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Imma spoil the joke for everyone, because I googled it.
Yes, the book is real. However, the spine lacks the entire title:
Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business
As for why it looks "old," it's because it's the hardcover lacking its dust jacket, and I guess hand-written dewey decimal tags make anything look ancient.
There's a book on the topic that I've been meaning to read: https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Their-Own-Invented-Hollywood/dp/0385265573/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=empire+of+their+own&qid=1568575461&s=gateway&sr=8-1
The short answer is that the entertainment industry has historically been open to people who are marginalized from other career paths. So disproportionate representation of minorities in the performing arts is something that you often see across cultures and throughout history.
Respectfully, I think you're missing the key element in why Easy Rider (1969) was so impactful. It wasn't about the technical filmmaking, but rather how the film was made as well as the social context that the film was coming out in.
It was made for very little money with almost no studio influence. The film itself is practically a giant middle finger to the establishment and the studio system of the day. Like you, I'm actually not much of a fan of the film but I can still appreciate the context and historical importance of it.
If you're interested in film history around this era of Hollywood (Scorsese, George Lucas, Francis Coppola, etc.), I highly recommend Peter Biskind's book Easy Riders & Raging Bulls.
Jon Peters, the Jon Peters who was literally profiled in a book about how he scammed Sony in the 90s? Not that I’m one to automatically assume the apple must fall near to the tree, but in this case: run far, far away from these folk.
Okay, well I guess this entire book about Jews creating Hollywood is just bullshit, and all the scholarly articles about immigrant Jews creating and maintaining (aka running) Hollywood through the early years through the Golden age are nonsensical, in part because Walt Disney was also there, being not Jewish
So out of all of the "circumstances" you've considered, the only outcome you can conclude is that Kanye must 100% be bipolar. Good detective work Sherlock, I think you've cracked it. 🤦
Now, seeing as Kanye West is certainly not the only person in the public spotlight to claim that Jews run Hollywood. In your opinion, are all the others who made this claim bipolar too?
Maybe the author of this book from '89 was bipolar too... What do you think? 🤷
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Their-Own-Invented-Hollywood/dp/0385265573#
Why are you even here in this sub if you don't believe in conspiracy theories? What is your motive?
Maybe because Anti-Semites from a hero hurts.
But anyway read An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood if you actually care how Hollywood started.
Read the book, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood by Peter Biskind. It's a great read about New Hollywood cinema.
"When the low-budget biker movie Easy Rider shocked Hollywood with its success in 1969, a new Hollywood era was born. This was an age when talented young filmmakers such as Scorsese, Coppola, and Spielberg, along with a new breed of actors, including De Niro, Pacino, and Nicholson, became the powerful figures who would make such modern classics as The Godfather, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, and Jaws. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls follows the wild ride that was Hollywood in the '70s -- an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll (both onscreen and off) and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme. Based on hundreds of interviews with the directors themselves, producers, stars, agents, writers, studio executives, spouses, and ex-spouses, this is the full, candid story of Hollywood's last golden age. "
MARTIN SCORSESE ON DRUGS: "I did a lot of drugs because I wanted to do a lot, I wanted to push all the way to the very very end, and see if I could die."
DENNIS HOPPER ON EASY RIDER: "The cocaine problem in the United States is really because of me. There was no cocaine before Easy Rider on the street. After Easy Rider, it was everywhere."
GEORGE LUCAS ON STAR WARS: "Popcorn pictures have always ruled. Why do people go see them? Why is the public so stupid? That's not my fault."
You might find this book interesting.
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood https://www.amazon.com/dp/0684857081/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TSPH6Z0AKHD0FXY79FTW
Jewish people played a large role in the early history of Hollywood, since many of the major studios like MGM were founded by recent Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe or Germany. A large part of the reason for this is that many other industries simply excluded Jews at the time. Hollywood was basically one of the few industries where Jews were able to thrive without dealing with various social barriers.
Naturally, this fed into various pre-existing conspiracy theories about Jews controlling everything. Whether this LA Times article is satire or not, I have no clue, but it is true that historically Jews played a pretty significant role in the development of the movie industry. And outside of New York City, Los Angeles historically has had the largest community of Jews, so it's really not surprising to find Jews over-represented in the movie industry.
That being said, I'm Jewish, and so far I don't control the world, sadly.
Crocodile Dundee did 328 million USD worldwide gross in 1986. According to this book , the gross box office represents about 10% of a films revenue, before back end deals. Using those figures, that’s 3.28 billion dollars, inflation adjusted to 8.2 billion usd, or just over 11 billion dollars, which falls short of Australia’a 50 billion dollar a year coal exports but isn’t too bad for one film.
There's a whole book about that producer. He was something.
At least we were spared his adaptation of Sandman.
The Art of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. A beautiful book and excellent chronicle of the making of this exceptional film. I just rewatched it last night. It only gets better with age. Every scene has such weight, every plot turn makes 100% crystal clear sense, every performance is true. Then by the end you truly realise it could only have been Jyn to do this. The rebellion, whilst tenacious, has also been at it for a while, and naturally grown a few measures more cautious than at the beginning. Jyn, fresh in, has this bird’s eye perspective on what must be done, and confronts the jaded/heart-darkened core of the Rebel Alliance in the shape of a single man, Cassian, and symbolically convinces him that if he does this, if he can secure the plans — not even destroy it mind you, but just the chance of destroying it — all those innocents he killed, all those underhanded acts he committed, will have been worth it in the end, in some way. And Chirrut and Baze, the spiritual soul of the film, having their pivotal role in allowing the plans to go through. It’s so moving. Everyone has a reason for being there. The Force took the shape of/guided these fated, non-Jedi, unconventional heroes, and gave the justice and goodness that is embodied in Luke a fighting chance in A New Hope. The accomplishment of Rogue One, of making one of the pillars of an entire modern artform (filmmaking) not only better, but genuinely giving it a completely inseparable prologue...is beyond remarkable. Gary, if you or any of year team read this, truly, thank you for being who you are and doing what you do. You, John Knoll, Gareth Edwards and team made a beautiful film that respects its origins while forging its own identity and enhancing everything connected with it, and we’ll all never be able to thank you enough.
Maybe not exactly the same but this book called Bambi vs Godzilla by David Mamet is pretty cool. It's about the nature of the film business and written by a world famous screenwriter and playwright (he wrote Glengarry Glen Ross). It's pretty interesting and cheap on Amazon too if you feel like checking it out!
https://www.amazon.com/Bambi-vs-Godzilla-Practice-Business/dp/1400034442
Try amazon smile to donate to a charity of your choice automatically at no cost to you!
https://smile.amazon.com/Other-Hollywood-Uncensored-History-Industry/dp/0060096608
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So, this book has a very unfortunate title, but it is by far the most scholarly, well-sourced, objective work I’ve ever come across on the topic:
“An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood” by Neal Gabler
An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385265573/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bYdwFbDZ5NHY3
Amazon.com Review That subtitle may inspire in some readers waves of ethnic pride, and in others waves of ethnic revulsion, but the point of this book is that its claim of origin is quite literally true. And what makes it an interesting read for political types is the way it demonstrates that no matter how much the founding Hollywood moguls and their successors tried to peddle an idealized, escapist form of entertainment, bubbling up under and around their every project was ideology, racism, ethnic prejudice, class friction, domestic and international politics and all the other raw, seething stuff that distinguishes this country from all others. In Gabler's hands, the Industry draws a picture of American political history in spite of itself.
Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400034442/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gqNOBb8CK8PZA
Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s https://www.amazon.com/dp/1903254868/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_orNOBbNWPVWCS
The accounting is such a scam. If you want to understand the underbelly of the beast check out The Hollywood Economist 2.0: The Hidden Financial Reality Behind the Movies.
If you think that stuff was daring you should read his definitely-100%-accurate autobiography.
The audiobook version is fantastic, too. He does the reading himself.
Check out the art book if you're ever in a bookstore. It's filled with some really amazing work, most of which was not in the final film. I bought one for my dad and had my wife gift one to me.
It took me a long time to realize that there's no right or wrong way to tell a story. This is YOUR story and how you tell it is entirely up to you. You can rewrite and rewrite until you're happy with it but that doesn't mean that other people will like it. Because NOTHING will be loved by everyone. I often read scripts that have won major awards and I'm left scratching my head. Then I'll read some scripts and I think they're out of this world but they don't get any recognition. This is a very tough business to be in, but you may not want to get into the business end of it. If not, than please just start to write and know that everyone writes good scripts and bad scripts. Nobody is perfect and it takes years to even be just decent. I read this book years ago - https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Screen-Trade-Hollywood-Screenwriting/dp/0446391174 and it was a real eye opener. Certainly made me think, "screw it, if these guys can succeed, so can I".
Your idea doesn't need to be the most amazing original thing we've ever heard; it can be absolutely simple. The best things often are. The worst thing that can happen is you end up with a script that needs revision. Which is pretty much what happens to every screenwriter anyway. Just go for it and see what happens. There are plenty of groups here that will get you through with regard to feedback etc. Best of luck!
Read this book and watch all of the movies that are mentioned.
Americans have a strong mythology about WW2. The US was pure and good, the Germans and Japanese dark and evil. By opposing them, the US saved the world. American viewers are warm and welcoming towards this message.
https://www.amazon.ca/Empire-Their-Own-Invented-Hollywood/dp/0385265573
And yes the Jewish factor is strong in Hollywood. No one kind of admits this openly but it's real.
Another interesting book on the subject: Edward Jay Epstein's The Big Picture: Money and Power in Hollywood. He's got a more recent book on the subject (The Hollywood Economist 2.0), but I have not read it yet.
http://www.amazon.com/An-Empire-Their-Own-Hollywood/dp/0385265573
I hate to say it, but they built it, so why wouldn't it be full of Jews?
Cue: some idiot thinking this book is anti-Jew.
Edit: to add http://www.amazon.com/Entertaining-America-Jews-Movies-Broadcasting/dp/0691113017/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=
They're not 100% up-to-date, but there are a couple of books by Peter Biskind that are pretty renowned for covering a couple important periods in Hollywood history, and how a few important films got made during those eras: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls covers late 60s into 70s film revolution, and then Down and Dirty Pictures covers the early 90s with the rise of film festival circuits, Miramax, Tarantino, etc. Great, adaptable story-telling that is as true today as it was in each time period, and stories about how films get made, and their impacts.
EDIT: "up to date" meaning they don't cover anything in the past 10 years, but their stories and politics ring true.
I always recommend the same two books. They are crucial to understanding the history of Hollywood in the 2nd half of the 20th century:
Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls is the definitive book on cinema of the 70s/80s. It chronicles the rise of Hollywoods iconic auteurs of the 70s (Coppola, Altman, Scorcese) and ends with the invention of big-budget blockbusters (Lucas, Spielberg).
James Mottram's The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood is the spiritual sequel that chronicles of the auteurs of the independent age of cinema of the late 80s/early 90s (Soderberg, Anderson, Jonze) into their successes of the 2000s.
Hit and Run.
An eye opening look into the Hollywood studio system, and the personalities which form its upper echelons. It's also very funny.