Book Review: Asian Pop Cinema: Bombay to Tokyo by Lee Server

 Asian cinema makes up a huge amount of the films produced every year (on average India alone produces over 300 films a year) and countries such as South Korea and the Philippines have been producing more films now than ever before in history while Hong Kong and Japan continue to set new trends in the market place and International cinema.  In Lee Server’s book Asian Pop Cinema: Bombay to Tokyo all of the film industries of these countries are given a historic overview.

Server allows each of the countries their own chapter (which includes all those previously mentioned as well as Taiwan and China) which recounts the history of the cinema and how it developed to its current state.  Hong Kong and Japan have some of the richest history in the cinema arts despite some years of no film production at all (especially during war times).  Some of the chapters also focus on key personnel within the industry such as an interview with film makers John Woo, Tomoaki Hosoyama, Eddie Romero, Jose Lacaba, and several others.

Server’s book is not a definitive book on any of these countries’ film industries but it is rather an overview of key events and people involved in the industry.  It is very useful for people who have very little or no previous knowledge about Asian cinema and can help differentiate between all the different countries and their industries.  Server also provides a plethora of production stills and posters from many of the films discussed which is extremely helpful if you have not seen the films that he has mentioned.

Book Review: The Book of ALIEN By Paul Scanlon & Michael Gross

Ridley’s Scott’s film ALIEN has been one of the most influential sci-fi horror films in history.  The film has become a franchise spanning over six films and has expanded to comic books, original novels, and created its own toy industry that continues to thrive even to this day.  Paul Scanlon & Michael Gross’ book The Book of ALIEN is a look at the making of the original film but functions more as a look at the artwork and concepts that brought the story to the big screen.

A lot of the actual written word in the book focuses on the decisions that lead to the final designs in the film but a majority of the book is consumed with artwork and concept drawings both of stuff used in the film and those items that never made it to the final phase of production or was edited out of the film.  No item of production was over looked as you easily get the impression that the film was a huge under taking and that everything in the film was meticulously designed from the ground up.

When most people think about the ALIEN films one of the first names that come to mind is famed artist H.R. Giger which the book does devote some time to but the majority of the book doesn’t focus on him at all (as he was not the first person consulted for the film).  The book spends a great deal on artists Ron Cobb & Chris Foss and art directors Roger Christian & Les Dilley not to mention production designer Michael Seymour, to name but a few.  This book tries to give a grand overview of the art and design elements that went into the production of the film.

This book doesn’t go into much behind the scenes talk on the film but for people interested in knowing more about the pre-production phase of the making of the film there is a lot in this book for them.  This is not an all encompassing book on the making of the film but it is a good starting off point for those interested in the art and design of the film.

Book review: Meat is Murder! An Illustrated Guide to Cannibal Culture by Mikita Brottman

 If cannibals and cannibal culture is not your thing than you should skip author Mikita Brottman’s book Meat is Murder! An Illustrated Guide to Cannibal Culture as it may be too much for you.  Despite the fact that the cannibal film was quite popular in the late ‘70s to ‘80s cannibal culture has always stayed under the radar, at least as far as the mainstream is concerned.  Brottman’s book changes all of that.

Brottman’s book is an invitation to everything in regards to cannibal culture which includes films but is not exclusive to films.  In fact, most of the first half of the book has nothing to do with cannibal films.  The first part of the book deals with the anthropology of the cannibal as well as a look at all the real life criminals and cases involving cannibalism from all over the world.  This part of the book will be most interesting to non-film scholars as it delves deep into where and how cannibalism came to be part of our society noting cases in which it was forced upon a group of individuals (as seen in the story of the stranded rugby team who crash landed into the Andes mountains in 1972 as depicted in the film Alive) as well as a cultural phenomenon as seen in some third world countries.  The book then touches upon some of the most infamous real life cannibals such as Ed Gein, Edmund Emil Kemper, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer, among many others.

The exploits of these real life cannibals segways into these real life caanibals both real and exploitive.  Everything from Psycho to the Texas Chain Saw Massacre makes as appearance in this book and Brottman makes sure to emphasize where all this fits into the pantheon of cannibal culture.  A whole book could have been dedicated to cannibalism in film but Brottman wants to discover how and why audiences have been so fascinated by both real life cannibalism and its film counterpart.

Brottman provides a wealth of information and photographs for everything in the book (earning the title of being an “illustrated guide”) and readers will learn more than they should about cannibal culture and how it has defined not only a sub-genre of horror film but pop culture and anthropological culture as well.

Graphic Novel Review: DARK SHADOWS Vol. 1

Fans of  the original gothic soap opera Dark Shadows should rejoice as Dynamic Entertainment have brought the iconic classic back to the forefront with their ongoing comic book and the first four issues have been collected in their first volume.  Unlike the recent Tim Burton film which is a re-imagination of the original series, the comic book series is a continuation of where the soap opera ended (and has nothing to do with the ‘90s revival television series).

Audiences new to the world of Dark Shadows and have never seen the original series may find the ongoing comic slightly hard to get into not only because of the huge cast of characters and their relationships to one another but also as this new series jumps right into the middle of the stories of these characters.  I’m sure reading the individual issues can be a daunting task but presented here in the first volume is the first story arc featuring the villainess Angelique who has returned from vampire Barnabus Collins’ past to be with her eternal love.  From this first arc you get the sense that Barnabus’ craving for human blood is at an all time high and Dr. Hoffman (who harbors a secret love for him) is once again trying to cure him of his vampirism, which doesn’t seem to be working.  The Collins family is in complete disarray and the sudden reappearance of Angelique only makes matters worse.

As written by Stuart Manning the series perfectly gives you a timeless sense that you are back in the world of Collinsport, Maine and Collinwood mansion (where the Collins family resides).  The voice over opening for each issue of the series perfectly evokes the opening of the original series and each issue ends with a cliff hanger.  The book is illustrated by Aaron Campbell (issues 1-3) and Guiu Vilandova (issue 4) and perfectly matches Manning’s classically told tale.

I only saw a handful of the episodes from the original series and am more familiar with the ‘90s revival series (and the original feature films) so jumping straight into the story such as presented here was a bit off putting but Manning manages to do an excellent job with this first story arc and I’m curious to see where he goes next.

Book Review: Making Friday the 13th: The Legend of Camp Blood by David Grove

 Few films have had as profound effect of the horror genre as the infamous Friday the 13^th film series.  It seemingly came out of nowhere and changed the face of the slasher genre for years to come.  David Grove’s book Making Friday the 13^th: The Legend of Camp Blood goes into elaborate detail on all the films in the franchise as well as getting to the heart of the film series from all those involved from the directors and stars of the film to the crew behind the films.  This is an exhaustive study of the films for both the good and the bad.

Grove makes no apologies for the films that make up the ten films in the Friday the 13^th saga not to mention the television series and the Freddy Vs. Jason film as they all have their faults.  Grove may spend the first several chapters on the original 1980 film but he spends a good amount of time on each subsequent film examining not only plot but how each of the films fit in the horror pantheon when it was released.  The greatest asset to the book is the candid way in which the cast and crew speak about their experiences which is a revelation for those tired of the “PC” response that most films get upon their initial release.  It is noteworthy to say that despite the quality of each film everyone involved seemed to have a wonderful time making the films.

There is no end to the plethora of information on the Friday the 13^th franchise out there due to the popularity of the films so there would be little reason to purchase this book other than the fact that Grove has a very entertaining view and outlook on the films that keep the reading fast and furious and there is obliviously a fan appreciation that goes with it.  Fans will appreciate the book and discover details about the productions that even they might not know.  Not all films are perfect but this is a pretty damn good book about those imperfect films.

Book Review: Iron Man: The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto by Tom Mes

 Few Japanese directors have made as big an impact on independent Japanese cinema as cyberpunk extraordinaire Shinya Tsukamoto especially with his genre defining film Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) and its first sequel Tetsuo II: Body Hammer (1992).  Most of his films have been independently financed making each one of his subsequent productions a unique film going experience and a look into the inner workings of a truly independent film maker.  Writer Tom Mes gets into the heart of Tsukamoto’s films and his inspirations in his book Iron Man: The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto.

Like most directors Tsukamoto got his start with short films (which he continues to this day) and graduated to features.  Mes’ book charts Tsukamoto’s rise from his days in the theatre up to his most recent films.  Each film gets its own chapter in the book in order for Mes to take each film on its own terms.  As Mes charts each film it’s impossible to separate the film from the man as Tsukamoto puts a piece of himself into every one of his films not only by acting in them (as in Tetsuo: The Iron Man and The Phantom of Regular Size and Bullet Ballet) but through the use of family (as his brother for Tokyo Fist)  and friends such as Takashi Oda for special make up effects (Hiruko The Goblin, Bullet Ballet, Gemini, A Snake of June).

Mes does a great job at breaking down each of the films for both those who have seen the films and those who have not (but will end up wanting to see them).  He also allows Tsukamoto himself to discuss each of the films and there are plenty of opportunities for Tsukamoto to elaborate on his process and methods.

Mes’ book is not just another book about a film maker and his films but it is a book about the man Tsukamoto himself and how his films have become an extension of himself.  The book provides a profound amount of production stills as well to demonstrate his ideas and show key moments in his films.  Mes’ book is one of the finest of its kind and will be a great addition to anyone’s library.

Book Review: Everything is Permitted: The Making of “Naked Lunch” Edited by Ira Silverberg

 The book “Naked Lunch” was written by William S. Burroughs while the film was directed by David Croneberg.  The book Everything is Permitted: The Making of “Naked Lunch” is edited by Ira Silverberg and details the unique film as it was conceived by the visionary director Cronenberg and everyone else that was involved.  Since Burroughs’ book is thought to be completely unfilmable Cronenberg did not set out to turn the book into a film but instead decided to make a film about the making of the book.

Burroughs’ writing and style is examined closely in the book especially as it pertains to how Cronenberg chooses to produce his film which is a amalgamation of the book and Burroughs’ own life as it revolves around how he crafted the book of “Naked Lunch.”  The book is filled with production stills and photos from all aspects of the film’s production (as is customary of these types of books).  One of the things about the book that will most interest readers interested in these types of behind the scenes books is the chapter that focuses on the special FX of the film.  There are design pictures and mechanical drawings for some of the more “unusual” of the films FX and monsters.

Although knowing a little more about the strange and unusual creatures that inhabit the film is very interesting it is also interesting to get into the mind of director Cronenberg on why and how he chose this direction with his film.  Cronenberg provides and introduction to the book (as does Burroughs) and you get a great look into the mind of a true auteur who may have been the only person capable of bringing Burroughs’ story to the big screen.

The book spends a small amount of time of the cast who provide their own thoughts on why they became involved in the production.  Other writers that contribute to the book include Chris Rodley, Jody Duncan, Prudence Emery, and Gary Indiana.  Like the film production itself this book is a collaborative effort that shows just how dedicated Cronenberg and everyone else involved were instrumental in bringing Burroughs’ material to life.

Book Review: Kamera Books “Silent Cinema” by Brian J. Robb

 Kamera Books’ series of publications on all genres of film has been an amazing revelation for film buffs and general audiences who want to know a little bit more about the historic significance of particular subjects in the film pantheon of which author Brian J. Robb’s “Silent Cinema” is but one.  Let me first say that these books were not designed for the proficient film historian but instead for the beginner or those just learning (or studying) about film genre and culture.  Robb’s book looks back at the beginnings of cinema itself by examining its first genre which is the silent film.

For many this will be a revelation on just how the film industry developed and how the techniques of the silent film came to be. Robb spends the first chapter on the development of the film industry as the evolution of the silent film is directly related to the development of the film industry itself.  He then spends an entire chapter on film innovator George Melies who took the new technology into a whole different direction and opened up the possibilities for future innovators.  This then opens the rest of the book to focusing on other aspects of the silent film industry which includes chapters on directors, both dramatic and silent actors, and even some of the scandals that threatened to bring down the film industry (or at least forced it to take a mirror to itself).

Because the film industry was not developed in a vacuum but had innovators from all parts of the world contribute to its evolution, Robb spends some of the book on the International silent cinema and its place in the industry as a whole.  The book ends by examining the coming of sound and how it brought an end to the golden age of silent cinema.

Robb’s book is a testament to the contributions of the silent cinema and the development of the film industry from its very beginnings.  Despite Robb’s dry sense of writing it does work for this “just the facts” style book which could have gone the direction of being too scholarly but doesn’t.  Robb hits all the right marks by taking a look at all the names and people that even the casual filmgoer may know such as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Cecil B. Demille, Gloria Swanson, Lilian Gish and many, many more.  This is the history of the film industry.  This is the legacy of the silent film.