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Seagalogy
''Seagalogy: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Seagal'' is a book released in 2008 by Titan Books, . It was written by Vern (no last name). It is the first in-depth study to be published on the complete creative output of Steven Seagal. The book makes a careful examination of every Steven Seagal film from 1988's '' Above the Law'' to 2008's ''Pistol Whipped'', as well as providing reviews of some of Seagal's other output: his music, his appearances in commercials and even his energy drink. In 2012, an updated edition of the book was published, incorporating reviews from the intervening years including Seagal's work on the reality TV show '' Steven Seagal: Lawman''. Contents The book makes the argument that certain specific themes and motifs remain present throughout Seagal's filmography, laying the groundwork for an examination of the films using the auteur theory. Since the auteur theory usually cites the film director as the source of a film's particular vision, Vern a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-law's dojo. He later moved to Los Angeles where he had the same profession. In 1988, Seagal made his acting debut in '' Above the Law''. By 1991, he had starred in four films. In 1992, he played Navy SEAL counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback in ''Under Siege''. During the latter half of the 1990s, Seagal starred in three more feature films and the direct-to-video film '' The Patriot''. Subsequently, his career shifted to mostly direct-to-video productions. He has since appeared in films and reality shows, including '' Steven Seagal: Lawman'', which depicted Seagal performing his duties as a reserve deputy sheriff. Seagal is a guitarist and has released two studio albums, ''Songs from the Crystal Cave'' and ''Mojo Priest'', and performed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pistol Whipped
''Pistol Whipped'' is a 2008 American action film directed by Roel Reiné. The film stars Steven Seagal, and was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on March 4, 2008. Plot Matt Conner is an unemployed, drinking deadbeat. Once he was a police officer who lived with his wife Liz and his daughter Becky. Then, his partner disappeared, along with a large stash of police-impounded money. Due to the fact that Matt was an avid gambler, he was the prime suspect for the crime, but his colleague Steve lied that he and Matt were playing poker, thus giving him an alibi. Since the police still suspected Matt of the crimes, he was thrown off the police force. Matt's wife files for divorce and marries Steve. Matt's daughter Becky stays with Steve while Matt spends his time gambling and heavily drinking. Some time later, Matt's markers from extended gambling are mysteriously picked up. Eventually the collector, called the "Old Man", sends him a messenger named Blue. Matt is told that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is the publishing division of Titan Entertainment Group, which was established in 1981. The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics references and art titles. Its imprints are Titan Books, Titan Comics and Titan Magazines. As of 2016, Titan Books' editorial director is Laura Price. Titan Books Titan Books is a publisher of film, video game and TV tie-in books. As of 2011, the company publishes on average 30 to 40 such titles per year, across a range of formats from "making of" books to screenplays to TV companions and novels, and has a backlist reprint program. Titan Books' first title was a trade paperback collection of Brian Bolland's Judge Dredd stories from '' 2000 AD''. Titan Books followed the first title with numerous other ''2000 AD'' reprints. Subsequently, the publishing company expanded operations, putting out its first original title in 1987 (Pat M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Above The Law (1988 Film)
''Above the Law'' (also known as ''Nico: Above the Law'', or simply ''Nico'') is a 1988 American crime action film written, produced and directed by Andrew Davis. It marked the film debut of Steven Seagal, and stars Pam Grier, Sharon Stone, Ron Dean and Henry Silva. Seagal plays Nico Toscani, an ex-CIA agent, Aikido specialist and a Chicago policeman who discovers a conspiracy upon investigating the mysterious shipment of military explosives seized from a narcotics dealer. The film originated after a successful screen test, financed by Michael Ovitz, leading to Seagal being offered a contract by Warner Bros. The film was set and filmed on location in Chicago. The film premiered in the United States on April 8, 1988. Plot Sergeant Nico Toscani, who traces his roots to Palermo, Sicily, is a detective in the Chicago Police Department's vice squad. At an early age he had become interested in martial arts, and moved to Japan to study them. In 1969, Toscani was recruited to join the CI ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reality TV
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s with shows such as ''The Real World'', then achieved prominence in the early 2000s with the success of the series '' Survivor'', '' Idols'', and '' Big Brother'', all of which became global franchises. Reality television shows tend to be interspersed with "confessionals", short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or provide context for the events being depicted on-screen; this is most commonly seen in American reality television. Competition-based reality shows typically feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges, by the viewership of the show, or by the contestants themselves. Documentaries, television news, sports television, talk shows, and traditional game shows are generally not clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lawman
Lawman is a term used in reference to an American law enforcement officer, usually a sheriff or a marshal. Lawman may also refer to the Scandinavian legal office discussed under lawspeaker. Television and film titles * ''Lawman'' (TV series), a hit American western series produced in 1958–62 by Warner Bros. and starring John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop on the ABC network * ''Lawman'' (film), American western directed in 1971 by Michael Winner and starring Burt Lancaster as Marshal Jared Maddox * ''Justified'' (TV series), (originally named ''Lawman'') an American crime drama created by Graham Yost broadcast on FX *'' Steven Seagal: Lawman'', a program on A&E starring Steven Seagal Other uses * Lawman (late 12th century – early 13th century), English poet; first known writer on subject of Arthurian legends; usually referenced as Layamon * LAWMAN, Danish cartoon figure structured as satire of American superheroes; created in 2002 by Erwin Neutzsky-Wulff and drawn by Jørgen B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motif (narrative)
In narrative, a motif ( ) is a distinctive repeating feature or idea; often, it helps develop other narrative (or literary) aspects such as theme or mood.James H. Grayson. ''Myths and Legends from Korea: An Annotated Compendium of Ancient and Modern Materials'' (p. 9). New York and Abingdon: Routledge Curzon, 2000. . Alain Silver and James Ursini, (2004Some Visual Motifs of ''Film Noir'' A narrative motif can be created through the use of imagery, structural components, language, and other elements throughout literature. The flute in Arthur Miller's play ''Death of a Salesman'' is a recurrent sound motif that conveys rural and idyllic notions. Another example from modern American literature is the green light found in the novel ''The Great Gatsby'' by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Narratives may include multiple motifs of varying types. In Shakespeare's play ''Macbeth'', he uses a variety of narrative elements to create many different motifs. Imagistic references to blood a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auteur Theory
An auteur (; , 'author') is an artist with a distinctive approach, usually a film director whose filmmaking control is so unbounded but personal that the director is likened to the "author" of the film, which thus manifests the director's unique style or thematic focus. As an unnamed value, auteurism originated in French film criticism of the late 1940s, and derives from the critical approach of André Bazin and Alexandre Astruc, whereas American critic Andrew Sarris in 1962 called it auteur theory. Yet the concept first appeared in French in 1955 when director François Truffaut termed it ''policy of the authors'', and interpreted the films of some directors, like Alfred Hitchcock, as a body revealing recurring themes and preoccupations. American actor Jerry Lewis directed his own 1960 film ''The Bellboy'' via sweeping control, and was praised for "personal genius." By 1970, the New Hollywood era emerged with studios granting directors broad leeway. Pauline Kael argued, howeve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Film Director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design and all the creative aspects of filmmaking. The film director gives direction to the cast and crew and creates an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realized or noticed. Directors need to be able to mediate differences in creative visions and stay within the budget. There are many pathways to becoming a film director. Some film directors started as screenwriters, cinematographers, producers, film editors or actors. Other film directors have attended a film school. Directors use different approaches. Some outline a general plotline and let the actors improvise dialogue, while others control every aspect and demand that the actors and crew follow instructions precisely. Some directors also write thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Environmentalism
Environmentalism or environmental rights is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the impact of changes to the environment on humans, animals, plants and non-living matter. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of green ideology and politics, ecologism combines the ideology of social ecology and environmentalism. ''Ecologism'' is more commonly used in continental European languages, while ''environmentalism'' is more commonly used in English but the words have slightly different connotations. Environmentalism advocates the preservation, restoration and improvement of the natural environment and critical earth system elements or processes such as the climate, and may be referred to as a movement to control pollution or protect plant and animal diversity. Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was prevalent before streaming platforms came to dominate the TV and movie distribution markets. Because inferior sequels or prequels of larger-budget films may be released direct-to-video, review references to direct-to-video releases are often pejorative. Direct-to-video release has also become profitable for independent filmmakers and smaller companies. Some direct-to-video genre films (with a high-profile star) can generate well in excess of $50 million revenue worldwide. Reasons for releasing direct to video A production studio may decide not to generally release a TV show or film for several possible reasons: a low budget, a lack of support from a TV network, negative reviews, its controversial nature, that it may appeal to a small ni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, entertainment, news, and sports. Television became available in crude experimental forms in the late 1920s, but only after several years of further development was the new technology marketed to consumers. After World War II, an improved form of black-and-white television broadcasting became popular in the United Kingdom and the United States, and television sets became commonplace in homes, businesses, and institutions. During the 1950s, television was the primary medium for influencing public opinion.Diggs-Brown, Barbara (2011''Strategic Public Relations: Audience Focused Practice''p. 48 In the mid-1960s, color broadcasting was introduced in the U.S. and most other developed countries. The availability of various types of archival st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
