5 comments about The Twilight Zone Companion.

1. I bought the 1st edition of The Twilight Zone Companion back in high school and was amazed at the amount of information included. I learned a lot about the show, what went on behind the scenes and aquired a greater appreciation for the genius of Rod Serling and touches on other projects he worked on, including Requium for a Heavyweight and Night Gallery. There is a brief biography about Serling and information about writers Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson and George Clayton Johnson. All of them contributed stories, though Twilight Zone was Serling's baby.
   
   The only drawback was the fact the shows Zicree personally didn't like, he didn't spend too much time talking about (his opinions would be less biased on the Twilight Zone boxset commentaries). Everybody has their favorite and not-so-favorite episode (my list of favorites would include Nick of Time, The Hitchhiker, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, The Fugitive, Time Enough at Last, Back There, To Serve Man, A Passage for Trumpet, Night of the Meek, In Praise of Pip, Walking Distance, On Thursday We Leave for Home, Eye of the Beholder, It's a Good Life and Nightmare at 20,000 Feet). However, it's obvious that Zicree is a passioned fan, as he has obviously spent hours of research to each show.
   
   The latest edition includes information about Twilight Zone- The Movie (I remember watching that with my sister and the It's a Good Life sequence scared the hell out of both of us!) and the Twilight Zone series from the 1980's (there were some good moments, but without the late great Rod Serling, it wasn't the same). In addition, the index includes the different actors in the index in the original series.
   
   The original show includes a long resume of actors including Billy Mumy, Burgess Meredith (he'd become the narrator for the movie version), Agnes Moorehead (she sure looks different without all that black mascara!), Jack Klugman (Oscar Madison), Dick York, Elizabeth Montgomery (both from Bewitched but not featured in the same episode), Art Carney (Ed Norton), Jonathon Harris (Dr Smith), Sterling Holloway, Inger Stevens, Stephen Talbot (Leave It to Beaver), Bill Bixby, Edgar Buchanan, Ann Jilian, Joan Blondell, William Demarest, Ron Howard, Jackie Cooper (fom the Our Gang), Buster Keaton, William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Russell Johnson (the Professor), Richard Deacon, Charles Bronson and many others.
   
   If you're as big a fan as I am of The Twilight Zone, read the signpost up ahead and make your next stop the shopping cart!



2. I love this book. The Twilight Zone was a great series with great writers and production. But, beyond the program are the tidbits about the writers, the actors, the scripts, etc. This book has those things along with cast summaries, first air dates, writer credits, etc. There's also a good deal of background on Rod Serling. This book is my companion when I watch the Twilight Zone marathons on SciFi. I read through the piece on the airing episode to catch the trivia bits.



3. What a great surprise! TV series companion books are a mixed bag and most are disappointing. This one, however, is worthy to bear the name of the wonderful classic series it chronicles . . . The Twilight Zone.
   
   The book opens with a biography of Rod Serling, followed by an equally engaging chapter on the conception, creation and birth of the series. Much background information and insights. Very, very well researched and written. Extremely interesting.
   
   Each of the show's five seasons is grouped, and a chapter devoted to each episode - documenting the date, writer, producer, directors, music, and cast. Serling's opening comments for the respective episode are reproduced and then a synopsis with EXTREMELY interesting behind the scenes information. Some of the more famous episodes ("The Invaders" with Ages Moorhead) are given more space and detail.
   
   What makes this companion book so special, I think, is that due to our familiarity with the Twilight Zone, and having re-watched the various episodes multiple times - the average baby boomer can just about open this book at random and within a few sentences is recalling the episode and the details being discussed.
   
   The book closes with an After the Twilght Zone chapter, and then an epilogue. I cannot iterate enough, how well written this book is. Some books of this nature are clinical and boring, others gush with praise but offer no real depth of information. Marc Scott Zicree hit the mark perfectly with this piece of work. Fascinating information that WE are interested in, well written in a conversational matter, well organized. Hundreds of great nostalgic still photos are a bonus.
   
   Highly recommended for even a casual Twilight Zone fan. I bet you won't be able to stay out of it.



4. about the Twilight Zone episodes. Man this book is great. As well as providing great information on the episodes themselves, the book goes deeper as it goes into detail of its conception, life and death of what some may claim to be the best TV series ever. Every TZ fan should have this book already.



5. A real gem for any Twilight Zone Buff! Lists all the actors as well as story line for each episode. If you see this out of print book better grab it! Hopefully now that there is a new DVD compilation out this book will be republished.

5 comments about Dutchman and The Slave: Two Plays.

1. LeRoi Jones, now known as Amiri Baraka, wrote Dutchman in 1964, but its themes of racism and fear still resonate today. A must for anyone studying African American literature and contemporary drama -- it is a seminal work. The Slave is less successful -- its message is muddled and the dialogue stilted -- yet it is worth reading to get a complete view of Baraka's work.



2. "Dutchman offers a very realistic study in terms of how "Liberal White American", not racism, is murdering the Black American.



3. This play is written beautifully in a style that resembles some very late American Dadaist poetry. However if you take the play as a whole, this play lacks any didactic purpose. Baraka is hypocritical in that he has become the hate-monger that he despises. Other than wonderful banter and a powerfully angst-ridden diatribe, this play offers nothing but hate and intolerance.



4. Wow. I think this play portrays an aspect of the black community that cannot be felt by any other community without some feelings of disingenuity. The rage present in the play is overwhelming. The sense of danger and loss is also present, but more subtly so. This play is also very ambiguous and wanting interpretation. I say "wanting interpretation" because Dutchman seems to call for the reader's own interpretation purposefully... the criticism around it is enough to spark a debate, but still the critical aspects are not overwhelmed by the immediacy of emotion and action.



5. A great representation of race relations in america (in the revolutionary '60's as well as representative of today), man's relation to woman, and the irony and tension that is comes package in. For no other reason, the mythology and theological references are delightfully handled. Sadly, this work is one of the most underrated and underread works of the 20th century.

5 comments about A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art in Theatre.

1. Full of holes and alot of overbearing personal philosophy. I found myself crossing out lines of this text, as so much of this is conjecture and hyperbole. The chapter on Violence is worth the cost of the book, however, I would recommend going to the library and saving your money. Some directors swear by this text, thusly it is a potent force in the contemporary theatre. However, many of these ideas have been chewed up and misused by so many inexperienced Bogart groupies that it has little more validity than, say, a Richard Foreman text in its extremely self-referential nature.



2. A vitally important book about creating theatre in the 21st century. Those who complain that this book is not a handbook for how to direct are unfortunately missing the point - one would be hard pressed to find a more important, inspirational book about why we take on the struggle that being in theatre brings.
   
   Don't let the price scare you, all you fellow actors on a budget - this book is for you, too.



3. This book totally and completely changed my perspective on what I called 'Directing.' it is full of wonderful stories, theories, and insights into making art. It is an important book for designers, actors, and anyone involved in the process of artistic expression. I read this book, and immediately pursued studying with Anne Bogart and The SITI Company, which I was lucky enough to do over this past summer. It was an incredible experience.
   Every so often an artist comes along and gives us an opportunity to see our work in a new way, and be invigorated by it. Bogart's book is a master example of this. Highly recommended.



4. The title is misleading since the book is really about the process of making art--specifically making theater--and will be valuable to anyone involved in the collaborative process.
   
   Some have complained that this book does not tell one "how to direct." But Bogart's book is about how to find one's voice as an artist and how to wrestle with material--topics that are rarely treated with the sanity that this book does. Reading it will help you figure out how to direct(or act or design) in your own individual way.



5. Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically. And it's not just for Bogart/SITI Company disciples. Like the creation of theater, A Director Prepares requires heightened attention and a clean slate every time you dive into its pages. It's inspiring, but also a challenge to theater makers to rethink how we approach our processes and to question upon whose shoulders we stand.

1 comments about An Actor's Work: A Student's Diary.

1. Jean Benedetti provides the modern translation of this classic text on actor training, a recommended pick for any college-level collection strong in drama theory and actor training. His offers a more accurate new translation of the classic, critiquing Method acting and its legacy and putting Stanislavski's two-volume work back under one cover as he originally intended. The result is a clearer, more revealing legacy than the prior translation, and deserves a spot in any serious college-level acting library.

5 comments about Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus.

1. "Actions" is the perfect size to carry around, and I've found it invaluable in preparing for auditions as well as fleshing out a role. The juice in this book is in the concept of characterizing a theatrical beat in one action word. Since theater is visual, it is critical for an actor to physically demonstrate the inner workings of the character, and this book is a great jumping off point. I did purchase a pocket size thesaurus to use with it, since on several occasions this book did not contain the exact word I was looking for. I've played four widely different roles since acquiring this book, and consider the hours I've spent looking for that perfect "aha!" word well worthwhile. I'm making much more confident acting choices, and I think my characters are more assured, clearly defined and authentic. Highly recommended!



2. I'm an acting teacher in the theatre department at a university. I've found one of the biggest problems for actors was naming their goal/objective/victory...whatever you want to call it...and coming up with tactics that were compelling and ACTABLE. This book offers a goldmine of ideas for actors. Now, hopefully, they can move on from "convince" and "avoid"!!!
   
   
   
   [ASIN:0896762521 Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus]]



3. This book is wonderful as a reference when trying to find the perfect action to express your intentions and achieve your objective in the scene. It won't be too helpful if you're not sure what action to start with at all, but if you have a sense of the action you are looking for, this thesaurus will help you find the strongest choice. I will carry this with me at all times.



4. Decent first section discussing the use of actions, but the actual thesaurus included many words that don't work practically as actions. Maybe 20% of the list is useful in practice



5. This book makes it so much easier to clarify your actions and your goals when acting. It was introduced to me by a director and our whole cast bought copies and use them all the time. I highly recomend it!

5 comments about Creating Unforgettable Characters.

1. I thought this would be a great book, but it really wasn't up there in terms of being helpful. There are lots of other really good books like:
   1. Dave Trottier's - The Screenwriter's Bible
   2. Blake Synder's - Save the Cat
   3. Syd Field's - Foundations of Screenwriting
   4. Syd field's - The Screenwriter's Problem Solver
   5. Scott Sedita's - The Eight Characters of Comedy
   
   Stick with those five and don't waste your money on the rest. I've bought them all and those five are the only ones worth buying!



2. In the preface, Linda Seger observes: "The concepts within this book relate to the creation of all fiction characters and are based on the principles I've discovered as a drama professor, a theater director, and script consultant.... For this book, I've interviewed over thirty writers who have articulated and affirmed these concepts; these include novelists and writers for film."
   
   Her how-to book comprises ten engaging chapters, each concluding with a case study on a well-known screenscript such as ORDINARY PEOPLE, GORILLAS IN THE MIST, and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. The chapters also provide a detailed "application" checklist to guide the reader during the character-creation process.
   
   Some of the highlights of the ten chapters are as follows.
   
   Chapter 1: Researching the Character. "Research can take longer than any other part of scriptwriting." Seger quotes William Kelley, writer of WITNESS: "I researched the Amish for seven years, and Earl and I wrote the script during the 1980 writers' strike, which lasted about three months" (p 17).
   
   Chapter 2: Defining the Character: Consistencies and Paradoxes. "Shaping the clay of your character is a six-step process." One of these steps is "adding quirks, the illogical, the paradoxical" (p 46).
   
   Chapter 3: Creating the Backstory. "Finding the backstory is a process of discovery. The writer needs to work back and forth constantly -- asking questions about the past to understand the present" (p 62).
   
   Chapter 4: Understanding Character Psychology. Seger quotes Barry Morrow, writer of RAIN MAN, "Half of writing is psychology. There's a consistent core, or a consistent unity to behavior.... Every action has motivation and intention" (p 63). This chapter includes an insightful section on "how inner backstory defines character," citing Freud and Jung's theories. Also a section on "how abnormal behavior defines character," citing Woody Allen's HANNAH AND HER SISTERS among others.
   
   Chapter 5: Creating Character Relationships. Seger notes that "some of the most successful films and television series have featured two stars, not one" (p 91), citing examples of THE AFRICAN QUEEN, ADAM'S RIB, LETHAL WEAPON among others.
   
   Chapter 6: Adding Supporting and Minor Characters. Seger notes that "many of the best stories are memorable because of their supporting characters" and quotes James Dearden, writer of FATAL ATTRACTION: "Within the context of reality, you can make your little characters interesting...keeping people's eyes moving and their ears flapping and their brains working. It's those little details that make something come alive" (p 145).
   
   Chapter 7: Writing Dialogue. I found this chapter the most instructive of all. "Great dialogue has conflict, emotions, and attitudes. It also has another essential component: the subtext. Subtext is what the character is saying beneath and between the lines. One of the most delightful examples of subtext comes from the film ANNIE HALL, written by Woody Allen. When Alvie and Annie first meet, they look each other over. Their dialogue is an intellectual discussion about photography, but their subtexts are written in subtitles on the screen." Subtextually, "she wonders if she's smart enough for him, he wonders if he's shallow; she wonders if he's a shmuck like other men she's dated, he wonders what she looks like naked. Both understand the subtext of their conversation" (p 148).
   
   Chapter 8: Creating Nonrealistic Characters. Examples cited include E. T.; KING KONG; CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND; SUPERMAN; THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
   
   Chapter 9: Beyond Stereotyping. Example of stereotyping: "Blacks are often portrayed as comical or as perpetrators of crimes" (p 197). "A character type is not the same as a stereotype. The doddering father or the braggadocio soldier are character types, not stereotypes, because the portrayal is balanced with other images of fathers and soldiers" (p 198).
   
   Chapter 10: Solving Character Problems. "Writing good characters is a complicated process. Getting stuck happens to even the best of writers. Turning to some of these problem-solving techniques can lead to breakthroughs that can help make your characters work." Yes, indeed.
   
   This outstanding book merits high priority on the aspiring screenwriter's craft-study list.
   -- C J Singh



3. The book has been delivered brand new, in time. The contents of the book are above expectations and live upto to the reviews.
   
   Keep it up guys.



4. Unlike her book, Making a Good Script Great, this book is disappointing. Creating characters involves: "getting the first idea..., creating the first broad strokes, finding the core of the character...finding the paradoxes within the character..., adding emotions, attitudes, and values, adding details to make the character specific and unique" (p.23). These steps are then elaborated in separate chapters (although the elaboration consists mostly of extended examples of films most people--those who actually saw the films--would consider to be mixed bags at best, long series of autobiographical paragraphs, and extended quotes from screenwriters ruminating about their experiences in writing this or that character). Seldom is information actually added to that already given on page 23.
   There are also chapters on backstory--use backstory only when you have to (p.56), minor characters, dialogue--"bad dialogue is difficult to speak...all characters sound alike...spells out every thought...simplifies people instead of revealing their complexity" (p.151), and nonrealistic characters. Also a chapter on avoiding stereotypes and other character problems such as unlikable characters and vague characters.
   
   There is only enough actual information in the book to fill an article; but if you are a beginning screenwriter, this book (and many others) can be a help to you. The thing to be careful of is (a) emulating writing from movies that most viewers were lukewarm about. You want to learn the best techniques, not the mediocre ones. And (b) thinking that if you've read this book, you know all you need to know about characterization. You don't. Far from it.



5. Before I read this book, I have to admit - my characters were all pretty lame. Then, hey, I read this book, and boom! Ok, so they still need work, but this book made me understand how to keep characters exotic, good, and believable.
   The first part of this book didn't interest me as much, because it was advising on how to make sure your characters are good on their background - of people who live in this world. This wasn't 'really' helpful for me, because I write fantasy in other worlds, but I picked up a few helpful things.
   Then came a section on Dialogue, which was good too - at the time I was reading it I didn't realize it, I thought it was a bit dull, but then I realized I had started taking the advice unconciously.
   But then came along the next part of the book, and I could hardly wait to pick it up each time. It explains greatly how to make sure your characters aren't hollow, and how they should respond in situations according to their attitudes and past life.
   This book I highly recommend to any author who feels his characters aren't to their full potential (or if they don't want to admit that, this book was fun to read as well).

5 comments about Games to Play with Babies - 3rd Edition.

1. This book was very helpful to me. The games are simple and promote interaction, anyone can do them.



2. I bought this book as an infant caregiver and was disappointed to see that it was all the things I'm already doing with my babies...there were a few different ideas, but overall, not worth it.



3. This book was bought due to my concern with, "What do I do with this baby,now that I've got her home?" I've taught fifth graders for many years, but didn't quite know how to begin to "educate" my baby. This book gave me some very quick, easy and simple ideas of games to play to help my child learn. It is also broke down into ages (ie. 0-3 months, 12-18 months, etc.) I definately recommend this book to parents that want to begin the learning process in a fun manner early on.
   Kari Koffman



4. This book is a waste of money. Most of the "games" that they suggest are so OBVIOUS you'd have to be a complete idiot not to figure these things out on your own. And in that case you have bigger problems than how to entertain your baby. One such "game" goes as follows, 'say things like good night sweet baby or rest, rest, rest your little head'. Are you serious? Gee, I don't think I would have thought of that all on my own. What I want to know is who are all these people that are giving it such a high rating? Well, I guess anyone can be a parent.



5. Just as a I said: Finally, a well-organized idea book! I can look up activities to carry out in my classroom by category (Bath and Dressing Games, Going to Sleep Games, etc.); by age (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 months); AND by theme (just for fun, colors, etc.). The activities are simple and clearly described in one page each. But they are not all commonsense ideas, or I wouldn't like this book, and neither would any other experienced under-threes teacher :p. I HIGHLY recommend this book to under-threes teachers and to new parents.

2 comments about Othello (Folger Shakespeare Library).

1. I've been using the Folger library series for years now, and although the Norton Critical edition has its place, the Folger edition cannot be beat for clarity and accessibility. Pay the extra couple of bucks for the 5.5 x 8
   paperback rather than the smaller mass market paperback. The paper quality and illustrations are far superior in the larger version.



2. The New Folger edition give a much better insight than other publishers of this Shakespearian Play.

5 comments about History of the Theatre.

1. the best theatre history book out there. A great tool to send off for more research



2. Some theatre students and teachers take this book for a theatre history bible of sorts. Unfortunately, this results in readers switching off their critical thinking skills and accepting Dr. Brockett's values and opinions as facts. The scholar makes history and Brockett's history privileges debated concepts such as ritual-origin theory and drastically undervalues accomplishments of othered groups such as 17th century English actresses. (They get a whopping two sentences!) While this book is good for pedestrian and generalized descriptions of major figures and events (from a 20th century perspective), it is far from exhaustive. Alternative historical theories are not given much thought and the author presents opinion and theory as empirical fact regularly throughout the text.
   God is dead.



3. Having taken a course that required reading the book I can safely say that it is dry in some sections of history due to the "PC" nature of it's telling. But it's mostly an interesting resource and reference book for theatre buffs and history buffs alike.



4. I had the pleasure of being Brock's student for three years at the University of Texas. The book is phenomenal, easy to read and amazingly complete. The History of the Theatre experience should also be augmented by the opportunity to hear Brockett speak. He is erudite, funny, a lively teacher and an incredible intellect. There is no other book to serve as a reference and introduction to theatre history. No other book and no other teacher so expertly and informatively makes you realize the interweaving of theatre and society throughout its long history. IMHO, Brockett should write the history not just of theatre but of everything. His non-didactic, straight-forward and lively prose would make any work of history or criticism on any subject a delight.



5. As a former student of Franklin J. Hildy's, and a reader of the Brockett text for several theater courses, I must highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a detailed, yet expansive, overview of the history of the theatrical arts throughout the world. Dr. Hildy's passion for and knowledge of the subject matter is rivaled by none and the complete scope of this project would have daunted many editors less competent to undertake such a task. A great reference text as well as course material. I often find mine useful in day-to-day queries as well as research on period and scenic styles.

5 comments about Self-Working Table Magic: 97 Foolproof Tricks with Everyday Objects.

1. This book is amusing but not spectacular, I would go for the street magic, Mindfreak and blaine books for something more espectacular. Decent for beginers.



2. I purchased this book thinking that it would be a good beginning magic book for a group of middle schoolers interested in learning magic tricks. It seems that even though the objects are everyday, the tricks are not. This is a great book if you are willing to do the practice to master the tricks, but if you are looking for a quick trick, then keep looking.



3. Karl Fulves has been putting out these kinds of books for what seems like an eternity. They are good books for kids and even a skilled performer can pull some good material from these books.
   [...]



4. i think that this is a great book and it rocks my socks



5. Many beginners to magic (and others who should know better) are of the opinion that a magic effect has to be difficult in order to be worthwhile. While there are many killer effects that take months or years of practice, there are equally wonderful tricks that rely on psychology, subtlety, and/or advance preparation. The Self Working series of books are a treasure trove of great magic. This book is no exception. Many of the included tricks are used by successful professional magicians. Admittedly, these are best used in a program with other, more elaborate tricks, but for those moments in your act where you need a short, sweet effect, something in this book might just fill the bill. And as you get more proficient in magic you will find ways to further embellish these tricks and make them your own private miracles.