When in July 1944 Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity hit American cinemas, it was only moderately successful. The movie performed well enough at the box office to be considered reasonably profitable, with estimated earnings between $2.2 and $2.6 million, which was sufficient to return a good profit for Paramount Studios. The film ranked 51st in box […]
Alien Abduction in the Cinema: A History from the 1950s to Today by Paul Meehan (2023)
Paul Meehan’s new title delves deeply into the portrayal of alien abduction and UFO phenomena in cinema, covering decades of films and cultural shifts that reflect evolving public perceptions of extraterrestrials. Certainly, the phenomena takes note of all the hysteria and sensationalism that is typical for such coverage. As such, UFO sightings and the development […]
Donald Duck. The Ultimate History by Daniel Kothenschulte (ed.) (2024)
Donald Duck, one of the most iconic characters ever created by Walt Disney Studios, has maintained his place in global pop culture through his complex, multifaceted personality. Over the decades, Donald has transcended his beginnings as a secondary character to become an international icon in both animation and comics. This new Taschen XXL title is […]
One Tough Dame. The Life and Career of Diana Rigg by Herbie J. Pilato (2024)
The remarkable British actress Diana Rigg, who was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1994, is the subject of this biography. Her reputation as being ‘tough’ and a long career as the star of plays, movies, and the TV show The Avengers, where she excelled from […]
HR Giger by Hans Werner Holzwarth (ed.) (2024)
At the tenth anniversary of his death, legendary Swiss painter, sculptor, and designer HR Giger (1940–2014) is once again celebrated for the haunting power and dark psychedelia that informs his objects and paintings in an updated XXL edition by Taschen. Edited by Hans Werner Holzwarth, a book designer specializing in contemporary art and photography with […]
Dirty Real: Exile on Hollywood and Vine With the Gin Mill Cowboys by Peter Stanfield (2024)
The American film industry of the 1970s was very particular and bold. The period under inspection in this title covers a style named “dirty realism” that came up in roughly the late 1960s and lasted until 1974. That period of unusual gritty esthetics was part of the American New Wave cinema. Its directors usually rejected […]
Marvel Comics Library. Avengers Vol. 2. 1965–1967 by Christopher Priest (ed.) (2024)
Again, a second installment of TASCHEN’s oversized book on a particular Marvel comic line continues the excellent analysis and development of its respective part one. Here, it is The Avengers Vol. 2 retrospective that covers the years 1965 to 1967. Not such a long time, but the Avengers would change a lot over that period, […]
Journeys into Terror: Essays from the Cinematic Intersection of …by Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin
Let’s face it, what would a travelog, either from the 16th century or last year, be worth, if one could foresee this journey’s beginning and end, as well as anything that happened in between would it be an amiable and beautiful experience, a safe travel to a secure area which read like the perfect holiday […]
The Bastard Instrument. A Cultural History of the Electric Bass by Brian F. Wright (2024)
The electric bass, an instrument that first received considerable recognition with the introduction of the “Precision Bass” by American company Fender in 1951, has left its mark on the history of popular music. That instrument, approaching the scene only very tardily and sporadically with country and jazz bands of the post WWII years in basically […]