Book Description
Spanning a century of screen wizardry-from the early innovations of the pioneering French fantasist Georges Méliès to the first synthetic TRON images to the cutting-edge technology used in the most recent Star Wars and The Matrix-this fabulous volume pays homage to dazzling visual pyrotechnics and the artists of illusion who created them. This detailed look at the history of these great illusions is presented through interviews with 37 international masters of the art and science of special effects and more than 1,000 spectacular illustrations, nearly all in color.
The monster spewing flames in Godzilla, the flying bicycle in E.T. , the rampaging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park-these are just a few of the cinematic magic moments that have held audiences spellbound over the years. The inventors of such screen legerdemain reveal the huge variety of techniques they employ, from animation, animatronics, makeup, and model-making to the most astounding computer trickery possible today. The book encompasses not only film and television but also theme parks and attractions. As a bonus, the author includes his selection of DVDs with not-to-be-missed special effects. AUTHOR BIO: Pascal Pinteau is a journalist, screenwriter, and special effects designer who has created special effects for commercials, TV shows, and theme parks. Since 1985, he has visited with special effects masters throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia.
Customer Reviews:
Game of telephone anyone?.......2006-02-20
Most of the book is pretty good, I have a number of specialeffects books in my collection and have subscribed to CINEFEX magazine for many years. However there seem to be facts that are not checked and therefore some inaccuracies. The best example I can think of is the description of how Robby the Robot was constructed. The books describes fairly precisely the prosses know as Vacu-Form though never labels it. Which is odd because from all other accounts Robby was Fiberglass and there was only one made. If he was Vacu-Formed, a simple prosses once set up and molds made the studio doubless would have made at least three, if for no other reason that he would have be fragile. I may be nit picking. An I could be wrong
Mind Bending Eye Candy.......2005-09-23
As a charter subscriber to Cinefex magazine, the 25-year industry bible for visual effects, I'm no stranger to this topic. But flipping through Pinteau's book yielded some exciting revelations and mostly, It did not disappoint. The book promises interviews with masters "spanning 100 years" although it skews pretty heavily to the past decade (not a surprise). But I bought it for the pictures and they made it worth the time and money. The pics are well-chosen and even familiar old films are illustrated with scenes seen less often. I also like the durable hard/soft cover---because I'll be picking this one up frequently.
A great book about SFX for everyone.......2005-05-18
If you like special effects, you'll have a blast reading this book which was obviously written to please movie fans of all ages. A previous review onAmazon said "good, but not the best" and went on praising another book,which is in fact a very technical reference book for special effects pros or film students. I think it is a bit unfair to criticize a book because it is different from what you expected. "Special effects: an oral history" is not a dictionary. It is entertaining and fun to read precisely because it is not a boring catalog of techniques, props and apparatus. It manages to tell the history of special effects as a human adventure, involving many wonderful artists and also explain clearly how they've created miracles in movies, animated feature films or in TV series and theme parks rides (special chapters devoted to animation, makeup, television and theme parks effects, are each over 100 pages long, which is great, since all other FX books I've read so far are devoted to movies only) . Famous special effects geniuses like Ray Harryhausen, Stan Winston, John Dykstra, John Lasseter (and many others) tell great anecdotes about their work and about their creativity. You can buy this book, you won't be disappointed and your kids will love it from the first page to the end! And the 1500 photos and illustrations are simply stunning!
Good, but not the best.......2005-02-09
I liked this book a lot. The best thing about it is the pictures, they are well researched and some are quite rare. Unfortunately the text does not live up to the quality of the images and the book's sumptuous feel. The author attempts to explain how techniques work, often relying on interviews with experts who often say WHAT they did but not really HOW. Unfortunately this often leads to slightly baffling and incomplete explanations. I dont think it helps that it has been translated from French. If you want to read about how effects are achieved with REALLY CLEAR EXPLANATIONS and helpful diagrams you still can't beat Richard Rickitt's book 'Special Effects: The History and Technique' which is a real class act- I recommend it to all my FX students. But this book comes a close second (though I did find one or two factual errors). It has some unusual examples and it's interesting to see some of the stuff about TV and theme park effects.
Wonderful work..........2004-12-11
Anyone even slighty interested in this subject will like this book - end of story. From Stan Winstons 'Terminator' to Nimba Creations full size animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex, this is a cracking book filled with great photos that is the best of it's type.
It covers everything from the beginning of filmmaking right up to present day and leaves nothing out, hence the vast 600 page count; this thing is thicker than a phone book!!
No complaints, it's a wonderful piece of work.
Average customer rating:
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Scheduling Time for Music
Manufacturer: Music Educators Natl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Music
| Entertainment
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| Books
Instruction & Study
| Theory, Composition & Performance
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ASIN: 1565450949 |
Book Description
Following on the heels of Jumbo Sudoku Easy, Jumbo Sudoku Challenge includes 400 all-new puzzles to test sudoku enthusiasts. This collection contains some of the most difficult puzzles available and is sure to entice die-hard sudoku solvers. Jumbo Sudoku Challenge also includes Killer Sudokua different way to get your Sudoku fix - along with the regular puzzles ranging in levels from difficult to the absolute fiendish. Every puzzle is an oversized grid so you have extra room to help you solve. Plus as a bonus, Jumbo Sudoku Challenge will feature a special pull-out Shogun puzzleit is the ultimate Sudoku test!
Customer Reviews:
What a treat! Challenging sudoku in a variety of new formats!.......2007-06-10
What makes this sudoku collection really special is its fascinating variety! Omitting the Easy and Medium sudoku, the collection begins with regular "Hard" puzzles (88 of them, not too hard), and then moves to Fiendish, seventy-seven of them. (Tom Sheldon's Master Class has more difficult "fiendish" puzzles, but the ones here are fun, too.)
Then I discovered variations that I'd never tried, each of which provided hours of new fun! Samurai Sudoku was my first variation--five connected sudoku with a center puzzle sharing its corners with four additional, interdependent puzzles. (See cover photo for example.) It is necessary to use patterns in the additional puzzles to fill in the center puzzle and, most importantly, its shared corners, so that the other puzzles can all be completed. Fortunately, author Michael Mepham rates these from Easy to Fiendish, as I found these puzzles initially to be quite challenging.
The Jigsaw Samurai Sudoku have become my favorites. Similar to regular samurai sudoku, the center puzzle has square corners, requiring 9 numbers, but except for these corner squares in the center puzzle, there are no other squares. Where the squares would be are irregular shapes, some of them in crosses (using one column and one row), some looking like stair steps through the puzzle, and some looking like the NYC skyline. The challenge is to give each irregular shape each of the numbers from 1-9, while, at the same time, putting 1-9 into each vertical column and each horizontal row. These range from "easy" to "fiendish."
Twelve by twelve and sixteen by sixteen square puzzles, which require numbers from 1-9, in addition to letters--A-C for the 12x12, and A-G for the 16x16 are all ranked "hard." The last variation, "Killer" sudoku, shows irregularly shaped "cages" within the regularly-shaped squares, each cage containing the mathematical totals for 2, 3, 4, or 5 numbers within the boxes they enclose. Only a few numbers are shown in the boxes(usually two or three, on average) and one "fiendish" killer puzzle, offers no given numbers at all, only the totals in the cages. Varying from "easy" to "fiendish," these require simple math.
My minor problem with the book is its binding--a spiral binding would help right-handers do the puzzles on the left side, especially at the beginning of the book. (I ended up Xeroxing some of these left side puzzles because it was hard to write along the tight binding.) The pages are 8" x 10 1/2", however, and offer large boxes and plenty of room to write. The paper quality is very high, allowing for numerous erasures. A great collection offering weeks of fun and many new puzzle experiences! n Mary Whipple
A Sudoku Variety Pack!.......2006-11-25
This book has given me hours of Sudoku-solving pleasure. It has normal Sudoku puzzles in varying degrees of difficulty and then Samurai Sudoku, Jigsaw Sudoku and Killer Sudoku (my favorites), as well as 12x12 and 16x16 grids. At the end of the book is a super-size Samurai Sudoku which I haven't got around to attempting yet. Michael Mepham is a genius. Buy this one now...it's great.
Customer Reviews:
Typical book in this series.......2007-05-13
Mr. Mepham may be gone, but his legacy lingers on.
There are others available to "carry on".
Regular sudoku and variants and kakuro.
Intro and strategy guide.
Book Description
Following on the heels of the popular Total Sudoku, the second installment, JUMBO SUDOKU includes over 350 brand new puzzles. The numerical brainteaser is sweeping the nation - it's positively addicting! This collection, which ranges in difficulty from the gentle through the tough to the diabolical, is the most extensive on the market. JUMBO SUDOKU includes circular and giant 16 x 16 grid puzzles along with the regular puzzles ranging in levels from easy to fiendish. Every puzzle is an oversized grid so you have extra room to help you solve - a real treat for puzzle lovers! Sudoku puzzles continue to be picked up in top newspapers across the country and are already featured in USA Today, NY Post, Washington Post and the LA Times#133;with many more sure to follow. With every puzzle being completely different Sudoku is sure to appeal to puzzle-fans of all levels.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Introduction to the Game of Sudoku.......2006-12-05
Michael Mepham provides this workbook full of Sudoku puzzles. They range from easy to, in his words, fiendish. Each puzzle has a solution printed in the back. While there are two puzzles per page, they are nevertheless bigger than those in newspapers, and certainly bigger than those in most if not all electronic Sudoku kits. There are some unconventional Sudoku puzzles, including those which form an X-shape of five nested Sudoku sub-puzzles.
Some tips are given in the beginning of the book for the solving of Sudoku puzzles. These include the use of clues provided by numbers that are remote from each other on the puzzle. For very difficult situations, Mepham recommends that the puzzle-solver narrow a spot to two possibilities, then take a guess at one of the two numbers and see if it creates a self-consistent solution.
not jumbo at all.......2006-04-13
I ordered 2 copies of this, based on how much I love Mepham's "Total Sudoku" -- but I wish I hadn't. It has 2 puzzles per page instead of one large puzzle per page as shown on the cover. Mepham's "Total Sudoku" has one puzzle per page -- which is wonderful. There is no reason to want an awkward 8 X 10 page except to get a really big grid. If I'm going to have half-page-size puzzles, give me a half-page-size book that is easier to hold. And this does not have any 16 by 16 puzzles, which are my favorites. And the answer grids are TINY.
Su Doku.......2006-01-10
This is a great sudoku book im a sudoku addict. I own three and this is my favorite. My only complaint is that puzzles are random in difficulty(not in order)
Book Description
Following on the heels of the popular Total Sudoku and Jumbo Sudoku, the third installment, JUMBO SUDOKU 2 includes 200 brand new puzzles.The numerical brainteaser is sweeping the nationits positively addicting!This collection, which ranges in difficulty from the gentle through the tough to the diabolical, is the most extensive on the market.JUMBO SUDOKU 2 has oversized grids so you have extra room to help you solveits a real treat for puzzle lovers! Sudoku puzzles continue to be picked up in top newspapers across the country and are already featured in USA Today, NY Post, Washington Post and the LA Timeswith many more sure to follow. With so many different puzzles to choose from, Sudoku is sure to appeal to puzzle-fans of all levels.
Customer Reviews:
Not oversized grids.......2007-08-23
There are a ton of Sudoku books out there. I bought this one because I was looking for over-sized grids. The write-up stated: "JUMBO SUDOKU 2 has oversized grids so you have extra room to help you solveits a real treat for puzzle lovers!" But this is not true. There are generally two puzzles per page, so they are in fact smaller than Total Sudoku which has only one puzzle per page. Other than that, both the puzzles and the instructions in the front are good.
the series will go on.......2007-03-20
I think there will be another book in this series planned for May.
Even though the original compiler is gone, someone in his family is "being brought up to speed".
these books are great; the large grids allow you to make notes.
Another book in this series, "Prize Sudoku" has a contest.
sudoku.......2007-03-08
These books are great. They're even large enough for my elderly father with poor eyesight!
Sudoku Heaven.......2007-01-10
This is a great Sudoku book. Unfortunately the compiler died just before Christmas so there won't be any more.... better get one quick!
Fun and Enjoyable!.......2006-11-10
I am a Sudoku addict and really enjoyed this book. I have since ordered several more. Some of the puzzles are difficult, but they keep me on my toes.
Book Description
A follow-up to the popular Jumbo Sudoku 2, this next installment, Jumbo Sudoku Easy includes 400 all-new puzzles. The popular numerical brainteaser is as hot as ever and this collection is for the Sudoku novice who is new to the puzzle craze and may be a bit intimidated or for those that want to complete a few quick puzzles while on the go. Jumbo Sudoku Easy also includes variations of other SudokuCircular and some gentler Extreme puzzles. All the puzzles are rated on a scale of super-easy, basic, and moderate and also included are additional tips on making solving easier. Sudoku puzzles continue to be picked up in top newspapers across the country and are featured daily in USA Today, NY Post, Washington Post and the LA Times.With every puzzle being completely different Sudoku appeals to puzzle-fans of all levels.
Customer Reviews:
easy is relaxing.......2007-08-23
The puzzles are just challenging enough to make me think--but not too hard. I do them to relax, not overload the brain. I can let someone who has never tried one use this book and they can actually understand how the solving process works. I've got my 79-year old mother doing them now!
Average customer rating:
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Jumbo Sudoku Fusion
Time Inc. Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Time Inc Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Puzzles & Games
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Logic & Brain Teasers
| Puzzles & Games
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Sudoku
| Puzzles & Games
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ASIN: 160320752X |
Average customer rating:
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Jumbo Sudoku Box Set
Michael Mepham
Manufacturer: Time Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Puzzles & Games
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Puzzles
| Puzzles & Games
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Sudoku
| Puzzles & Games
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Entertainment
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ASIN: 1933821299 |
Average customer rating:
- A clip job, all filler.
- This book is an okay book,but i've seen more imformation.
- this book was alright
- A great book for all Buffy fans
- Buffy Xposed a real good fireside book
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Buffy X-Posed : The Unauthorized Biography of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Her On-Screen Character
Ed Gross , and
Ted Edwards
Manufacturer: Prima Lifestyles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Movie Tie-Ins
| Genre Fiction
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General
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Guides & Reviews
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General
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ASIN: 076151368X
Release Date: 1998-10-21 |
Book Description
She's a high school student by day and a slayer of the undead by night. She's Sarah Michelle Gellar, and she's the prettiest girl ever to wield a wooden stake. Now for the first time ever, you have a guidebook to Buffy's world. You'll learn how it all began, from the start of Sarah's television career at the age of four to her current title as the queen of the new horror genre. With this inside look into the series and its star, you will answer all the questions you've ever asked about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, including:
At what time in her life did Gellar most relate to the character she portrays? (page 7)
In what ways is the original Buffy movie only a pale shadow of what the television show has become? (page 25)
How does Gellar sum up her experience on All My Children? (page 10)
How does series creator Joss Whedon explain his successful mixture of humor and horror? (page 66)
In what episode does Buffy cross stakes with another slayer? (page 112)
And much more!
Reviews every episode from the first two seasons and includes biographies of Gellar, the cast, and Joss Whedon!
Customer Reviews:
A clip job, all filler........2005-09-08
It's a good thing this book is out of print. It's pretty bad - full of innaccuracies and it reads like the author assembled a lot of the information from bits and pieces of magazine articles. Also, fully a quarter of it has nothing to do with Buffy at all. It feels like the author ran out of relevant material and just added in a bunch of junk to fill it out.
This book is an okay book,but i've seen more imformation........1999-09-07
This book is ok, and i would reccomend this book if u wanted some information about sarah when she was younger. It also has the shows from the first and second season.
this book was alright.......1999-08-11
This wasn't the best buffy book, but it did have some picturesi've never seen before and it had an okay biography on Sarah. thebaack of the book is all about ohter vampire and sci-fi books and shows though, i didnt even read that whole part, it sucked. but the rest of the book was pretty cool, since it was about the hottest woman on Earth of course.
A great book for all Buffy fans.......1999-03-11
This book does, in a great way sum up all episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from "Welcome to the Hellmouth" too "Becoming, part II". Also, it contains a thorough biography of mrs. Gellar's acting career from her first appearance on "Invasion of Privacy" to todays Buffy, I Know What You did Last Summer and "Scream 2". In doing so it gives all Sarah Michelle Gellar fans all the knowledge they need aout their Idol.
Buffy Xposed a real good fireside book.......1999-02-15
This book is good. It is an unofficial guide to the world of Buffy but it has some really cool stuff like extensive reviews of the first two seasons' episodes, a by no means extensive internet guide to must see Buffy sites and entertaining looks at the influence of "Dark Shadows" on the show and also a history of vampires on television and movies. A must read!! Black and white pictures add to its gothic, unauthorized feel. I really liked it
Books:
- Special Effects: The History and Technique
- Stop the Show! A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater
- Story Sense: A Screenwriter's Guide for Film and Television
- The Animation Business Handbook
- The Cinema of Terrence Malick : Poetic Visions of America (Directors' Cuts)
- The Cinematic City
- The Documentary Film Makers Handbook: A Guerilla Guide
- The Dukes of Hazzard: The Unofficial Companion
- The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly: A Hollywood Journey
- The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting
Books Index
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The Winston Effect: The Art & History of Stan Winston Studio
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