Customer Reviews:
A vital reference of the great films that LOST!.......2001-05-05
After a long delay, the latest volume in the Hershenson-Allen behemoth series of movie poster books, "Not Nominated," is finally here.
This latest enterprise, in my mind, can truly be called, without apologies, a "reference" volume, possessing qualities consistent with what I associate to be the purest definition of what this word is supposed to mean.
The critical aspects are these: Beyond printing each "year" on the vertical edges of each page, this volume isn't all about images. It lists Oscar winners. It lists every film that was nominated for Best Picture. It illustrates, in wonderful color, posters of films that in most cases, were ROBBED of a Best Picture nomination. But the editors keep going. They list "honorable mentions," a concession that the panelists on its selection committee (for which I was honored to be a member), did not always agree with the choices that ended up in your book.
I'm conceited when it comes to Oscar. I'm a professional writer who happens to be an amateur film historian, who, in 1972, was a winner in the San Diego Union-Tribune's Academy Award history contest, having studied this subject obsessively, watching every Oscar telecast since 1962. So it's obvious why I would disagree with my fellow panelists on a number of selections, and in such cases, why it was a lousy feeling to see some of my choices "overruled" and put into the "Honorable Mention" category, or worse, not even listed at all. Yet the selection process was completely fair.
Some choices were obvious and expected, e.g., "Singin' in the Rain," "The Third Man," "The General," "Queen Christina," "City Lights," "Pinocchio," "North by Northwest," "Rear Window," "Some Like it Hot," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "A Hard Day's Night" and "2001."
But some choices were baffling. How can anyone, for example, leave off films like "The Seven Year Itch (1955)," "Duck Soup (1933)," "National Velvet (1944)," "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)," "Black Narcissus (1947)," "Key Largo (1948)," "The Miracle Worker (1962)," "Two for the Road (1967)," "A Man and A Woman (1966)," "Glory (1989)," "The Commitments (1992)," "Fearless (1993)," "Dead Man Walking (1995)" or "Three Kings (1999)?"
And some selections, forgive me, were overrated. What's a film like "Dracula" doing in there? "Frankenstein," yes, but has anyone tried to sit through "Dracula" in its original, un-musically scored version without unintentionally laughing? A film that stands the test of time does so without falling back on the post of the technical limitations of any era. Is the monetary value of the film's poster and/or its standing as an iconic title greater than the merits of good old-fashioned story telling? Dracula is a classic, but a Best Picture nominee it wasn't, nor should it have been, any more than "Blazing Saddles," despite my tremendous affection for the latter.
What about "Journey to the Center of the Earth" over "Pillow Talk?" "How to Murder Your Wife" over "The Flight of the Phoenix" or even "Cat Ballou?" "A Funny Thing Happened to the Way to the Forum" over Billy Wilder's "The Fortune Cookie?" Perhaps the worst was seeing the ponderous "Far From the Madding Crowd" selected over Stanley Donen's underrated "Two for the Road" and "The Day of the Jackal" knocking off Bogdanovich's enchanting, "Paper Moon." And the panelists who, in apparently sufficient numbers, were responsible for putting garbage like "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" even on the "Honorable Mention" list deserve 50 lashes with an well-oiled, leather whip.
Debating cinema as art (as opposed to posters) makes for great fun, and this is why this book is worth buying and talking about. But I was most happy with four selections in particular that were associated with the agonizing process the editors' chose to make this book historically credible.
The first was Ernst Lubitsch's "The Shop Around the Corner (1940)," that wall-to-wall Margaret Sullavan-James Stewart howler that still holds up as being done one of the greatest romantic comedy films from Hollywood's Golden Age. The second was "Say Anything (1989)," writer Cameron Crowe's first directorial effort. The third was Terence Malick's haunting "Days of Heaven (1978)." But the fourth, the one that brought the most joy, was the panel's selection of David Lean's wonderful 1945-46 collaboration with Noel Coward, "Brief Encounter (1946)." I can only count on one hand the number of people I know out here on the West Coast who have seen this near perfect 86-minute film. Yes, I disagreed with some of the choices, but this particular selection confirmed that the editors did their homework in their efforts to create a credible cross section of non-Hollywood industry historians to join their "jury." I applaud them for selecting this movie despite the higher profile titles released the same year, such as "Gilda," which even though was among my selections, I was only mildly disappointed to see "missing the cut." The latter is high grade "B" material compared to "Brief Encounter."
Moreover, I applaud the editors for assembling one of the finest pictorial books ever published about Oscar history, featuring posters associated with films that were shamefully overlooked by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Admittedly, not all of the posters feature great art, but the point is to document history. I hope there will be a second volume featuring the films that at least made "honorable mention." For this first volume (which no one in publishing history has ever done in terms of subject matter), panelists were limited to listing just five "losing" films each year. But we know that some years it was feast or famine in terms of quality.
Combining great images with great history, if Hershenson and Allen continue to keep the quality as great as this, they'll be publishing forever, and not just to the narrow band of hard core movie poster collectors who DON'T make up the greater body of book buyers in America.
Book Description
This succinct overview of the development of Western music can help students of all levels understand the evolution of musical styles. Although the text is only half the size of most music histories, it is enhanced by the many cross-references to the best anthologies and recordings for further information and examples.
Customer Reviews:
A great resource to own.......2007-08-27
This is a great source to have! It is easy to read and covers everything all the major music history text books cover. Overall it is a faster, eaiser, and more interesting read than other texts. World history is also linked with music history to help the reader understand what actually happened. I strongly suggest this book for Graduate students reviewing for comprehensive exams!
Valuable resource.......2000-09-13
Concise, but inclusive. Would make a valuable text for undergrad Music History or for general graduate study.
Book Description
Studying Music History: Learning, Reasoning and Writing About Music History and Literature: Second Edition develops a thorough knowledge of genres, composers and compositions, as well as skills for organizing, assimilating, applying and writing using this knowledge. The text maintains a strict three-fold emphasis that includes (1) a systematic approach to the data of music history and literature, (2) identification and interpretation of unidentified music samples and excerpts from several kinds of historical documents, and (3) properly written expression of musical knowledge and judgment through small-scale writing projects.
Customer Reviews:
Great as an overview.......2006-08-09
This is an excellent review and condensation of Western Music History. I recommend it in particular for:
1. Master's students preparing for music history placement tests.
2. Doctoral students in music, preparing for comprehensive exams.
3. Any music teacher who would like a concise description of musical styles, in a more condensed format that traditional music history books (such as those by Grout or Stolba).
I would not recommend it for anyone studying the History of Music for the first time.
A great tool to prepare for exams.......2000-02-11
As a music graduate student, I don't think I would have passed my oral or qualifying exams if not for this book. Poultney takes the major details of the major musical periods and boils them down to broad strokes. If you've studied a lot of music history but need a way to pull it all together, this book is a great tool.
Average customer rating:
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Francis Poulenc (Outlines)
Richard D. E. Burton
Manufacturer: Absolute Press
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Binding: Paperback
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Francis Poulenc (20th-Century Composers)
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Francis Poulenc: The Man and His Songs
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Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites
ASIN: 1899791094 |
Book Description
Richard Burton explores the fascinating world of early to mid-twentieth century artistic gay Paris and in particular the links between Poulenc's sexuality, his music and his relgious beliefs, with extensive reference to other artists in his circle, including Cocteau and Radiguet.
Book Description
An Introduction to Music and Art in the Western World, 10th edition, is a clear and attractive guide to the great artists and composers of the West and the societies in which they lived and worked.
Customer Reviews:
Good for the class.......2007-02-21
Brought it for a class have not used it out of those confines but good for what I brought it for.
Good overview.......2004-07-07
This is an excellent chronological overview of the art, music and architecture of the Western world. It's well written and the color illustrations are well chosen and helpful. All in all, it's a good way to brush up on a few thousand years of cultural history in a short time.
Book Description
Prepared for students by renowned professors and noted experts, here are the most extensive and proven study aids available, covering all the major areas of study in college curriculums. Each guide features: up-to-date scholarship; an easy-to-follow narrative outline form; specially designed and formatted pages; and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Chronological Musical History.......2005-08-02
Do you know when the music's Baroque Period begins? And when does it finish? And the Romantic Period? And which are the most important composers in these and other Periods? Is J.S. Bach a Baroque composer, or a Classic composer? Which are the styles and techniques in the different Musical Periods? These and other informations you will find them in this well structured book that covers from the music of the old western cultures, until our days. Recommended for all those that want to have a concrete chronology of the events and features in the Music's History.
Great book for review and supplemental information!.......2000-04-22
This book is written in a consise easy-to-follow format and went along perfectly with a music history college class I was taking. I found it half way through the course and used it to review and consolidate information I was confused about and then aced the final! Topics are addressed clearly and musicians and their countries are linked for easy reference and understanding. Fun to read and the lay out makes sense. Good reading.
Average customer rating:
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Outlines of Music History
Clarence G. Hamilton
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 076614142X |
Book Description
1908. This book is meant to meet the demand for a concise history of the entire field of musical development, presented in the light of new research. It is designed for both the student and general reader. The author hopes this volume will give the reader an intelligent conception of how music developed and has added numerous illustrations to illuminate the text as to the style and materials used in the different epochs and as to the personality and characteristics of the leading composers.
Book Description
The Mutants & Masterminds Annual celebrates the game's first spectacular year. Its 128 pages are packed with new rules, options, and setting information, including expanded rules for power creation, weaknesses, battle suits, and hero points. Look back on World War II heroes in Legacy and into the future with Freedom City 2525. Steve Kenson leads up a design team that includes former Marvel Super Heroes RPG developer Steven E. Schend, Wizards of the Coast setting search winner Keith Baker, and Time of Crisis author Christopher McGlothlin. This is the book Mutants & Masterminds players have been waiting for!
Customer Reviews:
A home run almost knocked out of the park.......2004-10-17
"Mutants and Masterminds: Annual" is a resounding success. It is full of great artwork, insightful information, a number of brief adventures, and plenty of new characters to drop into a campaign.
The twelve chapters cover both some additional game mechanics options and inspirational resources. For instance, new rules and tips for creating superheroic powered armor (with plenty of example stats) and some new combat functions provide the GM with fairly well thought-out options. None of this is necessary, or, for that matter, superior to the game mechanics listed in the core rulebook. All the same, nothing detracts from the tone or useablility of the rules, and may suit some people's playing styles better.
The real star is the setting material, and the advice for incorporating it into a Mutants and Masterminds campaign. One section profiles a team of World War II-era mystery men and tips for using heroic legacies, another profiles the far future and the heroes who make it safe, and another offers inspiration on how to run a teenaged heroes-in-training game.
Especially useful and well-conceived is the section on running a low-powered superhero campaign, where the characters can't lift battleships or shoot lasers out of their eyes, but who still have powers and abilities which set them apart from the ordinary people they protect. This style of comic-bookery has been mostly overlooked in Mutants and Masterminds products, and these dozen or so pages are so full of good advice and inventive ideas that they go a long, long way to make up for it.
Throughout the book the artwork is first rate. Hardcore comic book fans will be able to recognize some of the homages included in the book (such as the faux-covers on page 61 and 89).
There are a few weaknesses which keep this book from being a total success. For instance, the game stats for the sidekick character Arrow (page 51) are really for his mentor Bowman, listed on the following page. Also, a number of characters are not provided accompanying illustrations; I especially would have liked to see a group-shot of the villainous Tyranny Legion.
These, however, are pretty small quibbles in an otherwise great product. This is the easily the best Mutant and Masterminds item since the praiseworthy "Freedom City Sourcebook." Give "MM Annual" a try and you won't be disappointed.
Book Description
Martin Pring's Introduction to Technical Anaylsis: A CD-ROM Seminar and Workbook, produced by leading technical analyst and author Martin Pring, explains and demonstrates tools used by the world's foremost technical analysts to evaluate emerging trends. This technically state-of-the-art package then goes further, to provide specific steps you can take to turn these analyses into profit-producing trades. Using the effective CD-ROM/workbook format, you'll learn how to: Research and construct instantly valuable charts of stock and market activity; Interpret the basic concepts of momentum, and apply the theory to actual trades through a common sense set of trading strategies; Use price and volume pattern to identify breakouts; Analyze and act on peaks and troughs that can signal a change in the prevailing trend; Calculate moving averages and gauge their impact. Pricing also includes savvy advice on when to buy, when to take profits, and how to identify and handle false breakouts. More than three hours of CD tutorial, including video, animated diagrams, realistic movies, and audio clips let you develop and hone your technical analysis skills, with an interactive quiz at the end of each chapter.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent beginners book.......2007-08-28
As a newby and complete beginner in TA, I found this to be a near perfect book for getting your feet wet. The style is simple and straight forward with large print and easy to read charts. While there are a few typos, I did not find the excessive amount stated in the reviews of his second edition. I found the CD to be as valuable as the book. It's one thing to read a book, but actually knowing the material is what counts if you are going to apply it to trading. The CD is in multiple choice quiz format. After choosing your answer, Pring tells you in audio, not text, if you got it right or wrong and why. This way you can see if you actually understand the principals before you start risking money. Think back to your college days- how much did you learn from classes you only audited compared with those that had exams!! I dont own Murphy's book, but apparently it lacks this feature. While there is plenty of free info on the internet now, I would rather know I'm getting it from a known expert in the field. Prings book is compact and concise and can easily be read in 8-12 hours, depending on your style. While I plan to buy Murphy's book as a more comprehensive reference (over 500 pages is alot of reading), another must-have book I found is Elder's "Trading for a Living" (a psychiatrist and trader), with its psychology of crowd theory, very true of the market and an excellent supplement to anyone's collection.
Useful information........2007-01-26
I am just getting started into the world of technical analysis and trading stocks. This book is really helping me to understand some of the things I have been observing in the market. The best thing about the CD is the quizes. The reader's voice can put you to sleep - especially if you read the chapters first - he covers the exact same text.
Not for the beginner.......2006-07-02
The book does not have a glossary in the back of the book so we can look up words that the author failed to tell us the meaning. I emailed the author and asked him what certain trading terms meant in his book and I received an email back from somebody named "Lisa" that told me to look it up in the dictionary if you can't find the answer in the book. I think this person "lisa" was very unprofessional in the way she handled this email and her customer service skills need improving. There are better books than this one. This man is from another country other than America and he uses weird words to describe his examples. It's hard to understand.
Good Introduction for the beginner or as a refresher........2005-12-29
Pring does an excellent job of providing the beginner with all of the basics of technical analysis (TA). I have traded stocks for over 15 years and have been trading the spot Forex market. I learned quite a bit about TA several years ago, but thought I would like to continue my education in this area. My only problem with this particular book/CD is that the CD presentation could/should have been more polished. However, the information is all there if you take the time to look, listen, AND USE it!
View from the beginning trader.......2005-11-29
As a beginning trader I have no previous experience with which to determine the value of this book. But I'm glad that I purchased it. First off it is easy to understand and through some repetition it actually drives home the basic ideas. The CD-ROM could be a little more interactive, but having the quizzes included helps the process of self-learning. I'm sure the material can be found online, but to have it all in one book is wonderful. The basic concepts are probably academic to more sophisticated traders, but are easily applied (eg. I predicted the Intel pull-back in Aug 05 and correctly sold out my position). Whether you aspire to be a technician or a fundamentalist (Or if you're like me, you don't care) this book is a great place to start.
Books:
- On Cukor
- Out There in the Dark
- Pictures will talk: The life and films of Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- Poser 4 Pro Pack f/x & Design
- Reel Conversations: Reading Films with Young Adults (Young Adult Literature)
- Risky Business: Rock in Film
- Seeing Through Movies (Pantheon Guide to Popular Culture)
- Selling Seattle: Representing Contemporary Urban America
- Shine the Screenplay
- Soundtrack Available: Essays on Film and Popular Music
Books Index
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Best Pictures' Movie Posters (Best Picture's Movie Posters)
Academy Award Winners' Movie Posters (The Illustrated History of Movies Through Posters Series; Vol. 3))
War Movie Posters: Illustrated History of Movies Through Posters
Comedy Movie Posters (The Illustrated History of Movies Throuh Posters Series Vol. 12)
Crime Movie Posters (Illustrated History of Movies Through Posters)
