Ballet-inspired fitness for every woman!
#2571194 in eBooks 2010-09-29 2010-09-29File Name: B0078XFNKY
Review
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. A long overdue study of a mad geniusBy Larry BillmanPrior to the publication of Mr. Spivaks book. Busby Berkeleys genius was primarily saluted in books with glorious visuals ("The Busby Berkeley Book" by Tony Thomas and Jim Terry) or provocative analysis ("Showstoppers: Busby Berkeley and the Tradition of Spectacle" by Martin Rubin.) Author Spivak dives into the "why" and "how" of Berkeleys visions with a detailed examination of their creation and impact. Along the way. he tries his very best to find the man in the middle. The details he has researched and shared are exemplary and. without moral judgement. presents them for the reader to process. Some of the theories which have been examined by previous writers. film historians and "talking heads" in the excellent 1997 TCM Documentary "Busby Berkeley - Going Through the Roof" and the many "extras" on the two Warners Home Video "Busby Berkeley" DVD collections get a new twist. such as: When did a Kaleidoscope influence his vision? Who came first - Leni Riefenstahl and her Nazi Germany visions or Busby Berkeley and his patriotic American military drills? Were his sexually provocative formations meant to "push the bounds" of censorship? Unlike Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Buzz was not interested or knowledgable in dance. His angles and editing were the prototype and inspiration of how movement would be filmed in music videos and todays dance films. The film itself "dances." Mr. Spivak lets us simply admire - and be dumbfounded by - Busby Berkeleys one-of-a-kind vision which still astounds us today.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Well doneBy CJSThis was a well done book on film legend. director Busby Berkeley. We see Berkeleys early life and his parents work on stage and his strong attachment to his mother. His work on Broadway is discussed and then we get into his memorable films - Dames. Gold Diggers of 1935. Hollywood Hotel. For Me and My Gal. Babes on Broadway. and so many others. He was fanatical in his work and I believe the author details this from the quotes by the various people who worked with Berkeley. However. I thought there was too much description of the scenes from the film rather than the how they were done. Most reading this book would be familiar with Berkeleys kaleidoscope shots and I would have liked to have learned more of how they were designed. shot. and other technical tidbits behind them. Berkeley was a self-destructive man - most likely an alcoholic who was responsible for a car accident in which killed several people. The book covers the trials as well as some of the Warner Brothers stars who testified. Berkeleys later life is also covered as well as his final. happy marriage and move to the Palm Desert area. A good book for anyone interested in films.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating like BusbyBy Marsha W.This book was full of detail and facts about a genius of movie musicals. It had lots of photos and information on a man who was a complete wonder in his field. He was an original and so creative. Ive seen many of his musicals and the concepts he came up with in filming and set decoration were daring and extreme. His personal demons might have aided in his originality.
