Serenity Official Visual Companion by Joss Whedon
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Book Reviews of Serenity Official Visual Companion
Book Review: A must-have for any Firefly/Serenity lover
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is the ultimate companion to the Firefly/Serenity-verse.
As a Joss-lover, the best part of the book is the hugely long interview with him, which prefaces the screening script. Joss discusses anything and everything you would want to know about the characters, about the ship, and about the 'verse. He discusses the entire mythology as we know it at length. He also discusses some of the more technical jargon for real film buffs as the book progresses, including his philosophies on the use of lighting.
The book is also sprinkled with comments by the actors on their charactrs, which is a real hidden treat. It's great fun to hear exactly how Adam Baldwin views Jayne, or the way Alan Tudyk approaches Wash.
The shooting script is the real centerpiece, and no matter how many times you've seen the film, it's not redundant. You get to see Joss' descriptions before they came to life - not to mention the deleted scenes still intact. So it's the original story that Joss wanted to tell, before it hit the screen and he began making cuts.
Besides all this, there are innumerable renderings of original and scrapped production art from vehicles like the Mule to items as small as the pulse beacon.
My personal favorite was the up-close spread of The Reavers, showing their make-up and costuming in detail, which is hard to spot in the film.
Overall, this book is a lot of fun for anybody who's aching to know more about Firefly and Serenity. It doesn't get any better than this.
Book Review: Addiction territory ahead
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm just realizing that this is the fifth Firefly/Serenity related item I'm writing a review for--which means I actually possess five items...and that gives me cause for concern.
Why? Because, despite many years of exposure and occasional moderate-to-fan-like interest in other sci-fi series--including Babylon 5, Farscape, an occasional Dr. Who, Star Trek, Enterprise, Stargate SG1, plus several I'm sure to have missed--I've never actually bought five of anything relating to just one short-lived TV series plus a movie; or for any of those other series. I attended a Star Trek convention once, but that was because it was in the same city as I lived then...
I detect a worrying trend that has to do with the development of an addiction, and this book here may well be one of the bricks in the wall sealing my fate. It's got the shooting script, such as they saw fit to publish, plus lots of photos and interspersed production materials, as well as a lengthy and revealing introduction.
A great fix for addicts, and a treasure of thought provoking stuff for me in my writer/film-maker persona.
Till Noever, owlglass.com, Author: KEAEN, SELADIENNA, CONTINUITY SLIP
P.S. Make that SIX items! I forgot about the Firefly soundtrack, which I also own. Maybe seven coming up? There's still the Serenity soundtrack.
Book Review: If you love the show, if you love the movie...
Summary: 5 Stars
I am absolutely crazy about 'Firefly'. I watch the show almost daily. And of course if you're a fan of the show then you're going to love the movie, which is named after their ship, Serenity. I fell in love with the movie and what did I do after I watched it? I went to Amazon.com. That's where I found the Official Visual Companion. As you can tell by the title this book it has fantastic pictures and stills right from the movie. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting when I ordered this book so I was pleasantly surprised to find an interview with the creator of 'Firefly', writer and director of 'Serenity', Joss Whedon. And being a huge Buffy fan that I am I like to read anything Joss. He gives great answers in this interview, but some of the questions didn't seem to be given any thought. Another pleasant surprise I got with this book is that it has the complete script of the movie! Even the scenes that were cut! I'll be honest, if you're not a fan, which I don't know why you wouldn't want to be, obviously there's no reason to buy this book...unless you're buying it as a gift for a fan. If you're kind of a fan then there's still no reason to get this book. This book is for devoted, crazy, browcoat, 'want to own my own ship and have a crew' kind of fan. Those fans need this book. Get it!Book Review: The movie, and much more
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the shooting script for the movie "Serenity," but it only starts there. It's also a long interview with creator Joss Whedon on the show "Firefly," what roles he originally envisioned for the characters and how the actors embodied them, all the different elements that went into creating a TV show like few others, and all the great insider stuff that fans burn to know. Then there are the extras...
The definitive (since it's from Joss) history of how the 'Verse got that way. How the government is set up. How the war for Unification began with the best of good intentions. And how a young man named Malcolm Reynolds volunteered. Star maps. Tons of photos from both sides of the camera. Production drawings of weapons, ships, costumes (including some beautifully drawn samples of Inara that I'd like to see available as prints), and every major set. Long notes from Joss about lighting, direction, and cinematography. Quotes from the cast about their characters. Storyboards for the exciting fight and chase scenes. Oh, and the script, written in Joss' trademarked style and including scenes you won't see in the movie.
This is like a DVD extra you can get before the movie is released.
Book Review: Indispensable.
Summary: 5 Stars
If you have any interest in the movie Serenity or the tv show Firefly, you NEED to buy this book. Chances are, if you're a Firefly/Serenity fan, you probably have some interest and/or questions about how Joss Whedon came up with his ideas for all of the characters and all of the other aspects of the Firefly 'verse. Well, they're probably answered in this book. There is just tons of information in here that probably would have been revealed over time if Firefly had continued as a series, but that I didn't know and probably never would have found out about if I hadn't bought this. Seriously, if you really want to fully understand the Firefly 'verse, this book is essential. The information you'll glean from this book is worth so much more than the sub-$14 price tag. If you have (will soon have) the Firefly (Serenity) dvd sets, you also should buy this book. You won't regret it.