In November 1936, publisher Henry R. Luce launched "LIFE" as a weekly news magazine with pictures and a clear purpose: "To see life; to see the world; to be an eyewitness to great events. Before readers' attention was swallowed up by television, LIFE served as their window to the world, and by the late 1940s it was read by 1 in 3 Americans.
Jean Harlow was the first movie star to appear on a cover of LIFE in 1937, and from then until 1972 more than 200 covers featured Hollywood-related subjects, illustrating the strong connection between LIFE and the film industry.
With the splendor of the best Hollywood production, this two-volume epic blockbuster tells the intertwined story of a magazine and an art form that embodied the pinnacle of the American imagination. Meticulously researched and compiled, the book features more than 600 photographs from the magazine's archives - more than half previously unpublished - and features icons such as Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and many more in starring roles. LIFE had special access to these celebrities and followed them on set, to extravagant parties, Oscar nights and at home. This gives readers intimate glimpses into their lives outside the spotlight.
Volume 1 (1936-1950) of the coffee-table book 'LIFE. Hollywood' covers Hollywood's Golden Age: dashing leading men, glamorous starlets, powerful studio moguls and opulent lifestyles. See how LIFE not only captured the imagination but also documented the ins and outs of the industry and the collective effort it took to create the illusions on screen, from screenwriters and composers to publicists and acting coaches.
Volume 2 (1950-1972) of the coffee-table book 'LIFE. Hollywood' focuses on the New Hollywood, in which the big studios gradually lost their stronghold, marked by a shift to independent films, international stars and a more diverse set of voices and faces. See how LIFE reported from the sets of classic films such as The Godfather, Guys and Dolls and The Ten Commandments;¬ and using exclusive editorial material such as contact sheets, tear sheets of the stories and internal editorial notes, we learn how LIFE planned and framed their innovative photo shoots.
Specifications
Title: LIFE. Hollywood
Publisher: TASCHEN
Size: 215 x 140 x 27 mm
Size: 708 pages
Weight: 7.50 kg
Language: English
Material: Hardcover
ISBN: 9783836589598
