Luckily for Elder and his readers, there’s plenty more. A companion of sorts to Elder’s 2011 book The Film That Changed My Life, the Chicago Review Press paperback operates on several levels, from learning tool to reference guide to Netflix queue-filler. As with the earlier work, the author leans on 35 directors to build its […]
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Hopper: A Journey into the American Dream — Tom Folsom
Folsom traces the life of Dennis Hopper through its four distinct phrases: Kansas farm boy, Method actor/James Dean worshipper, pharmaceutical madman, comeback kid. That he had a fourth at all continues to amaze me, especially after reading all the details. The kinder, gentler Hopper was hardly one to shy away from admitting his battles with […]
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The Man Who Created Halloween — Irwin Yablans
This self-published paperback is his story — emphasis on The Man, not Halloween. The making of that 1978 now-classic movie is only a small part of the autobiography, which covers his entire life. Luckily, Yablans is an engaging storyteller who’s full of amusing anecdotes — some of which are intentional (John Wayne declaring his wish […]
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Spooky scribes
If Alice thought Wonderland was bad, then Zombieland would have had her begging to be hassled by a disgruntled patch of daisies again. Author Gena Showalter’s new series, The White Rabbit Chronicles, begins with Alice in Zombieland, a novel based on Lewis Carroll’s adventurous heroine. Showalter, an Oklahoma City native, is the best-selling author of […]
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‘Time’ bandit
Avid readers keeping up with the current paranormal-fantasy scene will recognize Sherrilyn Kenyon’s name. With 60 published books across multiple series — and more than 50 of those titles landing on the New York Times best-seller list — the popularity of her work is undeniable. But Kenyon is not one to rest on her laurels, […]
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Screenwriter Lou Berney aims to make a name in crime fiction with debut novel, ‘Gutshot Straight’
What’s that saying? When life gives you a Writers Guild of America strike, make lemonade? Or something like that. Lou Berney’s batch of lemonade hit shelves yesterday in the form of his debut novel, “Gutshot Straight.” The Oklahoma City resident earns his living as a Hollywood screenwriter. Although none of his works have been produced […]
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Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films – Joseph Lanza
Chicago Review Press Director Ken Russell is no stranger to taboos of any kind, and Joseph Lanza’s bio of the maverick moviemaker explains why, starting with the boy’s most unusual reaction to seeing Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio.” “Tommy,” “Altered States” and “Crimes of Passion” are among his best-known works, but his filmography is full of controversy […]