Film & TV

The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid memoir.

This is the definitive biography of Lorne Michaels, the man behind America’s most beloved comedy show.

Wildflower is a portrait of Drew Barrymore's life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges, and incredible experiences of her earlier years....

A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye....

An intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship, queerness, and found family by Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey, stars of The L Word—including never-before-shared stories and photos from behind the scenes of the show and their personal lives.

Val Kilmer has played many iconic roles over his nearly four-decade film career. A table-dancing Cold War agent in Top Secret! A troublemaking science prodigy in Real Genius. A brash fighter pilot in Top Gun....

The man who brought the kavorka to the Seinfeld show through one of the most remarkable and beloved television characters ever invented, Kramer, shares the extraordinary life of a comedy genius.

A memoir of leadership and success: The executive chairman of Disney, Time’s 2019 businessperson of the year, shares the ideas and values he embraced during his 15 years as CEO while reinventing one of the world’s most beloved companies....

Jinger Vuolo, of Duggar family fame, tells how she began to question the ideology of her youth and learned to embrace freedom in Christ.

Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business....

Famed independent screenwriter and director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids, Machete) discloses all the unique strategies and original techniques he used to make his remarkable debut film El Mariachi on a shoestring budget.

The co-founder and longtime president of Pixar updates and expands upon his New York Times bestseller on creative leadership, reflecting on the management principles used to build Pixar's singularly successful culture, including what he got wrong—and how he made it right....

Legendary writing teacher and author of The Anatomy of Story John Truby provides a guide to understanding the major genres of the story world.

The long-awaited first work of nonfiction from the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: a deliriously entertaining, wickedly intelligent cinema book as unique and creative as anything by Quentin Tarantino....

In this eloquent and persuasive book, Neil Postman examines the deep and broad effects of television culture on the manner in which we conduct our public affairs....

The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells - and told by the bombshell herself....

The long-awaited third volume of Robert McKee’s trilogy on the art of fiction....

With love, humor, and humility, Earth to Moon reminds us that every family is faced with problems that are unique to their particular makeup, but the journey to growing into yourself with grace is as universal as it gets.

Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track....

In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways....

Packed with all-new, exclusive interviews with the producers and entire cast, The Big Bang Theory:The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation.

James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales raucously and revealingly take the SNL story up to the present, adding a constellation of iconic new stars, surprises, and controversies....

An illuminating biography of Desi Arnaz, the visionary, trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball’s beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a remarkable legacy that continues to influence American culture today.

Leah was first thrust under the reality television microscope when her teen pregnancy was documented on 16 and Pregnant. She has learned to live under the harsh glare of media scrutiny, yet there is a truth behind the reality that the cameras have never revealed....

Surely You Can’t Be Serious is the first-ever oral history of the making of Airplane! by the creators, and of the beginnings of the ZAZ trio (Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker) – charting the rise of their comedy troupe Kentucky Fried Theater in Madison, Wisconsin all the way to premiere night....

In the early 2000s, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey—both young artists trying to figure it all out—met at auditions for an unknown little TV show. Given that it was a show about lesbians living in Los Angeles, with the first ever ensemble cast of openly queer female characters, Kate and Leisha knew the project was going to be unlike anything else out there—that is, if it even got picked up.

Despite being underestimated due to his accent and origins, Desi Arnaz’s legacy is monumental. Purdum’s biography, enriched with unpublished materials and interviews, reveals the man behind the legend and highlights his enduring contributions to pop culture and television. This book is a must-hear biography about innovation, resilience, and the relentless drive of a man who changed TV forever.

In this cultural biography, New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson examines Joan Didion's influence through the lens of American mythmaking. As a young girl, Didion was infatuated with John Wayne and his on-screen bravado, and was fascinated by her California pioneer ancestry and the infamous Donner Party. The mythos that preoccupied her early years continued to influence her work as a magazine writer and film critic in New York, offering glimmers of the many stories Didion told herself that would come to unravel over the course of her career. But out west, show business beckoned.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, the Motion Picture Production Code severely restricted what Hollywood cinema could depict. This included “any inference” of the lives of homosexuals. In a landmark 1981 book, gay activist Vito Russo famously condemned Hollywood’s censorship regime, lambasting many midcentury films as the bigoted products of a “celluloid closet.”

Robert Shaw unforgettably commanded attention as the weathered seaman Captain Quint in the blockbuster sensation, Jaws. But what came before and after that landmark film is as dramatic as the hunt for the great white shark itself. Capturing the many facets of the vibrant, generous, and sometimes polarizing man is his nephew, Christopher, who explores the forces that shaped a dynamic personality—including Robert's indomitable mother, his deeply troubled father, and his activist sister, Joanna, with whom Robert shared an unbreakable bond.

This book begins by asking the listener if they can write a Black character. It then asks the listener questions about their knowledge and understanding of race and racism. Exploring the popular representation of law and order, healthcare and celebrity in the entertainment industry, and comparing this with the reality of these institutions throughout history and today, Lubimbi opens up the discussion and offers solutions to problems surrounding race, representation, and stereotyping.

In this unofficial title, Rebecca Jennings takes the most iconic and unforgettable moments from Love Island to remind us dating should be fun—not just tolerable. A witty love letter to Love Island superfans, hopeless romantics, and serial swipers, Be the Bombshell will teach you to demand what you want unapologetically and to tell the difference between what’s worth the compromise and what’s settling for less than you deserve.

Thelma & Louise, the 1991 film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, has been described as a road movie, a buddy movie, a feminist parable, and only incidentally as a Western. An Oscar winner for first-time screenwriter Callie Khouri, Thelma & Louise catalyzed a national conversation about women, violence, and self-determination in a Hollywood still shrugging off the West of John Wayne and in an America that still viewed women as accessories to the national mythology.

Écrire une histoire inoubliable, ça s’apprend. Après L’Anatomie du scénario, John Truby passe quatorze genres narratifs majeurs au crible - Horreur, Comédie, Fantasy, Policier… - et délivre les meilleures techniques pour devenir un maître du récit. Le guide indispensable qui fera de vous un auteur accompli.

Two Captains. Two Eras. One Enduring Question: What Defines Greatness in Command? For decades, the debate has raged among Starfleet enthusiasts and cultural critics alike: James T. Kirk, the audacious trailblazer of the final frontier, or Jean-Luc Picard, the sagacious diplomat and philosopher-king of a more complex age? To Boldly Know: Kirk vs. Picard – Command Styles That Shaped a Galaxy doesn't just ask who was "better"—it launches a deep, insightful analysis into the very essence of their leadership, exploring how their unique approaches shaped not only their legendary careers but ...

The History of Slasher Films: From Cult Classics to Modern Horror Icons is your ultimate guide to one of cinema’s most enduring—and thrilling—genres. Whether you're a longtime horror fan or just discovering the thrill of the Final Girl, this engaging and in-depth book traces the evolution of the slasher film from its early roots in the 1930s to its 21st-century reinvention. Packed with fascinating film history, cultural analysis, iconic characters, and must-watch movie recommendations, this book explores how slasher movies reflect our fears, challenge social norms, and continue to ...

What if your entire reality was a lie—and only one truth could set you free? In Escape the Matrix: Awakening to the Truth in Jesus Christ, author Dr. Stanley Quincy Upjohn invites you on a gripping journey beyond the illusion of the world system. Inspired by the philosophical underpinnings of The Matrix and grounded entirely in the eternal Word of God, this book unpacks a stunning spiritual reality: you are living in a designed deception—and only Jesus Christ can wake you up. Years after the film’s release, a thought-provoking interview brought this truth full circle. Astrophysicist ...

Ever spotted a quilt in a classic film or wondered if that embroidered cloak meant more than it seemed? Welcome to the magical crossroads of Hollywood and handcraft. Threads of the Silver Screen: Fun Facts About Threads, Textiles & Onscreen Stitchery is a one-of-a-kind journey through over 1,000 surprising and delightful movie moments where fabric stole the show. Whether it’s a knitted scarf that sparked a fashion craze, a hidden message stitched into a costume hem, or the quilt that quietly carried the emotional weight of a scene—this book uncovers the fascinating role of textiles in ...

The second edition of Inside Section One: Creating and Producing TV's La Femme Nikita is an expanded and updated version designed to provide listeners—and in particular, TV and film students—with a thorough understanding of the TV production experience, using the critically-acclaimed and award-winning TV series La Femme Nikita as a case study.

The Chosen brings Jesus’ teachings to the screen. Now bring additional understanding of His teachings to your life. A captivating exploration of New Testament living and traditions, this immersive book from one of the most popular commentators on the beloved television series takes listeners on a spiritual journey to see Jesus and comprehend the Bible like never before.

Why read The Wheel of Sitcom? Because you’ve laughed. You’ve groaned. You’ve fallen asleep to the sound of canned applause or the soothing murmur of small-town life. Maybe you grew up with Lucy or Jerry or Homer… or maybe you’re just discovering the joy of a perfectly timed one-liner. In The Wheel of Sitcom, author Joe Stevens takes you on a warm, witty, and occasionally baffled journey through 100 sitcoms, old and new — from the black-and-white days of The Andy Griffith Show to the fast-cut chaos of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Part review, part memoir, part love letter to the comedy ...

Torture porn, shock-for-shock’s sake, violence that doesn’t serve the plot, and characters you hate — what was going on in the 2000s in horror cinema? And why were audiences hungry for it? Millennial Nasties takes a critical but appreciative look at an oft-ignored subset of horror. This book dissects the English-language horror films of the 2000s and the cultural events they were responding to.

Ride the High Country helped the genre mature and adapt to turbulent, changing times. It launched Peckinpah's career by invoking the themes of honor, loyalty, and compromised ideals, the destruction of the West and its heroes, and the difficulty of doing right in an unjust world--themes developed to their pinnacle in Peckinpah's later masterpiece, The Wild Bunch.

Sausages: The Making of Dog Soldiers is a celebration of Neil Marshall’s debut soldiers versus werewolves movie. To coincide with the 20-year anniversary, it takes a deep dive look behind the scenes at the cult classic. As well as a full retrospective, you will find interviews with the cast and crew, original shot list, excerpts from the script and more. Encompassing the tone of Dog Soldiers, Sausages is the perfect companion to this fan-favourite film. Includes a foreword from genre icon Joe Dante and afterword from legendary director John Landis.

With a connoisseur's insight and an offbeat sensitivity perfectly tailored to his subjects, Gifford's brief essays cover a hundred of the noir buff's favorites. His highly polished impressions take the listener through five decades of noir to find both the heart and the art of the plotline.