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Leonard Maltin
The Dark Page II
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 11, 2009 1:37 AM
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- 0 Comments
BOOKS THAT INSPIRED AMERICAN FILM NOIR (1950-1965)
by Kevin Johnson; foreword by Guy Maddin
As in his first volume, antiquarian book dealer and film buff Kevin Johnson has gathered and chronicled pristine first editions of the novels and plays that served as the basis for memorable film noirs, focusing this time on the period 1950-65. If you’re a book lover, just having the opportunity to gaze at perfect color reproductions of these vintage volumes, with their evocative dust jackets—or in some cases, paperback covers—is worth the price of admission. If you love the films, too, there is much to be learned from this survey—names of forgotten authors and obscure novels that...
Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 10, 2009 4:04 AM
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- 0 Comments
by Walt Stanchfield; edited by Don Hahn
I stand in awe of great animators and the way they bring characters to life through a series of drawings. This massive two-volume set of lectures, edited by longtime Disney producer Don Hahn, offers practical advice to anyone who aspires to master this amazing art. Roy E. Disney is quoted as saying, “For nearly thirty years, the artists that passed through the gates of Disney Animation, and even...
The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Deluxe Songbook
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 10, 2009 3:35 AM
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- 1 Comment
I don’t generally review songbooks, but this sturdy paperbound book is more than a routine collection of sheet music: it includes a fine historical essay, wonderful photos, and shows a high degree of taste and dedication to detail. Editor Cary Ginell has amassed an impressive number of such volumes covering the Great American Songbook, Broadway shows, and Hollywood musicals; his That’s Entertainment collection is one of the heftiest in the...
Capes, Crooks & Cliffhangers: Heroic Serial Posters PF The Golden Age
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 9, 2009 3:44 AM
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- 0 Comments
By John E. Petty and Grey Smith;
foreword by Noel Neill
I’ve always been nutty about serials; if you feel the same way you’ll want this book in your library. Although its raison d’etre is to show off a gallery of posters, there is ample text that chronicles the history of the genre from the silent era to its demise in the 1950s. The authors don’t pretend to be comprehensive; this is more a survey than a history, and the emphasis is on famous heroes and superheroes (Superman, Batman, The Green Hornet....
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 8, 2009 3:57 AM
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- 0 Comments
Author: Darrell Van Citters
If you grew up watching the annual network broadcast of this celebrated hour-long animated holiday special, Darrell van Citters’ loving and comprehensive book will bring back happy memories. The author is an animator whose credits range from Who Framed Roger Rabbit to a...
Singin' In The Rain: The Making Of An American Masterpiece
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 5, 2009 1:16 AM
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- 0 Comments
by Earl J. Hess and Pratibha A. Dabholkar
Although the authors are new to the world of film, they recognized the fact that no one has ever written a thorough chronicle of this beloved musical’s creation and its lasting impact. Drawing on such first-hand sources as the Arthur Freed papers (including daily production reports from the film’s assistant director) and other primary materials, they have constructed a valuable, and readable, account of its production that often corrects anecdotal versions told and retold over the years.
The Wicked Wit Of The West
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 4, 2009 1:18 AM
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- 0 Comments
by Irving Brecher as told to Hank Rosenfeld
Virtually the last man standing from the era of vaudeville, radio comedy, and the Marx Brothers’ heyday, the screenwriter of Meet Me in St. Louis, and the creator of The Life of Riley, Irving Brecher had a long, amazing career, but he never gave serious thought to writing an autobiography. Then an ardent admirer named Hank Rosenfeld insinuated himself into the nonagenarian’s life, becoming a friend and confidant and wisely taking a tape recorder along every time he spoke to Brecher or accompanied him to an event.
The Silent Cinema In Song, 1896-1929:
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 3, 2009 1:19 AM
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- 0 Comments
An Illustrated History and Catalog of Songs Inspired by the Movies and Stars,
with List of Recordings by Ken Wlaschin
This book is right up my alley: I love silent movies, I collect sheet music related to films, and I’m fascinated with the way Tin Pan Alley songwriters chronicled the birth and growth of movies as part of our culture.Ken Wlaschin has captured all of that and more in this loving, well-informed, profusely illustrated volume.
Iwao Takamoto: My Life With A Thousand Characters
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 2, 2009 1:20 AM
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- 1 Comment
by Iwao Takamoto with Michael Mallory; Foreword by Willie Ito
Mention the name of Iwao Takamoto to anyone who’s worked in the animation business over the past fifty years and you’re bound to get a smile and a story. Although he spent several decades at Hanna-Barbera as their chief character and production designer he started his career as a teenager at the Walt Disney...
Reynold Brown: A Life In Pictures
- By Leonard Maltin
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- December 1, 2009 1:21 AM
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- 1 Comment
by Daniel Zimmer and David J. Hornung
Reynold Brown seldom received credit for his artwork on hundreds of movie posters in the 1950s and 60s, yet he created some of the most memorable images of that era, from the title characters in Creature from the Black Lagoon and Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman to remarkable portraits of such stars as Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Jane Wyman, and Kirk Douglas.
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