Painting a vivid picture of the pivotal case that broke apart a Chicago mob family, this narrative relies on court transcripts, police records, interviews, and notes to recreate the story as it unfolded in a 2007 courtroom.
The grandson and great-grandson of Chicago police officers, Chicago Police Detective James Sherlock was CPD through-and-through. His career had seen its share of twists and turns, from his time working undercover to thwart robberies on Chicago's L trains, to his side gig working security at The Jerry Springer Show, to his years as a homicide detective. He thought he had seen it all. But on this day, he was at the records center to see the case file for the murder of John Hughes, who was seventeen years old when he was gunned down in a park on Chicago's Southwest Side on May 15, 1976. The case had haunted many in the department for years and its threads led everywhere: Police corruption. Hints of the influence of the Chicago Outfit. A crooked judge. Even the belief that the cover-up extended to &“hizzoner&” himself—legendary Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. Sherlock, expecting to retire within a year, had a dream assignment: working cold cases for the Chicago office of the FBI. And with time for one more big investigation, he had chosen this stubborn case. More than forty years after the Hughes killing, he was hopeful he could finally put the case to rest. Then the records clerk handed Sherlock a thin manila folder. A murder that had roiled the city and had been investigated for years had been reduced to a few reports and photographs. What should have been a massive file with notes and transcripts from dozens of interviews was nowhere to be found. Sherlock could have left the records center without the folder and cruised into retirement, and no one would have noticed. Instead, he tucked the envelope under his arm and carried it outside.
No one did political corruption quite like Rod Blagojevich. The 40th governor of Illinois made international headlines in 2008 when he was roused from his bed and arrested by the FBI at his Chicago home. He was accused of running the state government as a criminal racket and, most shockingly, caught on tape trying to barter away President-elect Barack Obama’s US Senate seat. Most politicians would hunker down, stay quiet, and fight the federal case against them. But as he had done for years, Rod Blagojevich proved he was no ordinary politician. Instead, he fueled the headlines, proclaiming his innocence on seemingly every national talk show and street corner he could find.Revealing evidence from the investigation never before made public, Golden is the most complete telling yet of the Blagojevich story, written by two Chicago reporters who covered every step of his rise and fall and spent years sifting through evidence, compiling documents, and conducting more than a hundred interviews with those who have known Blagojevich from his childhood to his time in the governor’s office. Dispensing with sensationalism to present the facts about one of the nation’s most notorious politicians, the authors detail the mechanics of the corruption that brought the governor down and profile a fascinating and frustrating character who embodies much of what is wrong with modern politics. With Blagojevich now serving 14 years in prison, the time has come for the last word on who Blagojevich was, how he was elected, how he got himself into trouble, and how the feds took him down.
O Brothers, Let's Go Down!" (OBLGD) is a prequel to the Coen brothers' movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (OBWAT) As OBWAT is based on the Odyssey, so OBLGD is based on the Iliad. New Orleans-1934 stands in for the fabled city of Troy, three years before the action of OBWAT. The story opens in a dark barn in Mississippi's Arktabutta Valley. It first appears that a man is being brutally tortured. Then it becomes clear that the “victim” is 34-year-old Ulysses Everett McGill. He has paid two men to pull his own hair out by the roots to induce artificial baldness. He then goes to New Orleans with a truckload of Dapper Dan pomade and establishes his bogus ministry in Jackson Square. Posing as the Reverend Jordan Rivers, Everett preaches from a bandstand in the Square, and prays daily for hair to grow on the bald pate of his planted sidekick Archie Killian. Each time he prays for Archie's hair to grow, he offhandedly smears balm on his own “bald” head. When his hair grows back and Archie's doesn't, he makes a fortune selling tins of Dapper Dan, relabeled as “Dr. Gilliead's Heavenly Balm, the Pomade that is Stronger than Prayer.” As Everett conducts his scam, Priam and Hecuba Troy, proprietors of the renowned House of the Rising Sun, scheme to recruit Penny McGill for service in their house of prostitution. Pete and Delmar try to pass themselves off as black musicians. Their antics eventually end them up on the wrong side of the law. A Pagasus-themed Mardi Gras float becomes part of a ruse to spring Everett from the Louisiana State Penitentiary.OBWAT fans will finally know the answers to many questions such as: Why does Penny count to three? Why does Baby Face Nelson hate cows? How do they come to know the term “paterfamilias?” Why is it so important to be “bona fide?” How did Everett hook up with Pete and Delmar? Where did the Soggy Bottom Boys find their name? How did Everett wind up in jail for "practicin' law" without a license? O Brothers Let's Go Down! remains true to the storyline of O Brother, Where Art Thou? Yet the story also remains remarkably true to the general story line of Homer's Iliad. If you take a few minutes to read OBLGD, “your time will not have been illspent.”
Jeff Bridges is one of the world's most popular actors and his unforgettable performance as The Dude in Coen Brothers film, The Big Lebowski, made him a cult hero. His remarkable career as an actor, performer and songwriter has brought him an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award. Away from the spotlight, Bridges is a dedicated practitioner of Zen Buddhism and for more than a decade has been close friends with Zen leader Bernie Glassman. It is Glassman who has helped guide Bridges' lessons on the path to enlightenment and the two have spent many hours discussing life, love, the movies, creativity, happiness and death. With wit, charm and profound insight, Bridges and Glassman discover the Zen in iconic scenes and lines from The Big Lebowski. With honesty and humour, Bridges explores how his Zen practice and his life experience inform one another as he discusses his loving relationship with his parents, his marriage, his highly successful career and his warm connection with his fans.
Painting a vivid picture of the pivotal case that broke apart a Chicago mob family, this narrative relies on court transcripts, police records, interviews, and notes to recreate the story as it unfolded in a 2007 courtroom.
The Reel Classroom: An Introduction to Film Studies and Filmmaking presents an educator-facilitated curriculum that focuses on a variety of aspects concerning the appreciation of film and the filmmaking process. With a goal to turn "movie day" into a teaching and learning opportunity—rather than a virtual day off for students—this book will help invigorate classrooms of all disciplines by incorporating documentaries, feature films, short films, and animated films into the regular curriculum. Chapters begin with short and effective introductions to the specified concept with accompanying class discussion ideas and background information for the teacher. Each chapter will conclude with reproducible handouts and assignment sheets along with two to three sample activities/opportunities for assessment. Suggestions for films to be used for each discipline will also be given. Grades 6-9
A drinking guide that “dives deep into Star Wars prequels, Doctor Who (the blue-hued Gin & Tardis) and superhero culture (a Midori-spiked Hulk Smash)” (Liquor.com). Sci-fi and fantasy worlds are full of characters who know that sometimes magic happens at the bar. Drink Like a Geek is a look at iconic drinks and the roles they play in our favorite movies, shows, books, and comics. It’s also a toast to the geeks, nerds, and gamers who keep this culture alive. Drink Like a Geek is a fan encyclopedia and cocktail book. Because audience participation is strongly encouraged, dozens of recipes for otherworldly cocktails, brews, and booze are included. If you’re looking for geek gifts, Drink Like a Geek raises the bar. Homebrewers and mixology nerds who are fans of superheroes, wizards, or intergalactic adventure will also enjoy this book’s celebration of real-world bar-arcades, geeky Tiki culture, and the surprising connections between space and modern booze. In Drink Like a Geek, you’ll find entertainment and drinks for fans who love:Sci-fiComic booksWizardsGenre TVB-moviesVideogamesCosplay and conventionsSpace! “Puts a whole new spectrum of geek-loved media together with peppy, name-checked cocktails . . . Drink Romulan Ale with Doc McCoy, Tardis-blue gin with The Doctor, and a corrected Vesper with Bond, James Bond.” —Lew Bryson, author of Tasting Whiskey “Not only is Cioletti’s book informative and inventive, but wildly entertaining as well. Of course, I’m drunk on an Ewok ‘Bright Tree Swizzle,’ but there you go.” —Matt Gourley, actor, comedian, podcaster
Fully updated, this irreverent guide to the City of Angels focuses on both the major tourist destinations as well as lesser-known gems and curiosities. A colour photograph section brings the city's highlights to life, from the Hollywood Hills to Santa Monica Boulevard. Each chapter gives detailed coverage of each area's attractions, from accommodation and restaurants to galleries, shops, sports activities and child-oriented diversions. There are also feature articles on such subjects as Hollywood, LA on film, architecture and LA people.
The three-act structure is so last century! Unlike other screenwriting books, this unique storytelling guide pushes you to break free of tired, formulaic writing by bending or breaking the rules of storytelling as we know them. This new edition dives into all the key aspects of scriptwriting, including structure, genre, character, form, and tone. Authors Ken Dancyger, Jessie Keyt, and Jeff Rush explore myriad alternatives to the traditional three-act story structure, going beyond teaching you "how to tell a story" by teaching you how to write against conventional formulas to produce original, exciting material. Fully revised and updated, the book includes new examples from contemporary and classic cinema and episodic series, as well as additional content on strategies for plot, character, and genre; an exploration of theatrical devices in film; and approaches to scriptwriting with case studies of prolific storytellers such as Billy Wilder, Kelly Reichardt, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Kathryn Bigelow. Ideal for students of screenwriting and professional screenwriters wishing to develop their craft and write original scripts.
This definitive guidebook to Los Angeles and Southern California features hundreds of reviews of the city's restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shops, and cinemas. Along with a thorough look at LA's top tourist areas, from Hollywood and Beverly Hills to Santa Monica and Disneyland, the guide explores more obscure but no less deserving sights, from Downtown's arts district to Santa Catalina Island. Additionally, the book covers the broader Southern California region, including San Diego, Palm Springs and Santa Barbara. A full range of practical information for the visitor includes city transport and tours to costs and currency, while an in-depth contexts section details the region's colourful background, from its landmark architecture to the rise of the Hollywood film industry. Finally, individual sections highlight the region's top sights, as well as its beautiful beaches, and there are plenty of maps to help you plan your trip to this free-spirited American metropolis. Originally published in print in 2011. Now available in ePub format.
Let’s cut to the chase:Writing a Great Movieis a practical nuts-and-bolts manual to dramatic writing for film. This hands-on course in screenwriting shows how to create, develop, and construct an original screenplay from scratch using seven essential tools for the screenwriter—(1) Dilemma, Crisis, Decision and Action, and Resolution; (2) Theme; (3) the 36 Dramatic Situations; (4) the Enneagram; (5) Research and Brainstorming; (6) the Central Proposition; and (7) Sequence, Proposition, and Plot—which break the writing process down into approachable steps and produce great results. Author Jeff Kitchen—a working screenwriter, renowned dramaturge, and teacher at the University of Southern California’s graduate film school—shares the insider secrets he has developed over years of writing and teaching.Writing a Great Movieis the complete guide to creating compelling screenplays that will sell. • State-of-the-art screenwriting theory and technique from a master • Author named one of today's top screenwriting teachers inCreative Screenwritingmagazine • Great for writers at every level, beginner to established
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