Product Description
The Historical Dictionary of Italian Cinema provides a better understanding of the role Italian cinema has played in film history through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, appendixes, black-&-white photos, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on actors, actresses, movies, producers, organizations, awards, film credits, and terminology. ... Read more

Product Description
French-Speaking Women Documentarians is a guide for teachers of Frenchand others interested in selecting and researching the work of female French-speaking documentarians. Represented in this book are filmmakers from Canada, various African nations, the Antilles, Lebanon, Switzerland, Belgium, and several other countries, with emphasis on Agnès Varda of France-arguably the greatest female documentarian of all. The book includes information on each filmmaker, classified by country of origin, and lists and describes her works, giving factual information such as date, duration, credits, and synopses, and pointing out critical treatments, both in English and in French, of her most important films. Shorts, docudramas, and works of animation are also discussed, as they, too, reflect history and culture. This guide will lead to the viewing of films that shed understanding on the culture being portrayed and to a greater appreciation of the contribution of French-speaking women filmmakers to this important, if not always objective, film genre. ... Read more

Product Description
The Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema covers the production and exhibition of cinema in the Middle East and in other communities whose heritage is from the region and whose films commonly reflect this background. It covers the cinemas of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. In addition, it includes the non-Arab states of Turkey and Iran, as well as the Jewish state of Israel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

review in Booklist
"This work by Ginsberg (International Council for Middle East Studies) and Lippard (Univ. of Utah) will be a necessary purchase for most academic and large public libraries because it is the first English-language dictionary published on Middle Eastern cinema as a whole....This new historical dictionary opens with a valuable chronology, covering 1896-2009, and dealing with outstanding cinematic events in the region. Key sociopolitical events are also mentioned, to provide context. Following a brief but helpful introduction, the body of the dictionary provides A-Z entries on significant films, filmmakers, stars, and topics of concern. These topics include but are not limited to film schools, festivals, centers, organizations, movements, genres and types of film (e.g., Beur cinema), themes (e.g., women, Islam), and historical summaries of national cinemas under the nation's name. This volume offers pioneering coverage of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and provides references for their nascent cinematic developments. It is blessed with a substantial and valuable filmography and bibliography, the latter classified into general works and then into works by nation; it covers both journal articles and books....This is an excellent buy and should see heavy use in libraries. Essential."--Choice

"For students or aficionados of specialized topics, the various Historical Dictionary series can mean the difference between starting the research process or finding nothing at all. Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema, part of the Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts series, is a prime example. The authors are both specialists in the field, with substantial publication credentials. The volume starts with a chronology that begins in 1896 (the first Lumiere screenings in Egypt) and concludes in 2009 (the use of YouTube for political purposes in Iran; the first Palestinian American feature film). The lengthy introductory essay that follows concludes with an explanation of what countries are not included and why. The 500 or so A-Z entries cover people (including actors, directors, critics, composers, writers, and important historic figures), specific films, styles of film, concepts, and more. Entries on individual countries are several pages long and outline the place of the country within the region, its contribution to the history of the film, and important films and individuals. Entries about concepts such as Gender and sexuality and Nationalism focus on how these have been treated in film. The entries on the films themselves, which include information on the director, actors, plot, and significance, may be the most consulted entries in the volume. An alphabetically arranged filmography is cross-referenced to the dictionary entries. The bibliography that follows is divided by subject. This book is essential for all academic libraries where film study is important and should be given consideration by larger public libraries in areas with a large Middle Eastern population."­--Booklist

Reviews in Library Journal and ARBA
"Ginsberg (Holocaust Film) and Lippard (By Angels Driven), along with eight distinguished field scholars, provide the foremost subject dictionary, intended to support deeper inquiry into Middle Eastern filmmakers' representation of culture, history, and self. Entries cover films, figures, production companies, cinematic concepts, and key terms relevant to the various nations positioned between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. However, among the 500 alphabetized entries are also productions made by exiled or otherwise politically dispersed Middle Easterners. While acknowledging North American and European filmic depictions, the authors devote less time to these outsider interpretations. Instead, the multiparagraph, fully cross-referenced entries offer specifics on whether profiled films were intended for domestic or international audiences, and consideration is given to how these particulars impact characterization and self-depiction. The entries are bookended by a chronology, dating the inception of Middle Eastern cinema to 1896 Lumière screenings in Egypt, and a 51-page film list, organized by country. A 31-page further reading list rounds out the work. BOTTOM LINE While it extends well beyond the chronological boundaries of Lina Khatib's Filming the Modern Middle East, this is still a fitting complement. Recommended for collections serving Middle Eastern-focused studies and film studies."--June 2010, Library Journal

"This dictionary is recommended for all academic libraries, and for larger public libraries. It would also be a useful reference for anyone involved in the film industry."--May 2010, ARBA
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"Peterson has done a great service to students of African-American theater. . . . Peterson's scholarship is impressive; the book's format is inviting . . . an indispensable reference book for academic libraries." Choice ... Read more

Product Description
Focusing primarily on the cinema, but encompassing literature, television, radio, popular music, history and folklore, this text provides a secret history of the horror genre from its pre-cinema beginnings in the 18th-century gothic novel and the Victorian ghost story through 100 years of film. In addition to entries on actors, directors, writers, technicians, horror-themed films and television series, the book provides essays on classic horror characters like Frankenstein and Dracula, and on recurrent situations like decapitation and body-snatching. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book!
Marvellously comprehensive, with quite a diverse range of topics relating to horror and people who are associated with the genre, and other such entries.
A pretty handy guide for horror film buffs, as this is the major category it covers (couldn't expect more from a "BFI" (British Film Institute) Companion though, could you? :-) ).
On the downside, some of the entries can be a little overcrowded with film titles, but good for the completist, i guess.
I'd love to see further editions, with more up-to-date info (it WAS printed in '96, afterall.)
Defintately a recommended buy.

valuable reference book
As a writer, I have found Newman's reference book helpful. It includes subjects not addressed elsewhere and does a good job of explaining subjects that have been widely covered. ... Read more

Product Description
The Visual Dictionary is an essential guide to Star Wars. DK's renowned Eyewitness style brings the characters, costumes, droids, and gadgetry of the Star Wars universe to life in astonishing visual detail. Highly defined, annotated photography shows and explains the culture, background, and technology of the Star Wars trilogy. Fans of all ages will enjoy detailed revelations of Star Wars secrets like how a Stormtrooper's equipment works, what the insides of a light saber look like, and what Sand People keep in their bandoliers. A visual glossary explains all the technical terms used in the trilogy. Together with Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, these books comprise a definitive classic Star Wars reference library.Amazon.com Review
Watch the Star Wars trilogy enough times and you'll find yourself straining to catch all the little details. Not the subtle plot points (Darth is Luke's dad, check; Luke and Leia are brother and sister, check), but all the cool gear and gadgets that keep flashing in front of the camera. Like what are those pointy things on Boba Fett's kneepads? And what's with all that ammo on Chewie's bandolier? And does an Imperial Probe really need that many legs? Finally, we've got some answers.

David West Reynolds, a boyish Ph.D. in archaeology who looks like he just rode in on the last Bantha, has catalogued the artifacts and inhabitants of the Star Wars universe with the same clinical thoroughness one typically reserves for studying Mesopotamia. His oversized, eye-pleasing picture book is packed with scrutinizing photos of actual props and characters from the movies, complete with systematic, scientific labels. And Reynolds's friendly, pseudo-academic style seamlessly blends new information with old. (In the Sand People description, you can't help but hear Alec Guinness's voice when Reynolds reveals that "Sand People ride in single file to hide their numbers.") In a few instances, the book shines an embarrassing light on the movies (Max Rebo is clearly no alien lifeform, just a poofy, blue elephant muppet), but the countless close-ups of thermal detonators, imperial blasters, and gaffi sticks more than make up the difference. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

WORTH EVERY PENNY
GREAT color photos on every page.My 7 year old son LOVES this book.If you like Star Wars and LEGO, you can't do better than this.It shows a bunch of hard to find sets and comprehensive visual lists of all the LEGO versions of Star Wars that we never see on regular store shelves, so some "new" things even if you think you have seen all the sets.IT COMES WITH A LEGO LUKE SKYWALKER- SWEET!The minifigure alone could cost the price of this whole book on Ebay.

Great Book!
My son is 5 and loves Star Wars, he had seen this book at a play date with one of his friends. It belonged to the older brother, and he didn't want "the little kids" to touch it. So I went right home and found it online.

Needless to say, he LOVES it, and takes it around with him in the car when we run errands and refers to it often when he has a question about a character from the movies. Very detailed info.

Covers episodes IV, V, VI
OK, I'll admit -- even as the mom, I find this book interesting.I got it as an incentive for my son to work hard, and he LOVES it and can't stop poring over it -- mealtime, car rides, waiting around -- he just absorbs this book.

But as a mom -- the photos and descriptions are awesome!They pull in backstory and use good vocabulary and ...

... this is a great book.

Simply the Best!
This is a Great visual look for all Star Wars fans of any level!!!!Amazons prices help it to be even better!!!

Great pictures.
I have 2 little boys who love Star Wars.I like the pictures in this book.The words are too advanced for small children but I try to ad lib.My boys love to look at the pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
German film is diverse and multi-faceted; its history includes five distinct German governments (Wilhelmine Germany, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the German Democratic Republic), two national industries (Germany and Austria), and a myriad of styles and production methods. Paradoxically, the political disruptions that have produced these distinct film eras, as well as the natural inclination of artists to rebel and create new styles, allow for the construction of a narrative of German film. While the disjuncture generates distinct points of separation, it also highlights continuities between the ruptures.Outlining the richness of German film, The A to Z of German Cinema covers mainstream, alternative, and experimental film from 1895 to the present through a chronology, introductory essay, appendix of the 100 most significant German films, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on directors, actors, films, cinematographers, composers, producers, and major historical events that greatly affected the direction and development of German cinema. The book's broad canvas will lead students and scholars of cinema to appreciate the complex nature of German film. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another wonderful book by Robert C. Reimer
This volume should be in every research library and on the shelf of everyone seriously interested in German cinema.The entries on major directors, producers, actors, as well as major films and some movements are solidly researched.In addition, the book contains a short chronology and history of German cinema.The bibliography is extensive and useful for further study.WARNING:the hardback Historical Dictionary of German Cinema (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts) and paperback The A to Z of German Cinema (A to Z Guide Series) are the same identical book, even though the books' descriptions list the former as having 520 pages and the latter as having 524 pages.Why did Scarecrow Press release the same book under two different titles?Apparently a marketing strategy to confuse buyers and to get them to purchase two different copies of the same book. ... Read more

Product Description
Star Wars: Episode II -- The Saga Continues...

Marks the return of fan-favorite Dr. David West Reynolds as author, whose background as a professor of archaeology and deep knowledge of Star Wars informs the "pseudo-scientific" writing style that has become the hallmark of DK's Star Wars titles. Highlights the new array of characters, including: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme Amidala, Mace Windu, Count Dooku, also the young Boba Fett, plus new bounty hunters, battle droids, clone troopers and some major new species.Amazon.com Review
A thousand years from now, someone might find a dusty collection of DK's Star Wars titles buried in a library vault and wonder at the ancient strife, fashions, and droids of this unusual, unmarked era in history. For one who didn't know this was a series of film characters and situations being analyzed and explained, it would be an extremely believable history resource. For those who do know, it's a fantastic reference guide for all things Star Wars. David West Reynolds's impressive scientific writing style renders this "visual dictionary" a veritable bible of intergalactic information related to Attack of the Clones, the second prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy. The most intricate details of the characters, creatures, and equipment of the film are revealed in crisp, annotated photographs and authoritative text. We see, close-up, the meltproof Ceramoid mesh of a scouter's pack; the traditional Ansata pattern on Jedi Jocasta Nu's tunic, symbolizing knowledge and learning; and the alarming features of Poggle the Lesser, ruler of the Stalgasin hive colony of Geonosians. Star Wars fans and future anthropologists alike will be wowed. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Great book for the Star Wars fans
My son and his friends are big Star Wars fans.They are all between the ages of 5-8.They loved this book.They really enjoyed finding out all the details in the movie.While my son watches the movies he looks up and reads about the movie.It is a great book.Lots of fun...

Very Good Book
This book is very informative and it gives a lot of background information on characters that many star wars fans wouldn't know about. I am a HUGE star wars fan and this book is not a waste of money. There is a lot about Coruscant and the droid foundries of Geonosis. I learnt alot from this book, and it is ideal for any star wars fan's library.

Indispensable
For a Star Wars Fan, it is a must. However, as I described in the other books of this series, it has missing the starships pictures, but is is not a major problem, since the book depicts all hardware and aliens that appear in the film.

My Padmae, Haven't You Grown.
The Visual Dictionary of Ep2 once again gives us a more detailed review of the charcters from Ep1 and the arrival of new stars such as Jango Fett and his young cloned son, Boba.

However the best parts of this book is the development of Obi wan, Annikan, and of course the accidental [physcial] symbol of the new Star Wars generation, Padmae Amidala, executed in purfect form by Natalie Hershlag-Portman.Her now famous white combat suit is complemented by her other eyepopping outfits...Very nice.

A must for those who are keeping a library on this epic tail.

Star Wars Episoce II: Attack of the Clones -- The Visual Dic
Actually my son loved the book but it fell apart as did all the similar Star Wars books.(He is not hard on books, our pop-up books all survived his early years intact.) I bought a copy for the library at my son's elementary school and that one fell apart too.These books are to expensive to have the binding be so shoddy. ... Read more

Product Description
Sesame Street characters present over 500 vocabulary words under topics including parts of the body, toys and food, the classroom, and the family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Open Sesame Pictury Dictionary
Other teachers and I love this book! It has helped many students transition from Spanish to English with friendly characters that they love. I would recommend this to anyone helping a student find the words toexpress their knowledge! ... Read more

Product Description
From Amos 'n' Andy to The Jeffersons to Family Matters to Chappelle's Show, this volume covers it all with entries on all different genres_animation, documentaries, sitcoms, sports, talk shows, and variety shows_and performers such as Muhammad Ali, Louis Armstrong, Bill Cosby, and Oprah Winfrey. Additionally, information can be found on general issues, ranging from African American audiences and stereotypes through the related networks and organizations. This book has hundreds of cross-referenced entries, from A to Z, in the dictionary and a list of acronyms with their corresponding definitions. The extensive chronology shows who did what and when and the introduction traces the often difficult circumstances African American performers faced compared to the more satisfactory present situation. Finally, the bibliography is useful to those readers who want to know more about specific topics or persons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A more sturdy option
We purchased the other edition (the one with the lego toy in the cover) for our 7-year-old on his birthday.He loved it and brought it with him everywhere...in the car, in the grocery store, on camping trips.Within a month and a half, the cover was coming off.After 3 months the book was in pieces, "loved to death."We have replaced it with this edition (the library binding) and bought another one for his younger brother (same binding) and are very pleased with how they are holding up (even with the constant use).

The Force is strong with this one
Bought this for my husband as our first wedding anniversary 'paper' gift and he was absolutely OVER THE MOON. He loves Legos and is a huge Star Wars nerd, I mean, fan, and this is just a perfect gift.

The version I purchased also came with a mini collector's (apparently) Anakin Skywalker lego man that's embedded in the cover.

This is a great reference book not just for kids, but grown-ups too. It chronicles nicely the whole range of Lego Star Wars merchandise, including awesomely nerdy information like the year produced, the special features of the set, which Star Wars movie it's from etc.

Get this for the Star Wars/Lego nerd in your life! :)

Why no minifigure?
I knew when I ordered this that the minifigure was not advertised to be included, I chose it anyway because the one with the minifigure was out of stock - this one took three months to receive as it was.Still, the book itself makes several mentions of the "exclusive minifigure included" and my son is disappointed to miss out on it.

Was missing action figure noted in book to be included
My nephew loves the book but called and asked me why the mini action figure that is suppose to be included was missing.

Excellant
Bought the book for my 9yr old grandson who is into Lego Star Wars. The book has a great deal of information about the Lego sets and special notes on many of them that otherwise would not be known. Excellant visuals and what comprises a Lego set i.e. number of pieces and how many people come with it. He loves it. I learned more than I could imagine going through the book with him. ... Read more

Product Description
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most popular and successful movie stars in the world. He has been acting for many years but everyone noticed him when he starred in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and then Titanic, one of the biggest, most spectacular films ever made. Now he gets $20 million for each movie he makes!This is the story of his life in Hollywood and his love of acting. Why is he so successful? Read this book and find out! ... Read more