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britreads's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.5
I enjoyed the second half more than the first half. Though I started this back in December of last year and can't recall a lot of the beginning of the book. But this was enjoyable and insightful. I recommend the audiobook version since the narrator did an excellent job impersonating the actors and Hollywood players. And now I have a lot of older movies to watch to track the changes to the film industry.
nightmare_maven's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
An interesting look into the drama of the film industry and how intense Oscar campaigns can get. Serves as a cool microhistory for major events in US history as well as pop culture events.
Took me forever to get through because there was SO MUCH detail put into this (I both loved and hated it). Some of it was not necessary to the point of the book, just extra interesting facts.
Would still recommend to cinephiles!
Took me forever to get through because there was SO MUCH detail put into this (I both loved and hated it). Some of it was not necessary to the point of the book, just extra interesting facts.
Would still recommend to cinephiles!
sholtie's review against another edition
3.0
If you are someone who really likes the Oscars, this book is full of gossip and drama that will leave you satisfied. I went in expecting more (maybe too much), so I left slightly disappointed. To nitpick: in the chapter about the rise of MiraMax and the indies, the author describes Harvey Weinstein's persona as being split in two-- Harvey the producer and the more sinister Harvey habitually sexual assaulting multiple actresses. However, it's clear from this book and reporting on his multiple sexual assaults on women in the industry that this behavior was not secret, and not the product of some sort of double life. I know that is a minor detail of this book, and it is clear that the author by no means supports Weinstein or his actions-- in fact for much of the book he is portrayed as downright villainous, stealing wins from the likes of Steven Spielberg, but I wanted this book to have more to say about culture and the Oscar's relationship with it's audience. Instead it is a series of well researched and written microhistories of notable Oscars
tdouty97's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.75
Some neat Hollywood history! The first few chapters were somewhat difficult to get through, but that's mostly because I don't have much familiarity with movies before like 1960 or so.
wrens_reads's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
An informative if sometimes long-winded trip through the history of the Oscars. The book is rather long and I found some of the chapters to be really well done, especially the final 3, but others to be a bit overly indulgent. As somewhat of a film history buff, there was still plenty for me to learn and enjoy here.