Branded as rebels and traitors, the members of the Alliance worked in the shadows, gathering information and support from across the galaxy to bring an end to the Empire's tyranny. Concealed within a secure case, their most vital and sensitive information was collected by one of Mon Mothma's most trusted aides and kept hidden until now. Discovered by the Resistance in the ruins of an old rebel base, these files have been passed among key members of the Resistance, who have added notes, updates, and new insights to the documents. A repository of Alliance intelligence, The Rebel Files weaves together classified documents, intercepted transmissions, and gathered communications to trace the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Unlock the secrets of the Rebel Alliance.

For fans of big-screen monster films, KAIDA Yuji is a very well known name. Best known for his vivid illustrations of Godzilla and other popular Toho kaiju, some of Mr KAIDA's most beautiful work is presented here in this full-color flexicover volume. This book's 128 pages are packed with lush artwork, including a brand new piece showing Godzilla in London, created especially for this book.Whether you are an admirer of this Japanese master's work or just a fan of monster movie art, this book is an essential purchase!

Afterword by Alzheimer's Research UK. 'Shobna Gulati is the Northern heroine of a nation' - Lemn Sissay 'Lucid and probing' - Guardian 'Wonderful and emotional, a masterpiece of resilience.' - Emma Kennedy Remember Me? is a memoir about caring for a parent with dementia and the memories that resurface in the process. In her first book, Shobna Gulati sets out to reclaim her mother's past after her death, and in turn, discovers a huge amount about herself and their relationship. Remember Me? captures the powerful emotions that these memories hold to both Shobna and her mother; secrets they had collectively buried and also the concealment of her mother's condition. What ensues is a story of cultural assimilation, identity and familial shame. 'A raw, honest, moving and wry account of the complexity of a mother daughter relationship convoluted by the torment of dementia.' - Sanjeev Bhaskar 'Gulati's book not only describes the complexities of caring (we must not forget its joys, she says, alongside its difficulties) and her mother's dementia, it is also an exploration of identity.' - Guardian 'You'll find yourself not wanting to leave her trusted embrace.' - Desiree Burch 'Beautifully written. Heartfelt.' - Kate Robbins 'I laughed, I cried ... a relationship like no other.' - Ferne Mccann

Star Wars exploded onto our cinema screens in 1977, and the world has not been the same since. After watching depressing and cynical movies throughout the early 1970s, audiences enthusiastically embraced the positive energy of the Star Wars galaxy as they followed moisture farmer Luke Skywalker on his journey through a galaxy far, far away, meeting extraordinary characters like mysterious hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, space pirates Han Solo and Chewbacca, loyal droids C-3PO and R2-D2, bold Princess Leia Organa and the horrific Darth Vader, servant of the dark, malevolent Emperor. Writer, director, and producer George Lucas created the modern monomyth of our time, one that resonates with the child in us all. He formed Industrial Light & Magic to develop cutting-edge special effects technology, which he combined with innovative editing techniques and a heightened sense of sound to give audiences a unique sensory cinematic experience. In this first volume, made with the full cooperation of Lucasfilm, Lucas narrates his own story, taking us through the making of the original trilogy-Episode IV A New Hope, Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI Return of the Jedi-and bringing fresh insights into the creation of a unique universe. Complete with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters, this is the authoritative exploration of the original saga as told by its creator. About the series TASCHEN is 40! Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible publishing, helping bookworms around the world curate their own library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia at an unbeatable price. Today we celebrate 40 years of incredible books by staying true to our company credo. The 40 series presents new editions of some of the stars of our program-now more compact, friendly in price, and still realized with the same commitment to impeccable production.

Explore over eighty years of Batman history in this updated edition that features a wealth of new content, including a new chapter on acclaimed feature film The Batman. Featuring two new chapters and exclusive content from the new feature film The Batman, this updated volume tells the complete story of Batman across comics, TV, animation, film, video games, and beyond. Covering the complete history of Batman in vivid detail, this deluxe edition features exclusive commentary from the key creatives who have been instrumental in building the Dark Knight's ongoing legacy, including Neal Adams, Tim Burton, Paul Dini, Steve Englehart, Mark Hamill, Grant Morrison, Julie Newmar, Christopher Nolan, Denny O'Neil, Joel Schumacher, Scott Snyder, and Zack Snyder. Along with taking readers on an unparalleled journey into the creation of the most memorable Batman moments in the character's eighty-year history-from the "Knightfall" comics arc to Tim Burton's films and the Arkham video game series the book busts open the DC Comics and Warner Bros. archives to deliver an avalanche of never-before-seen visual treasures that are guaranteed to blow the minds of Batman fans everywhere. Filled with exclusive insert items that further deepen the reading experience, this updated edition of Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond, is the ultimate exploration of a true legend whose impact on our culture has no limits.

From Ann Margret to Bob Dylan and George Jones to Simon & Garfunkel, Nashville harmonica virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Charlie McCoy has contributed to some of the most successful recordings of country, pop, and rock music of the last six decades. As the leader of the Hee Haw "Million-Dollar Band," McCoy spent more than two decades appearing on the television screens of country music fans around the United States. And, as a solo artist, he has entertained audiences across North America, Europe, and Japan and has earned numerous honors as a result. Fifty Cents and a Box Top: The Creative Life of Nashville Session Musician Charlie McCoy offers rare firsthand insights into life in the recording studio, on the road, and on the small screen as Nashville became a leading center of popular music production in the 1960s and as a young McCoy established himself as one of the most sought after session musicians in the country.

The media play a key role in post-apartheid South Africa and is often positioned at the centre of debates around politics, identity and culture. Media, such as radio, are often said to also play a role in deepening democracy, while simultaneously holding the power to frame political events, shape public discourse and impact citizens' perceptions of reality. Broadcasting Democracy: Radio and Identity in South Africa provides an exciting look into the diverse world of South African radio, exploring how various radio formats and stations play a role in constructing post-apartheid identities. At the centre of the book is the argument that various types of radio stations represent autonomous systems of cultural activity, and are 'consumed' as such by listeners. In this sense, it argues that South African radio is 'broadcasting democracy'. Broadcasting Democracy will be of interest to media scholars and radio listeners alike.

The Festival Cities of Edinburgh and Adelaide examines how these cities' world-famous arts events have shaped and been shaped by their long-term interaction with their urban environments. While the Edinburgh International Festival and Adelaide Festival are long-established, prestigious events that champion artistic excellence, they are also accompanied by the two largest open-access fringe festivals in the world. It is this simultaneous staging of multiple events within Edinburgh's Summer Festivals and Adelaide's Mad March that generates the visibility and festive atmosphere popularly associated with both places. Drawing on perspectives from theatre studies and cultural geography, this book interrogates how the Festival City, as a place myth, has developed in the very different local contexts of Edinburgh and Adelaide, and how it is challenged by groups competing for the right to use and define public space. Each chapter examines a recent performative event in which festival debates and controversies spilled out beyond the festival space to activate the public sphere by intersecting with broader concerns and audiences. This book forges an interdisciplinary, comparative framework for festival studies to interrogate how festivals are embedded in the social and political fabric of cities and to assess the cultural impact of the festivalisation phenomenon.

Robert de Niro and Al Pacino have acted opposite each other only once, and that was in "Heat, "Michael Mann's operatic 1995 heist thriller. De Niro is Neil McCauley, a skilled professional thief at the center of a tight-knit criminal team; Pacino is Vincent Hanna, the haunted, driven cop determined to hunt him down. Boasting a series of meticulously orchestrated setpieces that underline Mann's sense of scale and architecture, "Heat "is also a rhapsody to Los Angeles as Hanna closes in on his prey.
For Nick James, the pleasures and virtues of "Heat "are mixed and complex. Its precise compositions and minimalist style are entangled with a particular kind of extravagant bombast. And while its vision of male teamwork is richly compelling, it comes close to glorifying machismo. But these complexities only add to the interest of this hugely ambitious and accomplished film, which confirmed Mann's place in the front rank of American filmmakers.

The definitive story of the medium that defines our times
"The Big Screen "tells the enthralling story of the movies: their rise and spread, their remarkable influence over us, and the technology that made the screen as important as the images it carries.
But "The Big Screen "is not another history of the movies. Rather, it is a wide-ranging narrative about the movies and their signal role in modern life. The celebrated film authority David Thomson takes us around the globe, through time, and across many media to tell the complex, gripping, paradoxical story of the movies. He tracks the ways we were initially enchanted by movies as imitations of life--the stories, the stars, the look--and how we allowed them to show us how to live. At the same time, movies, offering a seductive escape from everyday reality and its responsibilities, have made it possible for us to evade life altogether. The entranced audience has become a model for powerless and anxiety-ridden citizens trying to pursue happiness and dodge terror by sitting quietly in a dark room.
Does the big screen take us out into the world or merely mesmerize us? That is Thomson's question in this grand adventure of a book, vital to anyone trying to make sense of the age of screens--the age that, more than ever, we are living in.

In the golden age of American theater, no celestial body shone more dazzlingly than Tallulah Bankhead. Outrageous, outspoken, and totally uninhibited, she was an actress known as much for her offstage vices as for her onstage roles--the cocaine and alcohol, the blistering tirades, and her scandalous affairs with both men and women.

In "Tallulah!," author Joel Lobenthal has captured the private essence of this most public of Broadway stars, the irrepressible diva who enjoyed intimate relationships with the top entertainment luminaries of her day, from Tennessee Williams and Noel Coward to Marlene Dietrich and Billie Holiday. Here also are the close and personal details of her family life and doomed romances, drawn from scores of exclusive interviews, and previously untapped information from Scotland Yard and the FBI. This is the definitive biography of Tallulah Bankhead, a woman even more complex, more nuanced, and more shocking than her notorious mythology suggests.

Delve into the making of Godzilla vs. Kong, and experience cinema's most colossal clash like never before. Featuring exclusive concept art and insights from the filmmakers, The Art of Godzilla vs. Kong is the ultimate guide to an iconic movie showdown. From creature design to on-set photography, The Art of Godzilla vs. Kong captures every stage of the filmmaking process, giving you unprecedented access to the creation of a titanic movie event. *Exclusive concept art lets you experience the epic showdown in a whole new way. *Interviews with filmmakers give you an inside look at the making of the movie. *A deluxe format makes this book a must-have collector's item.

The definitive reference for all Wes Anderson fans. Loaded with rich imagery and detailed analysis of his incredible films - including the classics The Grand Budapest Hotel, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom as well as Anderson's highly anticipated new releaseThe French Dispatch - this is the first book to feature all of Wes Anderson's movies in a single volume. Acclaimed film journalist Ian Nathan provides an intelligent and thoughtful examination of the work of one of contemporary film's greatest visionaries, charting the themes, visuals, and narratives that have come to define Anderson's work and contributed to his films an idiosyncratic character that's adored by his loyal fans. From Anderson's regular cast members - including Bill Murray and Owen Wilson - to his instantly recognisable aesthetic, recurring motifs and his scriptwriting processes, this in-depth collection will reveal how Wes Anderson became one of modern cinema's most esteemed and influential directors. Presented in a slipcase with 8-page gatefold section, this stunning package will delight all Wes Anderson devotees and movie lovers in general. Unauthorised and Unofficial.

Go under the hood of Batman's iconic vehicle in this user's manual for the Batmobile. Ever since its first appearance in the pages of Detective Comics back in 1939, the Batmobile has captured the imaginations of fans around the world, becoming an essential component of the Dark Knight's crime-fighting arsenal. This user's manual reveals the secrets behind the most iconic versions of the Batmobile across decades of comics and films, giving readers a never-before-seen look at the most beloved vehicle in pop culture. Featuring detailed cutaways, schematics, blueprints, and more, this book is full of original art, giving fans the most detailed exploration of the Batmobile to date. A definitive volume, Batmobile Owner's Manual examines the vehicle's many iterations throughout Batman's history, from films such as Batman (1989), The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, to graphic novels including The Dark Knight Returns and the most current run of Batman comics. An immersive, must-have collectible, Batmobile Owner's Manual will reveal the technological wonders behind the most awe-inspiring, powerful, and feared vehicle in Gotham City.

"One of the best literary works of this year" ("Miami Herald-Tribune"): The true story of a theatrical dream--or nightmare--come true...the making of the Spider-Man musical.
As you might imagine, writing a Broadway musical has its challenges. But it turns out there are challenges one can't begin to imagine when collaborating with two rock legends and a superstar director to stage the biggest, most expensive production in theater history. Renowned director Julie Taymor picked playwright Glen Berger to cowrite the book for a $25 million Spider-Man musical. Together--along with U2's Bono and Edge--they would shape a work that was technically daring and emotionally profound, with a story fueled by the hero's quest for love...and the villains' quest for revenge. Or at least, that's what they'd hoped for.
But when charismatic producer Tony Adams died suddenly, the show began to lose its footing. Soon the budget was ballooning, financing was evaporating, and producers were jumping ship or getting demoted. And then came the injuries. And then came word-of-mouth about the show itself. What followed was a pageant of foul-ups, falling-outs, ever-more harrowing mishaps, and a whole lot of malfunctioning spider legs. This "circus-rock-and-roll-drama," with its $65 million price tag, had become more of a spectacle than its creators ever wished for. During the show's unprecedented seven months of previews, the company's struggles to reach opening night inspired breathless tabloid coverage and garnered international notoriety.
Through it all, Berger observed the chaos with his signature mix of big ambition and self-deprecating humor.

From the stage of the Grand Ole Opry to concert halls around the world, and on television's "Hee Haw" and "Prime Time Country," Cousin Minnie Pearl entertained fans and friends with her stories about Grinder's Switch and her jokes. Now you can recall the best of them, such as . . .

• This week we decided we'd better take Brother up to Nashville and try to get him a job. So I took him to one of the places and the man said he'd give Brother a job. He said, "I can start you at thity dollars a week and in five years you'll get two hundred " Brother said, "That's fine. I'll be back in five years "
• Mr. Smith, a seventy-five-year-old multimillionaire, just married a young, beautiful eighteen-year-old girl. A friend asked, "How did you get an eighteen-year-old to marry you when you're seventy-five?" The man said, "I told her I was ninety-five "

Also included are memories of Minnie by . . .

• Porter Wagoner
• Ralph Emery
• Bill Anderson
• Johnny Russell
• Little Jimmy Dickens
• Jimmy C. Newman

Today, with thousands of TV hours to fill, there's room on television for virtually every product, service, and personality--and no one understands that better than producers Marta Tracy and Terence Noonan. Their one-of-a-kind handbook shows you how to make your dreams of on-screen success come true--whether that dream is to appear on reality television, to showcase your catering skills on "The Martha Stewart Show," to promote your flower shop on a local morning show, or to launch a thousand different TV-centered personal or professional goals. "Starring You!" outlines everything you need to market your business, product, point of view, or yourself, including: How to write the perfect pitch How to build and maintain relationships with producers How to become a regular guest . . . or even the host of your own show

This book is a unique exploration of the transformational process that turns film's raw material into deeply moving and provocative experiences. It takes key moments in films as examples of this process and examines how the moment is staged; how visual composition is used; how narrative is structured; how color, light, and music are handled; and how to get inside what it is like to be a fictional character that viewers really care about. 240 pp.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER "Talking with Jessica, I realized how easy it had been for me to kind of put all 12 years of my time on Big Bang Theory under one general umbrella, as it were. The questions she asked and the information she'd reveal to me from someone else she'd interviewed forced me into a frame of mind where each season - and sometimes each episode - became it's own, separate entity again. . . Frankly, it turned into a version of therapy I hadn't realized I'd needed and couldn't have known how much I'd enjoy." -Jim Parson The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it's a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don't know in its entirety. THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE DEFINITIVE, INSIDE STORY OF THE EPIC HIT SERIES is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, executive producers Steve Molaro and Steve Holland, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It's a story of on-and-off screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn't know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever led on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom's major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans.

In his signature larger-than-life style, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall is a revealing self-portrait of his illustrious, controversial and truly unique life.

Born in a small Austrian town in 1947, a year of famine, he was the son of an austere police chief. He dreamed of moving to America to become a bodybuilding champion and a movie star. By the age of 21, he was living in Los Angeles and had been crowned Mr Universe. Within five years, he had learned English and become the greatest bodybuilder in the world. Within ten years, he had earned his college degree and was a millionaire from his business enterprises in real estate, landscaping and bodybuilding. He was also the winner of a Golden Globe Award for his debut as a dramatic actor in Stay Hungry. But that was only the beginning.

The Terminator spawned numerous sequels and made him one of Hollywood's biggest stars, as he had a series of hit films including Predator, Total Recall, True Lies and Twins. He married Maria Shriver, becoming part of the Kennedy clan, while going on to become the Republican governor of California, where he led the state through a budget crisis, natural disasters and political turmoil. It is the greatest immigrant success story of our time.

His story is unique, and uniquely entertaining, and he tells it brilliantly in these pages. Until now, he has never told the full story of his life, in his own voice. Here is Arnold, with total recall.

From the National Book Award-winning author of Europe Central, a charming, evocative and piercing examination of an ancient Japanese tradition and the keys it holds to our modern understanding of beauty

What is a woman? To what extent is femininity a performance? Writing with the extra-ordinary awareness and endless curiosity that have defined his entire oeuvre, William T. Vollmann takes an in-depth look at the Japanese craft of Noh theater, using the medium as a prism to reveal the conception of beauty itself.

Sweeping readers from the dressing room of one of Japan's most famous Noh actors to a trans-vestite bar in the red-light district of Kabukicho, Kissing the Mask explores the enigma surrounding Noh theater and the traditions that have made it intrinsic to Japanese culture for centuries. Vollmann then widens his scope to encompass such modern artists of desire and loss as Mishima, Kawabata and Andrew Wyeth. From old Norse poetry to Greek cult statues, from elite geisha dancers to American makeup artists, from Serbia to India, Vollmann uncovers secrets of staged femininity and mysteries of perceived and expressed beauty, including specific makeup procedures furnished by an L.A. transgender bar girl, a Kabuki female impersonator, and the owner of a semi-clandestine studio for Tokyo cross-dressers.

Kissing the Mask is illustrated with many evocative sketches and photographs by the author.