The Cinema Of Robert Zemeckis by Hollywood cinema historian and expert Norman Kagan, is an informed and informative survey and analysis of award-winning filmmaker Roger Zemeckis' life and his dazzling, memorable, and often pioneering works of cinematic excellence, including "Back to the Future", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", "Forrest Gump", and more. Part biography, part film study, The Cinema Of Robert Zemeckis is a truly fascinating work and especially recommended for fans of Zemeckis' cinema who want to learn more about the ideas and the man that crafted such enduring silver screen favorites.

Norman Kagan has written another highly readable yet scholarly work -- this time on Robert Zemeckis. An excellent mix of background, content and criticism -- this book is thorough, well-organized and entertaining.

This book presents moral theory and the factors involved in an excellent format, without the distraction of constant references to other philosophers. Kagan's writing is easily accessible and explains ethics in a logical fashion. Terms are clearly defined and explained, and there is a complete index of references in the back once you're ready to move on to primary source philosophy. A must read for any LD debater, especially when debating resolutions concerning morality.

I have a theory: Kagan needed to write a thesis. He decided that Kubrick's work demonstrated the repetition of certain themes, and decided to "argue" accordingly. He wrote synopsis' of all Kubrick's films, then added a few pages to the end of each to justify his [Kagan's] "arguments".

And voila -- a thesis, a C-, and next year it's the PHD...

This is sophomore stuff. If you want critical insight read Nelson; if you want Bio, read Lobrutto; scandal, read Baxter; character, read Herr or Raphael; general information, read Cimet or Walker.

The main problem with this book is the overall sloppy job of writing. It is clear that the author failed to take notes during the films, for his descriptions are filled with incorrect statements about things as basic as the story and other errors. In his analysis of The Shining, for example, he spends a few pages recounting the plot. In doing so, however, he switches many of the events around and getting them out of order. Furthermore, he also has a habit of getting the names of characters mixed up, or getting the wrongs names altogether. If you're looking for a much better book on Kubrick, try Thomas Nelson's Kubrick: Inside a Film Artist's Maze.

Norman Kagan should get an "editing" credit rather than "author" credit. This book on the cinema of Stanley Kubrick is basically an accumulation of articles, interviews and reviews of his films and his life. Albeit some of it was interesting, the book is nothing I found original. At the end of each chapter, however, the author does take it upon himself to interpret the films in a manner in which he sees a destructive, non-sexual, non-emotional Kubrick. That of obsessive and homicidal. Attempting to make a "connection" in all the films which I believe is poorly attempted. I would move elsewhere to find word on Kubrick and his films.