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 routinel=
y broke box office records.

With censorship relaxed, the subject matter could include alienation, desce=
nts into madness, drug addiction, dysfunctional relationships, promiscuity,=
 alcoholism, PTSD, and any big news story of the day. Audiences gladly abso=
rbed this new, shocking reality; in fact, they avoided films that candy-coa=
ted the truth. Musicals evolved, westerns all but died for several years, s=
cience fiction and fantasy made an incredible resurgence, and horror domina=
ted 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 inch=
es, 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 w=
elcome and popular pick for community and college/university library 20th C=
entury Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies li=
sts.

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 criticis=
m. 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 o=
f the Eighties. Among the websites he has written for are The Wrap.com, inc=
ontention.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, War=
ner Bros. is considered a juggernaut of the entertainment industry. Since i=
ts formation in the early twentieth century, the studio has been a constant=
 presence in cinema history, responsible for the creation of acclaimed film=
s, blockbuster brands, and iconic superstars.

These days, the studio is best known as a media conglomerate with a broad r=
ange of intellectual property, spanning movies, TV shows, and streaming con=
tent. Despite popular interest in the origins of this empire, the core of t=
he 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 Warne=
r siblings from their family's humble origins in Poland, through their youn=
g adulthood in the American Midwest, to the height of fame and fortune in H=
ollywood. With unwavering resolve, the brothers soldiered on against the ba=
ckdrop of an America reeling from the aftereffects of domestic and global c=
onflict.

The Great Depression would not sink the brothers, who churned out competiti=
ve films that engaged audiences and kept their operations afloat -- and eve=
n expanding. During World War II, they used their platform to push beyond t=
he limits of the Production Code and create important films about real-worl=
d issues, openly criticizing radicalism and the evils of the Nazi regime. A=
t 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 fil=
mmaking powerhouse. Equal parts family history and cinematic journey, "The =
Warner Brothers" is an empowering story of the American dream and the legac=
y four brothers left behind for generations of filmmakers and film lovers t=
o come.

Critique: Absolutely essential reading for dedicated students of American c=
inematic history, "The Warner Brothers" is a work of exhaustive and detaile=
d research that is brilliantly presented for a professional and non-profess=
ional readership. While especially and unreservedly recommended for persona=
l, community, and academic library American Cinematic History collections a=
nd supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should also be noted that "The=
 Warner Brothers" by Professor Chris Yogerst is readily available in a digi=
tal 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 Investi=
gation into Warmongering in Motion Pictures and From the Headlines to Holly=
wood: The Birth and Boom of Warner Bros. His work has appeared in the Washi=
ngton Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Journal of American Culture, Histo=
rical Journal of Film, Radio, and Television, and the Hollywood Reporter. H=
e currently serves as an associate professor of communication in the Depart=
ment 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 li=
ttle 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-centu=
ry kaiju films has delivered exciting and thought-provoking viewing to glob=
al audiences. In a variety of works that range from action-packed CGI spect=
acles to more personal, introspective productions commenting on real-world =
issues of the day, the new millennium has witnessed some of the most intrig=
uing films in any genre, including movies from such acclaimed directors suc=
h as Guillermo del Toro, Bong Joon-ho and Peter Jackson.

With the publication of "21st Century Kaiju: The Resurgence of Giant Monste=
r Movies", film historian and academician Gordon Arnold takes a sober, mult=
idimensional 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 Godz=
illa and King Kong, and to transform the genre with movies such as Cloverfi=
eld, 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, mak=
ing it a 'must' for Godzilla style monster movie fans and a welcome pick fo=
r community and college/university library Cinematic History collections an=
d supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal re=
ading lists that "21st Century Kaiju: The Resurgence of Giant Monster Movie=
s" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note: Gordon Arnold (https://gordonarnold.net/books) has taught a=
t several colleges, including Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massach=
usetts.

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 J=
osh 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 Califor=
nia 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, w=
ealthy 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 gi=
rl next door who has secrets of her own. Completing the group is Summer, Se=
th's dream girl and Marissa's loyal (and fearless) best friend. Together, t=
he 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 twen=
tieth 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 ove=
r its four seasons, and its legacy today. With Rolling Stone's chief TV cri=
tic Alan Sepinwall conducting interviews with the key cast members, writers=
, and producers who were there when it all happened, "Welcome to the O.C: A=
n Oral History". will offer the definitive inside look at the beloved show =
-- making it a nostalgic delight for audiences who watched when it aired, a=
nd a rich companion to viewers currently discovering the show while it stre=
ams 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 thi=
s iconic and now legendary television series which includes exclusive inter=
views with: Ben McKenzie; Mischa Barton; Adam Brody; Rachel Bilson; Peter G=
allagher; Kelly Rowan; Melinda Clarke; Tate Donovan; Chris Carmack; Autumn =
Reeser; Willa Holland; Samaire Armstrong; Alan Dale; Colin Hanks; Amanda Ri=
ghetti; Navi Rawat; Shannon Lucio; Michael Cassidy; McG; Imogen Heap; Alex =
Greenwald; Ben Gibbard; Paul Scheer; Doug Liman - - and so many more! . Hig=
hly recommended for community and college/university library TV History col=
lections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that=
 "Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History" is also available in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note #1: Josh Schwarts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Schwar=
tz) 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 lau=
nched the original Gossip Girl for the CW with frequent collaborator Stepha=
nie Savage. Over the next twenty years, Schwartz and Savage produced over f=
ive 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/Stephan=
ie_Savage) started her career as an executive at Drew Barrymore's Flower Fi=
lms, 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 a=
s 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 cre=
ators.

Editorial Note #3: Alan Sepinwall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sepin=
wall) 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 20=
10 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He then wrote for Upr=
oxx, where he worked for two years. Since 2018, he has been the chief TV cr=
itic 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 decad=
es, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmaker=
s of Classic Hollywood cinema. He received seven Academy Awards (among 21 n=
ominations), a BAFTA Award, the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and two G=
olden Globe Awards.

Critique: Illustrated with black-and-white historical photographs, "Magic T=
ime: The Films and Scripts of Billy Wilder" by J. R. Jordan is an inherentl=
y fascinating and comprehensive study of his life and work. Featuring an in=
formative Foreword by Austin Pendelton, '101 Motifs, Catchphrases, and More=
 (From A to Z), and a three page Bibliography of books, articles, and on-li=
ne resources. While a core pick for personal, professional, community, and =
college/university library Cinematic History & Biography collections, it sh=
ould be noted that "Magic Time" is also available in a paperback edition (9=
798887712505, $34.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

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

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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 (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal=
muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review