Showing titles in History & Criticism

Continuing the pitch-perfect critiques begun in The Great Movies, Roger Ebert's The Great Movies II collects 100 additional essays, each one of them a gem of critical appreciation and an amalgam of love, analysis, and history that will send readers back to films with a fresh set of eyes and...

A riveting and revealing look at the shows that helped cable television drama emerge as the signature art form of the twenty-first century. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the landscape of television began an unprecedented transformation. While the networks continued to chase the lowest...

An Esquire Best Book of 2022! Written with inside access, comprehensive research, and a down-to-earth perspective, Phasers on Stun! chronicles the entire history of Star Trek, revealing that its enduring place in pop culture is all thanks to innovative pivots and radical change. For over five...

#1 New York Times bestseller! For seven decades Katharine Hepburn played a leading role in the popular culture of the twentieth century—reigning as an admired actress, a beloved movie star, and a treasured icon of the modern American woman. She also remained one of the most private of all the...

In a world where movie marketers are the stars of the story, Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops recounts Jim Fredrick's journey through the realm of movie marketing. Fredrick offers readers exclusive access to behind-the-scenes anecdotes and firsthand accounts of working with studio executives and navigating relationships with famous movie stars and directors.

The day-by-day inside story of the making of Tombstone (1993) as told to the author by those who were there--actors, extras, crew members, Buckaroos, historians and everyone in between. Historical context that inspired Kevin Jarre's screenplay is included. Production designers, cameramen, costume designers, composers, illustrators, screenwriter, journalists, set dressers, prop masters, medics, stuntmen and many others share their recollections--many never-before-told--of filming this epic Western.

An exclusive look behind the scenes of the Academy Awards as top stars and filmmakers discuss their Oscar wins and tell never-before-told tales of Hollywood's biggest night, in a collection of original interviews with Turner Classic Movies host and entertainment media journalist Dave Karger. For...

Love It's a Wonderful Life? No one got more from it than star Jimmy Stewart, who credited the film with giving his life new purpose post-World War II service. Learn the lessons on faith, community, kindness, and more from Stewart and the iconic film with this inspiring gift book. Beloved star...

Adored by battalions of devotees and maligned by others for melodramatic twists and turns, soap operas have had an outsized impact on American culture, prefiguring the rise of today's reality television and character-driven prestige dramas. In Love in the Afternoon, and Evening, cultural critics Charlotte Druckman and Mayukh Sen salute the stories and talent that have sustained the industry since its radio days. Featured are smart yet dishy interviews with soap icons like Susan Lucci (All My Children's Erica Kane) and Erika Slezak (One Life to Live's Victoria Lord)…

From the NYT bestselling author of the Big Bang Theory oral history comes an in-depth and thoroughly reported exploration of BBT spinoff Young Sheldon, with big revelations about the show, behind-the-scenes stories from the cast and crew, and all the heart that makes the show itself such a...

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley's novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen. With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement and inspired generations to reclaim their identities.

Les séries TV pleines de symboles cachés ! Un décryptage inédit des séries à succès Symboles, religions, références mythiques révélées Une nouvelle façon d'apprécier vos séries TV préférées Passionné d'histoire et d'ésotérisme, Christian Doumergue vous dévoile tous les secrets de vos séries TV et films préférés : True Detective , Avatar , Indiana Jones , Ready Player One , Da Vinci Code , Game of Thrones , X Files , Walking Dead , Alien , Buffy , Lost ...

A sweeping memoir of a Hollywood Asian American pioneer, star of Everything, Everywhere, All At Once and Mulan, from coming of age under the Chinese Exclusion Act to becoming one of the hardest-working actors in the business. You might not know actor James Hong’s name, but we can guarantee...

Think you know Stars Hollow like the back of your coffee cup? Welcome to the unofficial, ultimate Gilmore Girls trivia book—packed with all things Gilmore—from the basics to the deep cuts. For twenty-five years, the story of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore—the fast-talking mother and daughter duo...

Is The Wire better than Breaking Bad? Is Cheers better than Seinfeld? What's the best high school show ever made? Why did Moonlighting really fall apart? Was the Arrested Development Netflix season brilliant or terrible? For twenty years-since they shared a TV column at Tony Soprano's hometown...

A dramatic account of the politics and personalities behind NBC's calamitous attempt to reinvent late-night television. When NBC decided to move Jay Leno into prime time to make room for Conan O'Brien to host the Tonight show-a job he had been promised five years earlier-skeptics anticipated a...

In this New York Times bestseller, legendary actor and star of the acclaimed documentary Val shares the stories behind his most beloved roles, reminisces about his star-studded career and love life, and reveals the truth behind his recent health struggles in a remarkably candid autobiography...

One of the “Best Books” of the year from The Smithsonian, The Washington Independent Review, and more! From bestselling writer David Kamp, the “fun, fascinating, and surprisingly touching,” (People) behind-the-scenes story of the cultural heroes who created the beloved children’s TV...

Sausages: The Making of Dog Soldiers is a celebration of Neil Marshall’s debut soldiers versus werewolves movie. To coincide with the 20-year anniversary, it takes a deep dive look behind the scenes at the cult classic. As well as a full retrospective, you will find interviews with the cast and crew, original shot list, excerpts from the script and more. Encompassing the tone of Dog Soldiers, Sausages is the perfect companion to this fan-favourite film. Includes a foreword from genre icon Joe Dante and afterword from legendary director John Landis.

Whether it's Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, the Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, or hundreds of others, the creations of the Hanna-Barbera studio continue to delight generations worldwide. The groundbreaking company employed thousands in the art and business of animation. Some of them were vintage-era veterans, others were up-and-coming talents, some of whom found blockbuster success at other studios. The power of the sounds that Hanna-Barbera crafted to accompany the compelling visuals was a key factor in its spectacular success.