An enthusiastic, well-observed, fresh look at old favorites that makes a compelling case for the genius of American film...
An affectionate chronicle of a century of laughs from the silver screen.
Austerlitz (Money for Nothing: A History of the Music Video from the Beatles to the White Stripes, 2008) offers a breezy survey of American film comedy, from the sublime artistry of Charlie Chaplin to the disarmingly sweet juvenile antics of Judd Apatow. Largely unconcerned with academic explorations of the nature of comedy or the larger socio-historical contexts in which the films exist, the author comes off as an eloquent superfan celebrating his heroes and pinpointing favorite moments in their work. This approach works just fine, and the book, a compulsively readable reference for the confirmed comedy fan, will inspire readers to rewatch classics and delve deeper into the oeuvres of such legends as W.C. Fields, Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder. It’s heartening to see underappreciated talents like Albert Brooks and Harold Lloyd receive the same careful attention as Woody Allen and Buster Keaton, and the affection and respect Austerlitz feels for his subjects is palpable. The author makes some interesting comparisons between such ostensibly unlike entities as screwball maestro Preston Sturges and the austerely artful Cohen brothers, or august auteur Robert Altman and mockumentary pioneer Christopher Guest (a freewheeling approach to performance and emphasis on ensembles), and he finds room to discuss the comedic legacies of such unlikely subjects as John Wayne and Meryl Streep. There are a few infelicities—Austerlitz likes the word “erstwhile,” but seems a little unsure of what it actually means—but overall, the author provides a delightful roll call of the funny men and women who have distinguished the cinema of laughter, and an indispensible listmaking tool for the Netflix generation in search of a good guffaw.
An enthusiastic, well-observed, fresh look at old favorites that makes a compelling case for the genius of American film comedy.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-55652-951-1
Page Count: 576
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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