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My Magic Carpet of Films: A Personal Journey in the Motion Picture Industry 1916-2000 Introduction | Testimonials | Order An excerpt from the book's introduction: A ride on a magic carpet is a wonderful thing. It allows you to see the past, the present and takes you into the future. It can give you new perspectives, offer up lessons and provide you with wild adventures. A magic carpet can give you a passport to almost anywhere, anytime. And so it is with my magic carpet of films. My journey started when I was eighteen months old, in 1916, and continues right up into the 21st century. It has made it possible for me to meet and work with people from all walks of the motion picture industry. It has taken me to many wonderful places around the globe. It has provided me with a career that extends from the silent days of films to the present era of blockbusters and high-tech special effects movies. During this time, I saw silent films turn to talkies and talkies give way to surround-sound. I have seen "picture shows" go from black and white to color, from ten-minute one-reelers to three-hour epics. I saw film change from celluloid to digital and cameras go from hand-cranked to computerized. I saw movies presented on a single screen enhanced by organ music give way to multiplexes and home theaters with THX. I saw movie stars' careers rise and fall and witnessed the growing emphasis on celebrities in our culture. I saw directors become as famous as their leading actors. I saw the cost of a movie ticket go from 5 cents to over $10. Box-office grosses are now reported in the news along with the weather report. A lot has changed in the motion picture industry during my lifetime - good and bad - but one thing remained constant: the love I feel for my work. Perhaps it was my destiny, a combination of fate and timing, an early start in the business and my adventurous attitude that gave me an opportunity to work with some of the most talented individuals in the business and kept me an active part of the industry for so many years. But how do I share with you my story that spans nine decades? Perhaps, to keep things in perspective, let's go back in time on my magic carpet to the beginning... |
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