Film historian and bestselling author Scott Eyman has done it again with 20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Studio. The story of the Hollywood studio can now be told after an era came to an end in 2020. If you didn’t read Vanda Krefft‘s brilliant biography on William Fox, Eyman sums up his life, the Fox Film Corporation, and his legal troubles. Zanuck really doesn’t come into the book’s picture…
"20th Century-Fox: Scott Eyman Does It Again"Tag: Books
Robin, the Robin Williams biography written by Dave Itzkoff, is a must-read and the definitive biography of the late comedy legend. I was late to reading this book and for good reason. Deep down, I knew it would crush me much in the same way that My Girls by Todd Fisher did. To no surprise, I found myself sobbing during the final three chapters. It was like losing Robin Williams all over again and it…
"Robin: Robin Williams Bio Is A Must-Read"
Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker, written by Stephen Galloway, is a superb biography. One does not have to get far into this book to realize how quickly paced it is. Galloway’s prose reads as if it were a novel even though this book is a non-fiction biography of one of the few female executives to head a Hollywood studio. It was never supposed to be this way, however, because…
"Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing Bio Is A Must-Read"
Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman’s Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars is a must-own. If Apocalypse Now had turned out differently, Star Wars might never have seen the light of day. What an alternate universe this would be. Instead, Lucas’s idea for a Vietnam war film becomes something completely different. Not being able to acquire the rights to Flash Gordon would also alter his plans. Lucas would…
"Secrets of the Force: An Oral History of Star Wars"
Chris Yogerst’s book, Hollywood Hates Hitler!, is a must-read book about the 1941 Senate Investigation into Motion Picture War Propaganda. The full name is as follows: Hollywood Hates Hitler! Jew-Baiting, Anti-Nazism, and the Senate Investigation into Warmongering in Motion Pictures. It’s a long title but there’s no better way to describe this book. If you haven’t studied up on film history, chances are likely that you never heard of the investigation. If you have, you’re…
"Hollywood Hates Hitler! by Chris Yogerst"
John Williams’s Film Music, written by Emilio Audissino, was published in 2014 but this John Williams book is an important contribution to film history canon. Williams is among the greatest composers in the history of film music. He is the second-most nominated individual in Oscar history next to Walt Disney. This only speaks to his contributions to cinema. And like the book notes, he certainly has his detractors. However, I am not one of them.…
"John Williams’s Film Music Is A Great Read"
The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, written by Amy Ratcliffe with a forward by Scott Trowbridge, is a must-own for any Star Wars fan. In terms of the book itself, Ratcliffe intros each section and then leaves us to admire the artwork. It’s truly amazing to see how the park evolved over time. Even though the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hasn’t opened yet, we get a sneak peek at what to expect when it…
"The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Is A Must-Own"
Washington Post features writer Travis M. Andrews spoke with Solzy at the Movies about his new book, Because He’s Jeff Goldblum. Because He’s Jeff Goldblum is one of the more entertaining albeit unconventional biographies that I’ve read recently and maybe even ever. How did you first get interested in writing a book about Jeff Goldblum? Travis M. Andrews: It’s so funny. I work at the Washington Post as a features writer and one day, we…
"Travis M. Andrews talks Because He’s Jeff Goldblum" Because He’s Jeff Goldblum, the new biography by Travis M. Andrews, is an unconventional biography of the actor/musician. It’s an unconventional biography but then again, nothing about Goldblum’s career has ever been conventional. The only downside is that Goldblum himself did not participate in the book. A bummer, maybe, but Andrews has no shortage of interviews to quote be it filmmakers, actors, crew, or friends. I’ve had my own personal encounter with Goldblum during Wizard…
"Because He’s Jeff Goldblum Is Unconventional"
Mark Harris spoke with Solzy at the Movies about his new book, Mike Nichols: A Life, ahead of this weekend’s TCM Classic Film Festival. The TCM premiere of Nichols and May: Take Two will screen on late Saturday morning. The documentary will be followed by Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in the early afternoon. Both screenings will include a conversation with Mark Harris. When did you first become interested in writing a book about Mike…
"Mark Harris talks Mike Nichols: A Life"