Novedades

The 1990s began with an unthinkable question for the World Wrestling Federation: what comes after Hulkamania? With their biggest star gone, the company was left with a massive power vacuum and a crisis of identity. This forced the promotion into a chaotic period of experimentation as it sought a new hero to carry the banner into the next millennium. The first answer came in the form of the New WWF Generation, a fundamental shift that prioritized in-ring athleticism with stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. This book delves into the careers of the figures who defined this struggle, from ...

Discover the Epic Story of Cinema—From Flickering Frames to Streaming Screens. In The Global History of Film, acclaimed author Oliver Greyson delivers an engaging and comprehensive narrative of the world’s most captivating art form. Spanning over a century, this book traces the evolution of cinema from its earliest experiments in light and motion to the groundbreaking films of today.

Italian westerns, also known as spaghetti westerns, include some of the best and most underrated westerns of all. They took the model of the Hollywood western and turned it on its head, offering killer antiheroes instead of white-hat good guys. They took the image of the American frontier of the 1800s and turned it on its head, as well, turning it from a place that offered infinite promise and hope into one where lawlessness, murder and revenge were commonplace and where nostalgic western towns were often replaced with rugged outposts on a harsh frontier. Where Hollywood looked perpetually ...

From femme fatales like Matty from Body Heat to fearless heroines like Ripley from the Aliens franchise, women have come into their own as deadly film characters. Deadly Ladies of the Silver Screen takes a look at some of the best of the best where deadly ladies are concerned and gives film fans a list of movies that offer hours of entertaining, and lethal, action. If you’re looking for women who not only break through the glass ceiling, but who blow it up and leave nothing but smoldering ruins in their wake, this is the book for you. This book focuses on the stories and the context that ...

SECOND EDITION POSTED March of 2015. Zombie films have become so popular that sometimes it’s hard to sort the good from the bad. Fortunately, this is one genre where, sometimes, the bad is oh-so good. This comprehensive guide to the genre looks at some of the best zombie films out there, from classics such as Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead to incredible films from the 21st Century such as 28 Days Later. Want to know why these films work? You’re in the right place, as the first half of the book will introduce you to the ways that zombies have changed in terms of their ...

NEW REVISED EDITION! The paranoid thriller comes in many forms, but it tends to have the same characteristics no matter what the story revolves around. The fear at the core of the story is what makes these films engaging and what’s kept audiences coming back to them for decades. The villains may have changed over time, but suspicion, conspiracy and secret, unaccountable power can all make for powerful stories. These films are made doubly powerful when they are tied closely to real life events. Is it any surprise that these films had a real golden age in the 1970s, on the heels of ...

REVISED SECOND EDITION. Take the tension, desperation and anxiety characteristic of a thriller film and confine the action to a small space and you have something truly remarkable: the contained thriller. Concentrated, pressurized, however you want to describe them, they have an ability to ratchet up the tension and drama like few films can. The format has been explored by many different directors, including huge names like Hitchcock and Tarantino, oftentimes with spectacular results. Explore this film genre and what makes it tick. It’s one of the most diverse and varied out there, but ...

It began with a single moment that shattered the reality of professional wrestling. A top star from a rival promotion appeared unannounced on live television, declaring war and lighting a fuse that would ignite the industry. This book chronicles the story that began with that first shot, an invasion that blurred the lines and changed the business forever. At the heart of the revolution was the most shocking betrayal fans had ever witnessed, as Hulk Hogan shed his heroic image to lead the New World Order. The nWo quickly became the hottest and most dominant act in wrestling, capturing every ...

SECOND EDITION posted March of 2015. Film noir: It makes just about everything that’s bad look good. Whether it’s chain-smoking unfiltered cigarettes and washing them down with whiskey, wisecracking mobsters while they’re pointing a revolver at your chest or getting involved in the most complex criminal schemes, film noir lets us all get in on the action, even if we know it’s just so wrong. Film noir really came into its own after the Second World War and it shocked international audiences who had thought that Americans were an optimistic, can-do sort of people but who found ...

For every wrestling fan, the debates are a sacred part of the experience: Who was the greatest champion, what was the most shocking moment, and which superstars were the most underrated? This book settles the arguments—and starts new ones—with a comprehensive collection of lists covering the most memorable, controversial, and celebrated moments in professional wrestling history. Dive deep into the annals of the squared circle and arm yourself with the ultimate trivia for your next wrestling discussion. Explore the most dominant championship reigns of the modern era, from Ric Flair's ...

Found footage has divided horror fans and critics. Some find it to be a refreshing departure from the predicable slashers and torture horror films that had dominated the market for so long. Others found them to be so at one time, but feel that the market is flooded with these films, and that quality is declining. Whatever one might think of them, there are plenty of found footage horror films to sort through out there, and it’s useful to have a guide. That’s what Cheap Scares: The Essential Found Footage Horror seeks to deliver. The book gives an overview of the genre. Though it ...

Revenge plots can make for some of the most memorable films out there. The Essential Revenge Films takes a look at what makes these films work and why they can be so memorable. The book also takes a look at some of the tropes you’ll find in these films and doesn’t shy away from the fact that some of them are downright disturbing in their implications, as are many of these films. Some of the greatest art is very dark and, where these films are concerned, darkness abounds. The book takes a look at questions such as why we identify with the protagonists in these films, who oftentimes cross...

For three decades, The Undertaker stood as a titan of professional wrestling, a supernatural force who captured the imagination of fans worldwide. This book chronicles the unparalleled career of the Deadman, offering an in-depth look at the matches, the moments, and the mythos that created a legend. From his most glorious triumphs to his most baffling creative directions, this is the definitive story of one of wrestling's most enduring icons. Explore the most celebrated achievement in WWE history: The Undertaker's legendary undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. Relive every victory, from his ...

We laughed at the rat who cooked. We cried when the old man floated away with his house. We felt weird things when a red panda exploded out of a teenage girl. But somehow, through all the animated chaos, these movies ended up saying something real. This book is a collection of short, heartfelt reflections on Pixar’s biggest hits — from Inside Out to Ratatouille, The Incredibles to Soul. It’s not a film analysis. It’s not a self-help book. It’s something weirder: A love letter to growing up with feelings, finding yourself in cartoons, and realizing maybe you’re not crazy for still crying at Up.

In this Oxford Guide to Film Musicals, author Hannah Lewis gives listeners fascinating new insights into the development, style, and reception of the 2016 film musical La La Land. Directed by Damien Chazelle with music by Justin Hurwitz, the film tells the story of a romance between an aspiring actress and jazz pianist as the two pursue their dreams in Los Angeles. It uses a vintage form to tell a modern story and its blend of nostalgia and realism made it an instant classic even as it prompted a range of critical and audience responses.