OFF THE WALL

OFF THE WALL

TO BE CONTINUED: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOTION PICTURE SERIALS by Ken Weiss and Ed Goodgold (Crown): Flash Gordon, Captain Marvel, Dr. Manyus (a benevolent genius who invented a serum to make black men white) Spy Smasher, The Ace of Scotland Yard, Dick Tracy, Zorro, Buck Rogers, The Masked Marvel, Terry & the Pirates, and more, more, more. Obvious, but well done.

LR

A PHOTOPLAY TREASURY: NOSTALGIC PICTURE AND WORD STORIES FROM THE MOST POPULAR OF THE FAN MAGAZINES edited by Barbara Gelman (Crown): If by now you�re not totally fed up with nostalgic looks into the thirties and forties, this is another book for you. It�s all that gossip from Photoplay's Golden Age — the Clark Gable — Carole Lombard romance, the Search for a Scarlett O�Hara, the Ingrid Bergman — Robert Rosellini scandal... all, of course, watered down into the fan-mag lingo of the times. This book is remarkably similar to The Talkies by Richard Griffith, but the pictures and the ads, especially, are amusing and the price is reasonable. LR

MEMO FROM DAVID O. SELZNICK selected and edited by Rudy Behlmer (Viking): A selection of legendary memos from the man who produced Gone With the Wind and countless other great films. The method in which he did his daily business, detailed and overwhelming. And this is only a selection. Because of the price ($15) suggested reading for intensely devoted film fanatics, only. (There is a paperback available. — Ed.)

LR

ENCOUNTERING DIRECTORS by Charles Thomas Samuels (G.P. Putnam): Interviews with Fellini, Godard, Bresson, Antonioni, Hitchcock and others. This is partially the result of a federal grant which enabled the author to travel and talk with the various directors. It is overly intellectual, slightly snobbish and borders on being irritating. The Bergman and Fellini interviews are difficult and even more annoying are moments when the author asks, for example, De Sica: �How could you have made those commercial films?� The book works better when Samuels lets the directors talk about their work, rather than offering his own intense prodding and/or opinions.

LR

SLEEP, TWO, THREE, FOUR by John Neufeld (Avon): Make a current events sandwich, garnish with logical extensions of dismal realities and a couple bizarre twists — John Mitchell assumes the longevity of J. Edgar Hoover and Meyer Lansky�s devious acumen — but YOU FORGOT TO WRITE THE ENDING, SCHMUCK! (Seriously, it doesn�t end. Maybe there are pages missing from our copy. There are 191 of them ... Help!)

DM

PSYCHIC DISCOVERIES BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN by Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroder(Bantam): Start to say the title of a book called Psychic Discoveries, and someone is bound to chime in Behind the Iron Curtain. Written by two women who detail their travels to Russian conferences dealing with the intense and serious study by Soviet scientists researching ESP, Psychokinesis, Mental Telepathy, Alchemy, Auras, etc. The emphasis is on the physical (not psychic or occult) and factual nature of the knowledge and abilities we�ve lost through the ages; abilities that most people can train themselves to perfect but which may be beyond our comprehension. (So far. — Ed.) Always, the practical application is considered of primary importance. (Like, that's how to do a record review section, maybe? — Ed.) Lots of interesting detailed experiments (sometimes the authors seem to be convincing themselves); well documented accounts of a pyramid�s power to mummify meat and sharpen razor blades, photographs of plant�s and people�s auras, astrological birth control and telepathic education are a few of the items that fill 423 pages. If Rob Tyner and Richie Havens recommend it, you know it�s got to be good.

RC