This new book by Jim Korkis (a sequel of sorts to his essential The Vault Of Walt) is a welcome in-depth look at Walt Disney’s first predominantly live-action feature – considering the convoluted path of the film’s conception and production, the controversy that followed its release, and the Disney company’s current policy of simply acting as if the movie itself doesn’t exist. It’s a winding and potentially volatile tale, full of behind-the-scenes turmoil, miscommunication, and misunderstandings.
Korkis deftly traces the threads of this story, the many players in the film’s creation, and the mixed reception it received, and in the process, provides the first definitive treatise on this controversial piece of the studio’s history. (And as a bonus, he fills out the back half of the book with insightful pieces on some other lesser-known and contentious bits of Disney lore.) Issues of racial stereotypes, artistic merit, and cultural context are all addressed head-on in a sober and well-considered manner. The amount of research is staggering, the topic is complex, and it’s all handled with a steady hand and a light touch; the result is a cultural study that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History by Robert Greenberger (Voyageur Press, 2012)
With all the words that have been written about Star Trek over the years, it might seem like another Trek book is the last thing anyone could want. And yet, Robert Greenberger’s new volume fills a niche all its own, and becomes a thing that until now was somehow absent – a comprehensive, unvarnished overview of Gene Roddenberry’s creation in all its myriad iterations. The main focus is on the eleven feature films and six TV series that form the core of the Trek mythos, but Greenberger also takes note of the other media where the franchise has left its mark: comics, books, role-playing games, video games, and countless unofficial stories and films. Greenberger’s insight is particularly sharp when discussing the phenomenon of Trek fandom, and how, even through periods of corporate and creative mismanagement, fans’ commitment has ensured that the franchise has persevered.
Being an unauthorized history has some drawbacks – an over-reliance on pictures of merchandise for illustration (since images from the movies and shows are property of CBS/Paramount), and a lack of new interview material with any of the major players – but Greenberger’s easy voice and comprehensive grasp of the large picture more than make up for those issues. This book is well-researched, well-written, and just plain fun — perfect for both curious newcomers and long-time Trekkies.
This slim, beautifully-designed hardcover collects over a hundred short essays on Doctor Who, by a variety of notables: crew members associated with the show, famous fans, authors and actors and musicians and TV hosts. Some pieces take the form of personal recollections, some recount secondhand experiences, some are simply rambling strings of free-association – but all evidence the strong bonds people have formed with the show over the last five decades, and the ways it affects its audience to this day.
The variety of takes on this one central theme is what makes this book so brilliantly entertaining. With so many different perspectives on so many angles and eras of the show, it’s more like an outward-spiralling wild goose chase of ideas and memories that just happens to constantly cross paths with Daleks and Sontarans. Terrance Dicks talks about his long history working with the program, Kristen Hersh provides a metaphysical meditation on some of the show’s themes, Paul Cornell recollects a story from his schooldays, and Rick Wakeman, Neil Gaiman, Nicola Bryant, Matthew Sweet, Tara Newley, and dozens of others offer similarly individual accounts.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive look at Who history, of plots, of dates and times and facts and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, this isn’t that book. It’s something quite different: it’s a celebration of a shared enthusiasm, and a look at how one TV show can impact people’s lives in a million different tiny ways.