Colonial Americans; if they could afford it; liked to emulate the fashions of London and the style and manners of English country society while at the same time thinking of themselves as distinctly American. The houses they built reflected this ongoing cultural tension. By the mid-eighteenth century; Americans had developed their own version of the bourgeois English countryseat; a class of estate equally distinct in social function and form from townhouses; rural plantations; and farms. The metropolis of Philadelphia was surrounded by a particularly extraordinary collection of country houses and landscapes. Taken together; these estates make up one of the most significant groups of homes in colonial America.In this masterly volume; Mark Reinberger; a senior architectural historian; and Elizabeth McLean; an accomplished scholar of landscape history; examine the country houses that the urban gentry built on the outskirts of Philadelphia in response to both local and international economic forces; social imperatives; and fashion. What do these structures and their gardens say about the taste of the people who conceived and executed them? How did their evolving forms demonstrate the persistence of European templates while embodying the spirit of American adaptation? The Philadelphia Country House explores the myriad ways in which these estates—which were located in the country but responded to the ideas and manners of the city—straddled the cultural divide between urban and rural. Moving from general trends and building principles to architectural interiors and landscape design; Reinberger and McLean take readers on an intimate tour of the fine; fashionable elements found in upstairs parlors and formal gardens. They also reveal the intricate working world of servants; cellars; and kitchen gardens. Highlighting an important aspect of American historic architecture; this handsome volume is illustrated with nearly 150 photographs; more than 60 line drawings; and two color galleries.
#2782376 in eBooks 1997-12-11 1997-12-11File Name: B019P2L4J4
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I needed this book as a requirement for a college ...By Vincent J. ZuzowI needed this book as a requirement for a college film class. Its a bit dated IMO. I read - I learned - I graduate!5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Film and Television ActingBy Don MurrayFILM AND TELEVISION ACTING by Ian BernardReviewed by Academy Award and "Emmy" honored actor/writer/producer/director. Don Murray.FILM AND TELEVISION ACTING belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who aspires to a career in motion pictures or is inquisitive about how the process of motion picture acting takes place. Author Ian Bernard. who has distinguished himself as an actor. writer. musical composer and director. adds to his well deserved laurels with this book that leads the actor through the technical steps and creative nuances of acting for both big screen and small.Most actors begin their careers in amateur stage theatrics. No matter how competent their stage training may be. the transition to the screen can be disconcerting. Some aspects of screen acting make the transition easier: Voice projection. vital on the stage. doesnt come into play in screen acting. The "three quarters front" body position on stage is replaced by direct alignment. but exact positions become more vital in front of the camera. in order to remain in focus and within the lights. Much is made of "retakes" in film; if you dont get it right in take one there is take two. and twelve. and twenty if need be. But those extra takes are more often given to correct technical errors than to improve performance (especially in television where time restraints make compromise in the realm of performance common place).Perhaps the most difficult aspect of switching from stage to screen performance is the lack of continuity in shooting a movie. One often performs the love scene before the scene where boy meets girl and since there is no build up of emotion that carries from one scene to another as on stage. the screen actor usually has to stimulate his emotions by his own solitary devices.Mr. Bernards book is a blueprint for building a bridge between stage and screen acting by providing theory and technique for making the transition.For both aspiring screen actors and those of the motion picture audience who are interested in enhancing their enjoyment through a deeper understanding of the acting process. Ian Bernardss FILM AND TELEVISION ACTING belongs on the b ookshelf right next to Constantin Stanislavskis AN ACTOR PREPARES.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. FINALLY...A HOW TO ACTING BIBLEBy Greg Morrison SAAIts taken till the new millenium for someone to do a "how to" book about acting that plainly and simply zeroes in on just what it takes to be a great performer in front of a camera. Whether youre young or old. male or female. rookie or pro - if you are. or ever intend to act in film or television - you owe it to yourself (AND your future audience) to read this book. GREG MORRISON. Adjunct Professor. LOS ANGELES FILM SCHOOL
