Mgm iconic roaring movie lion replaced7/31/2023 ![]() MGM films were a big part of those presentations. Personally, I grew up in the era of few television channels so weekends were often the time for classic movies. Rowman and Littlefield provided an early galley for review. The MGM Effect: How a Hollywood Studio Changed the World comes out this week on August 15. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Rowman & Littlefield, Lyons Press! I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. I was also surprised by the amount of text devoted to rehabilitating Louis B Mayer in the “me too” era (having read a lot of books about classic Hollywood, I never found anything to make me believe that he was a monster, so all that chapter just reinforced what I knew from before). Someone looking for a casual dive into movies could possibly be overwhelmed by the details. I studied the history of film for years in college, so I had a base and was never confused by the amount of data presented here. They were, after all, the ones who made the decisions that built an empire. Readers looking for the history of the films won’t find much, this is for people looking to learn about the machinations of the business team. From the founding of the company to MGM today, the history of the lions that were featured on the logo, the buildings, stages and backlots, the side businesses, everything is here. The author has done in-depth research and there are dates, photographs and documents that you won’t find anywhere else. It is not about the creative side, but the business part of the equation. This is not the history of the movies that they made. Bingen takes a close look at the company and shines a light on the people pulling the strings. Thank you to Roman & Littlefield and NetGalley for the advance copy!Īrguably the best studio, MGM made Hollywood the factory of dreams that it became. There will definitely be something new to learn by reading this book. I highly recommend this book as a great alternative to the making of a movie stories and star biographies that are a dime a dozen. How sad to read that MGM doesn’t hold a seat with the Motion Picture Association considering what it once was. The book paints a totality of how MGM ceased to be but still retains it’s recognition beyond classic movies. In the middle of the book, A lot of time is spent on Mayer and his portrayals in popular culture that are redundant especially where the author breaks down every film and book reference Mayer or an impression of him can be found. ![]() To think some items were even sold cluelessly in hotel gift shops! The author leaves no stone unturned discussing each piece MGM has touched from theme parks, hotels, fictionalized works to Broadway. Aubrey auctioned so many studio heirlooms in the 70s. How disappointing to read about how James T. As a former Universal Orlando Jaws ride skipper I loved finding out that old boats from when the ride initially opened went to the MGM theme park in Vegas. I enjoyed learning how Ted Turner became involved with the company and the personal account of Woolsey Ackerman’s archiving journey. I never thought about the fall of the studio because I live for watching TCM which keeps the golden age of MGM alive and well but like the author points out, while the brand is known, I can’t think of a recent MGM movie. The author writes as though he’s speaking to a friend which makes the many facts and past discrepancies easy to understand. The introduction sets the book up well by letting the reader know they’ll learn about the corporate structure, the decline the studio experienced, branding, the impact it has made on popular culture and it’s impact on the individual. Mayer, it’s refreshing to read a contemporary novel that focuses on the studio and its impact as it reaches us today. There are so many books already written about MGM movies, stars, and L.B. As a lover of classic movies this book is a wealth of knowledge about MGM’s studio system and beyond. ![]()
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