January 2024 MBR The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Cinema of the 70s: 101 Iconic Movies
John H. Foote
Palazzo Editions
https://www.palazzoeditions.com
9781786751331, $29.99, PB, 224

https://www.amazon.com/Cinema-70s-101-Iconic-Movies/dp/178675133X

Synopsis: For the first time, cinema reflected life and society, presenting both on the big screen with a compelling and penetrating truth. Directors and movie stars became household names, often overnight, and films routinely broke box office records.

With censorship relaxed, the subject matter could include alienation, descents into madness, drug addiction, dysfunctional relationships, promiscuity, alcoholism, PTSD, and any big news story of the day. Audiences gladly absorbed this new, shocking reality; in fact, they avoided films that candy-coated the truth. Musicals evolved, westerns all but died for several years, science fiction and fantasy made an incredible resurgence, and horror dominated the box office along with disaster films. But by and large, films about social issues were the best draw.

Enhanced for the reader with some 120 color and black and white photographs, "Cinema of the 70s: 101 Iconic Movies" celebrates the cinema of the 1970s. What a decade for movie buffs everywhere!

Critique: Published by Palazzo Press in a large format (8.5 x 0.7 x 10 inches, 2.03 pounds) hardcover edition, "Cinema of the 70s: 101 Iconic Movies" is essential reading for all dedicated movie buffs and will prove to be a welcome and popular pick for community and college/university library 20th Century Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: John H Foote (https://footeandfriendsonfilm.com/2018/06/25/john-h-foote) has been one of Canada's best known film critics for the last thirty years. He was co-host and co-producer of the TV show Reel to Real, Canada's Siskel and Ebert, for nine years before leaving for print criticism. He has written for such magazines as Toronto Life and Fashion, and is a feature writer for Cinema of the Seventies and its sister magazine Cinema of the Eighties. Among the websites he has written for are The Wrap.com, incontention.com and awardscircuit.com, all popular film sites. His first book Clint Eastwood: Evolution of a Filmmaker was published in 2008.

The Warner Brothers
Chris Yogerst
The University Press of Kentucky
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813198019, $34.95, HC, 360pp

https://www.amazon.com/Warner-Brothers-Screen-Classics/dp/0813198011

Synopsis: One of the oldest and most recognizable studios in Hollywood, Warner Bros. is considered a juggernaut of the entertainment industry. Since its formation in the early twentieth century, the studio has been a constant presence in cinema history, responsible for the creation of acclaimed films, blockbuster brands, and iconic superstars.

These days, the studio is best known as a media conglomerate with a broad range of intellectual property, spanning movies, TV shows, and streaming content. Despite popular interest in the origins of this empire, the core of the Warner Bros. saga cannot be found in its commercial successes. It is the story of four brothers (Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner) whose vision for Hollywood helped shape the world of entertainment as we know it.

With the publication of "The Warner Brothers" by the University of Kentucky Press, cinematic historian and academician Chris Yogerst follows the Warner siblings from their family's humble origins in Poland, through their young adulthood in the American Midwest, to the height of fame and fortune in Hollywood. With unwavering resolve, the brothers soldiered on against the backdrop of an America reeling from the aftereffects of domestic and global conflict.

The Great Depression would not sink the brothers, who churned out competitive films that engaged audiences and kept their operations afloat -- and even expanding. During World War II, they used their platform to push beyond the limits of the Production Code and create important films about real-world issues, openly criticizing radicalism and the evils of the Nazi regime. At every major cultural turning point in their lifetime, the Warners held a front-row seat.

Paying close attention to the brothers' identities as cultural and economic outsiders, Professor Yogerst chronicles how the Warners built a global filmmaking powerhouse. Equal parts family history and cinematic journey, "The Warner Brothers" is an empowering story of the American dream and the legacy four brothers left behind for generations of filmmakers and film lovers to come.

Critique: Absolutely essential reading for dedicated students of American cinematic history, "The Warner Brothers" is a work of exhaustive and detailed research that is brilliantly presented for a professional and non-professional readership. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should also be noted that "The Warner Brothers" by Professor Chris Yogerst is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.49).

Editorial Note: Chris Yogerst (https://www.chrisyogerst.com) is the author of Hollywood Hates Hitler! Jew-Baiting, Anti-Nazism, and the Senate Investigation into Warmongering in Motion Pictures and From the Headlines to Hollywood: The Birth and Boom of Warner Bros. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Journal of American Culture, Historical Journal of Film, Radio, and Television, and the Hollywood Reporter. He currently serves as an associate professor of communication in the Department of Arts and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

21st Century Kaiju
Gordon Arnold
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476689623, $39.95, PB, 206pp

https://www.amazon.com/21st-Century-Kaiju-Resurgence-Monster/dp/1476689628

Synopsis: Once dismissed as a fading cinematic genre from the 1950s with little to say to contemporary audiences, the giant monster movie roared back to life in the new millennium.

In one of modern cinema's most surprising turnarounds, a wave of 21st-century kaiju films has delivered exciting and thought-provoking viewing to global audiences. In a variety of works that range from action-packed CGI spectacles to more personal, introspective productions commenting on real-world issues of the day, the new millennium has witnessed some of the most intriguing films in any genre, including movies from such acclaimed directors such as Guillermo del Toro, Bong Joon-ho and Peter Jackson.

With the publication of "21st Century Kaiju: The Resurgence of Giant Monster Movies", film historian and academician Gordon Arnold takes a sober, multidimensional look at the new class of giant monster movies. It examines the making of these films and their sometimes-obscure meanings. It also covers efforts to reinvent storied kaiju characters from the past, including Godzilla and King Kong, and to transform the genre with movies such as Cloverfield, The Mist, Colossal, and Pacific Rim that feature all-new creatures.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively informative cinematic history of the Kaiju films from their beginnings in Japan to their success in the American movie market, "21st Century Kaiju: The Resurgence of Giant Monster Movies" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it a 'must' for Godzilla style monster movie fans and a welcome pick for community and college/university library Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "21st Century Kaiju: The Resurgence of Giant Monster Movies" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note: Gordon Arnold (https://gordonarnold.net/books) has taught at several colleges, including Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History
Josh Schwartz, author
Stephanie Savage, author
Alan Sepinwall, author
Mariner Books
www.marinerbooks.com
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063342798, $28.99, HC, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-C-History-Josh-Schwartz/dp/0063342790

Synopsis: The O.C. is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons. "O.C." is an initialism of Orange County, the location in Southern California in which the series is set.

On August 5th, 2003, Ryan Atwood found himself a long way from his home in Chino -- he was in The O.C., an exclusive suburb full of beautiful girls, wealthy bullies, corrupt real-estate tycoons, and a new family helmed by his public defender, Sandy Cohen. Ryan soon warms up to his nerdy, indie band-loving new best friend Seth, and quickly falls for Marissa, the stunning girl next door who has secrets of her own. Completing the group is Summer, Seth's dream girl and Marissa's loyal (and fearless) best friend. Together, the friends fall in and out of love, support each other amidst family strife, and capture the hearts of audiences across the country.

"Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History" is just in time for the show's twentieth anniversary, The O.C.'s creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage are dive into how the show was made, the ups and downs over its four seasons, and its legacy today. With Rolling Stone's chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall conducting interviews with the key cast members, writers, and producers who were there when it all happened, "Welcome to the O.C: An Oral History". will offer the definitive inside look at the beloved show -- making it a nostalgic delight for audiences who watched when it aired, and a rich companion to viewers currently discovering the show while it streams on HBO Max and Hulu.

The O.C. paved the way for a new generation of iconic teen soaps, launched the careers of young stars, and even gave us the gift of Chrismukkah. Now, it's time to go back where we started from and experience it all over again.

Critique: A fun and fascinating read from start to finish, "Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History" is a 'must' for the growing legions of fans for this iconic and now legendary television series which includes exclusive interviews with: Ben McKenzie; Mischa Barton; Adam Brody; Rachel Bilson; Peter Gallagher; Kelly Rowan; Melinda Clarke; Tate Donovan; Chris Carmack; Autumn Reeser; Willa Holland; Samaire Armstrong; Alan Dale; Colin Hanks; Amanda Righetti; Navi Rawat; Shannon Lucio; Michael Cassidy; McG; Imogen Heap; Alex Greenwald; Ben Gibbard; Paul Scheer; Doug Liman - - and so many more! . Highly recommended for community and college/university library TV History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note #1: Josh Schwarts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Schwartz) is the youngest person in network television history to create and run a network drama when The O.C. premiered on Fox in 2003. He subsequently launched the original Gossip Girl for the CW with frequent collaborator Stephanie Savage. Over the next twenty years, Schwartz and Savage produced over five hundred hours of television via their Fake Empire Productions including Chuck, Looking for Alaska, Marvel's Runaways, Nancy Drew, Dynasty, Hart of Dixie, The Carrie Diaries, Gossip Girl and, most recently, City on Fire.

Editorial Note #2: Stephanie Savage (vhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Savage) started her career as an executive at Drew Barrymore's Flower Films, then formed Wonderland Sound and Vision with Director McG. It was here she met Josh Schwartz, and transitioned to writing and producing full time. She co-created the original Gossip Girl with Schwartz, where she served as showrunner for all six seasons. Together they formed Fake Empire and have since put over a dozen shows on the air, including six with first time creators.

Editorial Note #3: Alan Sepinwall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sepinwall) is an American television reviewer and writer. He spent 14 years as a columnist with The Star-Ledger in Newark until leaving the newspaper in 2010 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He then wrote for Uproxx, where he worked for two years. Since 2018, he has been the chief TV critic for Rolling Stone.

Magic Time: The Films and Scripts of Billy Wilder
J. R. Jordan
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9798887712512, $44.00, HC, 438pp

https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Time-Films-Scripts-Wilder/dp/B0CH2D1CZ9

Synopsis: Billy Wilder (born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 - March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-born filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hollywood cinema. He received seven Academy Awards (among 21 nominations), a BAFTA Award, the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and two Golden Globe Awards.

Critique: Illustrated with black-and-white historical photographs, "Magic Time: The Films and Scripts of Billy Wilder" by J. R. Jordan is an inherently fascinating and comprehensive study of his life and work. Featuring an informative Foreword by Austin Pendelton, '101 Motifs, Catchphrases, and More (From A to Z), and a three page Bibliography of books, articles, and on-line resources. While a core pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Cinematic History & Biography collections, it should be noted that "Magic Time" is also available in a paperback edition (9798887712505, $34.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Editorial Note: J. R. Jordan has been writing about motion pictures for several years. He is also the author of Showmanship: The Cinema of William Castle and Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures.

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