A textured personal exploration of the last 30 years of African-American cinema. The latest from Village Voice columnist George (Urban Romance, 1992, etc.) finishes his unofficial trilogy on black popular culture from basketball to buppies and film. The most personal of the three, this book is classified by George as ``more a memoir than a critique.'' His youth coincided with the explosion of black film in the 1970s and it is through his experienced vantage point as consumer of, critic of, and participant in the movie industry that he gives his reader this detailed guide. By interspersing time lines that include both history and commentary with an exploration of some of the most important players and themes in black film, George conveys a profound wealth of cinematic and cultural knowledge. He places Sidney Poitier (``his authority as an icon had been eroded by blaxploitation's baaad bold brothers''), Richard Pryor (whose movie Which, he points out, was reviled by white critics but popular with black youth), and Eddie Murphy in the context of American cinema; he analyzes diverse topics such as Motown and the role of class in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever. George also gives a chronicle of his own often trying involvement in the movie industry—especially his role as a writer and producer of the rap parody CB4 and the vicissitudes of working with a large studio on a film aimed at black youth. Despite George's thoroughness, there are some gaps in his discussion of gender: He acknowledges filmmaker Julie Dash (Daughters of the Dust) for her contribution to black cinema, yet he only hints at the important role women play in the consumption of film. He also gratuitously comments on Janet Jackson's weight while recounting a visit to the set of John Singleton's Poetic Justice. A savvy, revealing insider's view of the struggle for films created and controlled by African-Americans in Hollywood. (b&w photos, not seen)
Pub Date: Oct. 12, 1994
ISBN: 0-06-017120-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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