Being there . . . . to peruse, ponder, then please a loved one by purchasing from the Turner
Classic Movies Bookstore-Gift Shop what is undoubtedly the largest, heaviest, and most perfect
hardcover ever published about the American motion picture industry’s craft, skill, trickery, nay
art, in creating illusions by changing ordinary people into what they are not. By now, mid-
November, a sea of books is available to critically select gifts from for those thirsty of good
reads, especially if they hunger to be in Hollywood. Readers of truly good books will relish this
11” x 12”, 30-pounder, yes, lbs., although a forklift is necessary to haul it into the living room
for Christmas wrapping, then delivered. And, yes, half a dozen family and friends, or whoever
you assign to wrap it, will be annoyed with each corner while trying to wrap it. But, believe me,
the price is faultlessly right, $65 in USA, $79.95 in Canada, for 416 pages of splendid magic!
TWO RARE, POWERFUL, MAGNIFICENT TCM BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW FOR IMMEDIATE
DELIVERY AS CHRISTMAS GIFTS – – Make sure, gift-giver, you examine and enjoy it before
presenting since you’ll soon be searching for worthy birthday presents to give yourself . .
Reviewed and highly recommended by Don DeNevi
“CREATING THE ILLUSION – A Fashionable History of Hollywood Costume Designers “, by Jay
Jorgensen and Donald L. Scoggins. Running Press, TCM Turner Classic Movies: 2015, 416 pages,
hc, 11”x12”; $65 US, $79.95 Canadian. Visit, www.runningpress.com, or www.TCM.Com.
“MOVIE NIGHT MENUS – Dinner and Drink Recipes Inspired by Films We Love”, by Tenaya
Darlington and Andre Darlington. Running Press, TCM Turner Classic Movies: 2016, 248 pages,
sc, 8 1/2” x 6 1/2”; $22 US, $28 Canadian. Visit, www.runningpress.com, or www.TCM.Com.
Thanks to two brilliant writers, Jay Jorgensen, film and fashion historian, and Donald
Scoggins, historian, and freelance journalist, we are gifted with the history of fashion on film,
including classic moments from film favorites, and a host of untold stories about the creative
talent working behind the scenes to dress the stars from the silent era to the present day.
Among the book’s 65 designer profiles are Clare West, Howard Greer, Adrian, Walter Plunkett,
Travis Banton, Irene, Edith Head, Cecil Beaton, Bob Mackie, and Collen Atwood.
The designers’ stories are set against the backdrop of Hollywood: how they collaborated
with great movie stars and filmmakers; how they maneuvered within the studio system; and
how they came to design clothing that remains iconic decades after its first appearance. The
array of films discussed and showcased through photos spans more than one hundred years,
from draping Rudolph Valentino in exotic “sheik” dress to the legendary costuming of “Gone
with the Wind”, all Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, “Bonnie and Clyde”, “Reservoir Dogs”, and
beyond.
Edith Head said it best, “What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and
camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the
public to believe that every time they see a performer on the screen, he’s become a different
person.”
Hungry? And want to watch a good movie while relishing nibbles, or a feast? If so, join this
humble reviewer in entertainment, Hollywood style, with “MOVIE NIGHT MENUS”, a food-
cocktail-and-film pairing guide inspired by the classics. Tenaya and Andre Darlington query,
“Looking for a great idea for date night, or to entertain friends? Why not cue up “Casablanca”
with some French 75s and a Moroccan-themed spread? Their classic, and it surely is since no
writer had thought of doing it before, spotlights 30 crowd pleasing films from the 1930s
through the ‘80s, paired with signatures’ drinks and dishes that appear in, or are inspired by,
each film’s setting and stars. Filled with entertaining tips and backgrounds on each film, their
dishes, and cocktails, the book offers a unique culinary tour of movie history, including menus
inspired by “The Thin Man”, “The Philadelphia Story”, “Sunset Boulevard”, “Some Like It Hot”,
“American Graffiti”, “Moonstruck”, and many others.
Fully illustrated with luscious food photography and evocative film stills, the husband-and-
wife Darlington team provides perfect accompaniments and conversation pieces to round out a
fun-filled evening.
Thanks, Darlingtons, thanks Running Press, Perseus, and Hachette, thanks TCM, thanks
Hollywood, and, at Running Press, Director of Publicity, thank you especially, Seta Zink.
