Book picks similar to
Batman Returns: The Official Movie Book by Michael Singer
non-fiction
film-tv
movie-and-tv-books
bottom-shelf
True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa
Michael Finkel - 2005
A young, highly intelligent man named Christian Longo, on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list for killing his entire family, has recently been captured in Mexico, where he'd taken on a new identity -- Michael Finkel of the New York Times.The next day, on page A-3 of the Times, comes another bit of troubling news: a note, written by the paper's editors, explaining that Finkel has falsified parts of an investigative article and has been fired. This unlikely confluence sets the stage for a bizarre and intense relationship. After Longo's arrest, the only journalist the accused murderer will speak with is the real Michael Finkel. And as the months until Longo's trial tick away, the two men talk for dozens of hours on the telephone, meet in the jailhouse visiting room, and exchange nearly a thousand pages of handwritten letters.With Longo insisting he can prove his innocence, Finkel strives to uncover what really happened to Longo's family, and his quest becomes less a reporting job than a psychological cat-and-mouse game -- sometimes redemptively honest, other times slyly manipulative. Finkel's pursuit pays off only at the end, when Longo, after a lifetime of deception, finally says what he wouldn't even admit in court -- the whole, true story. Or so it seems.
Bizarro
Heath Corson - 2016
But his “help” has left nothing but destruction all through Metropolis, and now the citizens want him out! Sounds like a job for Jimmy Olsen! He’ll lure Bizarro out of the city for good by escorting him on a road trip to “Bizarro America” (a.k.a. Canada), then return to Metropolis a hero and write a best-selling coffee table book about their journey. But to get to the border, the duo will first have to contend with chupacabras, ghosts and used car salesmen! And if they do ever reach the Great White North, will Jimmy have the heart to follow through with his scheme? This awfullest story of two worst enemies on a terrible road trip am not written by Heath Corson (JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR) or drawn by Gustavo Duarte (Monsters! And Other Stories) with Darwyn Cooke, Francis Manapul, Kelley Jones and others. It no collects BIZARRO #1-6 or DC SNEAK PEEK: BIZARRO #1.
The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron
Rebecca Winters Keegan - 2009
It's a distinction he's long been building, through a directing career that includes such cinematic landmarks as "The Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss," and the highest grossing movie of all time, "Titanic." The Futurist is the first in-depth look at every aspect of this audacious creative genius--culminating in an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of the making of "Avatar," the movie that promises to utterly transform the way motion pictures are created and perceived. As decisive a break with the past as the transition from silents to talkies, "Avatar" pushes 3-D, live action, and photo-realistic CGI to a new level. It rips through the emotional barrier of the screen to transport the audience to a fabulous new virtual world. With cooperation from the often reclusive Cameron, author Rebecca Keegan has crafted a singularly revealing portrait of the director's life and work. We meet the young truck driver who sees "Star Wars" and resolves to make his own space blockbuster--starting by building a futuristic cityscape with cardboard and X-Acto knives. We observe the neophyte director deciding over lunch with Arnold Schwarzenegger that the ex-body builder turned actor is wrong in every way for the Terminator role as written, but perfect regardless. After the success of "The Terminator," Cameron refines his special-effects wizardry with a big-time Hollywood budget in the creation of the relentlessly exciting "Aliens." He builds an immense underwater set for "The Abyss" in the massive containment vessel of an abandoned nuclear power plant--where he pushes his scuba-equipped cast to and sometimes past their physical and emotional breaking points (including a white rat that Cameron saved from drowning by performing CPR). And on the set of "Titanic," the director struggles to stay in charge when someone maliciously spikes craft services' mussel chowder with a massive dose of PCP, rendering most of the cast and crew temporarily psychotic. Now, after his movies have earned over $3 billion at the box office, James Cameron is astounding the world with the most expensive, innovative, and ambitious movie of his career. For decades the moviemaker has been ready to tell the "Avatar" story but was forced to hold off his ambitions until technology caught up with his vision. Going beyond the technical ingenuity and narrative power that Cameron has long demonstrated, "Avatar" shatters old cinematic paradigms and ushers in a new era of storytelling. The Futurist is the story of the man who finally brought movies into the twenty-first century.
The Book of Alien
Paul Scanlon - 1979
Alien.This exciting book takes you right behind the scenes of Alien and talks to the key people involved, including H. R Giger and director Ridley Scott. It shows every creative stage, through designs and sketches, models and costumes, that went into such a unique vision of the future, and graphically demonstrates why the movie won an Oscar for its visual effects.
The Making of 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stephanie Schwam - 2000
The critics initially disliked it, but the public loved it. And eventually, the film took its rightful place as one of the most innovative, brilliant, and pivotal works of modern cinema. The Making of 2001: A Space Odyssey consists of testimony from Kubrick's collaborators and commentary from critics and historians. This is the most complete book on the film to date--from Stanley Kubrick's first meeting with screenwriter Arthur C. Clarke to Kubrick's exhaustive research to the actual shooting and release of the movie.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Firefly: The Official Companion Volume One
Joss Whedon - 2006
Set 500 years in the future, Firefly centres around Mal Reynolds, captain of the ship-for-hire Serenity and its eclectic crew of galactic misfits. When he takes on two passengers, a young doctor and his mysterious, telepathic sister, he gets much more than he bargained for. This official companion is just what the show¹s fervent fans, the 'Browncoats', have been waiting for, with unseen photos, scripts, behind the scenes secrets, and exclusive input from the cast and crew, including of course creator Joss Whedon.
Greenlights: Raucous stories and outlaw wisdom from the Academy Award-winning actor
Matthew McConaughey - 2021
Steven Spielberg: Interviews
Lester D. Friedman - 2000
Phrases like "phone home" and the music score from Jaws are now part of our cultural script, appearing in commercials, comedy routines, and common conversation.Yet few scholars have devoted time to studying Spielberg's vast output of popular films despite the director's financial and aesthetic achievements. Spanning twenty-five years of Spielberg's career, Steven Spielberg: Interviews explores the issues, the themes, and the financial considerations surrounding his work. The blockbuster creator of E.T., Jaws, and Schindler's List talks about dreams and the almighty dollar."I'm not really interested in making money," he says. "That's always come as the result of success, but it's not been my goal, and I've had a tough time proving that to people."Ranging from Spielberg's twenties to his mid-fifties, the interviews chart his evolution from a brash young filmmaker trying to make his way in Hollywood, to his spectacular blockbuster triumphs, to his maturation as a director seeking to inspire the imagination with meaningful subjects.The Steven Spielberg who emerges in these talks is a complex mix of businessman and artist, of arrogance and insecurity, of shallowness and substance. Often interviewers will uncover the director's human side, noting how changes in Spielberg's personal life -- marriage, divorce, fatherhood, remarriage -- affect his movies. But always the interviewers find keys to the story-telling and filmmaking talent that have made Spielberg's characters and themes shape our times and inhabit our dreams."Every time I go to a movie, it's magic, no matter what the movie's about," he says. "Whether you watch eight hours of Shoah or whether it's Ghostbusters, when the lights go down in the theater and the movie fades in, it's magic."
If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling
Patti Bellantoni - 2005
This enlightening book guides filmmakers toward making the right color selections for their films, and helps movie buffs understand why they feel the way they do while watching movies that incorporate certain colors.Guided by her twenty-five years of research on the effects of color on behavior, Bellantoni has grouped more than 60 films under the spheres of influence of six major colors, each of which triggers very specific emotional states. For example, the author explains that films with a dominant red influence have themes and characters that are powerful, lusty, defiant, anxious, angry, or romantic and discusses specific films as examples. She explores each film, describing how, why, and where a color influences emotions, both in the characters on screen and in the audience. Each color section begins with an illustrated Home Page that includes examples, anecdotes, and tips for using or avoiding that particular color.Conversations with the author's colleagues - including award-winning production designers Henry Bumstead (Unforgiven) and Wynn Thomas (Malcolm X) and renowned cinematographers Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption) and Edward Lachman (Far From Heaven) - reveal how color is often used to communicate what is not said.Bellantoni uses her research and experience to demonstrate how powerful color can be and to increase readers awareness of the colors around us and how they make us feel, act, and react. Learn how your choice of color can influence an audience's moods, attitudes, reactions, and interpretations of your movie's plot. See your favorite films in a new light as the author points out important uses of color, both instinctive and intentional. Learn how to make good color choices, in your film and in your world.
Eva Goes Solo
Evangeline Neo - 2016
But upon her arrival there to pursue a master’s degree, she soon finds that it’s not entirely like what she’d gleaned from reading manga and watching anime.From dirty dorms and Japanese bureaucracy to natural disasters and hay fever-inducing pollen, Eva’s stay in Japan was no walk in the cherry blossom park. She was also there during the 3/11 earthquake, among the worst quakes in recent history.In this follow-up to “Eva, Kopi and Matcha”, follow Eva’s footsteps as she experiences some of the best and not-quite-the-best Japan has to offer during her postgraduate adventure. Her accounts in “Eva Goes Solo” – humorous, sometimes harrowing and informative – show that her fondness for all things Japanese has not waned, despite everything.Comes with a 20-page travel guide to Japan at the back of the book.
Moe Howard & The 3 Stooges: The Pictorial Biography of the Wildest Trio in the History of American Entertainment
Moe Howard - 1960
The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
Joseph V. Mascelli - 1983
Included are discussions on: cinematic time and space; compositional rules; and types of editing.
Batman: Bruce Wayne, Murderer?
Greg RuckaPete Woods - 2002
Arrested and imprisoned for murder, alienated from all whom he has ever called ally, Bruce Wayne stands poised to lose his own identity to the specter of his dark knight counterpart - Batman!What would happen if the line between Bruce Wayne and Batman was shattered?You're about to find out!Featuring story and art from some of DC Comics' top talents, Batman: Bruce Wayne - Murderer? collects all relevant segments from the ground-breaking Bruce Wayne: Murderer? event, as well as the startling conclusion from Batman #600.Collects:- Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure: #1 - Batgirl: #24 - Batman: #599, #600 - Gotham Knights: #25, #26 - Birds of Prey: #39, #40 - Detective Comics: #766, #767 - Nightwing: #65, #66 - Robin #98, #99
Batman/Catwoman: The Wedding Album - The Deluxe Edition
Tom King - 2018
But their road to wedded bliss won't be easy. With visitors from this time and beyond, the Bat and the Cat will have to undergo even more trials and tribulations before they walk down the aisle.The historic wedding of Batman and Catwoman is commemorated in this must-have collector's item, featuring never-before-seen photos from the wedding album, behind-the-scenes design sketches and variant covers.Written by the critically acclaimed Tom King, this hardcover celebrates one of the biggest milestones in DC history and features art by superstar artists Mikel Janín, David Finch, Joëlle Jones, Mitch Gerads, Lee Bermejo, Rafael Albuquerque, Neal Adams, Andy Kubert, Becky Cloonan, Ty Templeton, José Luis García-Lopez and more! Collects Batman #24, #44 & #50.