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Hollywood

The Oral History

Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks

The real story of Hollywood as told by such luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Harold Lloyd, and nearly four hundred others, assembled from the American Film Institute's treasure trove of interviews, reveals a fresh history of the American movie industry from its beginnings to today.

From the archives of the American Film Institute comes a unique picture of what it was like to work in Hollywood from its beginnings to its present day. Gleaned from nearly three thousand interviews, involving four hundred voices from the industry, Hollywood: The Oral History, lets a reader "listen in" on candid remarks from the biggest names in front of the camera—Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Harold Lloyd—to the biggest behind it—Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele, as well as the lesser known individuals that shaped what was heard and seen on screen: musicians, costumers, art directors, cinematographers, writers, sound men, editors, make-up artists, and even script timers, messengers, and publicists. The result is like a conversation among the gods and goddesses of film: lively, funny, insightful, historically accurate and, for the first time, authentically honest in its portrait of Hollywood. It's the insider's story.

Legendary film scholar Jeanine Basinger and New York Times bestselling author Sam Wasson, both acclaimed storytellers in their own right, have undertaken the monumental task of digesting these tens of thousands of hours of talk and weaving it into a definitive portrait of workaday Hollywood.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from October 10, 2022
      The secrets of Tinseltown burn bright in this collection of interviews culled from the American Film Institute’s archives and assembled by film scholar Basinger (The Movie Musical!) and author Wasson (Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.). The technical process of filmmaking is expertly explored, and discussions about publicity highlight the work style of individual directors (John Ford “gave in to nobody,” says cinematographer Ray Rennahan) and the charisma of legendary stars such as Marlon Brando. A narrative arc emerges from the hubbub, tracing the freshness of the silent era to the grandeur of the golden age studio system—the “beautiful machinery” of MGM is hymned for its excellent production values and nurturing of new talent—to the modern era of independent producers, high-earning leading actors, and summer blockbusters. The commentary crackles with humorous anecdotes and acerbic insights on topics such as screenplays (“There mustn’t be too much description, because get bored when they read words,” says director and writer Abraham Polonsky) and stunt work (“I used to get $25 every time I jumped a horse off a cliff,” says 1920s actor Hoot Gibson). The result is a fascinating conversation about Hollywood’s magical blending of art and commerce. Agent: David P. Halpern, Robbins Office.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Over 400 stars, directors, and technicians contributed to this audiobook, but none of their voices are heard here. Timothy Andres Pabon and Marni Penning narrate from interviews with filmmakers past and living, he the male voices, she the female. This mosaic approach highlights film's collaborative nature, and the army of skills required. But the narrative suffers from the too-frequent change of contributors, many with only a line or two. Many too are heavy on opinion, thin on detail. Pabon's male speakers dominate, and he is the more engaging narrator. Penning's female voices are sharply pitched and grate over time. Even so, what a grand spectacle unfolds--all the big stars, a cast of thousands, fortunes rising and falling, this one has it all. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      Film historian Basinger (The Star Machine) and journalist Wasson (The Big Goodbye) have combed the archives of the American Film Institute, where 400 directors, producers, actors, writers, and costumer designers have recorded their recollections over the past 50 years. These interviews took place on different occasions, but the authors have stitched together quotes to give the impression that they are all in the same room together, conversing and reminiscing about old times. Starting with the era in which Hollywood was just beginning with silent cinema and continuing up through the present digital age, the book expounds on every aspect of the industry, from production details to marketing. There is gossip as well, with vibrant stories and digs on who was easy to work with and who wasn't (there is across-the-board praise for the professionalism of Joan Crawford but wide disdain for Marilyn Monroe). The book's format presents a challenge for narrators Timothy Andr�s Pabon and Marni Penning, but they handle the content with aplomb. Even so, film aficionados may note more than one name mispronunciation. VERDICT This unique perspective is a treasure trove of insights covering a century of the film industry.--Phillip Oliver

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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