American Drive-in Movie Theater (Motorbooks Classic)

Amazon.com

Tracing the history, geography, and ideology of the American drive-in movie theater, authors Don and Susan Sanders present a densely illustrated look at American culture at its most shallow, sensual, and delightful. Noting the need of the newly created class of motorized, moneyed teenagers of the 1940s and '50s to find a dark and private place for their pubescent pastimes, the Sanders place the origin of this outdoor entertainment form in the birth of popular culture. The sections on the amusement park-style rides, refreshments, and attractions that were used to lure the bored and their cash to this form of voyeurism are especially delightful (the "Mono-Rocket" ride and the new high-speed food dispensers provide intriguing images of capitalist inventiveness). In spite of its Pollyanna-ish tone, The American Drive-In Movie Theater works as both a celebration and an insightful analysis of this passing phase of pre-couch potato folly.

Book Description

The drive-in movie theater brought together two distinct American institutions: cars and movies. Since the earliest drive-ins of the 1930s, these entertainment complexes have been an integral part of American culture. Their appeal stretched to people from all corners of the country, offering a place for social gathering and various amusements. Take a ride down memory lane in this entertaining look at every aspect of the drive-in movie theater: the architecture, the marquees, the cars, the food, and much more. Black-and-white and color photos, along with period ads and other memorabilia, provide a highly illustrated tour from the origins of the drive-in, through its heyday in the 1950s, its decline, and its subsequent revival.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-05-09

I found the history of the drive-in very interesting in this publication. It would make a great gift for any friend or family member interested in this type of history.

A passion for passion pits.......2006-11-22

Although the drive-in theater didn't start in Hawaii, it may be that the outdoor movie did.
In "The American Drive-in Movie Theatre," Texas drive-in buffs Don and Susan Sanders have a photograph of a sizable crowd watching films projected against the outside wall of a building next to Sacred Hearts Convent School in Honolulu in 1906 -- about a year after the silent movie came to America.
It took a surprisingly long time to marry the outdoor movie and the automobile. In 1933, Richard Hollingshead Jr., the "father of the drive-in theater," opened the Camden Drive-In in New Jersey.
Although cars and movies seem as natural a combination as milk and cookies, it wasn't so easy for the pioneers. The Sanderses say the studios never liked "ozoners" and refused to make first-run, or even good second-run, films available.
And getting sound to the customers was a problem that took years to solve. When the problem eventually was put in the hands of a professional engineer, at RCA in 1941, a workable solution was simple.
But drive-in entrepreneurs were not engineers, nor were they the kind of people who turned to engineers for help.
They tinkered. The results were weird and wonderful -- and likely to annoy the neighbors. One solution was a giant speaker that broadcast the sound over the lot, and much farther.
Cold nights cut into business, too, but every problem was an opportunity to the drive-in operator: In Anchorage, the Billiken Drive-In offered 18-hour, seven-feature admissions in the wintertime.
The 1945-55 decade was the peak for drive-ins. The nation had more than 5,000 of them, though they never caught on much overseas.
From 1955 on, the Sanderses say, television and other changes started to suck the family trade away, leaving the field to teen-agers and Samuel Z. Arkoff's American International Pictures for another half decade or so.
Since then, drive-ins have steadily declined. There are about 500 left, mostly in rural areas. They require too much land to be affordable in cities.
Some individual theaters are doing well, and drive-in societies seek to preserve and protect them.
The Sanderses have traveled to more than 40 states to interview drive-in people and take pictures, and they have ransacked archives for illustrations.
They came up with enough material not only for this charming bit of nostalgia, but for another volume, "Drive-In Movie Memories."

Interesting Info.......2001-10-10

Being a huge fan of drive-ins, I really looked forward to reading this book. The only criticism I have is the sequence of the actual chapter text of the book, and the information inserts that the author has throughout. It is very "chopped" up. Reading the chapter, then turning the page to find there is information pertaining to something else on the next page. The chapter text starts a couple of pages later in some cases, breaking up the continuity. Other than this, it makes for a very interesting read for those who enjoy nostalgia and want to be transported back to a more simpler and fun time.

Great Gift -- Great Book!.......2000-09-14

The best book of its kind, bar none. Photos are excellent, and it is obvious that the authors really know and love their subject. Anyone who has ever spent an evening at the drive-in would love the memories this book evokes. Anyone who never had the opportunity to participate in the golden age of drive-in movies can experience it vicariously through The American Drive-In Movie Theatre. I've given several copies as gifts -- Everyone loves a Drive-In !

Back to the Belknap.......2000-09-13

Don and Susan Sanders have captured the essence of the drive-in movie theatre and packed all of the magic into a really great book. I flipped hamburgers at the now defunct Belknap Drive-in when I was in high school and turning the pages of this time-machine brought back many memories. Forget about multiplex cinemas and theater complexes at the mall. The American Drive-In movie theatre lives!

1,700 yen for the inconvenience of seeing a movie.: An article from: Video Age International

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1,700 yen for the inconvenience of seeing a movie.: An article from: Video Age International
Suzanne Stanford
Manufacturer: TV Trade Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Video Age International, published by TV Trade Media, Inc. on August 1, 1991. The length of the article is 946 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: 1,700 yen for the inconvenience of seeing a movie.
Author: Suzanne Stanford
Publication: Video Age International (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 1991
Publisher: TV Trade Media, Inc.
Volume: v11 Issue: n7 Page: p10(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Excellent reference book.

Hilary Page is a "teacher's teacher'.

Possibly the most valuable practical guide on color

Indispensable!

Nobody explains color better than Hilary Page

Color Right from the Start: Progressive Lessons in Seeing and Understanding Color
Hilary Page
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Using Color | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Watercolor Right from the Start: Progressive Lessons in Seeing and Painting

Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints

Exploring Color

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Painter's Guide to Color

ASIN: 0823007529

Customer Reviews:

Excellent reference book........2007-01-29

As a professional watercolourist with over twenty five years of experience and an advanced understanding of colour I can tell you that this is an excellent reference book. Definitely a great tool for art instructors. Even though the writer sees it as a book for beginners I feel that the complexity of the subject will probably be overwhelming for beginners.

Hilary Page is a "teacher's teacher'........2007-01-15

I just finished reading this well-thought-out and completely researched watercolor book. I am still new to water colors and am challenged and frustrated by this medium. Page's chapter on the history,nomenclature, and categories of pigments was incredibly interesting and will become a permanent edition to my water color reference library. I have seen many variations of color wheels in my 35 years of teaching---her watercolor pigment wheel is based on her own palette, and includes placement of saturated, unsaturated, and neutral pigments. I slso found the chapter on optical color effects fascinating.

Possibly the most valuable practical guide on color.......2004-09-19

After reading Hilary Page's book, it occurred to me how painting classes should maybe start with lessons on color rather than charcoal drawing. Her detailed explanation of color is grouped in three main aspects: objective color (measured by instruments), optical color (perceived by eye) and practical color (working with pigments). The theoretical aspects are then proven in practical examples which are also used for demonstrating her watercolor techniques, producing some very pleasing artwork.

Details on pigments are particularly valuable. Pigment properties like clarity, tinting strength, purity, value range, degree of opacity, consistency related to the degree of sediment, wet-on-wet behavior, staining when rewetted etc. will be new to many. Knowing such details will help you prevent some strange "accidents" that can spoil your work.

Rare books on color point out the difference between the pigment-color contrasts and the light-color contrast. Hilary Page is very specific regarding these contrasts: she shows two types of color wheels and two sets of primary and complementary colors. She also explains "spectral reflectance curves" that give us an insight to understanding why printers use "balanced" primary colors.

A book on color naturally requires high quality print without any color distortion and this one doesn't fail here either.

Indispensable!.......2004-09-09

I'm new to watercolor painting and suffering from the beginner's consequence of too many books and too many paints. I wish I would have bought this book first, much time and $$ would have been saved. Her suggestions for testing each tube of paint to learn unique pigment qualites, pigment colors, color theory, color schemes, primary colors, complements, and optical mixtures have proven invaluable.

The excercises included are easy to follow and serve to instill her unsaid mantra. Learn your paints learn your paints learn your paints! I've had this book for several months - still working through some of her excercises and foresee that I will continue to refer to this book many times in the future.

Nobody explains color better than Hilary Page.......2001-01-31

Not only is Hilary Page a fine artist, but she writes wonderful books that explain art technique.

If you aren't pleased with the results you are getting when mixing colors, do read this book.

If you are a watercolorist, the Guide to Watercolor Paints by the same author is valuable reading as well.

Book Description

The video revolution in the 1980s affected all areas of the American entertainment industry; its impact was most dramatic--ultimately devastating--to the non-theatrical film field. "Non-theatrical film" is the term used to describe motion pictures which are not shown in movie theaters, but are produced and/or distributed to markets that include the educational community, home, and business and industry. The author covers the early Hollywood-produced features and short subjects in a format other than 35mm for homes, hospitals and correctional institutions, as well as industrial films. This is also the history of two major non-theatrical libraries, Bell and Howell and Kodascope, both of which were founded to service the needs of purchasers of the then-newly introduced 16mm projectors. The book documents how the advent of the 16mm projector made possible the introduction of audio-visual aids in classrooms and offices. A number of production companies were established, primarily in Chicago, to produce films for this new outlet. In addition, Hollywood saw a new market and began licensing distribution of the films. Complete with appendices providing distributors from the 1920s-1940s and current names and addresses of non-theatrical film sources, this book-length study of the history of this film genre is both important and much needed.

Customer Reviews:

Another Collection of Excellent Takahashi stories.......2000-06-15

'One or Double' is the second collection of short tales that don't fit into any of Rumiko Takahashi's ongoing series. Unlike the first volume, which contained mostly recent stories, this one seems to cover a range of years, judging from the art styles. They're not all winners, but over all this book is yet more solid evidence that Takahashi is a master of the graphic story telling medium. Whether you're a fan of "manga" or not, there's no denying that she's a skilled artist and writer who deserves the accolades and success she has enjoyed.

Most of the standout stories in the book are, sports-themed. 'Excuse Me for Being a Dog!,' (a young boxer turns into a dog whenever he gets a bloody nose) 'Winged Victory,' (the tale of a rugby team that's lost 999 games in a row and the ghost who watches over it), 'The Grandfather of All Baseball Games' (a young man plays hardball with his obnoxious grandfather), and the title story (in which a kendo instructor is put in the body of the club's pretty manager) all use sports either as the backdrop or motivation for the story and its characters. The characters in these stories are Takahashi at her most charming.

'The Diet Goddess' (about a girl who buys a dress with the intention of losing enough weight to look good in it) and 'Happy Talk' (about an adoptee who embarks on a search for her biological mother) are two slice-of-life stories ala the majority of the shorts from the first 'Rumic Theater' volume, and the 'Maison Ikkoku' series. Again, Takahashi presents us with charming characters the reader can't help but care about, in stories both funny and touching.

Dissapoints in the book include 'To Grandmother's House We Go' (about a pair of hardluck cases who try to collect the large birthright of a deceased friend for themselves) and 'Reserved Seat' (a curious tale about a rock singer who is haunted by his grandmother and Tarakazuka). The first story is simply too short and it feels rushed on every level--the ending feels particularly unsatifactory--while the second is the only Takahashi story I've read where I felt no sympathy or good will toward any of the characters present in it.

Finally, there's 'Shake Your Bhudda,' a tale that appears to be early Takahashi, both based on the art style and the story's pacing. It's clear she was still mastering her craft, and there's very little to recommend this tale. In fact, I feel the book might have been better served if it had been left out all together.

Very cool.......1999-11-27

So many stories! This book has many good stories, but I think my favorite is "Excuse me for being a dog." Very very funny, about a boy who turns into a dog. Ranma comes to mind.

Average customer rating:

The Best Manga of Rumiko Takahashi!
Magical stories that all comic fans should read
great takahashi art
Six of Rumiko Takahashi's most heartfelt stories

Rumic Theater

Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1569310548

Customer Reviews:

The Best Manga of Rumiko Takahashi!.......2002-11-28

I love this book "Rumic Theater", it's the best work of the manga artist Rumiko Takahashi. The stories are funny and interesting and the art is great, full of cute little details, I love the way she draw. If you are a fan of Takahashi and never read this manga buy it you would love it and if you don't know about her and love manga or even if you don't know what manga is well I am pretty sure you will love this book. It's my favorite of this manga artiste. This manga of hers is better then Ranma 1/2, Lum and Maison Ikkoku but they also very good but Rumic theater is sure the best of her work!

Magical stories that all comic fans should read.......2000-01-23

Rumiko Takahshi has been referred as the 'Queen of Romantic Comedy.' This is a title that works such as 'Ranma 1/2' and 'Maison Ikkoku' proves that she richly deserves. 'Rumic Theatre' certainly displays many of the touches that her fans love, but it also shows that she is capable of creating far more sedate stories that might well in some cases happen to those we know our even ourselves.

'Rumic Theatre' is a collection of six of the finest Takahashi stories that I've read so far. As always, the characters are likable and engaging, the tender moments touching, and the comedy top-notch. The stories are more down-to-earth than we are accostumed to, dealing primarily with the trails and tribulations of everyday people--all of whom are characterized in a believable and three-dimensional fashion--but that typical Takahashi magic is still very clearly evident on every page. What's more, the art in this collection is among the best she's produced.

My personal favorites in this collection are 'The Tragedy of P,' (which revolves around a pet penguin in an apartment building where animals are absolutely not allowed), 'Hidden in the Pottery (where reality, perception, and the dangers of gossip are examined), and 'Extra-large Happiness' (where a young wife sees her future happiness endangered by a gremlin that only she can see). The remaining stories are also of high quality, but the characters and situations in the three mentioned above are the ones that moved me the most.

Even those who don't typically appreciate the 'standard' style of Japanese comics (embodied by Takahashi and Shirow), you should consider buying this book. If you appreciate the art of comic books for more than just slam-bang superheroics, you won't be dissapointed.

great takahashi art.......1999-12-28

i am somewhat of a student of japanese culture and i found this novel to be a fun way of gently showing the japanese in everyday life. not only that, but it was enjoyable to read. if you are interested in japan or just enjoy a good manga collection, this is a good one to pick up.

Six of Rumiko Takahashi's most heartfelt stories.......1998-08-24

In "The Tragedy of P" Mrs. Haga has trouble keeping the noise down in their apartment. But when her husband comes home with a client's penguin to babysit, she's worked up about the strict manager (who lives right below) Mrs. Kakei of catching them and kicking them out! In The Merchant of Romance, Yukari is the manager of the crumbling wedding hall, Romance Villa. What she's worried about is all the bills and loans she owes everybody, and losing the wedding hall. In House of Garbage, Ritsuko has had it! Every day a pile of weird junk is stashed in front of their house, which is not the collection site. So when her and her husband follow the trail, they discover that those belong to the boss of the husband's work! The rumors about Mrs. Tonegawa are not good. She couldn't stand her mother-in-law, who died recently. But when she asks a neighbor to tend her plants for a few days, there's something Hidden In The Pottery. One Hundred Years of Love, Risa recalls her past love life, describing the man she once lost, not wanting that to happen to a simular situation with a nurse at the hospital she's staying at. In Extra Large-Sized Happiness, Hanako's a little uptight, since her mother-in-law is considering on moving in with Hanako and her husband, and help pay for a much nicer house. But now everyone thinks Hanako is going crazy for seeing an invisible kid-like (and humongous) gremlin. Is the gremlin trying to send a message? Rumic Theater is one that will truly be treasured.

Book Description

“The stories in this book mirror the image of the author. Jean Starnes is a strong and gutsy lady whose high courage and quirky sense of humor show up in every line she writes. Good reading for all comers.”
—Wayne Burton, Author of Manhunt, Fairchild’s Passage and Lockhart’s Nightmare

Average customer rating:

Great way to work towards non-violence

Effective parenting techinques

Misleading title

Gentle Discipline: 50 Effective Techniques for Teaching Your Children Good Behavior
Dawn Lighter
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 088166233X

Book Description

How to Raise Well-Behaved Children

Dawn Lighter has written a breakthrough book that will change the way you think about and practice discipline. She believes teaching children good behavior is much easier, more productive, and more pleasant than focusing on punishing bad behavior.

This book lists fifty simple techniques for teaching children good behavior:

ten ways to avoid conflict (e.g., how and when to distract your child, offer choices, and walk away)
ten ways to improve communications (e.g., how to use effective body language and set clear boundaries)
sixteen ways to use consequences (e.g., how to use natural consequences and how to avoid empty threats)
four ways to shape a child's environment (e.g., how to simplify and enrich the home environment)
ten ways to meet parents' needs (e.g., how to use relaxation methods and visualization in parenting situations)

Customer Reviews:

Great way to work towards non-violence.......2004-01-03

I used to work in the domestic violence field, and this book is a great asset for parents needing non-violent alternatives to the sometimes violent parenting we learned from our own parents. Those violent disciplinary actions also stand in contradiction with building a more peaceful world. The techniques in the book work! My co-workers and I have used Lighter's techniques and guidelines on the children who lived in our shelter who witnessed or were survivors of parental abuse, and the children flourish under Lighter's advice. Children from more peaceful homes benefit from Lighter's examples, too!

Effective parenting techinques.......1999-11-22

Ms. Lighter has written an easy to read, common sense approach to child discipline. She stresses natural consequences and positive reinforcement. She gives many techniques that help parents teach their children appropriate behavior. As an elementary school teacher, I have recommended this book to parents who have found it to be extremely helpful in disciplining their young children. In my experience, Ms. Lighter's book has brought some harmony to homes that use her Ways. Ms. Lighter's book is written in a very easy to read format and is inexpensive.

Misleading title.......1999-03-25

Lighter should be training pigeons, not children. Her slight book offers unrealistic, simplistic examples of interactions with children, has a self-important author's voice, and little compassion. She suggests making an adolescent coming home late spend the night in the garage, for example. If I were that adolescent I would have a key to let myself in the house, but subjected to this kind of life, I might choose to move elsewhere. Basically the author is devoted to the concept of positive reinforcement with total parental control. More caring, respectful paths are described in other books. The trees to make this book were wasted. . .

Customer Reviews:

A soldier telling it like it was........2000-11-15

General Crook minces no words in his autobiography, a book that gives you real insight into one of the nation's most renowned Indian fighters. A quiet man in real life and somewhat of an enigma to those around him, he had a unique understanding and appreciation for Native Americans and the injustices heaped upon them. In later life, he attempted to use his influence to help better their conditions. Crook never took his biography to a publisher -- that only happened long after he was dead. If anything, his narrative leaves you wanting more detail and less modesty about the role he played in history. The editor has done an admirable job in filling in the missing pieces. An important book for anybody interested in the people who built the West, or in influential military leaders in American history. I enjoyed this book immensely.

Average customer rating:

General George Crook His Autobiography
Martin F. (Editor) Schmitt
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L3U8TY

Average customer rating:

General George Crook: His Autobiography
Martin F. ; Editor Schmitt
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press, 1960
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OMJNPC

Average customer rating:

General George Crook: His Autobiography

Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 080610452X

Average customer rating:

GENERAL GEORGE CROOK: HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
ed. Martin F. Schmitt
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma, 1946 1st prtg. 326p, frontis.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KIL6Q4

Book Description

Pearce presents a study of the concept of savagism as reflected in the American writings on Indians that appeared in political pamphlets, drama, poetry, and other writings.

Customer Reviews:

A view of the distant and not so distant past.......2006-06-28

This is an interesting book. Pearce does a good job in compiling cultural information related to the meeting of Western culture and indigenous American societies. However, it is difficult to differentiate between the author's voice and his citations: does he agree with the sources which he quotes?

Outside of his citations, Pearce continues to use the words "savages," "primitive," along with many other derogatory terms. Often, I found myself having to re-read a passage to see where his quotation ended and his commentary began.

Positive aspects:

1. A great compilation of documentation relating to Western and Native American cultural interaction;

2. Well written (Note, see the caveat below) and concise;

Negative aspects:

1. Caveat: Although well written, the difficulty distinguishing his voice from his citations makes one wonder if he agrees with the citations' sentiments;

When this was written (in the 1950's), Native Americans still had a social stigma attached to them. Because of that, I think that you not only get a good feel for Western beliefs at the beginning of this country, but, also of the author's time, as well, which is the reason for this review's title. If you want an accurate view from the Western culture's perspective concerning Native Americans from the earliest meetings to the author's time, then this is an excellent book.

I rate it 4 stars out of 5 due to the difficulty in distinguishing the author's voice, if difficulty it truly is; I am giving the author the benefit of the doubt about his own beliefs concerning Native Americans.

Savagism and Civilization : a Study of the Indian and the American Mind

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Savagism and Civilization : a Study of the Indian and the American Mind
Rob Harvey Pearce
Manufacturer: The John s Hopkins Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O6GUM2

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