Category: Books

Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood, Books

THE ART OF BOLLYWOOD

In recent years the exciting world of Bollywood cinema has been slowly gaining the interest and admiration of western audiences. The popularity of Danny Boyle’s Oscar winning film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008) along with the rising interest in Indian actors like Naveen Andrews (LOST, BRIDE & PREJUDICE, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, BOMBAY BOYS, etc.) seems to have gained Bollywood movies a larger American audience that is willing to put aside cultural differences … Continue reading THE ART OF BOLLYWOOD

Kimberly Lindbergs
Books, Crime, Japanese Cinema, Joe Shishido, Meiko Kaji, Seijun Suzuki, Yasuharu Hasebe

GUN AND SWORD: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAPANESE GANGSTER FILMS 1955-1980

I first became familiar with Chris D.’s (Dejardins) writing in the early 1990s thanks to his work for a small-press magazine (or zine) called Asian Trash Cinema. At the time I was utterly obsessed with Japanese pop culture and history and for a 10 year period roughly between 1991-2001 I spent many of my weekends in San Francisco’s Japantown where I’d rent movies and anime … Continue reading GUN AND SWORD: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAPANESE GANGSTER FILMS 1955-1980

Kimberly Lindbergs
Akira Kurosawa, Books, Ishiro Honda, Japanese Cinema, Science Fiction, Tokusatsu

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

For the past week the Bay Area has played host to a Godzillathon taking place at Viz Cinema in San Francisco’s Japan Town. This Godzilla film festival started on May 5th and ends tonight on May 13th with a showing of Yoshimitsu Banno’s film Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971). The Godzillathon coincided with what would have been film director and writer Ishiro Honda’s 99th birthday on May … Continue reading Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

Kimberly Lindbergs
Books, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Horror, Movie Reviews, Thrillers

“The Voices of Terror – Twisting Two Minds!”

On its fog-shrouded surface, Kevin Billington’s VOICES (1973) is an unusual supernatural thriller involving ghosts and a haunted house but if you take the time to look beyond its spooky exterior you might be surprised by what you find there. This fascinating horror film has a rich and winding history that first took shape in 1953 and its roots are coiled through many horror classics that have … Continue reading “The Voices of Terror – Twisting Two Minds!”

Kimberly Lindbergs
American Cinema, Books, Directors, Robert Wise

BOOK REVIEW – Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures

Robert Wise is one of my favorite American directors but (as I’ve noted in the past) he rarely receives the kind of critical attention that’s heaped on his peers. Wise was a proud product of the Hollywood studio system and a very private man. Throughout his career, he purposefully avoided the spotlight and regularly praised his colleagues. Producers, writers, set designers, and actors were encouraged … Continue reading BOOK REVIEW – Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures

Kimberly Lindbergs
Actresses, American Cinema, Books, Horror, Lon Chaney Jr., TCM

WILLIAM MORTENSEN IN HOLLYWOOD

William Mortensen in his studio with a photo of Jean Harlow. Last month I was gifted with a copy of American Grotesque: The Life and Art of William Mortensen. This beautiful coffee table worthy book contains a compilation of work by William Mortensen (1897–1965), a brilliant, innovative and visionary photographer who once worked in Hollywood snapping glamorous and exotic portraits of actors on movie sets … Continue reading WILLIAM MORTENSEN IN HOLLYWOOD

Kimberly Lindbergs
Books, Directors, Federico Fellini, Italian Cinema, TCM

FEDERICO FELLINI: THE CARTOONIST

Federico Fellini is one of my favorite filmmakers so I was delighted to discover that TCM Imports is showcasing the movie maestro’s work every Sunday night throughout the month of November. In the next three weeks you can catch Nights of Cabiria (1957) on Nov. 15, Juliet of the Spirits (1965) on Nov. 22 and Satyricon (1969) on Nov. 29. I’m particularly fond of the last two films scheduled … Continue reading FEDERICO FELLINI: THE CARTOONIST

Kimberly Lindbergs
American Cinema, Australian Cinema, Blaxploitation, Books, Clint Eastwood, Hal Ashby, Movie Reviews, Politics

Book Review: Sticking it to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950-1980

Movies and pulp fiction share a long, rich, and complicated history that deserves more consideration and thoughtful examination. A new book recently released by PM Press and edited by Andrew Nette and Iain McIntyre does just that. Sticking it to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950-1980 is dedicated to examining the ways in which the changing politics and culture of … Continue reading Book Review: Sticking it to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950-1980

Kimberly Lindbergs
Actors, Actresses, Books, Composers, Directors, Documentaries, Horror, Movie Reviews

The Doors Are Always Open at The Phantom Playhouse

A gentle reminder that The Phantom Playhouse – Cinebeats’ sister site focused on horror cinema – is open for business and the tickets are always free. Its been updated recently and collects articles or links to all of my horror focused writing. If you know me you know that horror is my favorite film genre and I’ve spent a considerable amount of my time researching … Continue reading The Doors Are Always Open at The Phantom Playhouse

Kimberly Lindbergs
Actors, Actresses, Books, Movie Reviews

HOLIDAY COOKING WITH THE STARS

In October I shared some of Vincent Price’s recipes and cooking tips in a post titled “In the Kitchen with Vincent Price” and the response was overwhelmingly positive. In celebration of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d share a few holiday recipes from some of Hollywood’s most loved and admired stars. The recipes are variants of traditional dishes and desserts often served in American homes during Thanksgiving and … Continue reading HOLIDAY COOKING WITH THE STARS

Kimberly Lindbergs