A great “coffee table book” that’s wall to wall images from an illustrious career. Most of these images come from SPIKE LEE’S younger brother DAVID LEA great “coffee table book” that’s wall to wall images from an illustrious career. Most of these images come from SPIKE LEE’S younger brother DAVID LEE. From Spike’s first feature film, ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ in 1986 and ever since, David has been his brother’s on-set photographer.
““Spike,” a new retrospective photography book to be published Nov. 17 [2021], is filled with images David shot over the years, with stills from Spike’s 35-plus films. It even comes complete with custom typography based on Radio Raheem’s “LOVE/HATE” brass knuckles from “Do the Right Thing.” It’s a hefty, glossy compendium of the still-unfolding career of one of cinema’s most clarion voices. It’s also an intimate story of family, with siblings on both sides of the camera: Spike as seen through his brother’s lens.” —Associated Press
Spike adds some text, but it’s mostly just the pictures in a “hefty, glossy” book. The huge book gives great looks at tons of behind the scenes photos on all of his films.
The images cover his films for over forty (40) years, back to when he was in Film School as well as many many family photos. A great book for fans of Spike Lee movies and overall fans of cinema. ...more
This is a good companion to the SPIKE LEE exhibition at the ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES.
Spike is the first subject of ‘Director's Inspiration’,This is a good companion to the SPIKE LEE exhibition at the ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES.
Spike is the first subject of ‘Director's Inspiration’, a series within ‘Stories of Cinema’ that spotlights preeminent directors, their filmographies, their collaborations, and the influences behind their work.
“Spike's personal collection of film posters, prized objects, signed memorabilia, and other ephemera offers a glimpse into his process. These materials, selected by Spike himself, pay homage to the directors, actors, athletes, musicians, and activists who have inspired him, capturing the cultural and political forces that have given rise to his vital body of work.” Academy Director and President BILL KRAMER
As the description goes it is indeed “An inspirational trove of film posters and ephemera, photographs, artwork and more from the collection of Spike Lee for nearly four decades.”
This is mostly a “picture book” featuring Spike’s film memorabilia over the years.
It starts with a great interview by filmmaker SHAKA KING and Spike Lee about his career and influences. Also throughout the book are essays about Spike from a lot of his collaborators and artists he influenced over the years.
This is a really good “coffee table” book and companion to the exhibition where you get to see how invested in the art of cinema Spike truly is. ...more
As I always state, “Ebert is my FAVORITE film critic and I have read a lot of his writings over the years. His writing on cinema is so prodigious thatAs I always state, “Ebert is my FAVORITE film critic and I have read a lot of his writings over the years. His writing on cinema is so prodigious that I chose to read ONLY the essays on films I have seen.”
He published four (4) “Great Movies” books and having read all four (again, the essays for the movies I’ve seen) this volume had the MOST movies I have seen that he has written about, a whopping twenty-four (24) films!
His essays here are again great and insightful. The reason I have read each volume is because he always gives great insight. I look forward to reading more when I see more films.
Here are the 24 films I have seen as of APRIL 2023. I put the year of release next to films that have had remakes.
•12 ANGRY MEN (1957) •ALIEN •A CHRISTMAS STORY •THE COLOR PURPLE •THE CONVERSATION •GOLDFINGER •THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY •GOODFELLAS •JAWS •KING KONG (1933) •THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) •MEAN STREETS •ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST •PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES •RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK •RASHOMON •REAR WINDOW (1954) •SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER •SAY ANYTHING •SCARFACE (1983) •SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937, Disney) •THE THIN MAN •UNFORGIVEN •WEST SIDE STORY (1961)
You can read my GOODREADS Reviews of his other volumes.
As of MARCH 2023 I can only give this book three (3) stars because I’ve made it a practice to only read his essays from films I have seen.
I wanted toAs of MARCH 2023 I can only give this book three (3) stars because I’ve made it a practice to only read his essays from films I have seen.
I wanted to read this book because I’ve generally read the previous books and I wanted to read this final book by him.
The Great Movies IV includes the final 62 "Great Movies" entries written by the Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic. The first three editions of the series, The Great Movies I, II and III, each contained 100 essays, and he had been working on IV prior to his death in 2013. It was suggested that other writers could add their own essays to the fourth edition, but Ebert's widow, CHAZ, and the University of Chicago Press ultimately decided to keep the series pure by having it contain only Rogers words.
I agree with Ebert’s widow and the publishers that they should have kept this “series pure by having it contain only Rogers words.”
I’ve stated this before “Ebert is my FAVORITE film critic and I have read a lot of his writings over the years. His writing on cinema is so prodigious that I chose to read ONLY the essays on films I have seen.”
This volume was no different. I only read essays on five films, but they were great. Even at the end Roger Ebert was at the top of his game. I look forward to reading more of his essays when I see more films and I’m happy that he left his work for us.
The five films I read about were:
25th Hour (2002) The Big Lebowski (1998) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Seven (1995) Superman (1978)
You can read my GOODREADS Reviews of some of his previous volumes.
To be clear I DID NOT read every essay in this book.
Ebert is my FAVORITE film critic and I have read a lot of his writings over the years. His writinTo be clear I DID NOT read every essay in this book.
Ebert is my FAVORITE film critic and I have read a lot of his writings over the years. His writing on cinema is so prodigious that I chose to read ONLY the essays on films I have seen.
The Foreword by DAVID BORDWELL explains it perfectly. “From this perspective, movies are more than entertainment, more even than exalting or disturbing works of art. Taken in all their variety, films can shape our most fundamental feelings and guide us toward a deeper understanding of the world and our place in it. Movies constitute a shared culture, a kaleidoscopic filter through which life takes on fresh meanings. This is the sensibility that, in my opinion, forms the framework of the Great Movies collections.”
That framework is great and of course the insight Ebert gives on each film is on point.
Below are the films I have seen as of March 2023 and essays read. I look forward to reading more as I see more films.
•BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT •COOL HAND LUKE •DOG DAY AFTERNOON •GROUNDHOG DAY •KILLER OF SHEEP •L.A. CONFIDENTIAL •PAN’S LABYRINTH •RIPLEY’S GAME
You can read my GOODREADS Reviews of some of his other volumes.
It was cool. A lot of great character visuals of the actors in costume, especially in their first appearances in the early 2010s. Some of the tidbits It was cool. A lot of great character visuals of the actors in costume, especially in their first appearances in the early 2010s. Some of the tidbits about the characters are superfluous, but it looks like this was written for teenagers. ...more
To be clear, I DID NOT read every entry in this encyclopedia, but the many I did were incredibly detailed.
As the author states in her ACKNOWLEDGMENTSTo be clear, I DID NOT read every entry in this encyclopedia, but the many I did were incredibly detailed.
As the author states in her ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “The book you hold in your hands could not have been written without the contributions of various writers, researchers, and comic enthusiasts across various disciplines and fields. These are the many writers of the one-hundred-plus entries in this book. I am forever grateful for their time, support, and expertise.”
As she also states in her INTRODUCTION, her dissertation for her PhD required her to write a literature review on the history of Black comic strips and Black cartoonists, but she found that there were no comprehensive texts that provided a historical survey of either. Books that focused on the history of American comics seemed to have left out iconic Black comic artists and that to her was a glaring omission across both popular and academic literature. After reading many entries in the encyclopedia, I totally agree.
I was astounded at the achievements of some of these Black cartoonists. Groundbreaking is not even the word for many of the pioneers covered.
I’ve studied media on an undergraduate and graduate level, with film being my concentration and the systematic barriers that Black artists had to face is endemic across mediums. A lot of which in the media of cartooning and comics are elaborated in this encyclopedia which each entry.
As DR. HENRY LOUIS GATES JR. states in the FOREWORD “One of its defining features is the fact that fully one-third of the 106 biographies Howard has chosen for her pathbreaking volume are on African American women artists, publishers, comic convention founders, and other leading figures in the Black comics industry.”
This encyclopedia was incredibly detailed in that regard.
As comics veteran CHRISTOPHER PRIEST stated in the AFTERWORD “I’m sure many a researcher will reach for this volume because no other exists.”
I think this is an fantastic tome for anyone interested in being an artist, writer and or publisher in comic strips, cartoons and comics. As a young adult I started studying film, but I got started in storytelling writing and drawing my own comic books in elementary school and I would have loved to read an encyclopedia like this back then.
Even as an adult I find this encyclopedia incredibly inspiring....more
It occurred to me that I’ve never read a book relating to slavery before and to start with this one is a doozy! I have to say that the new 2022 televiIt occurred to me that I’ve never read a book relating to slavery before and to start with this one is a doozy! I have to say that the new 2022 television adaptation of this novel inspired me to read the book first.
To tell this story about back and forth time travel from the present (the year 1976 in the novel) to the Antebellum south in the 1800s was amazing and spellbinding. Even though the story establishes some sort of rules as to when and how the time travel occurs, you still never knew exactly when and how it would happen. That led to a lot of the suspense in the story for the lead character DANA.
After I finished the book I knew I had to read some background on it.
From what I found, OCTAVIA BUTLER read a lot of slave narratives, including the autobiography of FREDERICK DOUGLASS, but decided she needed to moderate events in her book in order to attract enough readers and I totally agree with that.
There’s so much great interactions between the characters that you sometimes forget and think it was just a “period piece” about “life on the farm in the olden days” and then—WHAM the author hits with you some really real realities of slavery. I think to imbue this story with some of the harsher realities of slavery, that I’ve heard about, would alienate the reader. This was fiction after all and not a hardcore text of record. You definitely got a clear sense of the time period without sugarcoating it at all and losing none of the substance of what it must have been like on a plantation in those days.
Choosing to tell this story of a modern Black person time traveling to the period of slavery was a great way to reveal what life was like back then and how a Black person had to really change their disposition and “how they moved” to survive in that time. Through the lead character Dana, you get to see how as a Black person living in modern times you can say you won’t do what Black folks did back then—until you become one of those—Black folks back then.
This is my first Octavia Butler novel and her writing is perfection. It’s Science Fiction, but then not also with a real flair for natural dialogue. I felt the very real relationship between Dana and her husband KEVIN and well as Dana and her Antebellum “tether” RUFUS. Rufus aka “Rufe” is not a nice person, to put it very mildly, but Butler makes him somewhat relatable in the sense that he is “wounded”.
I really don’t want to reveal much else, because I thought the story, every step of the way, was terrific! One of the best novels I have ever read. And that’s saying something. ...more
Even though there was great trepidation in finally telling the mysterious origin of the most famous member of the X-MEN ever—it kind of had to be doneEven though there was great trepidation in finally telling the mysterious origin of the most famous member of the X-MEN ever—it kind of had to be done.
As TOM DESANTO, Executive Producer/ Co-Writer X-Men: The Movie (2002), wrote in the Foreword “Why take the chance of damaging the character?" Joe [Quesada] looked me dead in the eye and said, "If anyone is going to tell the origin of Logan, Marvel should do it first, not the movie." You know what? I agreed with him.”
Basically, MARVEL COMICS then Editor-in-chief JOE QUESADA wanted to tell the origin of Wolverine before any movie studio would. (That studio at that time was 20TH CENTURY FOX.)
I think they did a good job at explaining exactly where he came from and even still weaving in some mystery. There are some heavy implications in his childhood that I won’t spoil here.
But you find out his exact given name and how he came to be known as “Logan” and “Wolverine”. There’s also a lot of 19th century melodrama thrown in.
The series artists (originally six issues) PAUL JENKINS (Script, plot), ANDY KUBERT (Pencils) and Richard Isanove (Digital painting) all did great jobs at bringing this story to life. The artwork by Kubert and Isanove was particularly outstanding.
In the end I totally agree with Marvel Comics choosing to tell the true story of Wolverine. It is the character they created and if anyone told the story FIRST, it should have been them and they told it well. ...more
‘Moonlighting’ (1985–1989) was one of my favorite shows as a kid and I’ve rewatched it over the years and it still holds up.
As the author states “Thi‘Moonlighting’ (1985–1989) was one of my favorite shows as a kid and I’ve rewatched it over the years and it still holds up.
As the author states “This is not a critical analysis of the series, but a look at the creative process.” and as a filmmaker, that’s what I loved about it.
This book highlights how this show was brought together to film the pilot (first episode) and then its “classic episodes” all through interviews with the people who created the show.
Pretty much the entire cast and crew are interviewed. BRUCE WILLIS agreed to be in the book, but his schedule just didn’t work out. The recent public reveal about him may have had something to do with it. (In March 2022, Bruce Willis’ family announced the actor is retiring from the profession after being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder caused by brain damage that affects a person’s ability to communicate.)
Don’t worry, there’s plenty of great stories about working with Bruce Willis, just not from him.
Series creator GLENN GORDON CARON, actor SYBILL SHEPHERD and many other cast, crew and guest stars are interviewed in the book though. I loved that many of the crew are interviewed. The hard working crews are often the unsung heroes of a media production and in this book they get their chance to say what they contributed. Everyone from Producers, Writers, Production Coordinators, Editors etc were interviewed and it gives you a real glimpse into what it takes to create a one hour television series that was very much like a film in budget and production values.
Everyone interviewed goes into detail about the ups and the downs of creating this complicated show—and it was complicated. The show is revered because there was literally nothing like it on television, but to create it was extremely hard. Everyone interviewed seemed extremely honest about their experience working on it.
This is a really great book for fans of the show and or people who want to know the industry like Film Students. Yes this was decades ago, but not much has changed in the studio system as far as studio/network demands and the creatives who have to work within them.
Moonlighting was one of a kind television series and after reading this book I don’t feel like they are so much “Moonlighting strangers, Who just met on the way”
Epilogue or in Moonlighting fashion—Fourth Wall Break.
In this book, published in 2021, ‘Moonlighting’ creator Glenn Gordon Caron stated “That’s the reason you can’t see ‘Moonlighting’ right now—because of all that music. None of it was cleared because nobody anticipated DVDs or streaming. They’ve asked me if we can change the music and I always say, “No, we can’t change the music.””
On October 5, 2022 Caron tweeted that he’s working to finally bring the show to streaming.
In the first tweet, he writes, “Can’t keep it under my hat any longer- the business of getting all five seasons of ‘Moonlighting’ starring Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd ready for streaming has begun!”
He then adds, “It’s an ambitious project. Lots of moving parts. And it could take quite a while. But I wanted you to be the first to know.”
It seems like the parent company (Disney) is trying to work out the many music rights related to the show and I hope they are successful. The episodes I rewatched, the music IS a key component of the series and it would be a shame if some of that music is replaced. In the past shows like ‘Miami Vice’ (1984–1989) had to replace certain songs for a DVD and or syndication release because deals or could not or would not be made. Let us hope that the powers that be can come to a resolution on all of the “moving parts” and we can finally stream this great show! ...more
I generally don’t read a lot of vintage comic books before my time, but this from the late great DWAYNE MCDUFFIE (look him up) convinced me to read thI generally don’t read a lot of vintage comic books before my time, but this from the late great DWAYNE MCDUFFIE (look him up) convinced me to read this volume.
“This overlooked and underrated classic is arguably the most tightly written multi-part superhero epic ever. If you can get your hands on it ... sit down and read the whole thing. It's damn-near flawless, every issue, every scene, a functional, necessary part of the whole.”
Of course he was absolutely right!
I didn’t know much about the Black Panther besides he was a Black superhero. There was renewed interest in the character circa 2015 with a new Black Panther series written by TA-NEHISI COATES and drawn by BRIAN STELFREEZE launching in 2016 and of course the character’s entrance into cinema in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ also in 2016.
I wanted to read more about the original run of the character and Mr. McDuffie’s recommendation was perfect.
I can’t say it any better than McDuffie when he said the comic was “seamlessly integrated words and pictures; clearly introduced characters and situations; a concise recap; beautifully developed character relationships; at least one cool new villain; a stunning action set piece to test our hero's skills and resolve; and a story that is always moving forward towards a definite and satisfying conclusion. “
T’CHALLA was so great in these comics. Majestic and suave. He was a top notch warrior/superhero and he knew it. He definitely had SWAGGER!
I can see why this run on the comics are held in high regard. The writer DON McGREGOR and the artists (aka “pencilers”) RICH BUCKLER, BILLY GRAHAM (not the evangelist) & GIL KANE did terrific jobs bringing these stories to life! I totally enjoyed these issues originally published almost fifty (50) years ago....more
This book was a great charting of what it takes to be an independent filmmaker and to work in Hollywood. From the ground up.
I heard about this book fThis book was a great charting of what it takes to be an independent filmmaker and to work in Hollywood. From the ground up.
I heard about this book from my friend, filmmaker MICHAEL DENNIS (known as “Reelblack” online). I was on my winter break from teaching at Morgan State University (Multiplatform Production) and didn’t have time to read the book in full. I enjoyed reading sample pages of the book and promised to revisit. In the meantime I started listening to his podcast “Let’s Shoot! with Pete Chatmon” and that was equally informative. When I returned to teaching in the Spring, I shared relevant clips of his podcast with my classes.
This summer I indeed revisited the book and it was great. I’ve studied film on an undergraduate and graduate level and this book not only gives you great advice about maneuvering through Film School, but more importantly what to do AFTER Film School.
As Pete states in the book, he’s been “a Director in every medium — television, film, and commercials” having directed almost 50 episodes of television in all formats and takes you through every single journey, step by step, the ups and the downs. He is at oftentimes candid about how he FELT in the moment which was refreshing. You really get a feeling of what it’s like being an artist trying to find your place in this world called Hollywood.
Through this book you can also tell that he’s a Professor (New York University) as his book is replete with many, many lessons and advice about the process. Each chapter ends with not only a “keyword” for the chapter, but a list of resources and “receipts”. Pete supplies many photos and links to the things he talked about in the previous chapter that can prove to be a valuable resource for anyone that wants it.
Personally I find that many people are not aware of the dedication and overall process it takes to becoming a working director in the industry, myself included having only done corporate and independent film.
I found this book not only reaffirmed a lot of what I knew, but added a lot that I did not know and is a great guide to anyone who wants to know—A Director's Journey. ...more
In the future if I mention “Basquiat” it will be for clarification purposes. Like many I’ve called him by the singular “Basquiat”, but after the exhibition and this accompanying catalogue, I will forever call him “Jean-Michel” because I feel like I know the boy, the son, the brother, the man SO MUCH MORE.
Through the exhibition and this catalogue you will learn about how an artist, a BLACK artist, who was so in touch with who he was and who his people were. He was “woke” way before that became a term. His work reflected that.
Through this catalogue you will also learn A LOT about Jean-Michel’s personality like his hospitality and his humor.
To be clear, I "ain’t gon front”, I didn’t know a lot about Jean-Michel beyond he was a famous Black artist named Basquiat and he was from Brooklyn like myself. When the exhibition debuted I thought I should check it out and I’m so glad I did!
The exhibition itself features more than 200 artworks and artifacts from the collection of the artist’s estate, most of which have never been seen and this accompanying catalogue features a lot more detail of the exhbition, especially personal passages and reflections from his family, primarily his sisters LISANE BASQUIAT, JEANINE HERVEAUX and his step-mother NORA FITZPATRICK, but many more who knew Jean-Michel are quoted.
If you can't get to New York to see the exhibition, I highly recommend this book. It goes into great detail about everything I saw. So much so that I'm strongly contemplating going again. Now that I've read this book I feel like I would enjoy it even more the second time around. His family did a wonderful wonderful job for Jean-Michel. I saw a quote that called this a “family album” and I feel like it’s exactly that. ...more
This book was good. It vacillated between telling the story of the making of the 1974 film ‘Chinatown’ and going into deep backgrounds on the principlThis book was good. It vacillated between telling the story of the making of the 1974 film ‘Chinatown’ and going into deep backgrounds on the principle players. Sometimes too deep.
Those principles were Producer ROBERT EVANS, Screenwriter ROBERT TOWNE, Actor JACK NICHOLSON and Director ROMAN POLANSKI.
I wanted to read this book because I agree like many that ‘Chinatown’ is a classic. I heard about the film, but never watched it until I was studying screenwriting in college. A book I read in college, the nominal ‘Screenplay’ by SYD FIELD mentioned that it was the “perfect screenplay”—and it was.
After I studied film in college my admiration for the film grew. I say without honor that like many I willfully ignored the rape charges against Roman Polanski, which to its credit the book does not ignore.
The book delves far into Polanski’s past, NOT as any excuse, but to explain his artistic drive and methodology. Those parts of the book seemed wholly unnecessary.
The best parts of the book was breaking down how Hollywood worked back then and I assume not too much has changed. The cronyism, the parties, the drinking, the cocaine, ESPECIALLY the cocaine. There aren’t any wild raucous cocaine stories, but it was everywhere.
The book really took you through the regime changes and power struggles/dynamics at PARAMOUNT STUDIOS aka “The Mountain”. In between the parties and cocaine, deals were made and unmade. People were hired and fired and in between all of that tumult the people involved managed to turn out a revered and classic film. One can assume that a lot of pictures then and now happen that way.
I would recommend this book for fans of ‘Chinatown’ and to film students who want to know how the dynamic in Hollywood between the studio and the talent works....more
Excellent book and I’ve been screenwriting for 20 years
I’ve been a screenwriter for 20 years and one of early scripts was about a black female FBI ageExcellent book and I’ve been screenwriting for 20 years
I’ve been a screenwriter for 20 years and one of early scripts was about a black female FBI agent. I actually contacted the FBI for some stats back then and they responded!
This book would have been an exceptional resource back then and I’m glad to have it now. An abundance of great misconceptions, many I held myself....more
This book was ok. I found the protagonist kind of a F-Boy and unlikable. The “big case” wasn’t that great and kinda small. I guess I like his books wiThis book was ok. I found the protagonist kind of a F-Boy and unlikable. The “big case” wasn’t that great and kinda small. I guess I like his books with large plots and danger the best. There was some danger in the book, but not really. ...more
I knew about the HARLEM RENAISSANCE, but I fell in love with the time period when I studied it in Humanities at MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. This book is I knew about the HARLEM RENAISSANCE, but I fell in love with the time period when I studied it in Humanities at MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. This book is an excellent further exploration of that time period. The book not only highlights the key figures, but the entire environment in which this historically cultural time took place.
Black folk didn’t have a lot of money, didn’t have a lot of anything, but what we had was SOUL. In the book you can see that ever since our presence on this continent, black folk had to do more with less and DID, even to the admiration and adoration of white folk. This book expertly details a lot of that. It also details the patrons of the Renaissance and how that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. The book touches on all aspects of the renaissance, including the environment/community like the section on the famous “Harlem Rent Parties”, the night life, the famous clubs like THE COTTON CLUB and THE SAVOY BALLROOM and the music artists/performers like JOSEPHINE BAKER, EARL “SNAKEHIPS” TUCKER, BESSIE SMITH, BILL “BOJANGLES” ROBINSON and ETHEL WATERS. The book focused most on the intellectuals, writers and journalists of the renaissance.
Famous figures like W. E. B. DU BOIS, LANGSTON HUGHES and ZORA NEALE HURSTON are heavily featured, but also JAMES WELDON JOHNSON, ALAIN LOCKE, ARTURO SCHOMBURG, WALLACE THURMAN, CLAUDE MCKAY, JEAN TOOMER and COUNTEE CULLEN are featured prominently. The book also highlighted the patrons of the renaissance like the “Harlem Hostess” A’LELIA WALKER, but also white patrons like CHARLOTTE MASON and CARL VAN VECHTEN.
As a passage in the book stated, “CONTROLLING THE BLACK IMAGE. One consequence of the rising white interest in African-American literature was the black intelligentsia's drive to control its own image. Renaissance writers, intellectuals, and artists were charged with articulating a racial identity that not only plumbed indigenous black experience but simultaneously assumed a positive face for white society.“ This is ALWAYS the struggle.
The book was a WEALTH of information on this time period. This was SUCH a prodigious time for black artists and being a black artist, the Harlem Renaissance has always made me PROUD.
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