Book Description
Critics hailed previous editions of Visionary Film as the most complete work written on the exciting, often puzzling, and always controversial genre of American avant-garde film. This book has remained the standard text on American avant-garde film since the publication of its first edition in 1974. Now P. Adams Sitney has once again revised and updated this classic work, restoring a chapter on the films of Gregory J. Markopoulos and bringing his discussion of the principal genres and major filmmakers up to the year 2000.
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Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde
P. Adams Sitney
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0195024850 |
Book Description
The author evaluates important films in the context of the changes and problems facing independent American filmmakers in the seventies, and discusses the later works of many producers surveyed in the earlier book.
Customer Reviews:
The author is bearded.......1999-09-14
The author of this work has glasses, came of age in the tumultuous 1960's and wears a long, untrimmed beard. I am not completely sure that such people are trustworthy. However, I have skimmed the book to make sure that it is not dangerous, and I actually found it quite lucid and informative.
Book Description
This groundbreaking biography of a brilliant but disturbed performer explores the paradox of the man and the artist. Based on more than 100 interviews, this intelligent profile explores Morrison's roots; the hard times he went through in London, New York, and Boston; the making of his seminal albums Moondance and Astral Weeks; and the disastrous business arrangements that left Morrison hungry and penniless while his songs were topping the charts. Detailed are the breakdown of Morrison's marriage, the creative drought that followed, and his triumphant reemergence. In addition, this biography attempts to explain the forbidding aspects of Morrison's persona, such as paranoia, hard drinking, misanthropy, as well as why, in the words of his one-time singing partner Linda Gail Lewis, Morrison's music "brings happiness to other people, not him." Also included is a Van Morrision sessionography that spans 1964 to 2001.
Customer Reviews:
Does not reveal the man.......2007-04-26
I'm a long time fan and was well aware that Van Morrison is not a very likeable individual. However, this bio seemed a compilation of public information about Van Morrison with nothing really revealing about the man who has written such great music. There's no way to reconcile the despicable person presented in this bio with a guy who writes the kind of great, humanistic songs that fill the Van Morrison portfolio. Unfortunately, Van isn't talking and given his apparent desire to paint a distorted picture of his past (one of the few good revelations in the book), we'll probably never know the real person.
An in-depth look at the Van and his madness.......2007-01-23
This is the most complete bio of Van I've read to date, and while I wish it would focus more on the music rather than the man's disdain of fame and celebrity, it's still a fascinating read into the life of a very private man. Sometimes I felt that the interviews went on too long and I just wanted to say, "Okay, we get it, he's a difficult person but get on with it!" Still it's worth the read and apparently there aren't that many great new biographies about Van, so give it a chance.
A Biography, Not A Hagiography.......2006-03-24
First of all, one has to be really interested in the life and the music of Van Morrison to want to read a tome of this heft. Morrison himself may wonder why anyone wants to know anything about him beyond what they hear on CD or on stage. Well, maybe its because his biggest fans want to know just what the source of all his talent is. After all, Morrison is far from a one hit wonder and a one trick pony. His ability to make quality music in so many different genres is a source of wonder to us all!
After I read the book, I read the reviews. Reading the reviews reminded me of how differently any given sentence or phrase can be interpreted, depending on the reader's angle. Some fans will brook no criticism of their idol, others are willing to read between the lines and to accept that because their idol is human, he is as likely to have flaws like the rest of us do. The fair-minded reader should remember that this is a biography, not a hagiography. It's certainly not a whitewash, but its not a hatchet job, either.
There is a wealth of information in Can You Feel The Silence, both about Morrison himself, and about his music. It covers the good times and the bad times and the development of his unique musical talent from his youth to the present century. Clearly, Van Morrison follows his own muse, but its up to the reader to digest the information and come to his/her own conclusions. The book doesn't purport to be the last word, but author Heylin tries to be as thorough as possible. I personally don't agree with Heylin's assessment of some of Morrison's work, particularly some of his later albums, but that just reflects our differences in musical taste.
So Van Morrison is said to be difficult. Heylin isn't the first to say it and he won't be the last. Lots of artists are said to be difficult. He is said to interview poorly. I have read two fine interviews in the English music press within the last year in which Morrison was quite forthcoming. Maybe those interviews that didn't work out were those in which he was asked asinine questions. Heylin seems at times to be on the side of those who bash Morrison as rude and unprofessional, but if you read closely, he is actually more balanced.
As for the music, if you pick 100 Van Morrison fans and ask them to write down their 10 favorite Morrison albums, you are likely to have not a single matching list. So I like Down the Road, Back on Top, and The Crying Game; Heylin thinks they are weak and unfocused. Heylin seems to like the You Win Again collaboration with Linda Gayle Lewis, I thought it stunk. But even though I don't always agree with him, reading this book helps me to hear Morrison's music with new ears. Whatever your view, this book is loaded with interesting stories about the how Van's albums were made. And you will find out why Moondance has not yet been remastered.
I recommend Can You Feel the Silence to anyone vitally interested in the life and music of Van Morrison. I find the listing of key people in Morrison's career and the sessionography following the epilogue particularly useful. If you find yourself dissatisfied with Heylin's portrayal, then there are other books on him available, but none of this scope.
A bit flawed but easily the best Van Morrison biography so far.......2005-12-28
There aren't many Van Morrison biographies out there, and most of them rely on musical analysis as attempts to flesh out Morrison's life are often hindered by Morrison himself. This book falls a bit short, but it's still the best biography on Morrison to date.
People who call it a hatchet job are overreacting. Heylin isn't out to get Morrison, but he can't avoid the negative stories (given here in an 'oral history' format). This is a subject who has alienated so many important figures in his professional and personal life, and if Heylin were to cut back on the unflattering anecdotes, you wouldn't understand why Morrison has lost so many great collaborators over the years and how some of his closest relationships have fallen apart (and in return, impacted his work). In fact, one of the most interesting things about this book is how it digs deep into Morrison's written and recorded output, looking at songs he hasn't even released, and ties them with Morrison's own experiences. A few reviewers criticized Heylin for dismissing Morrison's opinions, but to be fair, Heylin still includes Morrison's take on his own work, often unedited; taken from numerous interviews, these passages show an artist who is often unwilling to talk about his work and even contradicts himself in different interviews.
This brings me to the next point: there is actually PLENTY of musical analysis. There's definitely a lot less than other Morrison books, but again, those books relied on musical analysis and don't come close to collecting the amount of research Heylin has presented here. In fact, this book actually does a great job explaining how certain albums came together.
More importantly, this book debunks numerous myths surrounding Morrison. Some of this is old news; for example, Richard Davis and others have been very upfront that "Astral Weeks" was a collaborative effort with little guidance from Morrison, even though he did write the songs. However, Heylin also argues that the sessions for "Hard Nose The Highway" were actually some of Morrison's most productive (often considered his weakest album, Heylin argues that this is a result of poor song selection, not a lack of inspiration as many critics have argued). He also points out that the "three-year drought" was actually much shorter and that plenty of significant recordings were made during that time - unfortunately it would take 20 years to release them. While the later chapters create a less flattering picture of the man's personality, they also command a complete re-evaluation of his 80's output, finding great merit in songs like 'Summertime In England' and albums like "No Guru..." and even "Down The Road." In fact, the chapter covering "Down The Road" is the biggest eye-opener; even though some information was reportedly censored (at the time of publication, Morrison was involved in a lawsuit, and the case's details had to be dropped), there is still a wealth of new information regarding the circumstances surrounding "Down The Road" and what could've been a "return to form."
One reviewer made a crucial point: we still don't understand how a complete grouch can make such transcendant, beautiful music. Heylin sort of tries, and one could theoretically connect the dots - Morrison's restless but capricious spiritual quest offers some hints, as does Morrison's visits to his own homeland leading up to his eventual return - but this should've been explored a bit more.
You're not going to find a Morrison bio with this much research. Yeah, Heylin's tone can be a bit curmudgeonly sometimes, but it suits the story.
A hatchet job.......2005-05-11
I have been a Van the man fan for over 30 years, so I was looking forward to another biography of him.Alas, I was disappointed.Heylin does not disguise his hostility to Morrison.This is not the way to write an informative biography.Much of the book consists of comments from band members about recording sessions and negative comments on Morrison's personality.He apparently is no angel, but to the fans it is the music that counts. Heylin gives scant attention to the music.There is no attempt to convey the joy this music brings to many people.Biographical information is in short supply. For example, I could find no mention that Morrison has been awarded two honorary doctorates from Irish universities.Like other biographers, Heylin is all at sea when he tries to explain Morrison's personality. He should have consulted an astrologer for a chart reading. Morrison's chart shows insights into his personality. A major feature is the conjunction of the Moon, Mars and Uranus.Moon conjunct Mars indicates intense aggressive energy. The mother figure may have been both dominating and overpowering, as well as out of control and often angry.The Moon conjunct Uranus shows a degree of instability in early emotional conditions and a desire to be independent in the emotional life. Intuition is strong, like a direct powerline to an inspirational source of knowledge.Mars conjunct Uranus indicates a charged up will: excitable and rebellious.Mars is square to Jupiter, giving a tendency to be excessive in terms of externalizing force and expressing anger or pursuing goals.More insights are gained by a full analysis of his chart.Heylin reveals himself in the acknowledgements section when he calls himself 'this not so humble writer.'The publisher must also take some of the blame for such a biased and unenlightening book. Forget the wannabes, just enjoy great music from Van the man.
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Can You Feel the Silence?
Clinton Heylin
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 014029578X |
Amazon.com
How do you follow up one of the most ambitious, anticipated, and successful video games of all time? With an equally ambitious game that has a unique look and feel, but remains true to its lineage. This is the story behind Final Fantasy Tactics, the new Sony Playstation game from Squaresoft. Following the epic role-playing game Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Tactics focuses more on battles and strategies for winning them. This book, which is far more engaging than your average all-text strategy guide, can help you master each of the game's 70 battle maps, which are depicted in several full-color screen shots. Before getting into that, however, the guide goes to great lengths to explain the game's incredible depth and the many intricacies you'll have to learn in order to be successful. The latter portion of the book explains the differences between the game's 20 different job classes and provides a wealth of statistics on the many weapons and creatures that come into play.
Book Description
Battle-by-battle strategies
70 battle maps in 3D
All Treasures, secret places, and hidden items revealed
Statistical information for action, reaction, and movement skells for every job class
Discover how to play FF VII's cloud strife
Customer Reviews:
zodiac brave story.......2005-07-01
Very Good Nobulaks.......om kotomou mato nu!!!! mamatai ko dogo?? patazon kui ziau doino... bantaton katatanak...
Not exactly the Great White Hope..........2002-11-26
Final Fantasy Tactics is a game where you have to use tactics. You have to THINK. You can't expect a book to do your thinking for you. The guide's strategies are a joke anyway.
WHat is usefule, however, is some of the job descriptions and the other million details you want for a perfect file. However, be warned--there are many inaccuracies and errors. Besides, you usually find better information on the net anyhow.
Buy it if you're a die-hard FFT fan, too dumb to think of a good strategy, too lazy to bother yourself to think, or don't have internet access (then why are you here? hmm...). Otherwise, you don't really need color maps and fancy fonts, now do you?
Great.......2002-06-21
I got the stratagy guide almost the earliest day possible. I hope to do business with this person in the future.
I don't know what you fools are talking about..........2002-01-29
...because I think that the strategy guide is quite useful. You would have to be a buffoon to need actual STRATEGIES to win the battles - this is not the intended purpose. However, knowing that the marquis has an entire complement of Genji armor, which otherwise cannot be found, makes the gaming experience much more enjoyable. Also, knowing WHERE to find Cloud's materia blade, without which he cannot perform any special attacks, is quite nice. I guess I COULD complain that Square put these things into the game in order to get us to buy strategy guides, but hey, that's not a complaint against the GUIDE, right?
All in all, I found the guide useful, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get everything possible out of the game. However, if you need the guide simply to get through the battles, well, maybe you should switch to another game, like Candy Land.
Useful, yet inaccurate!.......2001-09-02
I wouldn't argue that this book is very useful. Without it, it will take me a lot longer to finish the game. However, I found that there are many mistakes. For example, the number of units to be used in each battle, the number of teams. The battle map inaccurately display the location of item just because it misplaces the x and y coordinated. Many information I needed cannot be found in this book. Comparing with other strategy guides I have read, this book is the least organized.
Book Description
"For anyone who needs to understand different types of life insurance, as well as considerations for purchasing and managing policies, this book should be on your nearby reference shelf. If you’ve frequently found yourself fumbling around with terminology, such as the differences between variable, universal, and variable universal life (VUL) policies, you’ll finally see some light through the haze." - MorningstarAdvisor.com
Life insurance doesn't have to be complex or intimidating. Ben Baldwin's completely revised and updated guidebook makes it clear and logical, discussing how to analyze insurance products based on their investment merits and best overall financial returns. This clear, authoritative resource for consumer insurance information covers the pros and cons of Internet purchases, techniques to use capital within a policy, the fixed premium feature, insurance for different stages of life, and the new emergence of "immediate annuities."
Download Description
This clear, authoritative resource for consumer insurance information covers the pros and cons of Internet purchases, techniques to use capital within a policy, the fixed premium feature, insurance for different stages of life, and the new emergence of "immediate annuities."
Customer Reviews:
An excellent resource.......2007-06-27
This is the best source I have come across for dissecting and analyzing VUL. Most insurance professionals shy away from this product because of its risks. My feeling has been that this reaction is born out of a lack of understanding. This book is very clear about the risks and the rewards, teaching both with depth and candor. Knowledge is power and this book provides both.
good info, but too biased towards VUL.......2007-03-17
The book is very informative, entertaining, and instructive. It gives the benefits and drawbacks of each type of life insurance. It's a good reference book. It's easy to read and understand.
However, it is very biased towards variable universal life (VUL). In fact, the author states that this type of policy is the reason why the book exists. He even goes so far as to say that VUL is one of the best investment vehicles of the century! He's a good cheerleader for VUL and even though he is honest and does point out the pitfalls of VUL, he sort of skims over the probability of problems with these policies in later years.
This book inspired me to check VUL policies and get some illustrations. I was shocked at the high probability of lapse in these policies if the expected return in the investments was average, say expected 8% return. You really need to get over 10% annualized return in the policies to be assured that the policy will not lapse. Anything less than that and you are running a grave risk of having to fund the policy dramatically or see it lapse just at a time when you need it most, after age 70. The trick is to adequately fund the policy from the start, and the funding can be quite expensive. And even after all of that, the insurance company makes YOU assume the risk of generating enough return to keep the policy in force. Even if you don't take any loans, the policy can lapse if the returns are just a little bit less than expected. That's very high risk to me. There are no affordable guarantees of minimum death benefit or cash values in a VUL, regardless of loans or premiums paid on time. I was shocked to learn this in reality.
So don't fall for the hype in this book about VUL. The author greatly under-estimates the risk inherent in VUL policies.
Ultimately, I'd say there are better books on insurance if you just want to learn about the basics.
Excellent User's Guide in Clear Language.......2006-11-10
Ben Baldwin has always been one of the clearest writers about life insurance from a financial planning perspective. The explanations of what the insurance industry would call "Advanced Underwriting" uses of life insurance in this book are clear, concise and free of jargon. Although this is a consumer book, I would recommend it to financial planning professionals to enhance their own understanding and to see how to explain complex financial topics to clients.
Great way to learn about insurance.......2006-07-27
The author did a geat job in explaining life insurance products. Those that have panned the book have a built in bias against insurance companies and their salesmen/woman. Fine, but I am waiting for one to write a cogent critique of why the author is wrong in his analysis. Frankly, I haven't found one financial services professional that can, even those that don't sale insurance products. Bottom line, the strategy makes sense for a many if not most folks who are trying to accumulate retirement $$. And yes the insurance industry makes good fees selling their products just like the securities companies make great fees with their products whether they are indexed mutual funds or stocks and bonds. I simply consider this the cost of doing business and move on. So what if someone makes some money helping you have a more comfortable retirement. Read it, take the ideas seriously, and incorporate the ideas into your plan. I have.
So far, so good..........2005-10-20
I'm an avid reader and have ordered dozens of books through Amazon, but this is the first one I've taken the time to write a review for, because I believe this book can help others in the same situation I was.
I ordered this book when I was applying for Life Insurance, based on the investment strategy in Douglas Andrew's book, "Missed Fortune 101". I wanted to review another reference on life insurance to learn more about it, and to corroborate Andrews' strategy. This is the only other book I could find that discussed LI from a financial investment perspective. This is a very comprehensive book about LI. It's a large book, and so far I've only read portions, skipping around to the areas I needed to understand the type of policy I was applying for, and to justify in my mind that indeed it was the right one for me (I'm working with a financial planner who recommended a particular plan, and has largely focused his practice on Doug Andrews' strategy). This book gave me a lot of the information I needed to ask my agent questions about my policy. In fact, he was impressed with my questions and wanted the name of this book.
This is a very easy to read book, with plenty of *understandable* tables as examples. I have also found it to be very objective, discussing the tradeoffs of the different types of policies, and discussing in what personal situations a particular policy might be best. The intent of this book is clearly educational - there's no hidden agenda or bias that I can detect. The author has CFP, CLU, and CHFC credentials.
Finally, and very importantly, this author stresses the need to manage your life insurance policy over time, as you would any other investment - especially the flexible aspects of policies, and including, where necessary, 1035 transfers to a more appropriate policy.
Books:
- Wannabe: A Would-Be Player's Misadventures In Hollywood
- When Hollywood Had a King: The Reign of Lew Wasserman, Who Leveraged Talent into Power and Influence
- Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay, Updated and Expanded edition
- X Marks the Spot: On Location With the X-Files
- 100 American Independent Films (Bfi Screen Guides)
- A Knight's Tale: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Shooting Script Series)
- Action! In the Classroom: A Guide to Student Produced Digital Video in K-12 Education
- Afi Writing Great Screenplays for Film and TV
- Amores Perros (BFI Modern Classics)
- Asia Shock: Horror And Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, And Thailand
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