Gettysburg : The Graphic History by Wayne Vansant Book Review

Wayne Vansant’s latest graphic history concentrates on the major military events leading up to and including the turning point of the American Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg. As with his previous book Normandy, Vasant presents a detailed, balanced account accompanied by 400 vivid color illustrations in a 96 page graphic novel format.

The brutality of American fighting American in the downhill bayonet charge at Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, the Wheat Field, Peach Orchard and the infantry assault known as Pickett’s Charge at Cemetery Ridge on the final day of the battle on July 3, 1863 is told with a descriptive, historically accurate narrative with artwork that illustrates the grim reality of death on the battlefield.

Key figures such as Medal of Honor recipient Brigadier General Joshua Chamberlain, Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee, Confederate General James Longstreet and victorious Union General George Meade are highlighted by accomplished writer and artist Vasant. Maps of key battle plans on both sides add to the interest and President Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address speech serves as a fitting conclusion.

This book will be of interest to anyone seeking a greater understanding of the Battle of Gettysburg and also serves as an excellent introduction for youngsters with its mix of historical text and graphic imagery. Vansant uses a scratchy ink line and sketchy style to convey action in an effective manner.

One is left with the impression that the outcome and history of the United States could have taken a different route had General Lee taken the advice of General Longstreet not to attack from Culp’s Hill on that fateful final day at Gettysburg.

Available March 2013 in softcover and as an e-book by Zenith Press. Thanks to Nichole Schiele at Quayside Publications.

Review copyright Paul Green 2013.

Producing: Film Craft Book Review

The latest in the excellent FilmCraft series of books concentrating on different aspects of the filmmaking process is Producing (released January 2013). The Introduction states the job of the producer is multifaceted and “requires the wearing of many hats.” The producer is “the ringmaster who keeps the circus going.”

Authors Geoffrey Macnab and Sharon Swart, explore the many aspects of the ringmasters with interviews with acclaimed producers from the USA, UK, Australia, Denmark, France, Netherlands and Hong Kong including Tim Bevan (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Jeremy Thomas (The Last Emperor, Sexy Beast), Jan Chapman (The Piano, Lantana), Jon Kilik (The Hunger Games, Babel), and Peter Aalbæk Jensen (Melancholia, Breaking the Waves).

Jon Landau has produced the two highest grossing films to date in Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009), both directed by James Cameron. Landau admits, “The role of a producer is to be both the Devil on the shoulder and the Angel on the shoulder.” Landau followed the path of his parents Ely and Edie Landau who produced independent films, making his debut producing the unremarkable Campus Man (1987). Success followed with The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). ”Your business plan is the script,” declares Landau.

Lauren Shuler Donner is a leading producer who has prospered in a profession where females are in the minority. Her box-office hits date back to Mr. Mom (1963), St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) and Pretty In Pink (1986). Her current work builds on her producer credits for the X-Men franchise with The Wolverine (2012) starring Hugh Jackman. Shuler realizes success depends on anticipating the future. “You have to feel the temperature of the country and understand where the next trend will be.”

The Legacy section includes profiles of acclaimed producers of the past – David O. Selznick, Michael Balcon, Dino De Laurentiis, Erich Pommer and Alexander Korda.

The FilmCraft series from Focal Press continues to impress with its knowledgeable text, insightful interviews and well designed layouts complete with rare behind-the-scenes color photographs. This is an excellent addition to the series.

Published by Focal Press. With thanks to Becky Sahm at Big Picture Media.

Review copyright Paul Green 2013. All rights reserved.

The Searchers : The Making Of An American Legend by Glenn Frankel : Book Review

The latest book by Glenn Frankel provides the real-life story behind John Ford’s classic Western The Searchers (1955). Frankel is at his best telling the the history of the various Indian tribes in the Old West and the abduction of young women, wives and children, including Cynthia Ann Parker, the subject of Alan Le May’s novel and John Ford’s subsequent film adaptation.

The history is a graphic account of tribal warfare and the response by the settlers and troops. No side comes out smelling of roses. Brutality was the order of the day against the backdrop of an often hostile landscape that reflected the violence that took place. Torture, mutilation and desecration were familiar events. No morality tale or happy ending. Real life was nothing like Hollywood with its depiction of the noble warrior. It was simply a matter of warfare and survival for the Indians who found their land being taken. They had little compassion for the white man and the white man had little compassion for the Indian. There were exceptions but life was harsh beyond the imagining of any modern day reader.

When the author tackles John Ford he becomes more predictable. The well known tales of Ford’s heavy drinking, bullying of his actors and boorish manner are repeated. There is nothing new here, just quotes from Maureen O’Hara’s biography and other well tread sources. A major frustration is the small size of the photographs. There is a previously unpublished photo of the cast and crew of The Searchers that is printed so small you can hardly distinguish who is who.

I highly recommend this book for the historical section which makes up the first half of the book. The descriptive passages bring the past to life. It is written with style and a genuine feel for the period. Film fans will find The Searchers section less satisfactory.

The Searchers is published February 19, 2013 by Bloomsbury (405pg h/c $28.00).

Review copyright Paul Green 2013. With thanks to Laura Gianino at Bloomsbury

Videojournalism : Multimedia Storytelling by Kenneth Kobré Book Review

Videojournalism : Multimedia Storytelling (Focal Press, 2012) by video documentary producer Kenneth Kobré is aimed at the independent videojournalist and student. As an offshoot of photojournalism the videojournalist encounters unique challenges in bringing their story to public attention.

The Naked Cowboy. Photo : Lucy Nicholson

Mastering multimedia storytelling forms the the first chapters of this fascinating and informative book. Finding a compelling subject and story is the key aspect. The visual documentary excels at subjects where a problem is presented and overcome. Conflict, challenge and resolution can be incorporated into any number of subjects including sports, competitions and games. Serious topics such as war, poverty and death require an attention to ethics, which should be central to videojournalism.

Photo : Kenneth Kobré

Deciding what to film and not to film and the crossing of boundaries of good taste and personal space is particularly important in stories of tragedy, accident scenes, battlefields and terminal illness. Staged events and re-enactments are defined as docudrama. A technique often used in “Reality TV.” Videojournalism should record unmanipulated reality. Doubting the authenticity of a documentary will ultimately result in rejection of the medium.

The book also includes chapters on Camera Exposure and Handling, Light and Color, Recording Sound, Combining Audio and Stills, Shooting a Sequence, Conducting an Interview, Writing a Script and Editing the Story, The Law and Marketing a Story.

Kobre’s book offers much room for discussion and experimentation in the relatively new medium of videojournalism. The book is enhanced by contributions to individual chapters from noted experts Stan Heist, Kathy Kieliszewski, Jerry Lazar, Regina McCombs, Mary Thorsby, Josh Meltzer, David Weintraub and Donald R. Winslow.

About the author: Professor Ken Kobré heads the photojournalism program at San Francisco State University and is the bestselling author of “Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach.” He is also is the producer of the new hour-long documentary “Deadline Every Second: On Assignment with 12 Associated Press Photojournalists.”

Review copyright Paul Green 2012. Thanks to Becky Sahm at Big Picture Media. Videojournalism : Multimedia Storytelling is published by Focal Press (2012).

‘Drawing Comics Lab’ by Robyn Chapman Book Review

“I offer this book as a starting point for exploration” states cartoonist Robyn Chapman in the introduction to her new book Drawing Comics Lab. She offers 52 exercises ranging from basic drawing skills to panel layout, pacing, one-panel gags, characterization, storytelling, materials, techniques and publishing your work. Exercises are conducted by various artists including James Sturm, Jessica Abel, Matt Madden, Steve Bisette, Eddie Campbell and Tom Hart among others.

The “Storytelling” section for example is split into 12 exercises including ‘Drawing Without Stopping’ which aims at eliminating the self critical voice that leads to procrastination – and developing  a child-like free flowing approach to creating a single page comic strip. “Show or Tell” is an exercise with the task of creating images that complement the text rather than merely repeating it. Another exercise “Talking Heads” asks the artist to incorporate the 180-degree rule often used in films where the camera sweeps a 180 degree arc but maintains a consistent point of view.

Robyn Chapman

Robyn Chapman emphasises content over artistic accomplishment. “Comics that are made from a place of joy, inspiration, and truth will be far more interesting than comics that are drawn well.” Although the design of this 136 page book is deceptively simple there is plenty of useful information between the pages. This isn’t a how-to book filled with muscle bound action. Instead it concentrates on cartooning and sequential art. While the book is primarily aimed at beginners and aspiring newcomers to the profession it is also of interest for teachers and those willing to admit they might benefit from a refresher course.

The author: Robyn Chapman is assistant editor at Graphic Universe, the grphic novel imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. She also runs a mini-comics publishing house called Paper Rocket. In 2005 she became The Center for Cartoon Studies’ first fellow, and spent the next five years as their program coordinator and a faculty member. She has built and managed the curriculum for their successful Create Comics and Cartooning Studio workshops.

Drawing Comics Lab is published by Quarry Books, October 2012. Review copyright Paul Green 2012.

“Normandy : A Graphic History of D-Day” by Wayne Vansant Book Review

On Veteran’s Day I’m expanding beyond the normal genre limits of Weird Westerns to talk about a new graphic novel by writer and artist Wayne Vansant, who is best known to comic book fans for his five-year stint on Marvel’s The ‘Nam. His latest work is a 96 page full-color graphic novel depicting events covering the D-Day landings on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches and the Allied liberation of Europe.

Vansant has done an outstanding job detailing the major events of the Allied success in Normandy from June 6 to August 25, 1944. It is no glorified depiction but a realistic and historically accurate portrayal of the hardships faced by the American, British, Canadian, Polish and French in their battle against the Nazis.

 

Major battles included the capture of the French port of Cherbourg, the town of Saint-Lô and the city of Caen against the resistance of the fanatical and ruthless “Hitler Youth Division.” Following three months of warfare 50,000 German troops had been killed, 200,000 troops captured and Paris liberated. But it came at a great cost to the Allied forces and the local French towns, villages and inhabitants.

 

Vasant recalls the historic events with text accompanying each illustration rather than dialogue. There is no dramatizing of events but facts. His graphic style adopts a sketchy, dynamic line that adds to the subject matter. There are heroics but also tragedy and no single country is portrayed as being more heroic than another. It is a sober approach to be commended. This is a perfect introduction for youngsters to the historic events of Operation Overlord and a reminder of the sacrifices of the the World War II generation that ensured freedom for future generations.

  

Published by Zenith Press September 2012. Review copyright Paul Green 2012.

 

Steampunk: An Illustrated History by Brian J. Robb : Book Review

Author Brian J. Robb’s new book Steampunk: An Illustrated History of Fantastical Fiction, Fanciful Film and Other Victorian Visions is a delight for steampunk fans and a perfect introduction to the genre for those with a passing interest. Steampunk is described as “a Frankenstein genre, stitched together from an innovative mix of reality and fantasy.” Critic Jeff Nevins states, “Steampunk like all good punk, rebels against the system it portrays.”

The genre is divided into sub categories: Dieselpunk (1920-1939) with stories based on gas (petrol) driven technology and Art Deco style. Gaslamp fantasy rooted in gothic literature and Clockpunk with an emphasis on cogs, gears and clockwork devices.

K. W. Jeter, James P. Blaylock and Tim Powers, the founders of Steampunk in the modern era (late 1970s), were all based in Southern California and shared an influential friendship with sci-fi author Philip K. Dick. Jeter thinks the fascination with Steampunk lies in “the hand crafted aspect of everyday objects from previous industrial periods, versus the cheap plastic crap that lines the store shelves.” Blaylock considers the modern Steampunk “an artistic or fashion aesthetic, rather than a literary thing.” Tim Powers agrees “it’s more of a costume phenomenon.”

The comprehensive coverage of Steampunk from the Victorian era to the 21st century includes Japanese Steampunk, Steampunk in the movies and television, Steampunk Graphic Novels and Video Games, Women in Steampunk, Super-Hero Steampunk and Steampunk fandom among other subjects.

I highly recommend Robb’s book for the breadth of its coverage, the attractive book design and the entertainment value of a fascinating subject that will interest both Steampunk experts and newcomers to the genre. 300 color images are spread throughout the 192 designed pages of the large format hardback book.

Published by Voyageur Press November 2012. Review copyright Paul Green 2012.

Terovolas by Edward M. Erdelac Book Review

Edward M. Erdelac’s latest novel is set in 1891 after the events described in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Suffering the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Professor Abraham Van Helsing is diagnosed with melancholic lycanthropea. Following his release from Jack Seward’s Purfleet Asylum he travels to Surefoot, Texas to return the ashes and personal effects of Quincey Morris, a wealthy young Texan killed during the final battle with Dracula in Stoker’s novel.

During his train journey Van Helsing meets Madame Callisto Terovolas, a Greek lady of Arcadian descent who is also travelling to Texas to be wed to a Danish cattleman. Although delighted with her company Van Helsing can’t shake the feeling Madame Terovolas reminds him of Dracula’s wife.

Initially the educated and refined Van Helsing feels like a fish out of water in Texas and is greeted with cold indifference by Quincey’s brother Coleman Morris. When Sheriff Turlough and ranch foreman Early Searls are found butchered and mutilated Van Helsing’s thoughts turn to the dark, melancholy imaginings that he fears might be the result of a returning dementia.

Author Edward Erdelac discussed the reasoning behind incorporating Bram Stoker’s Abraham Van Helsing and werewolves into Terovolas.

“Dracula is a classic, and the titular character is pervasive in literature and pop culture to the point where he’s been romanticized. Lately there’s been a tendency to idealize the monsters. But for me, the more interesting character has always been Abraham Van Helsing. He’s often characterized as a fanatic or a lunatic, but I didn’t read him that way, and was always intrigued by him. Where did a respected professor learn so much about vampirism? He must’ve had a career before and after the events of Dracula, and he never struck me as a vampire hunter by trade, so much as circumstance. Van Helsing is easily as influential on the archetype of the paranormal investigator in fiction as Dracula is to the portrayal of the vampire, and I hate seeing him pigeon-holed in movies like Universal’s Van Helsing. I wanted to explore the rest of his life, and expand on the hints Stoker dropped about his origins.”

An interesting aspect of Erdelac’s novel is his use of framing each character within individual entries from journals and papers.

“I really admire and enjoy reading the found document framing device when it’s done well. I was definitely influenced by Nicholas Meyer’s Sherlock Holmes pastiches, The Seven Percent Solution and The West End Horror, and Eaters Of The Dead by Michael Chrichton, which was a huge inspiration. Also George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman series and Richard Matheson’s The Memoirs Of Wild Bill Hickock. Daniel Keyes’ Flowers For Algernon probably had an early influence on me in terms of depicting character through voice. It was important to me that every entry, ever narrator have its own foibles, like the wolfer’s habit of deliberately omitting profanity in his writings (I got that from a lot of 19th/early 20th century books and primary accounts, most notably Booth Tarkington’s Penrod), or the newspaper writer’s incorrect word usage.

“Sabine Baring-Gould’s The Book Of Werewolves informed a lot of the werewolf lore (so much that it appears in the book), and taught me that silver weapons and silver bullets were solely a Curt Siodmak invention for The Wolfman. And of course Dracula and to a lesser extent Frankenstein, for the epistolary style. I first learned of Norse wolf berserkers from an old episode of the TV show Werewolf.”

Terovolas is a well written and entertaining read recommended for anyone with a passion for for vampire and werewolf lore.

Review and interview copyright Paul Green 2012. Published by JournalStone on November 16, 2012.

Classic Hollywood Style by Caroline Young Book Review

Classic Hollywood Style is a fascinating history of costume design from the golden era of Hollywood. Author Caroline Young places the designs from 34 classic films ranging from Camille in 1921 to The Thomas Crown Affair in 1968 within their social context including prevailing attitudes and influences from each decade. 

Young explores the work of classic Hollywood costume designers, including Travis Banton, Orry-Kelly, Walter Plunkett, Irene, Adrian, Edith Head, Jean-Louis, Paul Poiret and Natacha Rambova.

The costume design of each decade reflected the social climate of the time. The restrictive Hays Code, introduced in 1934, put an end to the revealing outfits of the 1920s. World War II resulted in a shortage in silk, now used for parachutes. Cotton became the preferred material and costume designer Adrian introduced shoulder pads.

Orry-Kelly design for Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca” (1942)

In the 1950s the teenager was represented by actors including James Dean, Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Natalie Wood. Jeans made the move from westerns to contemporary dramas and were worn by both male and female. The glamour of earlier decades was being replaced by a new realism that was finally allowed to flourish with the end of the restrictive Hays Code in 1968.

Travis Banton design, Paloma Gibson artwork for “Cleopatra” (1934)

Classic Hollywood Style is lavishly illustrated throughout its 224 pages with 180 beautiful photographs of an era that has long gone. An era of glamour and style. Caroline Young’s book is highly recommended to all who love classic Hollywood.

About the author: Caroline Young is an Edinburgh based writer and journalist who has written for national newspapers and women’s magazines, including Closer and The Daily Mail. Caroline studied English Literature and Film and TV Studies at Glasgow University, and in 2007 she gained a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication from Griffith University, Brisbane. She has a great passion and knowledge for film and fashion, with Screenwriting and the Business of Film included as part of her Masters degree. Classic Hollywood Style is her first book.

Review copyright Paul Green 2012. Classic Hollywood Style published by Frances Lincoln Ltd. October 2012.

The Screenwriter’s Roadmap by Neil Landau – Book Review

Neil Landau’s The Screenwriter’s Roadmap: 21 Ways to Jumpstart Your Story is no simple “how-to” book. Instead it’s a book that guides the writer through the numerous elements of a successful screenplay. The reader is invited to be pro-active with assignments in each chapter. Landau doesn’t give advice on selling your screenplay but concentrates on the construction of the story. He tells you there are no set formulas and proves his point with in-depth interviews with some of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters who all express differing views on the art of screenwriting. The roadmap may have signs indicating the general direction to go but the writer will only reach their destination with a mixture of talent, basic storytelling skills and something Landau believes is lacking in many screenplays he reads – imagination.

The chapter-by-chapter interview sunjects include Scott Z. Burns (Contagion), Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne Legacy), Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island), David Koepp (Spider Man), Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can), Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises), Billy Ray (The Hunger Games), Melissa Rosenberg (the Twilight trilogy), Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air), and many others.

Landau’s book is complex without ever becoming boring. He keeps the subject fresh by keeping the roadmap open to individual interpretation. Each writer he interviews explores their own particular approach – and none are the same. You learn the basics and then let your imagination take over. But without those basic principles you are like a driver without directions – on the road to nowhere in particular. Landau provides you with the map. His book is “a field guide to writing movies” that “provoke us, inform us and inspire us.” The rest is in the hands of the writer and their individual talent.

About The Author: Neil Landau is co-author of the bestselling 101 Things I Learned in Film School (Grand Central Publishing, 2010). His numerous film and television credits include the cult teen comedy “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,” and the new 3D animated feature “Tad, The Lost Explorer” (Paramount, 2012). In addition to his numerous TV credits, including “Melrose Place,” “The Magnificent Seven,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” “The Secret World of Alex Mack,” “Twice in a Lifetime,” MTV’s “Undressed,” plus one-hour drama TV pilots for CBS, ABC, Warner Bros., Disney, and Lifetime. He currently teaches in the MFA in Screenwriting and Producing Programs at both UCLA School of Film & Television (his alma mater), and USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Review copyright Paul Green 2012. Thanks to Becky Sahm of Big Picture Media. Published by Focal Press.