Hollywoodland

By David Wallace

Book Overview

Hollywood lifestyles of today have nothing on those of the first half of the last century for opulence and glamour. David Wallace, author of Lost Hollywood, has unearthed new stories and fresh details about some of the era's biggest names and how they lived, worked, and played. The stars' real lives at the dawn of the studio era were infinitely more interesting than anything committed to celluloid, and they're all here. Hollywoodland explores, among other topics: --high society --"twilight" guys and gals --getting high --dream houses --great movie music and where it came from --star retreats and playgrounds --the mob and the movie business --celebrated on-screen and off-screen fashions Hollywoodland is rich and lively history about Hollywood's grandest era, and necessary reading for any fan of the movies and their earliest stars.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312291256
• ISBN13: 9780312291259
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: L.A. Weekly Books
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Hollywood History

"Hollywoodland" has alot of stories about the early history of Hollywood and the movie business. It goes into alot of the gossip and myths surrounding the start of film. I think it is a good book for anyone who wants a good overview of this. I don't think it was very well written. But if you are looking for an easy start to learning about Hollywood history, this would be a good book.

SOME NEW SPINS TO OLD LA STORIES

David Wallace is an extremely gifted writer and I am becoming a fan. While I am familiar with a lot of the material covered in this book, I couldn't help myself and just couldn't put it down. Even the familiar stories had a fresh feel and there were aspects to a lot of the stories which I was completely unaware of.Wallace has managed to carefully research his topics and provide a lot of information for his readers. One of the more interesting cases in point was his examination of the Doheney murder/suicide (?) and its implications in regard to the Teapot Dome scandal. Even with the dubious title of HOLLYWOODLAND which sounds like a cross between a scandal rag and a land development scheme (which in fact it was when originally used in the '20's to sell real estate in the Beechwood Canyon area), this book is an incredible combination of fact and urban legend. This is a very nifty book and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! What makes Hollywoodland such a compelling read is the manner in which the writer has chosen to handle and develop his material. David Wallace's way with a good story is what makes this book a standout for me.

Terrific follow up to LOST HOLLYWOOD

Wallace has reinvented Hollywood history books by ecscavating its ruins to make it new and once again undeniably glamorous, scandolous and absurd. It's one of those things, those books, that you look through again thinking, of course, of course this had to be written, and all the while feeling as though you couldn't have imagined it before you read it the first time.