Sitting in the epicenter of our nations most densely populated region is a million square acre wilderness area known as the Pine Barrens. Composed of cedar rivers, sand roads, scrub oak and pine trees, this remote region of South Jersey is said to be the ancestral home of The Jersey Devil, an enduring creature from New Jersey folklore. In the year 1735, as legend has it, just after being born a normal baby boy, the thirteenth child of Mother Leeds transformed into a beastlike creature. Soon to be a major motion picture, designed as a science fiction/thriller, New Jersey's most famous legend comes alive in the 21st century. The dual core of the story exposes the life of a tormented creature (The Jersey Devil) who gets caught between two worlds and deals with the situation in his own unique way, and an old man whose belief in this beast has led him on a seventy year quest of faith, hope, and redemption.

It is 1967 and Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife Judith that she is leaving him since she has fallen in love with one of his more pompous colleagues. His domestic woes accumulate: his unemployable brother Larry is sleeping on the couch, his son Danny is playing hooky from Hebrew school, and his daughter is sneaking money from his wallet in order to save up for a nose job.

Also, a graduate student seems to be trying to bribe him for a passing grade while at the same time threatening to sue him for defamation, thus putting in jeopardy Larry's chances for tenure at the university. As if all this wasn't enough, he is tormented by the sight of his beautiful next door neighbor sunbathing nude.

Larry's search for some kind of equilibrium is conveyed with the kind of humor, imagination, and verbal wit that have made the work of Ethan and Joel Coen so distinctive.

1912. Poet, novelist, dramatist and journalist, Masefield's literary career was a varied one. He went to sea as a youth and his first volumes of poems earned him the title of Poet of the Sea. He was a prolific writer, publishing poetry and novels as well as taking on editorial tasks. In 1930 he became Poet Laureate, a post he retained until his death 37 years later. His plays, were written in both verse and prose. This volume contains: The Tragedy of Nan; The Campden Wonder; and Mrs. Harrison. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

In 1974, screen legend Marlon Brando has made a dramatic return to form with The Godfather and Last Tango In Paris. But his family life is crumbling and his sanity begins to slip away. Only an imagined dialogue with his best friend, actor Wally Cox, can soothe the troubled actor and help him pull back from the brink of self-destruction. Cox, who died over a year before, is the perfect foil for Brando's drunken self-pity. Marlon and Wally relive memories of their Illinois childhood and their years sharing an apartment in 1950's New York. They discuss and dissect the dilapidation of their friendship in the '60's and '70's, as well as each man's career highs and lows. Politics and pop culture are touched upon as Marlon conjures another of their famously animated conversations. Ultimately, the great actor cannot escape facing his own lesser instincts and taking responsibility for the repeated cycles of destructive behavior in his family line. He must also face the harrowing prospect of what is to come for his children if he cannot change his ways. Last Tango With Marlon is a fast, funny, furious exchange that runs the gamut of human emotion and experience from the acclaimed writer of The Trial Of Davy Crockett.

Every green-lighted screenplay travels a long and harrowing road from idea to script to celluloid. In this fascinating survey of contemporary film craft, David Cohen of Script and Variety magazines interviews screenwriters from across the board--Oscar winners and novices alike--to explore what sets blockbuster successes apart from downright disasters. Tracing the fortunes of twenty-five films, including Troy, Erin Brockovich, Lost in Translation, and The Aviator, Cohen offers valuable insider access to the back lots and boardrooms, to the studio heads and directors, and to the overcaffeinated screenwriters themselves. Full of critical clues on how to sell a script--and avoid seeing it destroyed before the director calls "Action!"--Screen Plays is a book that both the aspiring screenwriter and curious cinephile will find irresistible.

Birth is a documentary-style play based on interviews playwright Karen Brody conducted with mothers across America. It tells the true birth stories of eight women painting a portrait of how low-risk, educated women are giving birth today. Since 2006 the play been performed around the world as part of BOLD, an arts-based global movement inspiring communities to create childbirth choices that work for mothers. This edition of the book includes the entire play, playwright's reflections, and the impact the play has had on BOLD communities. It also includes a foreword by Christiane Northrup, MD, FACOG, a well-known authority on women's health and wellness.

Uniquely inspired by the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell and psychologist Jean Houston, The Soul of Screenwriting demonstrates how the "screenwriting by numbers" approach that offers templates into which the writer may mechanically drop his or her story idea is fundamentally incomplete. Keith Cunningham maintains that in doing so, one ignores the process of writing. Screenwriting is a long journey and even the most gifted screenwriters get lost along the way. Getting lost, Cunningham reminds us, is part of the process too. What the writer experiences in the act of writing has never been taken into account, yet this is where the screenplay comes from: the writer's here-and-now experience while working on the story. Information--left-brain concepts and techniques about plot structure, character development and orchestration, the dynamics of scenes and sequences--is all necessary. But it is what one does with the information that makes a truly great screenplay. In The Soul of Screenwriting, Cunningham demonstrates that good screenwriting is more than hitting the big "plot points" with exciting action. Good screenwriting also has integrity and authenticity. It has a "voice," and because it has a voice it speaks to the audience. To gain a voice, the writer needs the heat of creative imagination: passion, commitment, enthusiasm, a drive to know the truth of the characters, and an urge to get to the core of the dramatic conflict without resorting to escapism. These are qualities of the heart, and as Cunningham argues, screenwriting can indeed be, in Carlos Castaneda's phrase, a path with heart.

"I suppose for some, knitting is just a hobby. But to me, it's an art form. It's my passion. Where oils may be the medium of the painter, my medium is wool and cotton, angora and cashmere, bamboo or mohair in the most fantastic of shades and colors. I can't not knit. It's a necessary part of my being." Molly Gardner
Martha, a lonely young mother of two, finds herself isolated on Martha's Vineyard in a deteriorating marriage. When she reluctantly joins Molly Gardner's knitting group at Stitches to knit an afghan for charity, she finds herself among a group of women she can confide in. Through poignant stories of her eccentric Great Aunt Frieda, Molly imparts the lessons she learned about life, love and knitting. As Frieda takes center stage through an almost ghost-like presence, her Mae West style and strength of character embolden Martha to make a difficult choice.

For the first time, the American Revolution is presented as a feature drama with all the excitement of the stirring events that gave birth to a nation. It is not a docudrama or documentary, but is historically authentic with much of the original dialog as it was recorded. This exciting volume presents the whole story in 12 hour-long television episodes.

Unlike every Easter-Passover-Resurrection documentary, play of movie ever produced this book incorporates every text, every movement and every conceivable thought found within "the Bible." It is truly The Ultimate Harmony of the Gospels for Jesus' last days on Earth.

Working from numerous harmonies of the Gospel, Dr. Russell Earl Kelly has merged the four biblical accounts from Christ's arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane to His ascension into one continuous smooth story line. The many so-called discrepancies and contradictions melt away in these five acts written in conversational style.

Although some events are fictional they reflect what probably occurred between the lines of God's Word. Kelly has attempted to honestly portray the feelings behind the words that lead up to the gospel presentation when Jesus reveals Himself in the upper room. The final act suggests that a modern video presentation be used to dramatically portray both the ascension and return of Jesus in glory.

Russell Earl Kelly is also the author of "Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian's Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine" and "Exposing Seventh-day Adventism." His research and resources was reflected in "the Wall Street Journal" article, "The Backlash against Tithing" in November 2007.

Macbethis a Tragedy written by English playwright William Shakespeare, who is widely considered to be the greatest writer of the English language. Macbeth is a play about the struggle of the Macbeths and Macduffs to gain power, and the madness that plagues the Macbeths caused by their decision to commit murder in order to get control of the throne. Macbeth is an important work of William Shakespeares, and is highly recommended for fans of his works as well as those discovering his plays for the first time.

When a lovesick postman stalks his nagging ex-girlfriend, he and the love-starved police lady who catches him, fall in love. - "What you won't do, you'll for love." When Postman Pete gets dumped by his nagging girlfriend of five years, she's becomes a bad habit he just can't kick. Through the poor advice of his estranged buddies, Pete embarks upon a series of dating misadventures, while secretly stalking his ex, betwixt each date from hell. Pete may be a professional postal worker, but a seasoned stalker he is not. A peculiar patrolwoman, and her pointed partner are always there to intervene. Pete, on the rebound, and the patrolwoman, fond of things she shouldn't have, take a liking to each other and plan a date. But, how will the story end? DO FOR LOVE is a Romantic Screwball Comedy along the lines of SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. A risque comedic glimpse of tangible and freaky, familiar circumstances, DO FOR LOVE is a story to which we can all relate, but try to forget.

The first step toward having your script succeed in Hollywood is by having a correctly formatted screenplay. Quite simply, "Formatting Your Screenplay" is the one book you need for learning this vital skill. In this unique manual, author and screenwriting teacher Rick Reichman walks you through all the major elements of an authentic author's script and gives you strategies for using each element to maximum effect. He also packs sound advice on: .Rewriting the Script .Differences between an "Author's Script" and a "Production Script" .How to cover, bind, and mail off a finished script .Writing for both film and television Buy this book, use this book, and reference this book often. Over 13,000 people have done that already, and now it's your turn to learn just what separates the "it's okay" script from the "we have a deal" screenplay.

When an ordinary guy takes a Swing Dance class to impress an extraordinary girl, he becomes "Big Town" the flavor of the month and is forced to choose between the dancing or two girls. - "It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it." Benjamin Bradley moves from the Midwest to Los Angeles to make good in the big town. During his first week in L.A., Ben meets a vixen (Fate) and shy girl (Destiny). Begin the triangle. Fate is a fantastic dancer in the underground scene, but a lame person. Destiny is a great person, but a mediocre dancer. Who should he choose? Written by a Swing Dancer who once graced President Bill Clinton with the Lindyhop, BIG TOWN is a Romantic Comedy with the heart of STRICTLY BALLROOM and the flash of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. Rather than being a story with dancing taking the backseat, BIG TOWN is a screenplay written by a dancer, for dancers, where the dancing is the focus, and the story evolves organically from the dancing.

Not everyone enjoys a globe-hopping lifestyle a la Indiana Jones and 007, or endures the emotional peaks and valleys of a Scarlett O'Hara or Blanche Dubois. But most of us do come of age sooner or later, which makes it easy to relate to the pivotal events involved in growing up. First crush. Dawn of sex drive. Loss of virginity. Breakup with sweetheart. Senior prom. Graduation day. Going off to college.

In like vein, we're all familiar with the issues confronting adolescents. Forging an identity. Fitting in. Handling peer pressure. Bonds/bounds of friendship. Erosion of childhood illusions. Bridging the generation gap. Leaving the nest.

"Threshold: Scripting a Coming-of-Age" offers film buffs and prospective screenwriters insights into the essential elements. Chapter 1 develops the four cornerstones of all scripts irrespective of genre. Chapter 2 covers the genre's distinctive features. Chapter 3 analyzes one classic coming-of-age in depth: "River's Edge." Inspired by actual events, the 1987 film confronts its seventeen-year-old protagonist with a daunting threshold rarely encountered by mature adults.

The book debuts three feature-film screenplays: "Homies"; "What Up Dawg"; "What Are Brothers For?" The respective protagonists--13, 19, 21--face age-appropriate challenges involving peer pressure, authority figures, and post-graduation blues.

"The Thriller: Scripting Seat-Gripping Suspense" plumbs nine-score thrillers for recurring features that build nape-prickling, heart-pounding suspense. Fodder for analysis embraces domestic and foreign fare, classic and contemporary, ranging from "Ghost, Speed, Seven, Psycho, " and "The Silence of the Lambs" to "La Femme Nikita" and "Yogen Premonition]."

Text eschews a connecting-the-dots, painting-by-numbers approach, in belief that formulas drain the lifeblood of creativity and inevitably spawn a ho-hum product. That said, the eight factors culled from the covered films constitute useful tools in the screenwriter's arsenal.

Perhaps the best groundwork for a thriller is infiltrating the ATF/FBI/IRA, or a brigade of arms-running mercenaries. Short of that, watching films and reading scripts will work wonders. In that spirit, the book debuts three feature-film scripts for critical scrutiny: mystery thriller "Stateline"; police thriller "Cashing Out"; supernatural thriller "Birthmarks."

Two major new screenplays by the award-winning Stephen Poliakoff made for the BBC and HBO Films and due to be broadcast in November 2007. A stellar cast led by Michael Gambon and Dame Maggie Smith feature in these exquisite, major new films that are linked by a grand house and memories of the past. In Joe's Palace, the first of two screenplays, Stephen Poliakoff explores the relationship between a reclusive billionaire (played by Michael Gambon), and the teenage boy he employs to take care of a grand house. This is a lavishly shot contemporary film about loneliness and loss. In Capturing Mary, the companion film for BBC2 set in the same exquisite empty house, Poliakoff takes his characters into a dark and terrifying exploration of the past and its power to capture and destroy a person's life. Dame Maggie Smith plays the lead role. Included also is A Real Summer, a glorious companion drama to Capturing Mary charting the development of an unexpected friendship between a young aristocratic woman and Mary before she enters the dangerous world of Mr Graham's house.

"Contemporizing the Classics: Poe, Shakespeare, Doyle" is a how-to on the art and craft of transforming a classic into a feature-film screenplay with a modern storyline.

The introduction probes an issue that weaves throughout: role of artistic license in balancing fidelity to the original versus dramatic needs of the script.

Contemporization of a classic being the most flagrant form of dramatic license, the introduction presents three guidelines for a considered exercise thereof.

Each part debuts a feature-film script that resets a classic work(s) in the present.

Part One offers a contemporary visualization of Macbeth, in the process turning an Elizabethan tragedy into a dramatic comedy.

Part Two applies the guidelines to several renowned works by Edgar Allan Poe.

Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" having frequently screened as a period piece, Part Three gives the hound a twenty-first century twist.

"There's just one hunk of funny anecdote after another, quotes from everyone who ever mattered in the movie biz, and the thing is jam-packed with screenwriterly advice. Plus it's hilariously funny, ribald, sexy and brilliant."--Liz Smith
In "The Devil's Guide to Hollywood," bestselling author and legendary bad-boy screenwriter Joe Eszterhas tells everything he knows about the industry, its players and screenwriting itself--from the first blank sheet of paper in the Olivetti to the size of the credit on the one-sheet.
Often practical and always entertaining, "The Devil's Guide to Hollywood" distills everything one of Hollywood's most accomplished screenwriters knows about the business, from writing advice to negotiation tricks, from the wisdom of past players to the feuds of current ones. Eszterhas has selected his personal pantheon of the most loved and loathed players in the business and treats the reader to a treasure trove of stories, quotes and wisdom from those luminaries, who include William Goldman (loathes) and Zsa Zsa Gabor (loves).
"The Devil's Guide to Hollywood" could only have been written by someone who loves the business as much as Eszterhas does--but who also has its number.
"Eszterhas delivers a dishy, catty mix of reminiscences and Hollywood trivia...his forte is skewering sycophants and phonies in this opinionated showcase of the underside of Hollywood life."--"Publishers Weekly"