20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio — Book Review

There may be no other sound more synonymous with the moviegoing experience than 20th Century Fox’s opening fanfare. When the Fox Film Corporation held a small stable of B-tier stars in the 1920s, it would be hard to predict that a generation of moviegoers would …

Continue Reading

John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars — Book Review

I have a strange fascination with silent stars who never translated their careers successfully into the sound era. Last year I dove into David Stenn’s Clara Bow biography. This year I’ve already read and reviewed Tracy Gossel’s Douglas Fairbanks biography. Eve Golden’s John Gilbert: …

Continue Reading
The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots Book Cover

The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots — Book Review

Whether it’s this year’s summer blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick or the silent World War I aerial epic Wings, film always has always been a perfect medium to showcase the wonder of aviation. Over the past century, airplanes and pilots have brought movie audiences big explosions, …

Continue Reading
The First King of Hollywood

The First King of Hollywood: The Life of Douglas Fairbanks—Book Review

One of the first silent films I ever watched was Douglas Fairbanks’ 1924 epic The Thief of Baghdad. A lavish costume drama inspired by Arabian night tales, the film’s imaginative tale and its star’s unique and energetic charm absolutely stunned an impressable young me. …

Continue Reading