Forces of Geek 2019 Holiday Gift Guide: Books

 

 

The Princess Bride: Folio Edition

 

Written by William Goldman
Illustrated by Mark Thomas

Featuring giants, duels, man-eating swamp rats and, of course, true love, Goldman’s funny and poignant lampoon of the fairy-tale tradition has inadvertently become a classic of the genre.

Mythologised by the author as the ‘Good Parts’ version of a magnificent book by the ‘great Florinese writer’, S. Morgenstern, The Princess Bride is a gripping tongue-in-cheek fairy tale. It tells the story of Buttercup, an exceptionally beautiful girl who rises from unlikely beginnings to receive the dubious hand-in- marriage of the barrel-like Prince Humperdinck. Meanwhile her true love, Westley the farm boy, must cross perilous seas, climb the Cliffs of Insanity, fight off man-eating swamp rats and survive the abominable Zoo of Death to rescue her from a grisly end. Fast-paced and funny, The Princess Bride lampoons the fairy-tale tradition but is at once a classic in its own right.

Author William Goldman is best known for his novel Marathon Man. He also wrote the award-winning screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. This edition of The Princess Bride includes the first chapter of the ‘sequel’, Buttercup’s Baby, and Goldman’s introductions to the 25th and 35th anniversary editions, which embellish the myth surrounding the original text. ‘It’s still my favorite book in all the world,’ he writes, ‘and more than ever, I wish I had written it.’ They also comment on the cult 1987 film directed by Rob Reiner. Mark Thomas has created 10 colourful illustrations depicting some of the story’s most dramatic moments, and an endpaper map tracing Westley and Buttercup’s journey.

 

 

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: Folio Edition

 

Written by Michael Chabon
Illustrated by Chris Samnee
Introduced by Michael Moorcock

Experience The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay with this special collector’s edition. Featuring illustrations by comic book artist Chris Samnee, Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is also introduced by Michael Moorcock.

A triumph of both cult and mainstream literature, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001. Delivering all the thrills of Golden Age comics and a deeply humane story about hope and tragedy – all via an exuberant literary voice – it has become one of the defining novels of the modern age.

It is 1939, and Adolf Hitler casts a long shadow over Europe. Josef Kavalier has fled to New York, finding a kindred spirit in his comics-loving cousin Sammy Clay. Filled with dreams of liberty for those left behind, Josef and his new partner create the Escapist, a masked hero who can take the fight to the Nazis even as America remains reluctant to get involved. Yet in the real world, Joe’s family remain in enormous danger. Can the comic book hero deliver a near impossible feat: escape from the nightmare that is Nazi occupied Europe?

Michael Chabon’s pre-war New York is a place of optimism and art, of big band music and sharp suits – in his hands the city becomes a transformative place, taking lost souls and making them Americans; taking broken children and making them superheroes. By intertwining the stories of two Jewish boys with that of their liberty-inspired comic hero, Chabon tells not only the story of a fledgling art form, but that of America itself, as seen through the eyes of its immigrants.

In his introduction for this special collector’s edition, author Michael Moorcock describes The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay as ‘a modern classic worthy of its Pulitzer Prize as only a handful can be’. Having worked in the very ink-stained offices Chabon describes, Moorcock praises this visionary novel’s authenticity, noting that it creates a world so compelling it leaves us wanting to ‘remain in its aura just a little while longer’. Since its publication in 2000, the fictional superhero has escaped the confines of the novel, appearing in his own series of comics published by Dark Horse.

With comics art as the foundation of the book, it was vital that the right artist be chosen to illustrate this collector’s edition. With the author’s approval, Eisner Award-winning Chris Samnee has taken on the world of the Escapist. Having worked on iconic heroes such as Thor, Spider-Man, Batman and Daredevil, Samnee brings a touch of ’30s noir to the page, deftly conveying the smoky, frantic world of the comic book studio. This majestic edition features six double-page spreads, and a blocked and die-cut slipcase, making it an essential volume for any devotee of American literature.

 

 

Bill Sienkiewicz: Revolution, V. 1

 

Edited by Sal Abbinanti, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman,
an essay by Ben Davis, and an interview with Bill Sienkiewicz

Bill Sienkiewicz (pronounced sin-KEV-itch) is an Eisner-winning, Emmy-nominated artist best known for revolutionizing the way comic books are drawn and made. His work has graced the National Museum of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; art galleries in Paris, Barcelona, and Tuscany; and advertising campaigns for Nike, MTV, Nissan, the 2006 Winter Olympics, and dozens of Hollywood movies.

Sienkiewicz is a classically trained painter whose artworks incorporate abstract and expressionist influences and combine oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, mixed media, collage, and mimeograph. Bill Sienkiewicz: Revolution is the first time the artist’s work and career have been taken out of the limited context of comic books and evaluated as fine art. Ben Davis, award-winning Senior Writer for Artnet News, considers Sienkiewicz’s process and places him within the context of art and popular culture. The images for the book are curated by Sal Abbinanti, Sienkiewicz’s representative and colleague for nearly twenty years. Lastly, Bill Sienkiewicz, in an interview with Six Foot Press’s Publisher, Chul R. Kim, lends his unique voice and presents some of his greatest artistic achievements.

BS:R is the first of three volumes in three years, with each volume consisting of a trade and a limited edition.

 

 

The Afflicted Girl

 

By Rory O’Brien

Hallowe’en is dead!The murder of a man famously known as “Mr. Hallowe’en” has Detective Andrew Lennox searching for the only witness—a troubled young woman who believes herself to be the reincarnation of Bridget Bishop, a supposed witch hanged centuries ago. This afflicted girl is hiding somewhere in Salem and unwilling to come forward, but Lennox is not alone in his search—can he find her before the killer does?

 

 

Grease: The Director’s Notebook

 

 

Written by Randal Kleiser

Comprehensive and beautifully designed, Grease: The Director’s Notebook also includes all new exclusive interviews with the key cast members and crew, including Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, and Stockard Channing, original script pages, call sheets, conceptual images, and more.

Grease is the word . . . Released more than four decades ago, the film version of Grease is one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time and a bona fide global sensation with legions of devoted fans across generations. For the first time ever, the film’s director, Randal Kleiser, looks back at the making of this legendary cultural landmark.

Created in conjunction with Paramount Pictures and authorized by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey (via his Estate), the creators of the original muKleiser’s own heavily annotated shooting script, along with his storyboards and sketches―including lines from the play that were added to the film’s script.Grease: The Director’s Notebook sical stage play, Grease: The Director’s Notebook features rare and never-before-seen imagery from the studio’s archives, as well as Kleiser’s production notes, dialogue changes, and more. The book’s heart is is a fitting tribute to this revered international phenomenon and the one book the movie’s adoring fans will want.

 

 

Vintage Geek

 

By Marshall Julius

 

 

A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee

 

By Danny Fingeroth

The definitive biography of the beloved―often controversial―co-creator of many legendary superheroes, A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee presents the origin of “Stan the Man,” who spun a storytelling web of comic book heroic adventures into a pop culture phenomenon: the Marvel Universe.

Stan Lee was the most famous American comic book creator who ever lived.

Thanks, especially, to his many cameos in Marvel movies and TV shows, Lee was―and even after his 2018 death, still is―the voice and face of comics and popular culture in general, and Marvel Comics in particular. How he got to that place is a story that has never been fully told―until now.

With creative partners including Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko―with whom he had tempestuous relationships that rivaled any superhero battle―Lee created world-famous characters including Spider-Man, Iron Man, the X–Men, the Avengers, and the Hulk!

But Lee’s career was haunted by conflict and controversy. Was he the most innovative creator to ever do comics? Was he a lucky no-talent whose only skill was taking credit for others’ work? Or was he something else altogether?

Danny Fingeroth’s A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee attempts to answer some of those questions. It is the first comprehensive biography of this powerhouse of ideas who, with his invention of Marvel Comics, changed the world’s ideas of what a hero is and how a story should be told.

With exclusive interviews with Lee himself, as well as with colleagues, relatives, friends―and detractors―Fingeroth makes a doubly remarkable case for Lee’s achievements, while not ignoring the controversies that dogged him his entire life―and even past his death. With unique access to Lee’s personal archives at the University of Wyoming, Fingeroth explores never-before-examined aspects of Lee’s life and career, and digs under the surface of what people thought they knew about him.

Fingeroth, himself a longtime writer and editor at Marvel Comics, and now a lauded pop culture critic and historian, knew and worked with Stan Lee for over four decades. With his unique insights as a comics world insider, Fingeroth is able to put Lee’s life and work in a unique context that makes events and actions come to life as no other writer could.

Despite F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous warning that “There are no second acts in American lives,” Stan Lee created a second act for himself that changed everything for him, his family, his industry, and ultimately for all of popular culture. How he did it―and what it cost him―is a larger-than-life tale of a man who helped create the modern superhero mythology that has become a part of all our lives.

 

 

Joe Alves: Designing Jaws

 

By Dennis Prince

Joe Alves: Designing JAWS provides the production designer’s view into the development of this world-renowned film. Included are Joe’s stunning pre-production illustrations; handwritten location and production notes; on-set photographs; blueprints of the shark’s design; and first-time publication of his complete catalog of storyboards. Joe Alves: Designing JAWS is a must-have addition to every film reference library.

Universal Studios’ JAWS is one of the most compelling and enduring movies ever made. Thrilling generations of audiences worldwide with its tight plot, memorable characters, and ground-breaking special effects – those that brought the great white shark to terrifying life even after many said it couldn’t be done.

Buoyed by an energetic young director, Steven Spielberg, and through collaboration with trusted and equally determined production designer Joe Alves, the two proved integral to the making of this classic motion picture.

 

 

Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders

 

By Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, Dylan Thuras

Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust, Atlas Obscura is a phenomenon of a travel book that shot to the top of bestseller lists when it was first published and changed the way we think about the world, expanding our sense of how strange and marvelous it really is.

This second edition takes readers to even more curious and unusual destinations, with more than 100 new places, dozens and dozens of new photographs, and two very special features: twelve city guides, covering Berlin, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Cairo, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Moscow, New York City, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Plus a foldout map with a dream itinerary for the ultimate around-the-world road trip. More a cabinet of curiosities than traditional guidebook, Atlas Obscura revels in the unexpected, the overlooked, the bizarre, and the mysterious. Here are natural wonders, like the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can sit and drink comfortably. Architectural marvels, including the M. C. Escher–like stepwells in India. Mind-boggling events, like the Baby-Jumping Festival in Spain—and no, it’s not the babies doing the jumping, but masked men dressed as devils who vault over rows of squirming infants.

Every page gets to the very core of why humans want to travel in the first place: to be delighted and disoriented, uprooted from the familiar and amazed by the new. With its compelling descriptions, hundreds of photographs, surprising charts, maps for every region of the world, and new city guides, it is a book you can open anywhere and be transported. But proceed with caution: It’s almost impossible not to turn to the next entry, and the next, and the next.

 

 

Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains

 

By Chad Oppenheim with Andrea Gollin

Why do bad guys live in good houses? From Atlantis in The Spy Who Loved Me to Nathan Bateman’s ultra-modern abode in Ex Machina, big-screen villains often live in architectural splendor. From a design standpoint, the villain’s lair, as popularized in many of our favorite movies, is a stunning, sophisticated, envy-inducing expression of the warped drives and desires of its occupant. Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains, celebrates and considers several iconic villains’ lairs from recent film history.

From futuristic fantasies to deathtrap-laden hives, from dwellings in space to those under the sea, pop culture and architecture join forces in these outlandish, primarily modern homes and in Lair, which features buildings from fifteen films, including:

• Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
• Star Wars
• The Incredibles
• Blade Runner 2049
• You Only Live Twice
• The Ghost Writer
• Body Double
• North by Northwest

Edited by acclaimed architect Chad Oppenheim with Andrea Gollin, Lair includes interviews with production designers and other industry professionals such as Ralph Eggleston, Richard Donner, Roger Christian, David Scheunemann, Gregg Henry, and Mark Digby. Contributors include director Michael Mann, cultural critic Christopher Frayling, museum director Joseph Rosa, and architect Amy Murphy. Architectural illustrations and renderings by Carlos Fueyo provide multiple in-depth views of these spaces.

 

 

Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond

 

By Andrew Farago and Gina McIntyre

Since his 1939 debut in the pages of Detective Comics, Batman has become an icon, instantly recognizable the world over. Yet, despite being known to millions, Gotham City’s guardian has been interpreted in so many radically different ways that we all now have our own Batman. To some he’s the colorful Caped Crusader who dispatches villains with a POW! To others he’s the grim Dark Knight hell-bent on avenging the death of his parents. And to others still he’s made of LEGO, has great abs, and likes to eat lobster thermidor!

For the first time, this deluxe volume tells the complete story of Batman and the many forms he’s taken throughout the years across comics, TV, animation, film, video games, and beyond, to present a compelling portrait of one of the most recognizable and versatile characters in the history of fiction. Covering the complete history of Batman in vivid detail, the book features exclusive commentary from the key creatives who have been instrumental in building the Dark Knight’s ongoing legacy, including Neal Adams, Tim Burton, Paul Dini, Steve Englehart, Mark Hamill, Grant Morrison, Julie Newmar, Christopher Nolan, Denny O’Neil, Joel Schumacher, Scott Snyder, and Zack Snyder.

Along with taking readers on an unparalleled journey into the creation of the most memorable Batman moments in the character’s eighty-year history—from the “Knightfall” comics arc to Tim Burton’s films and the Arkham video game series—the book busts open the DC Comics and Warner Bros. archives to deliver an avalanche of never-before-seen visual treasures that are guaranteed to blow the minds of Batman fans everywhere.

Filled with exclusive insert items that further deepen the reading experience, Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond, is the ultimate exploration of a true legend whose impact on our culture has no limits.

 

 

Marvel’s Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular: The Definitive Comic Art Collection

 

By Matt Singer

Explore over fifty years of Spider-Man with this deluxe art book, featuring exclusive interviews and content from the incredibly talented people who brought this amazing hero to life.

Since he first appeared in the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, Marvel’s number one web-slinger has been swinging into the hearts of super hero fans everywhere. Originally portrayed as the chronic underdog, Spider-Man has grown from amazing to spectacular to ultimate and beyond, dominating the comics sphere and consistently ranking among the most popular super heroes of all time. With the proportionate strength of a spider, a genius mind, and a fully loaded arsenal of quips, it’s no wonder why Spider-Man is the best arachnid around.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular celebrates the incredibly rich and expansive history of this iconic character in a brand new and unparalleled way—showcasing the jaw-dropping art of the Spider-Man comics and diving deep into the remarkable stories that have shaped Spider-Man into the super hero he is today. Featuring the best of Spider-Man comic art and exclusive interviews from leading Spider-Man creators like Brian Michael Bendis, Gerry Conway, Tom DeFalco, J.M. Dematteis, David Michelinie, Mark Millar, Alex Ross, Dan Slott, J. Michael Straczynski, Roger Stern, and many more, this spectacular compendium truly captures the great power and great responsibility of developing one of the most monumental heroes in comics history.

 

 

A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away

 

By Paul Hirsch

A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away provides a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most influential films of the last fifty years as seen through the eyes of Paul Hirsch, the Oscar-winning film editor who worked on such classics as George Lucas’s Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, Brian De Palma’s Carrie and Mission: Impossible, Herbert Ross’s Footloose and Steel Magnolias, John Hughes’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Joel Schumacher’s Falling Down, and Taylor Hackford’s Ray.

Hirsch breaks down his career movie by movie, offering a riveting look at the decisions that went into creating some of cinema’s most iconic scenes. He also provides behind-the-scenes insight into casting, directing, and scoring and intimate portraits of directors, producers, composers, and stars. Part film school primer, part paean to legendary filmmakers and professionals, this funny and insightful book will entertain and inform aficionados and casual moviegoers alike.

 

 

Shatner

 

By Michael Seth Starr

In the early months of 1966, a handsome, hardworking thirty-five-year-old Canadian-born actor named William Shatner was cast as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, a troubled, low-budget science-fiction television series set to premiere that fall on NBC. Star Trek struggled for viewers and lasted only three seasons, but it found a huge, rabidly dedicated audience when it premiered in syndication following its cancellation—turning Shatner into a pop-culture icon and launching him on a career path he never could have imagined after graduating from McGill University with an economics degree twenty years earlier. As he approaches his ninetieth year, he’s still working at a furious pace as a man of boundless contradictions: by turns one of the most dissected, disliked, revered, respected, mocked, imitated, and beloved stars in the show business firmament.

Shatner takes a comprehensive look at this singular performer, using archival sources and information culled from interviews with friends and colleagues to transport readers through William Shatner’s remarkably bumpy career: his spectacular failures and triumphs; tragedies, including the shocking death of his third wife, Nerine; and, ultimately, the resilience Shatner has shown, time and again, in the face of overwhelming odds. Author Michael Seth Starr unravels the mystery of William Shatner, stripping away the many myths associated with his personal life and his relationships with fellow actors, presenting a no-holds-barred, unvarnished look at the unique career of an inimitable performer.

 

 

The Photography of Game of Thrones

 

By Helen Sloan with Michael Kogge

Enter the world of HBO’s global television phenomenon Game of Thrones with The Photography of Game of Thrones—the definitive photographic collection from the set of the hit series.

Witness how official unit stills photographer and Nikon ambassador Helen Sloan and the unit photography team selected 850 incredible images from the production of HBO’s legendary series Game of Thrones, including candid, never before seen images of cast and crew. Enjoy exclusive access and images directly from the set as George RR Martin’s world of Westeros was translated to the TV screen.

 

 

The Man in the High Castle: Creating the Alt World

 

by Mike Avila

The Man in the High Castle is the hit Amazon series, inspired by Philip K. Dick’s award-winning novel, that offers a glimpse into a chilling alternate timeline in which Hitler was victorious in World War II. In a dystopian America dominated by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Juliana Crain discovers a mysterious film that may hold the key to toppling the totalitarian regimes.

Exploring the realpolitik of all four seasons of the show, this lavish and richly detailed coffee table book takes readers from the Greater Nazi Reich to the Japanese Pacific States. Featuring sumptuous production art, set photography, costume designs and interviews with key cast and crew, The Man in the High Castle: Creating the Alt World will transport readers into the worlds of this award-winning series.

 

 

Fargo: This Is a True Story

 

By Noah Hawley

The making of the acclaimed, award-winning TV show told exactly as it occurred.

From bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author Noah Hawley (Before the Fall) comes the perfect collector’s item to the hit TV show based on the film Fargo. This companion to the first three seasons of Fargo, which Hawley created and executive produced, is packed with script selections-including all three pilots-candid, behind-the-scenes photography, exclusive interviews with cast and crew, and much, much more.

Learn about what makes Lorne Malvo tick in a fascinating conversation with Billy Bob Thornton. Discover Kirsten Dunst’s and Jesse Plemons’s favorite scenes. Find out what it was like for Ewan McGregor to play both Stussy brothers. Hear from Patrick Wilson, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and many others as Hawley, in this gorgeous, illuminating journey, takes you behind the curtain to reveal the making of one of the best shows on television.

 

 

Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era

 

by Saul Austerlitz

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Friends, published for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the show’s premiere. Howyoudoin’?

In September 1994, six friends sat down in their favorite coffee shop and began bantering about sex, relationships, jobs, and just about everything else. A quarter of a century later, new fans are still finding their way into the lives of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe, and thanks to the show’s immensely talented creators, its intimate understanding of its youthful audience, and its reign during network television’s last moment of dominance, Friends has become the most influential and beloved show of its era. Friends has never gone on a break, and this is the story of how it all happened.

Noted pop culture historian Saul Austerlitz utilizes exclusive interviews with creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, executive producer Kevin Bright, director James Burrows, and many other producers, writers, and cast members to tell the story of Friends’ creation, its remarkable decade-long run, and its astonishing Netflix-fueled afterlife. Readers will go behind the scenes to hear from the people who were present as the show was developed and cast, written and filmed. There will be talk of trivia contests, prom videos, trips to London, Super Bowls, lesbian weddings, wildly popular hairstyles, superstar cameos, mad dashes to the airport, and million-dollar contracts. They’ll also discover surprising details—that Monica and Joey were the show’s original romantic couple, how Danielle Steel probably saved Jennifer Aniston’s career, and why Friends is still so popular that if it was a new show, its over-the-air broadcast reruns would be the ninth-highest-rated program on TV.

The show that defined the 1990s has a legacy that has endured beyond wildest expectations. And in this hilarious, informative, and entertaining book, readers will now understand why.

 

 

Movies (And Other Things)

 

By Shea Serrano and Arturo Torres

Movies (And Other Things) is a book about, quite frankly, movies (and other things).

One of the chapters, for example, answers which race Kevin Costner was able to white savior the best, because did you know that he white saviors Mexicans in McFarland, USA, and white saviors Native Americans in Dances with Wolves, and white saviors Black people in Black or White, and white saviors the Cleveland Browns in Draft Day?

Another of the chapters, for a second example, answers what other high school movie characters would be in Regina George’s circle of friends if we opened up the Mean Girls universe to include other movies (Johnny Lawrence is temporarily in, Claire from The Breakfast Club is in, Ferris Bueller is out, Isis from Bring It On is out…). Another of the chapters, for a third example, creates a special version of the Academy Awards specifically for rom-coms, the most underrated movie genre of all. And another of the chapters, for a final example, is actually a triple chapter that serves as an NBA-style draft of the very best and most memorable moments in gangster movies.

Many, many things happen in Movies (And Other Things), some of which funny, others of which are sad, a few of which are insightful, and all of which are handled with the type of care and dedication to the smallest details and pockets of pop culture that only a book by Shea Serrano can provide.

 

 

The Many Lives of James Bond

 

 

by Mark Edlitz

Lots of people love James Bond. But how many have actually been Bond?

The Many Lives of James Bond offers the largest ever collection of original interviews with actors who have played Bond in different media, as well as in-depth interviews with many of the diverse artists who have contributed their talents to the making of James Bond movies, television shows, novels, radio dramas, comic books, and video games. These wide-ranging interviews provide a behind-the-scenes look at the artists’ goals, the challenges they faced, and how they met them.

This book is also the first to examine the Bond character through the eyes of the artists who interpret him. As the author talked with these creative people, a through-line emerged. It involves a series of related fundamental questions about Bond that artists must reckon with when interpreting Bond. Who is James Bond and what, if anything, beyond successfully completing a mission does he really want? What drives him? Why did he become an agent? What is the nature of his inner-life? Would he be capable of a satisfying life away from high-octane adventure and danger?

These questions challenge and inspire the creators to pull back the curtain on a deliberately opaque figure in an attempt to explore and analyze Bond’s interior life and thought processes, and how the Bond actors have interpreted the role.

 

 

Quentin Tarantino: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work

 

by Ian Nathan

Get an intimate look at the cult filmmaker of our generation. Packaged in a handsome slipcase and loaded with stunning pictures from the Kobal archives, this biography explores the genesis of Tarantino’s unique directorial style and provides insight into his inspirations and his frequent collaborations with favored actors. An 8-page foldout timeline presents Tarantino’s entire filmography in the heart of the book.

Through in-depth and informative text written by renowned film journalist Ian Nathan, this book examines the entirety of Tarantino’s work, including his early writing on screenplays such as True Romance and Natural Born Killers, his break-out directorial debut Reservoir Dogs and the career-defining Pulp Fiction, as well as his later iconic films, such as Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2, Inglourious Basterds, and Django Unchained. You’ll also go behind the scenes of Tarantino’s latest epic, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. As you make your way through Tarantino’s incredible career, discover what inspired him, his working methods, and the breadth of his talent.

With a visually arresting design that mimics Tarantino’s approach to film-making and chapters organized by film, the pages are brimming with images taken on set and behind the scenes.

This is the ultimate celebration for any Tarantino fan.

 

 

Life Isn’t Everything: Mike Nichols, As Remembered by 150 of His Closest Friends

 

by Ash Carter and Sam Kasher

An up close and personal portrait of a legendary filmmaker, theater director, and comedian, drawing on candid conversations with his closest friends in show business and the arts―from Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep to Natalie Portman and Lorne Michaels.

The work of Mike Nichols pervades American cultural consciousness―from The Graduate and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to Angels in America, The Birdcage, Working Girl, and Primary Colors, not to mention his string of hit plays, including Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple. If that weren’t enough, he was also one half of the timelessly funny duo Nichols & May, as well as a founding member of the original improv troupe. Over a career that spanned half a century, Mike Nichols changed Hollywood, Broadway, and comedy forever.

Most fans, however, know very little of the person behind it all. Since he never wrote his memoirs, and seldom appeared on television, they have very little sense of his searching intellect or his devastating wit. They don’t know that Nichols, the great American director, was born Mikail Igor Peschkowsky, in Berlin, and came to this country, speaking no English, to escape the Nazis. They don’t know that Nichols was at one time a solitary psychology student, or that a childhood illness caused permanent, life-altering side effects. They don’t know that he withdrew into a debilitating depression before he “finally got it right,” in his words, by marrying Diane Sawyer.

Here, for the first time, Ash Carter and Sam Kashner offer an intimate look behind the scenes of Nichols’ life, as told by the stars, moguls, playwrights, producers, comics and crewmembers who stayed loyal to Nichols for years. Life Isn’t Everything is a mosaic portrait of a brilliant and original director known for his uncommon charm, wit, vitality, and genius for friendship, this volume is also a snapshot of what it meant to be living, loving, and making art in the 20th century.

 

 

It’s Garry Shandling’s Book

 

by Judd Apatow

Garry Shandling was a singular trailblazer in the comedy world. His two hit shows, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and The Larry Sanders Show, broke new ground and influenced future sitcoms like 30 Rock and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and his stand-up laid the foundation for a whole new generation of comics. There’s no one better to tell Shandling’s story than Judd Apatow—Shandling gave Apatow one of his first jobs and remained his mentor for the rest of his life—and the book expands on Apatow’s Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling.

Here, Apatow has gathered journal entries, photographs, and essays for a close-up look at the artist who turned his gaze back onto the world of show business. Beyond his success, though, Shandling struggled with fame, the industry of art, and the childhood loss of his brother, which forever affected his personal and professional lives. His diaries show Shandling to be self-aware and insightful, revealing a deep philosophical and spiritual side. Contributions by comedians and other leading lights of the industry, as well as people who grew up with Shandling, along with never-before-seen pieces of scripts and brilliant jokes that he never performed, shed new light on every facet of his life and work. This book is the final word on the lasting impact of the great Garry Shandling.

 

 

The Art and Making of The Expanse

 

Official companion book to the hugely successful TV series, showcasing spectacular concept art and candid behind-the-scenes photography, accompanied by quotes from the showrunners.

The Expanse is a modern TV revelation. Adapted from the hugely popular novels by James S. A. Corey, this Hugo Award-winning story of conspiracy, adventure and intrigue in a galaxy tearing itself apart through civil war has captivated audiences worldwide with its high-concept vision of the future.

The Art and Making of The Expanse goes behind the scenes of the first three seasons of the show, exploring how the bestselling books were turned into one of the most highly regarded science fiction TV series of the 21st century. Packed with stunning concept art and compelling photography, the cast, crew and creators reveal the ideas, processes, inspirations and obstacles behind the making of this massively popular series.

 

 

Art of Nothing: 25 Years of Mutts and the Art of Patrick McDonnell

 

by Patrick McDonnell

Timed for the 25th anniversary of the comic strip Mutts, The Art of Nothing celebrates the work of author and illustrator Patrick McDonnell

Mooch, the curious cat, and Earl, the ever-trusting dog, are just two of the characters who inhabit the world of Mutts. In The Art of Nothing: 25 Years of Mutts and the Art of Patrick McDonnell, the award-winning author and illustrator’s beloved comic strip is celebrated as well as his bestselling children’s classics, including Me . . . Jane, The Gift of Nothing, South, Just Like Heaven, Hug Time, and Wag!, all shot from the original art. Also included are rare and never-before-seen artwork, proposals, outtakes, and developmental work, along with autobiographical commentary, a brand-new, career-spanning interview conducted by artist Lynda Barry, and an introduction by Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose).

 

 

Star Wars Memories: My Time In The (Death Star) Trenches

 

by Craig Miller

Craig Miller was the original Director of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm, working on “Star Wars” and “The Empire Strikes Back”. As part of that, he was a publicist, a writer, an editor, and a producer. He wrote press material and articles, created and ran the Official Star Wars Fan Club, oversaw a staff who opened and responded to the seeming tons of fan mail the films received, worked with licensees, created a telephone publicity stunt that accidentally shut down the state of Illinois’ phone system, was the producer on projects ranging from episodes of “Sesame Street” to commercials for Underoos (“underwear that’s fun to wear”), operated R2-D2, and spent weeks hanging out on the set of “The Empire Strikes Back”.

In “Star Wars Memories” he talks about all of that and more, including Mark Hamill barbecuing him a burger in London, having lunch in a Sunset Strip restaurant with Harrison Ford while he rolled and smoked a joint, and watching Carrie Fisher introduce “The Empire Strikes Back”’s British production crew to tacos. In the words of Gary Kurtz, producer of “Star Wars” and “The Empire Strikes Back”, “’Star Wars Memories’ gives a look at the original Star Wars films and Lucasfilm from Craig Miller’s unique perspective. This isn’t another ‘making of’ book with the same stories and information that have appeared in other books and countless magazine articles. It’s a book of stories you haven’t heard before; an insider’s look from someone who, himself, is a fan and found the whole experience joyful and exciting. These stories are told in a way that brings you in and makes you feel like you were there.”

 

 

Transformers: A Visual History

 

by Jim Sorenson

One of the world’s most popular franchises, Transformers has been delighting fans since 1984. Now, in this deluxe hardcover celebration, Hasbro reveals behind-the-scenes production sketches, beautifully polished final art, and everything in-between. From the obscure to the iconic, this book features packaging artwork, animation models, video game designs, comic pages, and, for the first time ever, production artwork from all six Paramount live-action films! Lovingly curated by Transformers archivist Jim Sorenson, this is the most comprehensive collection of Transformers imagery ever assembled.

 

 

The Peanuts Papers

 

Edited by Andrew Blauner

A one-of-a-kind celebration of America’s greatest comic strip–and the life lessons it can teach us–from a stellar array of writers and artists

Over the span of fifty years, Charles M. Schulz created a comic strip that is one of the indisputable glories of American popular culture—hilarious, poignant, inimitable. Some twenty years after the last strip appeared, the characters Schulz brought to life in Peanuts continue to resonate with millions of fans, their beguiling four-panel adventures and television escapades offering lessons about happiness, friendship, disappointment, childhood, and life itself.

In The Peanuts Papers, thirty-three writers and artists reflect on the deeper truths of Schulz’s deceptively simple comic, its impact on their lives and art and on the broader culture. These enchanting, affecting, and often quite personal essays show just how much Peanuts means to its many admirers—and the ways it invites us to ponder, in the words of Sarah Boxer, “how to survive and still be a decent human being” in an often bewildering world. Featuring essays, memoirs, poems, and two original comic strips, here is the ultimate reader’s companion for every Peanuts fan.

 

 

The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia: From Abraham to Zabar’s and Everything in Between

 

by Stephanie Butnick, Liel Leibovitz, Mark Oppenheimer

An Unorthodox Guide to Everything Jewish

Deeply knowing, highly entertaining, and just a little bit irreverent, this unputdownable encyclopedia of all things Jewish and Jew-ish covers culture, religion, history, habits, language, and more. Readers will refresh their knowledge of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, the artistry of Barbra Streisand, the significance of the Oslo Accords, the meaning of words like balaboosta,balagan, bashert, and bageling. Understand all the major and minor holidays. Learn how the Jews invented Hollywood. Remind themselves why they need to read Hannah Arendt, watch Seinfeld, listen to Leonard Cohen. Even discover the secret of happiness (see “Latkes”). Includes hundreds of photos, charts, infographics, and illustrations. It’s a lot.

 

 

One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe

 

by Bruce Steele

Bruce C. Steele is a journalist and Disney fan with a long career of profiling the famous and unheralded, from the pastry chef at the Biltmore Estate to the stars of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns.

Discover what it’s like to report to work every day for The Walt Disney Company. Step behind the scenes to immerse yourself in one “ordinary” day at Disney. On a Thursday in 2019, a small army of photographers and videographers scattered across the globe to capture what goes on beyond those tantalizing “Cast Members Only” doors – whether eavesdropping on historic endeavors or typical tasks. All the photos in this book were taken on that single Thursday, beginning early in Tokyo and following the sun around the world through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and dozens of places throughout the United States. More than 40 hours after it began, the day ended as the sunset on the Aulani resort in Hawaii.

On that day, some 80 Cast Members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, kitchens, cubicles, TV studios, labs, locomotive engines – and some even more surprising and diverse workspaces. They also shared their stories: childhood dreams and chapters, career pivots and triumphs, workaday hurdles and joys. It was just a day in the life, as extraordinary as any other day at Disney. As any Cast Member can tell you, a Disney job is less a destination than a limitless journey. And for just One Day at Disney, we can all tag along for the ride.

 

 

Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of The Dark Knight

 

by Robert Greenberger

The Bat. The Caped Crusader. The Dark Knight. The World’s Greatest Detective. Whatever you call him, Bruce “The Batman” Wayne remains one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. And to mark Batman’s 80th anniversary, this volume encapsulates the most memorable moments that have left fans stunned, in awe, or heartbroken since his inception.

While Gotham is perpetually in peril, the world in general is better with the Bat in it. Whether it’s his sharp wit, his extravagant mansion, or extensive back catalog of vehicles and gadgets. From creator Bob Kane to Tom King’s 100-issue run that started in 2018, Batman has morphed with the times.

There’s so much to love about Batman and the characters that surrounds them. His villains, his Robins, his love interests…they all find him as irresistible as the general public. The moral ambiguity that makes him one of the most relatable characters in DC’s extended universe. Part of “The Big Three” and host to a slew of orphaned Robins, Batman is a pivotal part to many characters in the extended DCU.

Batman has had many writers, his cowl has been worn by a plethora of different actors, and while many people have a favorite Batman, there’s no doubt that he’s the fan favorite.

No comic book nerd’s collection is complete without Batman: 100 Greatest Moments.

 

 

The First Star Trek Movie: Bringing the Franchise to the Big Screen, 1969-1980

 

by Sherilyn Connelly

The story of Star Trek‘s resurrection between the 1969 cancellation of the original series and the 1979 release of Robert Wise’s Star Trek-The Motion Picture has become a legend, and like so many legends, it tends to get printed instead of the facts. Drawing on hundreds of contemporary news articles and primary sources not seen in decades, this book tells the true story of the first successful Star Trek revival. After several attempts to revive the franchise, Robert Wise’s ST-TMP was released on a wave of prestige promotion, hype, and public frenzy unheard for a film based on a television show. Controversy surrounded its troubled production and $44M budget, earning it a reputation at the time as the most expensive movie ever made. After a black-tie premiere in Washington, D.C., its opening in 856 North American theaters broke multiple box-office records–a harbinger of the modern blockbuster era. Despite instant financial success, the film was panned by both critics and the public, leaving this enterprise nowhere to boldly go but down.

 

 

The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch

 

by Kimberly Potts

In celebration of the Brady Bunch‘s 50th anniversary, TV writer Kimberly Potts writes a Seinfeldia-like definitive history of the show that changed the family sitcom and made an indelible impact on pop culture.

There isn’t a person in this country who hasn’t heard of The Brady Bunch. Whether it’s the show they watched growing up, or the one their parents did–whether adored, or great to poke fun at–The Brady Bunch is unarguably one of the most enduring and inspiring TV shows of our time. It’s lived a dozen lives, from its original comedy debut and big-screen movies, to the Emmy-winning TV auteurs it has inspired–everyone from Vince Gilligan to Jill Soloway–and promises to live many more.

In The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch, TV and pop culture writer Kimberly Potts will draw upon her deep knowledge of and appreciation for The Brady Bunch and television and pop culture history, as well as her contacts, connections, and experience, to provide an industry insider narrative of The Brady Bunch. With fresh interviews, The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch will examine the show’s lasting effects on its audience and take readers behind-the-scenes and into the lives of our most beloved characters, all to document why The Brady Bunch was one of the most groundbreaking shows of its time–and why it remains to this day, unforgettable.

 

 

The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini

 

by Joe Posnanski

Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Joe Posnanski enters the world of Harry Houdini and his legions of devoted fans in an immersive, entertaining, and magical work on the illusionist’s impact on American culture—and why his legacy endures to this day.

Harry Houdini. Say his name and a number of things come to mind. Escapes. Illusions. Magic. Chains. Safes. Live burials. Close to a century after his death, nearly every person in America knows his name from a young age, capturing their imaginations with his death-defying stunts and daring acts. He inspired countless people, from all walks of life, to find something magical within themselves.

This is a book about a man and his extraordinary life, but it is also about the people who he has inspired in death. As Joe Posnanski delves into the deepest corners of Houdini-land, visiting museums (one owned by David Copperfield), attractions, and private archives, he encounters a cast of unforgettable and fascinating characters: a woman who runs away from home to chase her dream of becoming a magician; an Italian who revives Houdini’s most famous illusion every night; a performer at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles who calls himself Houdini’s Ghost; a young boy in Australia who, one day, sees an old poster and feels his life change; and a man in Los Angeles whose sole mission is life has been to keep the legend’s name alive.

Both a personal obsession and an odyssey of discovery, Posnanski draws inspiration from his lifelong passion for and obsession with magic, blending biography, memoir, and first-person reporting to examine Harry Houdini’s life and legacy. This is the ultimate journey to uncover why this magic man endures, and what he still has to teach the world about wonder.

 

 

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: A Visual History

 

by Tim Lybarger, Melissa Wagner, Jenna McGuiggan

Go behind the scenes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood with this unprecedented dive into its storied history. More than fifty years ago, Fred Rogers, a modest television host, revolutionized children’s entertainment with a simple set design, quiet dialogue, and a few hand puppets playing out everyday situations. The effect was extraordinary: Mister Rogers created a relationship with millions of young viewers, each of whom felt as if they were visiting with a trusted friend. His radical kindness, acceptance, and empathy created a sacred place where everyone felt safe and valued.

Featuring exclusive photographs; a guide to the characters, puppets, and episodes; original interviews; and rare ephemera, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: A Visual History reveals how the show came together to have a deep impact on American culture. Discover wonderful anecdotes from Yo-Yo Ma and Wynton Marsalis as well as the actors, directors, art designers, producers, studio musicians, and more who devoted their careers to working with Fred. Chronicling the show’s complete timeline—from its humble beginnings on WQED in Pittsburgh to its commemoration on the big screen in the feature film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks, based on a screenplay written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster and directed by Marielle Heller—this incredibly comprehensive book celebrates both Fred Rogers and the wonderful legacy of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

 

 

TV Noir: Dark Drama on the Small Screen

 

by Allen Glover

The pioneering, incisive, lavishly illustrated survey of noir on television—the first of its kind

Noir—as a style, movement, or sensibility—has its roots in hardboiled detective fiction by writers like Chandler and Hammett, and films adapted from their novels were among the first called “film noir” by French cinéastes. But film isn’t the only medium with a taste for a dark story.

Hundreds of noir dramas have been produced for television, featuring detectives and femmes fatales, gangsters, and dark deeds, continuing week after week, with a new disruption of the social order. In TV Noir, television historian Allen Glover presents the first complete study of the subject. Deconstructing its key elements with astute analysis, from NBC’s adaptation of Woolrich’s The Black Angel to the anthology programs of the ’40s and ’50s, from the classic period of Dragnet, M Squad, and 77 Sunset Strip to neo-noirs of the ’60s and ’70s including The Fugitive, Kolchak, and Harry O., this is the essential volume on TV noir.

 

 

The Art of The Addams Family

 

by Ramin Zahed

The official art book for the animated movie The Addams Family.

Based on the famous New Yorker creations of Charles Addams, this animated action-comedy will follow the Addams family – parents Gomez and Morticia, children Wednesday and Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Cousin It, faithful butler Lurch and helping hand Thing – whose lives begin to unravel when they face-off against a crafty reality-TV host while also preparing for their extended family to arrive for a major celebration, Addams-style. This companion book is full of concept designs, storyboards and production art, alongside insight from the artists, filmmakers and directors.

 

 

Cult Filmmakers: 50 Movie Mavericks You Need to Know

 

by by Ian Haydn Smith, Kristelle Rodeia

What makes a cult filmmaker? Whether pioneering in their craft, fiercely and undeniably unique, or critically divisive, cult filmmakers come in all shapes and guises. Some gain instant fame, others instant notoriety, and more still remain anonymous until a chance change in fashion sees their work propelled into the limelight.

Cult Filmmakers handpicks 50 notable figures in the world of cinema and explores the creative genius that earned them the ‘cult’ label, while celebrating the movies that made their names. The book features both industry heavyweights like Tim Burton and David Lynch to the strange and surreal imaginings of filmmakers such as Alejandro Jodorowsky and Ana Lily Amirpour. Discover the minds behind such beloved features as Melancholia, Easy Rider, Lost in Translation and more. From little knowns with small, devout followings, to superstars walking the red carpet, each is special in their individuality and their ability to inspire, antagonise and delight.

Cult Filmmakers is an essential addition to any film buff’s archive, as well as an entertaining introduction to the weird and wonderful world of cinema.

The filmmakers:

Ana Lily Amirpour, Kenneth Anger, Gregg Araki, Darren Aronofsky, Mario Bava, Kathryn Bigelow, Anna Biller, Lizzie Borden, Tim Burton, John Carpenter, Park Chan-Wook, Benjamin Christensen, Vera Chytilova, Sofia Coppola, Roger Corman, Alex Cox, David Cronenberg, Claire Denis, Amat Escalante, Abel Ferrara, Georges Franju, Lucio Fulci, Terry Gilliam, Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Dennis Hopper, King Hu, Jim Jarmusch, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Harmony Korine, Barbara Loden, David Lynch, Guy Maddin, Russ Meyer, Oscar Micheaux, Takashi Miike, Gaspar Noe, Gordon Parks, George A. Romero, Ken Russell, Susan Seidelman, Seijun Suzuki, Larisa Shepitko, Quentin Tarantino, Melvin van Peebles, Lars von Trier, John Waters, Nicolas Winding Refn, Edward D. Wood Jr., Brian Yuzna.

 

 

Game of Thrones: A Guide to Westeros and Beyond: The Complete Series

 

by Myles McNutt

Game of Thrones: A Guide to Westeros and Beyond, The Complete Series is a visual exploration of the world of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

In two parts, the book follows the story of the South, where kings and queens battle for the Iron Throne, and of the North, where the White Walkers and their army of the dead gather.

Covering all eight seasons of the show, this definitive guide is a must-have companion for every Game of Thrones fan.

• Filled with bold infographics and illuminating timelines
• Features original essays that unpack 8-season-long plot lines and character arcs
• Stunning photography featuring the show’s characters

Packed with original art, photography, essays, illustrations, and infographics, this volume grants devout fans access into the world of Game of Thrones.

 

 

Alien: The Blueprints

 

by Graham Langridge

Alien: The Blueprints is a collection of brand new blueprints of all the major vehicles, ships and technology of the Alien movie universe. Artist Graham Langridge delves deep into the concept art, set designs and photography to recreate full and accurate blueprints of the drop ship, the Sulaco, the Nostromo and many more. Covering all the movies including Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, this is a must-have for any Alien fan.

 

 

The Art of Game of Thrones

 

by Deborah Riley & Jody Revenson

Filled with gorgeous illustrations and artwork from HBO’s hit series, The Art of Game of Thrones is the definitive Game of Thrones art collection.

The official collection of behind the scenes concept art and production design from HBO’s landmark TV show Game of Thrones. Learn how BAFTA and Emmy award-winning production designer Deborah Riley and her team brought to life the iconic locations of Westeros and beyond.

• UNMATCHED DEPTH – 432 pages of concept art, sketches, and production design images covering Game of Thrones seasons 1-8.
• DETAILED REVELATIONS – Comprehensive behind the scenes details covering the design of iconic locations such as King’s Landing, Winterfell, Dragonstone, and Castle Black.
• CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CREATORS – Authored by production designer Deborah Riley and including an exclusive foreword from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and preface from Emmy Award-winning production designer Gemma Jackson.
• A PRESTIGE COFFEE TABLE BOOK – Deluxe 9.75 × 13 inch format.

 

 

Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks

 

by Pete Docter and Christopher Merritt

Oscar-winning filmmaker Pete Docter and veteran Walt Disney Imagineer Christopher Merritt share a deluxe two-book slip-cased set celebrating Disney Legend Marc Davis. The hefty volumes showcase Marc’s mostly unseen Disney theme park concept art and offer a unique behind-the-scenes view as told through Marc’s own words.

On February 16, 1962, senior animator Marc Davis officially transitioned from Walt Disney Feature Animation to a new division of the company: WED Enterprises, the group assembled to design Walt’s new theme park. The move would be a significant one. After thirty-plus years animating classic Disney features, Marc would become one of the most renowned of Walt Disney’s new breed of employee-Imagineers.

During Marc’s time with WED (later Walt Disney Imagineering), he would become a driving force behind the designs of many of the most iconic attractions at the Disney theme parks. Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, it’s a small world, Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree, and many others feature environments and storylines that were heavily influenced by his conceptual artwork.

Featuring work from the sixties through the eighties, this two-volume set includes more than 1,500 pieces from the Imagineering archives, the vast majority of which have never been published. In addition, for the first time Marc’s design theories as well as many of his stories of working with Walt are featured in his own words as recorded during hours upon hours of interviews by author Chris Merritt.

Marc Davis in His Own Words is a treasure trove for artists, students, and Disney collectors around the world.

 

 

Harryhausen: The Lost Movies

 

by John Walsh

The official guide to the unrealised films of Ray Harryhausen.

Known for his iconic stop-motion creatures, Ray Harryhausen was at the forefront of Hollywood special effects for much of the 20th century. His films include One Million Years B.C., Clash of the Titans and Jason and the Argonauts, among others. But for every film that reaches the big screen, half a dozen projects are never realised.

Harryhausen: The Lost Movies explores Harryhausen’s unrealised films, including unused ideas, projects he turned down and scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor. This book includes never-been-seen-before artwork, sketches, photos and test footage from the Harryhausen Foundation archives.

 

 

The Making of Alien

 

by J.W. Rinzler

A comprehensive and definitive volume telling the complete story of how Alien was made, featuring new interviews with Ridley Scott and other production crew, and including many rarely-seen photos and illustrations from the Fox archives.

In 1979 a movie legend was born, as Twentieth Century-Fox and director Ridley Scott unleashed Alien – and gave audiences around the world the scare of their lives.

To celebrate the movie’s fortieth anniversary, author J.W. Rinzler (The Making of Star Wars) tells the whole fascinating story of how Alien evolved from a simple idea in the mind of writer Dan O’Bannon into one of the most memorable sci-fi horror thrillers of all time.

With brand new interviews with Ridley Scott and other key members of the original production crew, and featuring many never-before-seen photographs and artworks from the archives, The Making of Alien is the definitive work on this masterpiece of popular cinema.

 

 

Encyclopedia of Weird Detectives

 

by Paul Green

The detective genre has explored supernatural and paranormal themes throughout its colorful history. Stories of detectives investigating spiritualists, ghostly apparitions, the occult and psychics have spanned pulp fiction magazines, comic books, novels, film, television, animation and video games.

This encyclopedia covers the history of the genre in its multiple forms and informs and adds to the knowledge of either the new or informed reader. Its A-Z format provides ready reference by title. Detective fans browsing for new discoveries will enjoy the entertaining style.

 

 

Making Moon: A British Sci-Fi Cult Classic

 

by Simon Ward

The official 10th anniversary making-of book for the Duncan Jones directed sci-fi film Moon.

Directed by Duncan Jones, and written by Nathan Parker from a story by Jones, Moon is a 2009 science fiction drama following Sam Bell, a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the moon. Independently financed and produced on a modest budget, Moon became an instant cult classic. It was well received by critics and audiences alike, and was particularly praised for its scientific plausibility and realism. Making Moon will take an in-depth look back at the film’s production: It features interviews with the film’s key creatives and includes rare concept and behind-the-scenes images, as well as excerpts from the original shooting script.

 

 

Rotten Movies We Love

 

by The Editors of Rotten Tomatoes

Hook. Wet Hot American Summer. Valley of the Dolls. There are some movies that defy traditional critical assessment — films that are panned by reviewers, but that go on to become beloved classics and cult phenoms anyway.

Ever been crushed to learn your favorite movie — or a new one you’re dying to see — has been given the big green splat from Rotten Tomatoes’ infamous Tomatometer? The site’s editors stand by their critics and scores, but they also feel your pain: Fresh films shouldn’t get all the glory! In Rotten Movies We Love, the RT team celebrates 101 Rotten movies that can’t be missed, including:

• Box office behemoths that bombed with critics: Space Jam, Maleficent, Bad Boys
• Sci-fi treasures so bad they’re awesome: Cherry 2000, Zardoz, Masters of the Universe
• Rare Rottens from Fresh directors: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Marie Antoinette, Legend, Willow
• Deeply beloved cult classics: The Last Dragon, Empire Records, The Craft, MacGruber
• Underrated gems ahead of their time: The Strangers, Event Horizon, Practical Magic, The Cable Guy
• Sequels worth a second look: Home Alone 2, Rocky IV, Jurassic Park III, Return to Oz

Featuring 16 essays from some of the world’s most well-known film critics — Leonard Maltin, Terri White, Amy Nicholson, David Fear, K. Austin Collins, and more — and punctuated with black-and-white film stills and punchy graphics, it’s a fun romp through the quirkier corners of film history, sure to delight any cinephile or pop-culture fanatic.

 

 

Lost Transmissions: The Secret History of Science Fiction and Fantasy

 

by Desirina Boskovich

A fascinating illustrated history of lost, overlooked, and uncompleted works of science fiction and fantasy

Science fiction and fantasy reign over popular culture now. Lost Transmissions is a rich trove of forgotten and unknown, imagined-but-never-finished, and under-appreciated-but-influential works from those imaginative genres, as well as little-known information about well-known properties. Divided into sections on Film & TV, Literature, Art, Music, Fashion, Architecture, and Pop Culture, the book examines Jules Verne’s lost novel; AfroFuturism and Space Disco; E.T.’s scary beginnings; William Gibson’s never-filmed Aliens sequel; Weezer’s never-made space opera; and the 8,000-page metaphysical diary of Philip K. Dick. Featuring more than 150 photos, this insightful volume will become the bible of science fiction and fantasy’s most interesting and least-known chapters.

 

 

Walt Disney’s Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks

 

by Don Iwerks

Gorgeous never-before-published photographs and fascinating personal memories celebrate the half-a-century career of Disney Legend Ub Iwerks, a self-taught animator who became the first to animate Mickey and Minnie Mouse and an exceptional draftsman, prolific innovator, and all-around technical genius who directly collaborated with Walt Disney to create some of the most loved moments throughout film and theme parks.

Even before the creation of Mickey, Walt established a reputation as a technical leader in Hollywood and frequently relied on the counsel, expertise, ingenuity, and creativity of a kindred spirit, lifelong friend, and fellow virtuoso: Ub Iwerks. Up till now, Ub and his many technical inventions and techniques have been largely unknown by the general public. His illustrious career consisted of dozens of innovative contributions, large and small, to both animated and live-action motion pictures, as well as the fields of optics, film processes, and special effects. He was also the major force behind the design of special cameras, projectors, electronics, and audio for theme park projects, and much more.

The high standard set by Walt and Ub continues to inspire artists and technicians within The Walt Disney Company as they explore new avenues of quality entertainment. Here is a one-of-a-kind appreciation to an extraordinary man and an outstanding career, a record of his many inventions and accomplishments, and a tribute from a grateful son to his remarkable father.

 

 

Alien Vault: The Definitive Story Behind the Film

 

by Ian Nathan

Alien Vault opens a portal into the making of the legendary film Alien, tracing its path from embryonic concept to fully fledged box office phenomenon. Previously published in 2011, the new edition includes an additional chapter tracing the path of Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien saga with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.For 40 years, audiences have been simultaneously captivated and appalled as the spaceship Nostromo is invaded and its crew stalked by a terrifying parasitic creature. From the gore of the infant alien bursting from Kane’s chest to the mounting claustrophobia as Ripley discovers the monster has followed her into the escape shuttle, Alien is a chilling masterpiece.

Featured herein are:

• Director Ridley Scott’s own annotated storyboards, Polaroids, and script pages
• The elegant but disturbing concept artwork of H.R. Giger
• Sketches and construction blueprints for the Nostromo
• Costume designs by Moebius
• A treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs of the cast and crew
• 10 meticulously reproduced artifacts—such as replications of storyboards, a detailed schematic of the Nostromo, early designs of O’Bannon’s facehugger concept, and a promotional poster from Japan—enclosed in envelopes, for readers to remove and examine more closely

Fully authorized and illustrated throughout, the updated Alien Vault is the ultimate tribute to a film that changed cinema forever.

 

 

The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between

 

by Jeff Kurtti

Celebrate the imagination, passion, and attention to detail invested in each Disney costume within this gorgeous coffee table book!

The elegant and adventurous array of dresses, uniforms, and other attire is a feast for the eyes and a fascinating examination of pure craft and of the brilliant, creative minds behind it. The collection begins with a summation of the costumes created for Disney animation, early live action, and television, along with show wardrobes sported at the Disney Parks by Audio-Animatronics figures and Cast Members. The next section details a timeless case study: Cinderella’s ball gown. A diverse group of designers has been called upon over the years to address and improvise the creative and practical needs each time the fairy tale Cinderella has been reimagined. Each project has brought with it inherent cultural challenges when bringing a familiar and beloved tale to life again and again, and all have yielded stunning and distinct results. At last, the full galleries (organized by the character archetypes of heroes and villains, and those complex, always interesting, “spaces between”) showcase costumes across more than thirty Disney films.

At each turn, this volume offers a one-of-a-kind backstage view of remarkable works of art, and it inspires a true appreciation for the highly skilled and talented costumers who created them.

 

 

Game of Thrones: The Costumes

 

by Michele Clapton, Gina McIntyre

Discover the secrets behind creating the costumes for HBO’s Game of Thrones in this definitive guide.

The official guide to the complete costumes of HBO’s landmark television series Game of Thrones. Discover how BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning costume designer Michele Clapton dressed the heroes and villains of Westeros and beyond, including Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Jon Snow, and Arya Stark.

• CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED – “…peruse the best of the robes, gowns, coats, and suits of armor that made up the rich fabric of Westeros in Game of Thrones: The Costumes.”—Vanity Fair
• LEARN HOW COSTUMES DEFINED CHARACTERS – 440 pages of in-depth interviews and commentary on how costume design helped convey the evolution of George RR Martin’s beloved characters such as Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Stark, and Brienne of Tarth.
• SEE EXCLUSIVE IMAGES AND DESIGNS – Over 1,000 exclusive and rarely seen images including Michelle Clapton’s designs and original concept sketches.

 

 

Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition

 

by Adam Bray, Cole Horton, Tricia Barr, Ryder Wyndham

Every significant Star Wars character, creature, location, battle, droid and vehicle: one ultimate encyclopedia.

Packed full of information, stunning images, and now fully updated to include The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: Resistance, plus an exclusive look at The Rise of Skywalker.

All the saga’s iconic characters are here, from Darth Vader to Ponda Baba and Leia to Luminara Unduli. Amazing vehicles are explored, such as the Millennium Falcon and Ghost. Extraordinary technology is explained, including all your favourite lightsabers, and key events in the epic Star Wars story are richly unpacked, with behind-the-scenes insights.

Ultimate Star Wars New Edition is the ideal go-to resource for fans who wish to brush up on their Star Wars knowledge, and for a new generation of fans eager to start their journey into a galaxy far, far away….