History of cinema and television, behind the scenes, memoirs and more

Freeing Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan’s powerful drama was one of the biggest films of the year, and now you can read all the fascinating details about how production came together. In the recently released book “Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller,” you’ll discover what a meticulous filmmaker Nolan is, the challenges of rebuilding the famous Los Alamos, delightful behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and incredible insights of Nolan and all the main cast and crew members of the film. Filled with beautiful photography and exclusive interviews, it’s a stunning chronicle about the making of one of the best films of 2023. You won’t be disappointed. (Ethan Anderson)

MCU: The reign of Marvel Studios

Many behind-the-scenes stories involving Marvel Studios have become legendary. How the company was fading and had to license some of its biggest characters to stay afloat. How Jon Favreau and the cast of Iron Man essentially made up this script on the fly during production. How Joss Whedon assembled the Avengers for the big screen, only to burn out after “Age of Ultron.” /Film readers will experience the big moments in the studio’s history, but “MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios” provides the complete story, with details and stories you’ve never heard before. The book offers a great mix of detailed accounts of major film productions as well as a birds-eye-view analysis of how Kevin Feige ultimately took over Hollywood and became one of the most successful producers in the industry. entertainment history. This is a great read for both diehard and casual fans of the MCU. Also, don’t forget to check out our interview with the authors of the book here! (Ben Pearson)

Do scary things

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Did you know that there are people in this world who actually have time to sit down and read a book? Not really! They exist! And I’m just a little bit jealous of their power! If you or someone you love is the bookworm type And I also love all things horror, there are some truly killer reads available on some fan favorite titles. In honor of William Friedkin’s masterpiece, “The Exorcist,” celebrating its half-century, author Nat Segaloff wrote “The Exorcist’s Legacy: 50 Years of Fear.” There’s also a full preview of “Halloween: The Official Making of Halloween, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends” which examines David Gordon Green’s trilogy. Or if you’ve ever wondered “How was this made?” » there’s longtime “Sleepaway Camp” historian Jeff Hayes, “Sleepaway Camp: Making the Movie and Reigniting the Campfire” from the acclaimed horror and pop culture company, 1984 Publishing. Good reading! (BJ Colangelo)

Craft comedies

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Unfortunately, comedy filmmaking isn’t discussed in books as often as big blockbusters. Maybe it’s because it’s difficult to capture the hard work that goes into making a comedy. But a few true classics got the treatment this year, and they’re a real treat. Saul Austerlitz’s “Kind of a Big Deal” takes a look at the legend that is Ron Burgundy with a deep dive into “Anchorman.” Erin Carlson rounds the bases and keeps score for the beloved baseball movie “A League of Their Own.” Filmmakers Jim Abrahams, Jerry and David Zucker look back on their own story with a detailed and hilarious oral history of the making of “Airplane!” » Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key take us through the history of sketch comedy. And Toby Benjamin takes a look at the beloved cult classic “Withnail & I,” with the full blessing of writer/director Bruce Robinson. (Ethan Anderson)

Recap of “the dirty dozen”

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If classic war films get your heart racing, this book about the making of the WWII classic “The Dirty Dozen” is a must-have. As the synopsis of Dwayne Epstein’s book says, “Killin’ Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the most iconic WWII film of all time,” “based on exclusive interviews with the cast and The surviving team, friends and families of the stars and other Hollywood insiders, “Killin’ Generals” is a must-read for movie buffs, military fans and anyone who enjoys dirty adventure tales. Detailed, insightful and chatty, Epstein tribute highlights the film’s endless barrage of cinematic gold.” When a film stars Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Jim Brown, Robert Ryan , Clint Walker and Telly Savalas, there are bound to be a lot of great stories behind the scenes. (Ethan Anderton)

Boldly go behind the scenes of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”

Titan books

For those who are fans of sci-fi battleship scenes, brain worms, and Ricardo Montalbán’s manly chest, you might want to take a look at “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the Classic Film” by John and May Jose Tenuto. The book includes plenty of behind-the-scenes photographs, of course, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with director Nicholas Meyer and many other filmmakers. Paired with the oral history book “The Fifty Year Mission,” you’ll learn everything there is to know about “Star Trek II.” (Witney Seibold)

A little television

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Hey, there’s a lot of TV there too, and here are some books that take a deep dive into the glittery box. One provides an extensive oral history of the hit Fox series “The OC,” complete with interviews with series creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage, as well as key players like Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Peter. Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Melinda Clarke, Tate Donovan and more.

On the broader side of television, a new book from author Peter Biskind delves into the evolution and remaking of television. As the synopsis says: “Instead of focusing on a single service, like HBO, ‘Pandora’s Box’ asks, ‘What has HBO done except give us ‘The Sopranos?’ » The answer: it gave us a revolution. Biskind takes on a large part of entertainment history, following HBO from its birth to its maturity, moving on to basic cable companies like FX and AMC, and ending with the streamers and their wars, pitting Netflix against Amazon Prime Video, Max and the Killer Perks – Disney, Apple TV and Paramount. Looks like this should be a pretty informative read! (Ethan Anderson)

Of all the Charlie Browns in the world…

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One of the most beloved Christmas specials of all time is undoubtedly “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” featuring the beloved characters from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strips. Now, a new book from professor and cultural historian Michael Keane looks back at how the animated holiday favorite came to be. As the synopsis for “Charlie Brown’s Christmas Miracle: The Inspiring, Untold Story of the Making of a Holiday Classic” says, “Keane convincingly shows that the ultimate broadcast of the Christmas special – given its incredibly tight five-month production schedule and the decidedly unfavorable reception it received from the skeptical network executives who first screened it was nothing short of a miracle. The book goes behind the scenes with new research and original interviews, and there’s no better time to read this charming special. (Ethan Anderton)