Film
**A New York Times Editor's Choice selection!**
This outrageous and hilarious memoir follows a film and television director's life, from his idiosyncratic upbringing to his unexpected career as the director behind such huge film franchises as The Addams Family and Men in Black. Barry Sonnenfeld's philosophy is, "Regret the Past. Fear the Present. Dread the Future." Told in his unmistakable voice, Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother is a laugh-out-loud memoir about coming of age. Constantly threatened with suicide by his over-protective mother, disillusioned by the father he worshiped, and abused by a demonic relative, Sonnenfeld somehow went on to become one of Hollywood's most successful producers and directors. Written with poignant insight and real-life irony, the book follows Sonnenfeld from childhood as a French horn player through graduate film school at NYU, where he developed his talent for cinematography. His first job after graduating was shooting nine feature length pornos in nine days. From that humble entrée, he went on to form a friendship with the Coen Brothers, launching his career shooting their first three films. Though Sonnenfeld had no ambition to direct, Scott Rudin convinced him to be the director of The Addams Family. It was a successful career move. He went on to direct many more films and television shows. Will Smith once joked that he wanted to take Sonnenfeld to Philadelphia public schools and say, "If this guy could end up as a successful film director on big budget films, anyone can." This book is a fascinating and hilarious roadmap for anyone who thinks they can't succeed in life because of a rough beginning.
The first book-length biography of James Dean to appear after his death, written by a friend (and former UCLA classmate). Issued simultaneously in both paperback and hardcover. This is the Ballantine Books vintage paperback, 1956, in good condition.
London: Film Drama Limited, 1954. Co-author Raymond Williams. Dust jacket in protective cover; edges lightly chipped and creased; closed vertical tear from top of front cover; light gray cloth with gilt lettering on spine; former owner's bookplate (designed by Rockwell Kent) on ffep; binding good; text clean. G+/G
Typed draft script of 1982 TV movie "Sister, Sister," by Maya Angelou. Twentieth Century-Fox Television, June 12, 1978. Hole-punched, held together with two metal brads; covers lightly creased, corners bent; spine fore-edge has the title written in ink; one red crayon smudge on front cover; text clean and legible. Very scarce. Good condition.