James Egan

John Waters

The films of John Waters (b. 1946) are some of the most powerful send-ups of conventional film forms and expectations since Luis Bu-uel and Salvador Dali's Un Chien Andalou. In attempting to reinvigorate the experience of movie-going with his shock comedy, Waters has been willing to take the chance of offending nearly everyone. His characters have great dignity and resourcefulness, taking what's different or unacceptable or grotesque about themselves, heightening it and turning it into a handmade personal style. The interviews collected here span Waters's career from 1965 to 2010 and include a new one exclusive to this edition. Waters began making films in his hometown of Baltimore in 1964. Demonstrating an innate talent at capturing the hideous and crude and elevating it to art, he reached international acclaim with his outrageous shock comedy Pink Flamingos. This landmark film redefined cinema and became a cult classic. Appearing in this and many of Waters's early films, his star Divine would consistently challenge gender definitions. With Polyester, Waters entered the mainstream. The film starred Divine as an unhappy housewife who romances a former teen idol played by Tab Hunter. Waters's commercial breakthrough, Hairspray, told the story of Baltimore's televised sock-hop program, The Corny Collins Show, and how one brave girl (Ricki Lake) used her platform as a dancer to end segregation in her town. From Serial Mom and Pecker to Cecil B. Demented, Waters continued to infiltrate the mainstream with his unique approach to filmmaking. As a visual artist, he was given a retrospective at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in 2004, which was shown at galleries around the world.

Interviews

500 Things People Believe That Aren't True

1000 Facts about the Greatest Movies Ever vol. 3

Hitler's favorite film was King Kong. The Blues Brothers is the only film ever that had a cocaine budget. Citizen Kane was booed at the Oscars every time one of its nominations were announced. Marlon Brando didn't read the script when he was shooting Apocalypse Now. Instead, he turned it into a hat. Sean Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. He would?ve been paid $560 million. Although Hattie McDaniel won an Oscar for Gone with the Wind, she wasn't allowed to go to the premier because she was black. Edward Scissorhands was supposed to be a musical. Steven Spielberg thought the theme song for Jaws was terrible. Groundhog Day takes place over 27 years. All of the Ping-Pong balls in Forrest Gump are computer-generated. In Toy Story, the carpets in Sid's house have the same design as the carpets in The Shining. It took eight years for Christopher Nolan to write Inception. Back to the Future was banned in China because the Chinese find time-travel disrespectful to history.

3000 Facts about the Greatest Movies Ever

1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 3

1000 Inspirational Facts

El Mega Libro de las Ideas Equivocadas

3000 Facts about Superhero Movies

1000 Facts about Superhero Movies Vol. 2

Words That Need to Exist in English

1000 Facts about Animated Shows Vol. 2

1000 Facts about Animated Shows Vol. 3

When James Egan's fiancee was diagnosed with cancer, he was afraid she'd call off the wedding. But four weeks after Julie finished her treatment, she married the man she loved-proving that the human spirit can conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We all have that kind of strength, but it can be hard to find and use it in our daily lives. This guide makes it easier by sharing 365 ways you can stop sabotaging your life and happiness. Whether it's an everyday challenge or finding the courage to confront the unexpected, you can discover ways to transform your life, including strategies for striking up conversations with strangers, moving past the pain of a love affair that has ended, starting a new romantic relationship, being more approachable, and meeting problems head on. Alphabetized for easy reference, it offers wise sayings from some of history's most accomplished individuals to help you keep working toward your goals and become the person you want to be."

365 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Life

This book covers 150 traps in life you can fall into if you're not careful. Find out how to stop being complacent, how to let go of your spite, take a stand against those who underestimate you, stop hiding behind a facade or just learn how to be more open.

James Egan

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