To gather wonderful tales of how Scorsese works, Kelly interviews the director's friends, family members, casts, and crews. Oh, and the Secretary to the President of Cyprus!! (See details about The Last Temptation of Christ). Quoted stories, observations, and comments all contribute to a fine portrait of one of our greatest active cinema artists. (And, to the delight of film buffs everywhere, text shows that Scorsese is first and foremost an unabashed movie fan)! Kelly's system provides the reader to form own opinions about Scorsese, rather than making a lot of critical conclusions.

In pursuit of my undergrad degree, I used this book quite a bit for research toward essays I wrote about Scorsese's films. Not at all a chore to read, it was a very enjoyable book, great for the fan as well as the film scholar.

Good index, good filmography. Brief forewards by Michael Powell and Steven Spielberg hint at more than a bit of pure jealousy!

BUy it!

But if you have some understanding of film history, and world history, this book is totally without parallel.

Andre de Toth tells it like it was.

Frank, no nonsense, no sugar coating.

Read this LAST out of any "golden era Hollywood" books to learn what it was really about.

Michael and Christine, if you are reading this, I am very proud of you and all you have accomplished.

Beth Erickson-bethbest@bistream.net

This is the 2nd part of Michael Powell's auto-biography.

Now regarded as one of the most important British Movie Makers (The Red Shoes, The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life & Death, Tales of Hoffmann etc etc). Here Michael tells his own colourful story.

Often quoted by Martin Scosese as a major influence on his work (and later a personal friend).

The insightful words of Scorsese, arranged to parallel his filmography up through New York Stories, are annotated by the redoubtable editors Thompson and Christie. Scorsese is arguably the greatest postmodern artist, (and I would have to say the only postmodernist I unhesitatingly adore -with possible exception of Matt Groening), and the reader really gets to see how Scorsese constructs a film. His inspirations are as predictable as directors Pasolini and Powell, yet as diverse as Mahatma Ghandi and Little Richard. He loves all with equanimity and enthusiasm.

That's the joy of this book... the guy loves movies, loves making them, and all that energy just shines through.

Extremely valuable resource for the student of film, but good fun for the humble film buff, too. Bonus: interesting black and white photos you won't find elsewhere. Excellent (though naturally out-of-date) filmography appendix.

An essential read for anyone that considers her- or himself a film buff.

But Fuller was more than just a director. He had been a newspaperman in New York's tabloid era of the 20s and 30s. He was an infantryman on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He had met just about everyone worth meeting -- from Charlie Chaplin to Al Capone. And he is, as his autobiography "A Third Face" most eloquently demonstrates, a magnificent storyteller.

The section of the book dealing with Fuller's experiences in World War II make for amazingly gripping reading -- and I would like for people like Donald Rumsfeld to take a gander at Fuller's account of what warfare is really like before they send young Americans into combat any time soon. Fuller writes about war in all its hallucinatory insanity (as he waded through the blood and body parts to get onto Omaha Beach he saw a man's mouth -- just his mouth -- floating in the water), and it's not a story you're likely to forget.

His exploits in Hollywood, while not as gripping, are equally fascinating. Fuller clearly pines for the old days when moguls like Darryl Zanuck would protect a writer's vision and a deal could be counted on even if it was only a handshake. And while Fuller made his share of career mistakes (he turned down both "The Longest Day" and "Patton," for example), his filmography is an eloquent tribute to a man who wanted to make his films his way -- no matter what the cost.

The book is not perfect, though. It is marred by many factual errors (to give just one example, he discusses meeting French film critic Andre Bazin at a time when Bazin had been dead for years), and at times he seems suspiciously eager to belie his reputation as a right-wing filmmaker. His use of language can get a little repetitious (if I had a dollar for every time he uses the word "yarn" in this book I could buy everything on my Wish List), and I found myself wondering just how much of the text had actually been written by Fuller's wife, Christa (one of two credited co-writers), and not by its putative author.

All those reservations aside, this is a book that will keep you up late (that is, if I'm any indication -- I finished it at dawn), and that truly earns the description of "impossible to put down." You should put it on your bookshelf alongside Frank Capra's great (and equally inaccurate) "The Name Above the Title." Assuming that you don't take the author's word for gospel, and you're willing to accept the fact that he will never let the facts get in the way of a good story, it's an engrossing and unforgettable read.

He was offered "Patton" but wouldn't do it because he though Patton was an jerk. He was offered John Wayne movies, but wouldn't do it because he thought Wayne was a phony. He had full control of his films, when that was a rarity.

In 1980, after 20+years of wrangling, he finally made the film based on his battle history, "The Big Red One" with James Coburn. Probably the most realistic WWII film out there.

Fuller died a few years back, unknown to many, but loved by those in the know.

Sam Fuller lived the life of 10 men and his book is the best read I've had in years, go get it.

But, if you DO love the film and would like to read the screenplay, then this is just the thing for you. Written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, "Goodfellas" is an amazing script that sucks you in right away.

Henry Hill has always wanted to be gangster, as he states in the very beginning of the film. This is his story of how he became one and everything he had witnessed and experienced. It's a tragic story of how good things always have to come to an end. It's also about how power and money can grab hold of your life until it's too late to turn back. A tale full of crime, murder, paranoia, and greed, "Goodfellas" is a trip down Mafia Lane that you will never forget. This is Mr. Hill's story.

The script is based on Nicholas Pileggi's novel, "Wise Guys," which is also based on a true story. The dialogue is sharp and very realistic and gives us a window into the lives of people in the Mafia. It is a very quick read, only about 130 pages. That's pretty short, considering that the movie was at least 2 and a half hours long. But, it's just dialogue, which is why it is very easy to read it quickly. I finished it in less than a day.

If you love the film "Goodfellas," and are interested in reading screenplays, then this is the perfect book for you. Here's your chance to relive some of your favorite moments, this time in writing. A very fine screenplay, it is.

Ray Liotta is excellent as Henry, but the movie's real showcases are the performances of Joe Pesci and Robert DiNiro as his partners in crime. Pesci in particular gives a tour de force performance that is downright frightening. Other first rate performances come from Lorraine Bracco as Henry's Jewish wife and Paul Sorvino, whose performance as a real life Godfather could not be more different than Marlon Brando's.

This film is a must see for anyone who enjoys gangster movies. It also has to rank as THE best American movie of the 1990s.