theclassicmoviemuse Hello, lovely readers!
Are you up for a little change of pace? I certainly am. So today I’m bringing you something different, and truth be told, I’m rather excited about it!
Like many of my fellow classic movie fans, I collect books on the subject. In fact, I just get giddy thinking about my collection. That’s how much I love it.
So today, I thought I’d share my latest finds with you in hopes that you will find something of interest, too! Some of these were given to me as gifts and some are secondhand. All were lovingly acquired over the past few months.
Ava: A Life in Movies by Kendra Bean and Anthony Uzarowski
This time you can, and should, judge a book by its cover.
Ava: A Life in Movies is not only absolutely gorgeous, it is well researched, making this coffee table-biography hybrid a must for Ava Gardner fans. I’ve only dipped into the pages once or twice, but I can’t wait to fully dive in with undivided attention and absorb its many wonders.
Vertigo: The Making of a Hitchcock Classic by Dan Auiler
Do I really need to explain? *wink*
If you’ve been reading the Muse for any length of time you’ll know of my love for this movie. When I learned there was a book about the making, it was as good as sold. This companion piece provides many interesting facts and details for the Vertigo connoisseur, and like the movie, is easy to get lost in.
Early Classics of the Foreign Film by Parker Tyler
Although American cinema is my primary interest, I’d like to expand my knowledge of Foreign Film, as there are many gems to be had from filmmakers around the world.
This book looks like a great place to start. It already inspired me to see The Bicycle Thief (1948) which I enjoyed very much and reminded me to revisit Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast (1946).
Note: This book is from Citadel Press, which put out an extensive series covering genres and actors. If you’d like to see my Citadel Press collection, just let me know in the comments!
The Hollywood Studios: House Style in the Golden Age of the Movies by Ethan Mordden
Back to Hollywood we go! The differentiating house styles of Hollywood’s Golden Age film studios has always intrigued me.
Just what exactly is it that sets them apart from each other and why? Find out as author Ethan Mordden takes you back to the beginning and through each studio’s history while examining the directors, stars, and the movies they produced to form his analysis.
I realize this one will likely be a subjective read, but I’m all ears for the food for thought it’s sure to dish up!
Note: This image is from the audio book edition of The Hollywood Studios.
Glamour and Style: The Beauty of Hedy Lamarr by Stephen Michael Shearer
Wow, is this a stunner?! Glamour and Style: The Beauty of Hedy Lamarr was released last month (March 2022) and is a welcome addition to any classic movie fan’s library.
This is a hefty, 329 page hardcover packed with glossy photographs that tells Hedy’s fascinating story alongside the author’s insightful biography. Surprisingly, there are very few books about Hedy, let alone coffee table books. And let’s be honest, could there be a more worthy subject for one?
Note: I already used this book for research on my post Style Secrets from the Ultimate Temptress detailing the storytelling of Edith Head’s Oscar winning costumes for Hedy in Samson and Delilah (1949).
Her wardrobe includes the famous peacock dress sewn with feathers from DeMille’s own peacocks. Really, it has to be seen to be believed…
That’s all for today, but now I would love to hear from you!
Would you like to see more from my collection? Which of these titles would you like most to read?
And what classic movie related books are YOU currently reading?
That’s a very interesting reading list there Muse, cool stuff. I definitely need to check out that Foreign Films book for sure, and the Hollywood Golden Age one too. I’m very particular about what I read, I have very specific tastes. Being on the Autistic Spectrum makes reading a little bit of a chore at times, but as long as I have interest in the subject I have no problems.
Glad you enjoyed this, Moviefanman! Awesome! 🙂 Please let me know if you get a chance to check out either of those books. They look fairly unique as movie books go, so they should make for very interesting reading.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Have a great weekend! 🙂 ❤
Oh wow, what a wonderful selection 🥰📚!
SUPER keen to hear more about ‘ The Hollywood Studios: House Style in the Golden Age of the Movies’ ☺️ I’ve always been intrigued…downright nosy 😂 about the different studios and how they set themselves apart, or perhaps didn’t?
Those Ava and Hedy covers really should come with a health warning 😵💗! Good grief, they were true goddesses 🙌✨
I hear you in wanting to branch out a little by adding some more foreign films to your movie diet. I struggle to think of a foreign film that I haven’t really enjoyed recently, so it is silly that I don’t turn to them more often. Would love to hear of some titles recommended by Tyler in this book and that sound good to you 😊 (Also totally here for your Citadel Press collection video 😁)
Vertigo….enough said 😉💝
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these gems Ari 😊!
Happy weekend (and happy reading!) x
Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Lee! ❤
The Hollywood Studios does look like good fun for us movie buffs who love to ponder these things 😉 simply fascinating! Yes, the Ava and Hedy titles are an abundance of beauty – truly gorgeous!
Glad to hear of your interest in foreign films, too 🙂 What’s your favorite that you’ve seen so far?
I will be sure to share more gems as I find them as well as my Citadel Press collection! (Although it will probably be in a post) 😉
Thanks again for your comment, lovely! Happy weekend to you as well! ❤
My apologies for not replying sooner Ari 😳!
The most recent foreign film watches that spring to mind for me are both French films. One that I thoroughly enjoyed was ‘ My Afternoons With Margueritte’ (2010) that starred Gerard Depardieu. A fairly light watch, but one that left me floating on air and a little bit teary, in a good way 🥰
The other was 1958’s ‘Mon Oncle’ which was an utter delight 💝 and featured one of the craziest houses I have ever seen 😂
You must become acquainted with Monsieur Hulot, if you are yet to do so 😁!
I would love to hear about some of your favourites too 🌏💗 x
No worries, Lee! There’s no rush 🙂
Upon reading a short description, ‘Afternoons’ sounds so lovely! And yes, a definite tearjearker ❤
I’ve heard that Mon Ocle is a treasure! Thank you for reminding me to see it! I’m looking forward to making M. Hulot’s acquaintance 😉
Just giving it a quick think, I came up with two. Cinema Paradiso (1988) is a more contemporary pick – heartbreakingly beautiful, and Beauty and the Beast (1946) is so lyrical and simply stunning. In fact, you’ve inspired me to put a post together to elaborate and share even more faves 🙂 Thanks for the idea, lovely! ❤
Yes, I like these kinds of posts. I read The Man Who Made the Movies by Vanda Krefft, about William Fox. I also read Theda Bara, My Mentor by Joan Craig. Those were the recent ones.
I appreciate your feedback, Book Hogs! 🙂 Those titles sound great, and the Theda Bara memoir sounds especially fascinating. I will keep an eye out for them. Thank you for sharing! ❤️
I would love to see more of your collection! 😀 Of these, the one about the studios’ styles piqued my interest most, since I find it fun to fantasize about which one I’d like to be part of most. I’ll have to check that out. 🙂
And since you mentioned Vertigo, I just want to let you know I HAVE started it. I unintentionally had to split it into two halves (which I didn’t want to do), then I got interrupted when I returned to it. So, I’m just going to start over from the beginning again really soon, when I can take it in all at once. Even though I haven’t seen it all yet, I can already tell that as a technical achievement, it is uniquely superb (can you imagine watching it on the big screen?!), and I’m sure there’s more than enough fascinating detail on the process of its creation to fill a book (more than likely, it’s a story big enough for two!). 😀
Also, I recently realized That Hamilton Woman is available to me through Hulu Live for a couple weeks, and I look forward to revisiting it, too (as there really was some wonky stuff going on with the upload I found on YouTube). 🙂
Your wish is my command! 😉 Oh yes, that’s so fun to do! For me, my first thought is MGM. How about you?
“Uniquely superb” – love that! ❤️ It would be heavenly seeing Vertigo on the big screen. I might just have to petition TCM to do so 🙂 Anyways, I eagerly await more of your thoughts! Also, will Vertigo be your first Kim Novak movie?
That’s great! Enjoy That Hamilton Woman in all its uncut glory 🙂 such a beautiful movie deserves it.
Thank you for stopping by with this lovely feedback, Jillian! ❤️
Oooo…My first thought Is MGM, too! But I also love that era where Warner Bros. was turning out those high-quality adaptions of Broadway shows and hitting it out of the park every time. Maybe LB could loan me out so I could take part in those? 😉 And who knows, maybe a book like this could change my mind – or at least solidify my choice.
Technically, it’s not my first Kim Novak movie. (I’ve seen a couple; she was just never on my radar.) But it is my first since learning more about her through your blogathon! 🙂
I’m looking forward to experiencing both of these again in a way that’s worthy of them (Vertigo all in one sitting, and That Hamilton Woman without the out-of-sync audio and weird jump cuts). I have a feeling they’re films you need to watch more than once to get their full impact, anyway. You’ll be hearing from me again soon! 🙂
Love those choices, Jillian! Enjoy your movies! 🙂
Great Selection! I collect a lot of OH books too. I need to stop because my piles are getting too big haha I am currently reading Memoirs of Professional Cad by George Sanders 🙂
Thank you, Daffny! It’s great fun collecting OH books, isn’t it? I like the saying “it’s not hoarding, if it’s books” 😉 Oh, I’ve heard Sanders’s memoir is an excellent read! Enjoy it – Lovely to hear from you 🙂
Oh boy, I would LOVE to get my hands on the Hollywood Studios/House Style book. I might have to head directly to Amazon after I click “Post Comment”.
I just finished reading Silent Stars Jeanine Basinger, and it was a book I didn’t want to end. I love the way she writes about film and classic Hollywood, and it gave me a (very) long list of new silent films to see.