Hollywood: A Celebration! - Hardcover

Thomson, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0789477920 ISBN 13: 9780789477927

Publisher: Dk Pub, 2001

Synopsis

From the birth of the film industry in the dusty village of Hollywood 1905, to the computer-generated special effects extravaganzas of today; from the days when the big studios reigned supreme to the rise of the independent film; from the innovative directors who shared their visions to the talented actors who captured out hearts -- Hollywood: A Celebration! chronicles the enduring fascination of movies and movie stars over the last 100 years. Featuring 640 pages and over 750 photographs -- many of them published here for the first time -- this comprehensive work is an exhilarating journey into the heart of the world's entertainment capital. Hollywood: A Celebration offers an unprecedented look at American film, the preeminent art form of modern times. The Hollywood phenomenon is documented through stunning photography -- including dramatic film stills from hundreds of movies; glamorous studio portraits of actors from the era of the star system; candid, behind-the-scenes shots from movie sets and sound stages; graphic movie posters; and images of the ever-stylish Hollywood society -- drawn largely from the renowned Kobal collection, one of the most important movie-still archives in the world. Noted film critic David Thomson provides insightful narrative commentary for each photograph, as well as an incisive introduction.

About this title

About the Author

David Thomson writes for the New York Times, the New Republic, Sight and Sound, Film Comment, Movieline, and the Independent on Sunday (in London). He also writes the "Turn-On" column for Salon.com. He was born in London and educated at Dulwich College and the London School of Film Technique. Mr. Thomson has served on the selection committee for the New York Film Festival and is on the advisory board to the Telluride Film Festival. His books included Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick; Rosebud: The Story of Orson Welles; and A Biographical Dictionary of Film; as well as several novels about movies -- Suspects, Silver Light, and Warren Beatty and Desert Eyes: A Life and Story. His most recent book is In Nevada: The Land, the People, God and Chance. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two sons. The Kobal Collection is the largest and oldest privately owned movie photo archive in the world, with more than a million images on file. The collection is comprised of original photographs from the earliest movies to the latest releases, including scene stills, portraits, candids, and behind-the-scene images from movie sets. In 1972, renowned film historian John Kobal began compiling stills and ephemera and developed a world-wide reputation as an expert not only on films, but also the men and women of Hollywood. The Kobal Collection not only aims to preserve the promotional photographs released by the Hollywood studios to promote their films and their stars, but also to enhance our understanding and enjoyment of one of the Twentieth Century's greatest art forms.

From Publishers Weekly

For a pictorial stroll down Hollywood's memory lane, cinema enthusiasts will love Hollywood: A Celebration, by David Thomson (Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick), a contributor to the New Republic, the New York Times and other publications. With pictures and brief, informed, sometimes wry commentary, Thomson covers all the highlights and some of the lowlights: the silents of the 1910s and '20s (The Phantom of the Opera; Flesh and the Devil), screwballs of the 1930s (Trouble in Paradise; The Awful Truth), the introduction of sound and then color, the first Oscar, the noir standouts of the 1940s (Crossfire; The Lady from Shanghai), epics from the 1950s (The Ten Commandments; Ben-Hur), sex, drugs and road trips of the 1960s (Easy Rider; Midnight Cowboy), 1970s-style violence (The French Connection, The Godfather; Taxi Driver), 1980s sci-fi (Blade Runner; Tron), Matrix-inspired special effects of the '90s and everything in between.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dk Pub
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0789477920
• ISBN 13: 9780789477927
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 640