Author: Christos Tsiolkas File Type: mobi Isaac is a photographer in his mid-thirties, travelling through Europe. It is the post-Cold War Europe of a united currency, illegal immigration and of a globalised homogenous culture. In his mothers mountain village he encounters a Balkan vampire. Subsequently, as his journey continues across Italy, Eastern Europe and Britain he discovers that ghosts keep appearing in the photographs he takes, providing clues to a family secret and tragedy.Parallel to Isaacs story we are in the Greece of World War II. A peasant family is asked to provide protection to a Jewish boy fleeing the Germans. It is this boy who will become the vampire. From the mountains of Greece to the inner-city streets of 1960s Melbourne, we trace the journey of this malevolent force as it feeds on generation after generation of Isaacs family, seeking revenge and justice.FROM CHRISTOS TSIOLKASIn attempting to trace back through the mythologies, lies and truths of history, I want to examine how the legacies of the past still actively disturb our sleep in the present. Isaacs story is written in a contemporary idiom, in the first person, as he reflects on his alienation from Europe, on what it means to be an artist, to be a man in love, to be an ethical human in a supposedly post-ideological age...I am also attempting to understand the longest standing of all European racial legacies anti-Semitism. The vampire is not only the restless spirit of a dead boy. It is also the golem, the Christ Killer, the killer of children. It is this legacy that Isaac must face.

Author: Jerry Roberts File Type: pdf From the first published movie review inthe late 1800sto the 21st-century era of the great movie critics wake, this chronicle reviews the nature, scope, and controversies in American film criticism. Moving through the Silent Era, the pre- and post-war years, the golden age of the 1970s, and the eventual decline of the 1980s and 1990s, this exhaustive overview includes biographical information on some of the most influential film criticsincluding Leonard Maltin, Roger Ebert, Pauline Kael, and James Ageeas well as a historical record and critical assessment of their work. Illuminating various past controversies, this invaluable reference documents the battles between auteur theorists and their opposing critics as well as between the critics and studios, filmmakers, and even themselves. Little-known aspects of film criticism lore are also related, such as the epic battles waged in print by Pauline Kael and Andrew Sarris, the studio boycotts of the New York Times and New York Herald Tribune over unflattering press, and the critics barred from attending premieres by studios for writing negative reviews. Honoring those who shed light on the artistic visions and storytelling sensibilities that have graced the big screen, this authoritative guide is a must-have for industry professionals, film historians, and movie buffs.From Publishers WeeklyAcquisitions editor for Arcadia Publishing and former movie critic Roberts presents the first comprehensive history of American film criticism, an admirably far-reaching work-from Frank E. Woodss work in the 1908 New York Dramatic Mirror to todays prominent online critics-that unfortunately reads more like recitation than scholarship. Robertss attempt at narrative history moves chronologically, but in disorienting spurts that attempt to align the history of individual film critics, many of whom had careers more broad or influential than the format to accommodate. Pauline Kael, for example, appears again and again in chapters about the 1960s, 1970s, and the Television Age, but never in a way that coherently explains her-despite Robertss penchant for needless biographical details (anyone who wants to know what killed every film critic since the 10s will find out here). While sentences from individual critiques are included, longer passages are few and far between, making it difficult to understand the impact or viewpoint of a given critic the selections themselves also seem arbitrary (for instance, Roberts includes virtually nothing about The Godfather). For ardent film fans, this book may prove worthwhile for its thorough collection of facts, but a great history of American film criticism has yet to be written. Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. ReviewRobertss attempt to tackle 100 years of history is remarkable. Library JournalJerry Roberts has achieved a remarkable feat of research and, in the areas where I have any knowledge, is fair and accurate. Nothing on this scale has ever been accomplished before. Roger EbertJerry Roberts amazingly comprehensive and well-organized The Complete History of American Film Criticism arrives at a time when the profession has become seriously endangered by the continuing decline of print journalism. Roberts, a former film critic, has not only been thorough but also has made astute appraisals of the major critics Kevin ThomasIf journalismincluding film criticismis evanescent, Jerry Roberts has struck a blow for all of us who have spent our lives writing and talking about movies. Im sure this impressive, thoughtful book will be a valuable tool for anyone interested in the subject. Leonard MaltinA thorough and informative history of 100 years of film criticism in America that does not stint on satisfying gossip and score-settling. Shelf Awareness