August 2023 MBR The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Cinematic Storytelling
Jennifer Van Sijll
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781932907056, $30.95, PB, 257pp

https://www.amazon.com/Cinematic-Storytelling-Powerful-Conventions-Filmmaker/dp/193290705X

Synopsis: What the film industry's most successful writers and directors have in common is that each of them have mastered the cinematic storytelling conventions specific to the medium. With the publication of "Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know", professional screenwriter Jennifer Van Sijll covers (as relates to cinematic storytelling) the role and responsibilities of the screenwriter and the director. She then goes on to cover such cinematic storytelling facets as space/screen direction, frame composition, writing within the frame, editing, and timing.

Critique: Expertly organized, presented, and illustrated with instructive and illustrative black/white illustrations throughout, "Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know" is a comprehensive course of instruction and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, film school, and academic library Cinematic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for film school students, aspiring screenwriters, and novice directors that "Cinematic Storytelling" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Editorial Note: Jennifer Van Sijll (https://ces.sdsu.edu/jennifer-van-sijll) is a scriptwriter, instructor, consultant, and speaker based out of Los Angeles. She is a master teacher having taught at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University as well as internationally. She is also an accomplished scriptwriter who most recently scripted the independent film, Ballerina: A One Woman Show which won multiple international awards as well as the Hollywood Independent Film Festival Awards, and the Gold Award at the International Independent Film Awards.

Jennifer has scripted nearly 100 documentaries for clients like China Central Television, the Computer History Museum and independent producers. She has written for shows like China Insight, the 4th most popular show in mainland China with viewership of nearly 1 billion. She has an MFA from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. A prolific speaker having delivered presentations on Cinematic Storytelling to Pixar, Nestle, Google, China Central TV (CCTV) as well as at the Los Angeles Screenwriters Expo, her seminars have been featured on TV, radio and two documentaries.

Lena Horne: The M-G-M Years
Stephen Bourne
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9798887712376, $32.00, HC, 120pp

https://www.amazon.com/Lena-Horne-M-G-M-Years-Hollywoods/dp/B0CBSKYD18

Synopsis: "With the publication of "Lena Horne: The M-G-M Years", cinema historian Stephen Burne begins in 1942 when Lena Horne became the first black actress and movie star to sign a long-term contract with M-G-M, one of Hollywood's top studios. M-G-M then transformed Lena into a movie goddess after initial uncertainties of how to employ her talents on screen at a time when African Americans were greatly discriminated against with whole chains of movie theaters in the South refusing to run any films with black actors in a too prominent a role.

Critique: Succinct, fascinating, detailed, and featuring a section of b/w historic photos, "Lena Horne: The M-G-M Years" is a 'must' for the legions of Lena Horne fans, for Hollywood cinema historians, and anyone with an interest in the evolution of black actors in the 20th Century movie business. While a very strongly recommended pick for community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/History and African American Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lena Horne: The M-G-M Years" is also readily available from BearManor Media in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.00).

Editorial Note: Stephen Bourne (https://stephenbourne.co.uk/books) is a writer, film and social historian specializing in black heritage and gay culture. He graduated from the London College of Printing with a bachelor's degree in film and television in 1988, and in 2006 received a Master of Philosophy degree at De Montfort University for his dissertation on the subject of the representation of gay men in British television drama. In 2017 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by London South Bank University for his contribution to diversity.

Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017
M. A. Cassata
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9798887712178, $28.00, HC, 76pp

https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Trivia-Quiz-Random-Facts/dp/B0C9SBNVM1

Synopsis: As a Doctor Who fans, do you know which Doctor ate fish Fingers and custard? What the final works of the tenth Doctor said before his regeneration? How many years the Doctor vowed to guard Missy in The Vault?

With the publication of "Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017" and its focus on the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors in one of the most enduring science fiction television series in history, Doctor Who expert M. A. Cassata poses 300 questions and answers -- plus many random fun Doctor Who show facts from 2005-2017. Many of these fun facts are as fascinating as they are informative.

Critique: Ideal for Doctor Who themed trivia contests, a 'must' for the legions of Doctor Who fans, and focuses specifically on the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors, their companions and their adventures, it should be noted that "Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798887712161, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.00).

Editorial Note: M.A. Cassata (https://www.macassata.com) is the author of Timeless TV Quiz & Random Facts:'60s to'80s, Pop 'n' Rock Trivia Quiz: '60s to'80s, The Superheroes Movies Trivia Quiz Book and other entertainment/celebrity-themed tribute books including, The Elton John Scrapbook, Starman: A Tribute to Bowie, The Cher Scrapbook and The Essential Jim Carrey.

Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal
Giles Terera
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue, 24th floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
http://www.tcg.org/publications
9781636701073, $17.95, PB, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Me-Journal-Giles-Terera/dp/1636701078

Synopsis: With the publication of "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal", Giles Terera provides the reader with a unique, behind-the-scenes account of preparing for, rehearsing and performing in one of the most important theatrical phenomena of our time.

When Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical Hamilton opened in London's West End in December 2017, it was as huge a hit as it had been in its original production off and on Broadway. Lauded by critics and audiences alike, the show would go on to win a record-equaling seven Olivier Awards -- including Best Actor in a Musical for Giles Terera, and his portrayal of Aaron Burr.

For Terera, though, his journey as Burr had begun more than a year earlier, with his first audition in New York, and continuing through extensive research and preparation, intense rehearsals, previews, and finally opening night itself. Throughout this time he kept a journal, recording his experiences of the production and the process of creating his award-winning performance. This book, "Hamilton and Me", is that journal.

"Hamilton and Me" is also deeply personal, as Terera reflects on experiences from his life that he drew on to shape his acclaimed portrayal.

Critique: Illustrated with photographs and featuring an exclusive foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal" is essential reading for the still growing legions of fans of the musical play Hamilton as it offers fresh, first-hand, personal insights into the music and characters comprising Hamilton. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community and academic library American Theatre collections, "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal" is also available in digital book format (Kindle, $13.49) for aspiring and current performers, theatre students, and Hamilton enthusiasts.

Editorial Note: Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honors for services to theatre, Giles Terera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Terera) is an award-winning actor, musician, and writer. He trained at Mountview Theatre School and has worked consistently at venues such as the National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe. He is best known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in the London production of the award-winning musical Hamilton, for which he won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Surviving Squid Game
Suk-Young Kim
Applause Books
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493072729, $28.95, PB, 216pp

https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Squid-Game-K-Drama-Streaming/dp/1493072722

Synopsis: South Korea has fully stepped onto the global stage in stunning strides. From the Oscar-winning film Parasite to the pop juggernaut known as BTS, South Korean popular culture has taken the world by storm. This new South Korean wave has influenced global tastes in drama, music, fashion, and can even be seen in the beauty industry's obsession with South Korean skincare products -- South Korea is everywhere.

At the top of this list of greatest hits is Squid Game, a genre-bending Netflix series that has ignited social media platforms and inspired armies of devoted fans around the world.

The seeds for a deep collaborative relationship between Netflix and K-drama had been sown long before the phenomenal success of Squid Game, but what particular social conditions allowed for this show to speak viscerally to global audiences today as the most-watched drama in ninety countries?

With the publication of "Surviving Squid Game: A Guide to K-Drama, Netflix, and Global Streaming Wars", Professor Suk-Young Kim (a scholar of South Korean pop culture) throws back the curtain to reveal the multiple factors accounting for the global dominance of K-culture. It investigates the origins, manifestations, and future prospects for this cultural trailblazer, making it essential reading for both content creators and fans of South Korean culture across all media.

Critique: Nicely illustrated, impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Surviving Squid Game: A Guide to K-Drama, Netflix, and Global Streaming Wars" is essential reading for the legions of Squid Game fans. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99), "Surviving Squid Game" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Television Game Show History collections and supplemental South Korean Popular Culture curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Suk-Young Kim is Professor of Theater and Performance Studies at UCLA. A specialist of Korean popular culture, her comments are regularly featured on CNN, NPR, Billboard and other major media outlets. Her books include DMZ Crossing: Performing Emotional Citizenship Along the Korean Border and K-Pop Live: Fans, Idols, and Multimedia Performance. (https://www.tft.ucla.edu/blog/2016/07/25/suk-young-kim)

The Wasp Woman
Lona Bailey
Independently Published
9798398985986, $12.99, PB, 119pp

https://www.amazon.com/Wasp-Woman-Career-Murder-Hollywoods/dp/B0C9SLF2QV

Synopsis: Susan Cabot was a popular B-list movie actress in the 1940s-1950s whose grisly slaying perhaps gained her more notoriety than her on-screen and on-stage accomplishments.

With the publication of "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot", film historian Lona Bailey reveals that Susan had a significant acting career ultimately cheapened by the media circus surrounding her death.

The role for which Susan was most recognized was "Wasp Woman, Janice Starlin," the president of a cosmetics corporation who experiments with a youth serum made from the extract of wasps that proves to have deadly side effects, not unlike the experimental injections that contributed to her own real-life slaughter in 1986 at the hands of her son, Tim.

Susan was essentially tried and convicted of her own murder due to the overbearing mother narrative purported by Tim's defense attorney team and the media. This well researched biography broadens the narrative of Susan Cabot in detailing her legacy from a fresh perspective beyond the coils of her last years and brutal murder.

Critique: Informative, fascinating, succinct, detailed, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot" is an informative biography that will be of particular and special interest to dedicated fans of the 1940 & 1950s B-movies. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library 20th Century Cinematic History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) for the personal reading lists of students, academia, film historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.

Editorial Note: Dr. Lona Bailey (https://www.lonabaileywrites.com) is a Golden Age of Hollywood researcher and writer of "Uncredited: The Life and Career of Actress Virginia Gregg," "Voice of Villainy: The Betty Lou Gerson Story," "Mrs. Radio: The Cathy Lewis Story," and "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Brutal Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot." As a PhD and former therapist, Lona is passionate about telling the untold stories of women who perhaps weren't finished using their own voices during their earthly journeys. Lona's biographic works offer a balanced perspective on the multidimensional elements involved in feministic legacy-maintenance with particular interest in the preservation efforts of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Lona was a finalist in the International Book Awards for 2023.

Phil's 3rd Favorite 500
Phil Berardelli
Mountain Lake Press
http://www.mountainlakepress.com
9781959307198, $24.95, HC, 472pp

https://www.amazon.com/Phils-3rd-Favorite-500-Moviegoing/dp/1959307193

Synopsis: In 2012, Phil Berardelli published his first compilation of 500 favorite movies, divided into 50 categories and borne of a lifelong love of the medium, and a desire to share some of his most enjoyable experiences with other cinephiles. Subsequently, he followed up in 2018 with a print edition of that compilation.

Then, two years later, Phil completed his second 500 favorites, likewise encompassing 50 categories.

Now, with the publication of "Phil's 3rd Favorite 500: Still More Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime", he adds yet another 500 titles, presented in yet another 50 categories.

With this feature film trilogy, Phil offers a vast array of attractions to engage a wide variety of interests, ranging from the most avid film students, to the most casual viewers, and from acknowledged classics to little-known treasures.

All films featured in this third movie compendium represent some of the finest work of film makers in America and overseas alike, with some titles going back nearly a hundred years! Witty and eminently browsable, Phil's three compilations will no doubt in the coming years be regarded as classic references for movie lovers everywhere.

Critique: Descriptively informative, "Phil's 3rd Favorite 500: Still More Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime" is thoroughly 'film fan friendly' in organization and presentation -- making it an essential and welcome addition to personal, professional, community, film school, college, and university library Cinematic History reference collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for film students, academia, and dedicated movie buffs that "Phil's 3rd Favorite 500: Still More Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime" is also available in a paperback edition (9781959307181, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).

Editorial Note: Phil Berardelli has been in love with movies ever since his first encounter as a little boy thrilled him and then scared the daylights out of him. In the intervening years, including a six-year stint as a TV movie critic, Phil has seen at least 5,000 films.

The Way of Washi Tales
Ibe Kyoko & Elise Thoron
The Legacy Press
http://www.thelegacypress.com
9781940965208, $45.00, PB, 232pp

http://www.thelegacypress.com/washi-tales.html

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Way of Washi Tales", co-authors Ibe Kyoko and Elise Thoron chronicle the beautiful and moving story of Recycling: Washi Tales, a theatrical performance first conceived in 2009 by American theater maker, Elise Thoron, and Japanese paper artist, Ibe Kyoko.

Inspired by washi (Japanese handmade paper), the co-authors set out on an ongoing exploration of its dynamic presence and harmonious spirit in theater. Working with a company of Japanese traditional performers and an American storyteller, Recycling: Washi Tales brings to the stage four folk tales centering around washi from different periods of Japanese history. Three Japanese musical traditions are also represented: Noh drum, biwa, and shomyo (Buddhist sutra singing). Performances of Recycling: Washi Tales have delighted audiences across the U.S.A. and Japan, captivated by Ibe's dazzling paper art and costumes, the on-stage papermaking, and the artistry of each of the company performers.

The Way of Washi Tales tells the story of a collaboration across cultures, including how washi and the rich history of the craft informed the performances of the theater artists, while their ongoing work together as a company resulted in deep personal bonds and experiences. Through backstage scenes and over two hundred photographs, "The Way of Washi Tales" explores the fascinating process of long-term cultural exchange, including the complex challenges of bilingual performance and the rewards of building a "washi family."

In personal essays, the co-authors reflect on how profoundly a simple natural material (washi) has shaped Japanese culture and influenced the trajectory of their lives.

Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of two Appendices (A reproduces the script for Recycling: Washi Tales and Claire Cuccio's translation of Najio Gawa by Mizukami Tsutomu, a source for one of the Washi Tales), a glossary, and bibliography, "The Way of Washi Tales" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Japanese Art, Japanese Theater, and Japanese Popular Culture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note #1: Ibe Kyoko (https://noyesmuseum.org/kyoko-ibe) completed a master's degree at the Kyoto Institute of technology in 1967, and continued working with paper and has been invited to more than 20 countries for exhibitions, workshops lectures, teaching, judge, panelist and stage art installation. Her work pushes the limits of paper, transforming a craft into an art form. Her radical new approach to paper combines a respect for tradition with technological experimentation. She exhibit in many museums, including Los Angeles County museum in 2011, Stockton University Gallery in 2017 and her works are the collection of Chicago Art Institute and many others. She is the author and editor of "Guide book of Contemporary Paperwork," and co-author of "Encyclopedia Paper culture and Science," Paper, Makers Tears, volume one.

Editorial Note #2: Elise Thoron (https://elisethoron.com) is a playwright, director, and translator who brings stories not widely heard to life on stage. Her plays have been produced in the United States, Europe, Japan, Cuba.

Cliffhanger!
Christopher Irving
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605491196, $39.95

https://www.amazon.com/Cliffhanger-Cinematic-Superheroes-Serials-1941-1952/dp/1605491195

Cliffhanger! Cinematic Superheroes of the Serials: 1941-1952 is a survey of early film superheroes and comic creators that should be in any media history collection.

It focuses on early characters, stuntmen and directors, comic book creators, and actors who contributed to the notion of a superhero universe, juxtaposing events in the two media histories to build a better understanding of the roots and origins of superhero serial productions.

Packed with color photos and in-depth analysis of famous superhero origins ("Batman was a pulp response to Superman's science fiction roots, created by an ambitious young cartoonist and his uncredited writing partner."), Cliffhanger! is quite simply a 'must' for any film or comic history collection seeking a definitive analyses and solid history, flavored with the vintage images of past superhero incarnations.

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