Classic Film

Step into the shadowy corridors of Gothic castles, moonlit graveyards, and fog-shrouded streets with Hammer Horror: The Complete History of Britain’s Legendary House of Horror Films. This definitive guide explores the rise, glory, decline, and remarkable rebirth of Hammer Film Productions — the iconic British studio that redefined horror cinema from the 1950s through the 1970s and continues to influence the genre today. From the blood-soaked brilliance of Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein to the atmospheric ghost story The Woman in Black, this book takes you behind the scenes to ...

From the triumphant “Main Title” in Star Wars to the ominous bass line of Jaws, John Williams has penned some of the most unforgettable film scores—while netting more than fifty Academy Award nominations. This updated and revised edition of Emilio Audissino’s groundbreaking volume takes stock of Williams’s creative process and achievements in music composition, including the most recent sequels in the film franchises that made him famous. Audissino details his lasting impact and cements his legacy as one of the most important composers in movie history.

In two past books that I have written, I focused on Forgotten Stars of the 1930s through the 1950s; that is stars who were pretty big movie stars in their time but that most people today would not be familiar with unless they were fans of classic Hollywood films of that era. I have also written books on great Western stars and on good and bad science fiction movies of the 1950s. In this book, however, I am concentrating on my favorite 100 movies of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. I have focused on American films only, with a few British films included also. (I am not an expert on foreign ...

Billy Wilder: A Complete Guide to the Life, Films, and Legacy of Hollywood’s Master Storyteller is the definitive resource for anyone who loves classic cinema and wants to understand one of its greatest creative minds. From noir masterpieces like Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard to beloved comedies like Some Like It Hot and The Apartment, Billy Wilder’s career spanned nearly five decades and reshaped the possibilities of film. This comprehensive book explores his remarkable journey from his beginnings in Vienna and Berlin to his rise as an Academy Award–winning director in ...

America’s most trusted and best-known film critic Roger Ebert presents one hundred brilliant essays on some of the best movies ever made. Roger Ebert, the famed film writer and critic, wrote biweekly essays for a feature called "The Great Movies," in which he offered a fresh and fervent...

This revised and expanded edition of Eddie Muller's Dark City is a film noir lover's bible, taking readers on a tour of the urban landscape of the grim and gritty genre in a definitive, highly illustrated volume. Dark City expands with new chapters and a fresh collection of restored photos that...

Mark Kermode’s compelling study of this horror classic was originally published in 1997, and then extensively updated and expanded in 2003 to incorporate the discovery of new material. This revised edition documents the deletion and reinstatement of key scenes that have now been integrated into the film to create The Exorcist: The Version You’ve Never Seen. Candid interviews with director William Friedkin and writer/producer William Peter Blatty reveal the behind the-scenes battles which took place during the production.

With an introduction written and read by New York Times–bestselling author Gabrielle Zevin comes this special 50th Anniversary Edition of the beloved children’s classic with more than more than 10 million copies sold. This program is read by renowned actor Alexis Bledel, celebrated for her...

This book looks at the contributions made by the actors and actresses who appeared in film noir, and the directors who made them: Edward G. Robinson, Orson Welles, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, John Carradine, Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Edmond O’Brien, Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, James Cagney, Ida Lupino, John Huston, Delmer Daves, Edgar G. Ulmer, Fritz Lang, Anthony Mann, Phil Karlson, Lewis Allen, Robert Wise, Henry Hathaway, John Brahms, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, Jacques Tourneur, Alfred ...

A playfully critical journey through the Coen brothers' filmography From such cult hits as Raising Arizona (1987) and The Big Lebowski (1998) to major critical darlings Fargo (1996), No Country for Old Men (2007), and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), Ethan and Joel Coen have cultivated a bleakly...

America’s most trusted and best-known film critic Roger Ebert presents two hundred brilliant essays on some of the best movies ever made in this two-book collection containing THE GREAT MOVIES and THE GREAT MOVIES II. Roger Ebert, the famed film writer and critic, wrote biweekly essays for a...

Mastering Photography in a Classic Way by Siu Lun Yuen is a calm, craft-first guide for photographers who want to slow down, see with intention, and create images that last. Blending time-honoured technique with mindful practice, this book teaches you how to work with light, space, and story—without getting lost in gear overload. If you love the look and discipline of classic photography but still shoot digital, this book is your bridge between eras. Across clear explanations, practical exercises, and elegant line-art diagrams, you’ll learn how to translate photographic fundamentals—...

Read the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all! Nostalgic fans of the Hayao Miyazaki film, Kiki's Delivery Service and newcomers alike will love this exciting new translation of the beloved fantasy story. "A gentle story of magic-tinged independence."—The...

THE WINE-DARK SEA AWAITS In July 2026, Christopher Nolan brings Homer's Odyssey to IMAX screens worldwide, with Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, and Charlize Theron. Before you see the film, read the epic that started it all. A man trying to get home. A journey of ten years. Gods who help, gods who hinder, and monsters who devour. Homer's Odyssey is the Greek epic that invented the story — the template for every quest narrative, every homecoming, every hero who must lose everything before finding what matters. Nearly three thousand years after Homer first sang ...

Ernest Hemingway's masterpiece on war, love, loyalty, and honor tells the story of Robert Jordan, an antifascist American fighting in the Spanish Civil War. In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he...

Long before Mary Poppins danced across the rooftops and into the hearts of millions, Robert and Richard Sherman were struggling songwriters in Los Angeles, trying to find their voices—and their futures. In this vivid and deeply researched narrative, author and Disney historian Todd James Pierce traces the unlikely path that brought the Sherman brothers to Walt Disney's attention, and how their personal history, musical genius, and emotional lives shaped the film's unforgettable songs and surprising storyline.

The bestselling science fiction series of all time continues! Frank Herbert's second installment explores new developments on the desert planet Arrakis, with its intricate social order and its strange threatening environment. Dune Messiah picks up the story of the man known as Maud'dib, heir to...

The History of Slasher Films: From Cult Classics to Modern Horror Icons is your ultimate guide to one of cinema’s most enduring—and thrilling—genres. Whether you're a longtime horror fan or just discovering the thrill of the Final Girl, this engaging and in-depth book traces the evolution of the slasher film from its early roots in the 1930s to its 21st-century reinvention. Packed with fascinating film history, cultural analysis, iconic characters, and must-watch movie recommendations, this book explores how slasher movies reflect our fears, challenge social norms, and continue to ...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER! “Convincing and illuminating.” —The Atlantic A compelling, intelligent, and timely exploration of the horror genre from one of Columbia University’s most popular professors, shedding light on how classic horror films demonstrate larger cultural attitudes about...

The #1 New York Times bestseller and “frightening” (The New York Times) thriller from master storyteller Stephen King about a clairvoyant man who must weigh his options when he sees the terrible future awaiting mankind. When Johnny Smith was six years old, head trauma caused by a bad...