a visual feast of buxotic female flesh to offset its critical commentary, resulting in a book which operates on two-equally stimulating-levels.

Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2005


Roger Ebert - 2004
    Presents detailed descriptions and reviews of virtually every movie that has opened nationally over the past year, reports from the major film festivals, interviews with important movie figures, and essays on the movie world.

Hollywood Life: The Glamorous Homes of Vintage Hollywood


Gavin Lambert - 2004
    Some of his photographs were published in 1969 in his book "Hollywood Style"--they have since become the ultimate map of stars' homes, one that takes an intimate tour through private Hollywood in its glory days. As "Hollywood Life" reveals, the styles of a stars' homes are as diverse as the personalities who dwell in them. Whether Mediterranean, Tudor, or designed by such uber-chic Hollywood decorators as Billy Haines and Tony Duquette, together these houses create the hodgepodge that is Hollywood style.

The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948-2003


Tom Johnson - 2004
    He has assumed such diverse roles as the Man With the Golden Gun, Frankenstein's Monster, Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes, and Doctor Catheter (from Gremlins 2). From Corridor of Mirrors in 1948 to Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones in 2002, this reference book covers 166 of Lee's theatrical feature films in detail. Each entry provides all production information (including year of release, studio, running time, and location), full credits for cast and crew, a synopsis of the film, and a critical analysis of the film and Lee's involvement, with a detailed account of its making and commentary drawn from some thirty hours of interviews with Lee himself. Each film is also placed within the context of Lee's career and discusses the director and other significant figures. Two appendices list Lee's television feature films and miniseries and Lee's short films, with brief credits and Lee's role in each. The work concludes with an afterword by Christopher Lee. Photographs from the actor's private collection are included.

Moulin Rouge


Christopher Mirambeau - 2004
    As much of a Parisian symbol as the Eiffel Tower itself, the Moulin Rouge was the site of much of the intrigue, madness, and decadence of the Belle Epoque. Cradle of vice, birthplace of the cancan, this institution of unparalleled charm and ostentation flaunts a rich history that ranges from La Goulue, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Mistinguett to Lisette Malidor and Janet Jackson. This precious book offers a trip through the cycles of the windmill, ending in today¹s Moulin Rouge, whose spectacular revues remain faithful to the spirit of Parisian entertainment

Hello Kitty: Superterrific Sleepover!


Mark McVeigh - 2004
    She and her friends are going to play lots of fun games and eat some yummy pizza. They even have a spooky mystery to solve when a tray of cupcakes disappears!

It's All Lies and That's the Truth: And 49 More Rules from 50 Years of Trying to Make a Living in Hollywood


Bernie Brillstein - 2004
     An uncommon collection of common sense, The Little Stuff Matters Most delivers the hard and fast lessons of Brillstein’s unparalleled business experience in fifty pithy, wise, and completely entertaining essays. Brillstein, whose name is synonymous with some of the highest-profile Hollywood careers, shares these invaluable lessons in the clever, unfailingly honest, and inimitable tone for which he is known and loved. Memorable tips include: -Know the difference between “hot” and “good” -Only doctors and hookers need pagers -Don’t pet the snakes -Have an opinion, even it it’s wrong -It’s all lies, and that’s the truth -When your time has come, success will find you -The stomachache—and other gastrointestinal warnings Each of the book’s fifty “Bernie-isms” is followed by refreshing commentary, peppered with colorful tales from Bernie’s career and clever drawings by acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist David Sipress. This book is the next best thing to having your own personal manager on call 24/7—without having to fork over 15 percent of your paycheck. “This is the best self-help book I’ve read in years. The Little Stuff Matters Most should be required reading for everybody—and it’s funny, too!”—Larry King

Creeping Flesh 2


David Kerekes - 2004
    Features overviews of Triad movies, Cheerleader films of the seventies, the Australian "Wizard of Oz," Children's TV horror, a major interview with the director of "They Call Her One Eye"-cut by 22 minutes and a main inspiration for "Kill Bill"-and much more. Reviews, news, interviews.

They Started Talking


Frank Tuttle - 2004
    With a cast of characters that includes Jean Arthur, Mary Astor, Mischa Auer, William Bendix, Joan Blondell, Clara Bow, Evelyn Brent, Louise Brooks, Eddie Cantor, Dane Clark, Bing Crosby, Bebe Daniels, William Demarest, Dick Foran, Mitzi Green, Glen Hunter, Victor Jory, Otto Kruger, Alan Ladd, Angela Lansbury, Veronica Lake, Charlie McCarthy, Fredric March, Thomas Meighan, George Montgomery, Adolphe Monjou, Osgood Perkins, William Powell, Robert Preston, Edward G. Robinson, Charlie Ruggles, Simone Signoret, Phil Silvers, Gloria Swanson, and Monty Wooley, They Started Talking is an affectionate Who's Who of the leading supporting players of Hollywood's golden age. In addition, published for the first time, are rare letters from film directors George Cukor, JosE Ferrer, Elia Kazan, Stanley Kramer, George Stevens, Norman Taurog, and William Wyler.

The Best of Ennio Morricone: Original Soundtrack Collection


Ennio Morricone - 2004
    Though his career has been primarily in Italian films, he has also composed distinctive, sophisticated scores for such American films as Once Upon a Time in America, Bugsy, Mission, In the Line of Fire and The Untouchables . This collection of 22 piano solos from 17 movies is a great introduction to Morricone's work, or a rare serving of some of the greatest movie music for the film buff. The companion CD has actual recordings from the film scores of the featured selections.