The Ghastly One: The Sex-Gore Netherworld of Filmmaker Andy Milligan

Book Description

From 1965 to 1988, Andy Milligan made an astounding 29 exploitation movies, including Gutter Trash, Torture Dungeon, The Ghastly Ones, Seeds, Bloodthirsty Butchers, and Fleshpot on 42nd Street. For most of the shlockmeisters, exploitation was a joke. But for Milligan-a sadist, a misogynist, a maniac-this was his own private reality. The Fassbinder of 42nd Street, Milligan brought a crazed intensity to his work, making films of the heart in a milieu where the only art was the con. Based on hundreds of interviews, excerpts from lost movies and plays, and ranting narratives from Milligan himself, this is a story of how one unrelenting soul attempted to escape his demons and create his own twisted universe, a universe peopled by abortion-clinic bombers, undercover transsexuals, disgruntled hustlers, and bestiality-loving exhibitionists. This is a tale of violence-physical, sexual, and psychological. Even the author himself got sucked in, appearing in one of Milligan's last gore-fests and nearly getting killed in the process. The sick secrets revealed in this book will unnerve even hard-core grind house fans. But The Ghastly One-profusely illustrated with rare and strange stills shot by Milligan himself-isn't just about a lone lunatic with a movie camera. It's a funny, unbelievable, and oddly moving history of exploitation films as well as a vivid portrait of New York's infamous Caffé Cino, the Warhol crowd, and the vibrant but malevolent place called Times Square and what got lost when it sold its soul to Mickey Mouse.

Customer Reviews:

Love 'em or Hate 'em.......2007-02-17

andy milligan made the kinds of movies that leave the watcher scratching his head and wondering 'what the hell...?' movies made in the most primitive of 'do it yourself on whatever you can find' equipment and on ridiculous budgets- that a good 30% of them are lost should come as no surprise- the surprise is that ANY of it was saved- and that is thanks to film buffs and historians.

sooner or later people will recognize that the value in these 'guerilla' film makers lies in the documentation of urban locales that would be lost if not for the denizens who frequented them and documented them so well. there will always be those who call bukowski a genius and fail to see people like andy milligan as anything more than a hack. the irony.

i personally found this book a treat- though it's subject matter was unsettling most of the time- and jimmy mcdonough's treatment of cafe cino and the deuce is worth ther read on it's own just for it's historical value alone. reading the book didn't make me stronger, and i still can't wash some of it off- but it was a dynamite read, and definitely worth the time i put into reading it.

if the merit of a biography is to interest the passive reader into delving further into it's subject matter, then jimmy mcdonough has succeeded where other biographers fail.

Bad Filmmaker, Crummy Book.......2005-08-18

As John Waters wrote in his first book, "Shock Value," 'there's GOOD bad taste...and there's BAD bad taste.' Author Jimmy McDonough may have been wise to consider this before choosing to write an entire book about exploitation flick bottom-feeder Andy Milligan.

Not that a decent book can't be written about a bad filmmaker. Rudolph Grey's bio on Ed Wood is a pretty entertaining, informative read, after all. But, as presented by the author, Milligan's world of pervs, pederasts and theater rejects becomes more ho-hum than hair-raising. We're supposed to be shocked (I think) by the depravity of these people. Instead, just as in any Milligan film, the characters are too void of life to be very interesting.

Almost worse, as this book grinds on, it almost feels as if McDonough has lost sight of the fact that Andy Milligan made really, really, REALLY bad movies. Unlike the best films of, say, Herschell Gordon Lewis, there's no spark, no wit, no fun of any sort in a Milligan flick. Milligan's defenders will use words such as "gritty" and "merciless" to describe his work, thus placing it on a higher shelf than it deserves. Well, his films may indeed be gritty, but does that really excuse the fact that they're also unwatchable? And if they're so 'merciless,' does that make it okay that they're mercilessly boring too?

The long and short of it is that if Andy Milligan had any talent at all, he sure didn't show it in any of his movies. McDonough, in writing this book, seems to have gotten too close to his subject to see this. And in the author's hands, the story of Andy Milligan and his band of misfits just never catches fire. "The Ghastly One" might be a little better than an actual Milligan movie, but that's not exactly high praise.

Oh Please!.......2004-12-29

Oh Please! I was a lead actress in Monstrosity. There is not much to write about Andy. He was as basic as peanut butter and jelly. Not complex. Not dark. He paid us on time and was nice to be around. His movies were awful. He was well intentioned. Doing a Milligan film was a memorable "Hello to Hollywood" for us young upstarts who were new to town and short on cash -- and the competition to get into one was tough. (As ridiculous as that sounds.) We could act -- but he directed us in a way that made us look and sound -- AWFUL -- and we were embarrassed when we saw the end result. However, there was No mystique. No need for book about Andy.

haunting/brutal/honest.......2003-05-23

As a straight male I could have done without some of the gay passages, I could have also done without some of Milligan's stepbrother's sick and twisted admissions--and yet, having said that, what was the author supposed to do? Cover up the less than pleasant parts of his subject's background? I think not. It's a facinating tale that will haunt you long after you have finished the book. Extremely well done; unputdownable. If you're interested in low-budget filmmaking and appreciate what these filmmakers have to go through to make their dreams happen on zero budgets...this is the book for you. The other would be on Al Adamson, and, of course, Ed Wood.

Milligan every bit as ghastly as the title implies........2002-11-09

Jimmy McDonough does a superlative job of bringing the fascinating life of the late and almost completely unmissed misanthropic sexploitation/schlock horror movie maker Andy Milligan to light. Reader be warned, this is an unflinching look at life in the nightmarish rough trade underworld of New York. Milligan started in amateur theater before helping to create the boiling milieu that birthed the Off-Broadway Theater movement in the early sixties. Then he moved to the 42nd street grindhouses, making exploitation 'classics' that are eye scalding in their badness and impossible to forget, no matter how hard you try. Yet McDonough continually points out that, as bad as Milligan's movies were, they could only be made by Andy, being infused with the writer/director's utter contempt for women, family, and just about everything else humanity offered. Being a recalcitrant and secretive subject for McDonough, Milligan (as the author warns) sometimes fades from the narrative, but never from the world he inhabits. By the time Milligan leaves theater for the exploitation movie business we can fully understand why McDonough found Milligan such a hypnotically fascinating figure. For fans of exploitation movies, The Ghastly One is an essential book. Highest recommendation.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth (The History of Italian Opera, Part II: Systems)

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Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth (The History of Italian Opera, Part II: Systems)

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0226045927

Book Description

The History of Italian Opera marks the first time a team of scholars has worked together to investigate the entire Italian operatic tradition, rather than limiting its focus to major composers and their masterworks. Including both musicologists and historians of other arts, the contributors approach opera not only as a distinctive musical genre but also as a form of extravagant theater and a complex social phenomenon.

This sixth volume in the series centers on the sociological and critical aspects of opera in Italy, considering the art in the context of an Italian literary and cultural canon rarely revealed in English and American studies. In its six chapters, contributors survey critics' changing attitudes toward opera over several centuries, trace the evolution of formal conventions among librettists, explore the historical relationships between opera and Italian literature, and examine opera's place in Italian popular and national culture. In perhaps the volume's most striking contribution, German scholar Carl Dahlouse offers his most important statement on the dramaturgy of opera.

Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth.(Book Review): An article from: Notes

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Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth.(Book Review): An article from: Notes
Luke Jensen
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 2202 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth.(Book Review)
Author: Luke Jensen
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 61 Issue: 3 Page: 782(4)

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Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth

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Opera in Theory and Practice, Image and Myth
Lorenzo (Edt)/ Pestelli, Giorg Bianconi
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOQRHM

Book Description

BradyGAMES Threads of Fate Official Strategy Guide Features: A complete walkthrough for both storylines. A bestiary along with magic and item list. Plus Game Secrets direct from Square Soft!

Customer Reviews:

It's SO much FUN!!!.......2001-04-03

Threads of Fate is the most entertaining game there is! With help from the strategy guide you can go through this game with ease. I also recommend this game for the girls who play(like me!). You have the choice of being a cute little boy who changes into animals or a girl with magical powers and a attitude to go with it. As I said before its fun and entertaing. Everyone should buy the guide and game!

Tim Cox is a GOD!!!.......2000-09-16

This book rocks. It's way better than anything else. Tim Cox is the best author ever. Thanks for such a great guide!!!

Threads Of Fate.......2000-07-27

Threads Of Fate is a really challenging game and many parts I thought were impossible. This really helped me through it.

Book Description

The Enneagram -- a system based on nine personality types -- is a uniquely powerful approach to understanding why people behave the way they do. The 9 Ways of Working teaches how to recognize the personality types of everyone you work with -- colleagues, clients, consultants, and the boss -- and use that information to understand how those people manage, make decisions, resolve or create conflicts, and more.

Customer Reviews:

A great help in understanding my business partners.......2005-12-12

I had studied the Enneagram for several years and knew it was useful in business, so I was pleased to see this book come out as the first I'd seen applying the Enneagram to the business environment. I was not disappointed in what it delivered. While the author has developed some unique Enneagram terminology (i.e. the "ally point") that I don't necessarily agree with, his understanding and descriptions of each Enneagram Type and how they manifests their unconscious agendas in the workplace, as well as how to respond to them in the most productive way, was excellent. For example, his description of what makes a Type 6 tick, and how to best work with a 6, so helped me in understanding better one of my own work colleagues, that single insight alone made the book worthwhile for me. I highly recommend this book, and I also recommend reading "Discovering Your Personality Type", by Don Riso and Russ Hudson, for a good introduction to Enneagram basics.

Oriented toward business world; excellent elsewhere, too.......2003-12-31

If you already have Goldberg's excellent "Getting Your Boss's Number" you probably don't need this volume. This volume however makes Goldberg's perceptive analysis and effective writing available in paperback (earlier title is out of print).

Goldberg's work is not quite as casual in style as Renee Baron's delightful works ("Enneagram Made Easy" and "Am I Your Type"), but it will appeal much more to the no-nonsense business world. His examples of people at different points on the Enneagram are drawn from his business experience and effectively highlight the types of challenges and opportunities that work presents differently to individuals, depending on their Enneagram dynamics.

I cannot imagine anyone not being fascinated and empowered by looking at themselves, their coworkers, and their family through Goldberg's careful presentation. He is respectful of all and does not approach Enneagram as a "pigeon-holing" or "typing" process. Rather it's an appreciation of strengths and challenges. From a background in psychology, I especially appreciate his discussion of the underlying dynamics and likely sources of how family experience helps us slide into certain Enneagram-number ways of operating.

So much more readable and better-organized that most of the "classics" in Enneagram. If you enjoy processing and sharing insights about how humans function, you may also want to explore Baron's titles. The latter are excellent for a casual chat around the family room - then those who like to really APPLY the principles to their work and life will want to move into Goldberg.

An excellent intro to the Enneagram.......2002-04-19

This book was my intro to the Enneagram and it is excellent.
It has very good descriptions of the 9 types and how to find out where you fit.
Its real distinguishing feature is a breakdown on how each group relates to the others in practical everyday situations. Like what to do if you work for a 7 or what if you are a 7.
I wasn't sure which type I was ( I'm a nine) and I read all the rest first. I kept trying to fit myself into a 7 or a 5 but, when I read the 9 chapter it sounded like he reached into my heart and pulled out the things no one else knows about me. I can still feel it today.
Then they go on with more, practical info and advise about what to do with your new found knowlege.
I've since read "Wisdom of the Enneagram" and "Personality Types." They are also very good but I wouldn't recommend them as your first Enneagram book.

One of the best Enneagram books in print........2001-09-06

Certainly this is one of the most practical, real-world approaches ever taken to the Enneagram. It's short on 'spiritual' hooey [which is strictly okay with me] and long on realistic application of the Enneagram to your professional and personal daily life. But that does not mean it is in any way shallow -- it is as specific, insightful and dead-on acurate as any book on the market. His descriptions of the types is thourough, well-organized and articulate. [BE AWARE, however, that it is largely a re-hash - if a superior re-hash -- of his earlier "Boss's Number."] If you are less interested in the new-agey, spiritual aspects of the Enneagram, and looking for a clear articulation of how the principles work in your dialy life, this might be the best of the bunch.

The ONLY enneagram book I use with business clients!.......2000-12-15

Goldberg's book is written in language that business people can quickly understand, and full of examples they can relate to. It's a superb presentation of the nine leadership styles--accessible and practical. I've used it very effectively in team sessions and in individual coaching ... My business clients especially gravitate to the "Cardinal Rules" at the end of each chapter (how to work with each type and how to work on yourself if it's your type).

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