"Get Started in Film Making" by Tom Holden (Review)

   Get Started in Film Making By Tom Holden

Ok, this book is absolutely awesome if you're a amateur movie maker. Now, I do try to make movies, which range from absolutely crap to really good. I even set up a company called "Blackberry Productions". 

Tom Holden is a master director. I mean, the tricks he shows you! He says that you don't need whopping special effects/CGI to make a good movie. There's one trick if you want to make an evil looking scene, all you need to do is put a red see-through paper or something of the sort in front of the camera.

This book shows you how to: write a script, finance your film, directing your film, finding locations, getting to know your camera, editing etc. One thing I do have to mention though, is because this book was written around the early 2000's the cameras he tells you to buy are off the market, so just ignore the part when he tells you which camera to buy.

This book is definitely recommended if you're an amateur film-maker or just a guy/girl who wants to know how to make really good movies with spending the least money possible. You can buy the book here(Amazon UK):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Started-Film-Making-Yourself/dp/1444105140/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440952918&sr=8-1&keywords=get+started+in+film+making+tom+holden

My Top Five Most Influential Books 2015

          My Top Five Most Influential books 2015

1. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X with the assistance of Alex Haley

2. " Diamonds, Gold, and War: The Making of South Africa" by Martin Meredith

3. "Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man" by John Perkins

4. "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah

5. "Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell

(All these books are pretty much 18+, depending on the person's age and maturity.)

"Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell (Review)

                               Blood Diamonds Review

"Mr.Campbell tells this complex tale from a personal, feet-on-the ground 

perspective. . . He reminds us that there is no longer any such thing as an isolated conflict that goverments and corporations can ignore with impunity."- New York Times

First discovered in the 1930s, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled from West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London, 

Antwerp, and New York, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Eventually, these very diamonds find their way onto rings and necklaces the world over.

First things first, I don't agree with everything Mr.Campbell says. but that is rarely the case in books. Most of what he says is right though. How the world ignored the conflict in Sierra Leone, of how the people were killed, tortured, raped etc. in the most horrifying ways. If you've seen "Blood Diamond" then you'll see the similarities; in fact the movie got it's research etc. from this book. 

Some scenes in this book were too disgusting to read. Thing is: the RUF wasn't the only organization who commited war crimes, the Sierra Leonean army also killed innocent men, women, and children who had nothing to do with the war. One of the RUF's worst crimes was amputation. They cut off any body part which pleased them, mostly the arms and hands. The reason for this was that the elected president of Sierra Leoe at that time, pleaded to "join hands for peace". The RUF then deposited grocery bags with arms and hands in them in front of the royal palace.

This book is highly recommended, but as I said, don't believe everything he says.

I recommend this book for  years 18+, because of very high violence and Gore, Strong Language. 

You can purchase the book here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Diamonds-Revised-Edition-Campbell/dp/0465029914/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1439817032&sr=8-1

"Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell (Parent Guide)

                Blood Diamonds Parent Guide

ONLY FOR ADULTS (CONTAINS VERY HEAVY VIOLENCE,

HEAVY PROFANITY)

Positive Messages: 5/10

This is actually very hard to say, as it's got good things and bad things. It definitely condemns the use of Blood Diamonds, De Beers, and the world for not listening to Sierra Leone's appeal for peace and happiness. But I don't agree with everything that Greg Campbell says.

But then, there's no book, or movie which you entirely agree with so it's okay.

Positive Role Models: 5/10

Very hard to say: On one hand there's Greg Campbell and all the people whom he talked to who braved the war, but on the other hand, there's the RUF, the UN "Peacekeepers", the Nigerians, etc. who all commit atrocities. So again there's a divided mind.

Profanity: 7/10

Profanity is strong in this book.

9 uses of F**k and it's derivatives, 4 uses of S**t and it's derivatives, 1 of Bal*s, 1 of As*ho*e, 1 of Goddamn.

Sex & Nudity: 3/10

Occasionally people are nude, but only forced and mostly they are already dead. Infrequent references to rape, prostitutes, etc.

Drinking: 2/10

Very infrequent.

Smoking/Drugs: 7/10

Medium Smoking, Very heavy Drugs. All the RUF child soldiers/soldiers use drugs very heavily.

Violence/Gore: 10/10

Very heavy gore, medium violence. The RUF and the other armies commit unimaginable atrocities; such as cutting pregnant women's bellies open, taking out the fetus and killing it, cutting babies in half, and probably the most of all, cutting the hands and arms off of people.

Frightening/Intense: 1/10

Not very much, as this book is non-fiction.

Mood: DARK

This book is gut-wrenching and absolutely heart-breaking, and it might help you to be grateful for what you have and stop complaining about everything when you see what these people went through and they still don't complain.

ONLY FOR ADULTS BECAUSE OF VERY HEAVY VIOLENCE AND HEAVY PROFANITY.

 

My Top Ten most Thrilling Thrillers 2015

My Top Ten most Thrilling Thrillers 2015

1."The Satan Bug" by Alistair Maclean

2."Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

3. "Destination Mars" by Hugh Walters"

4. "The Guns of Navarone" by Alistair Maclean

5. "The Dark Crusader" by Alistair Maclean

6. "Fear is the Key" by Alistair Maclean

7. "Puppet on a Chain" by Alistair Maclean

8. "Where Eagles Dare" by Alistair Maclean

9. "South by Java Head" by Alistair Maclean

10. "Ice Station Zebra" by Alistair Maclean

ESecurity for the youth

                    E Security for the youth

The youth of today don't take any care when they go online (Normally). They give their full names and addresses and full info about themselves and their families and friends. This isn't proper or healthy. In fact it can be dangerous. 

For example giving your home address can give kidnappers or robbers potential targets. But okay. Let's forget that. But does everyone really have to know about what you do, eat, drink, play, watch, listen, work. Those are private and you can't just tell them to everyone. 

And do your friends really want you to talk about them. One single rumor about someone can and probably will lead to the whole world knowing about it.

Then you will be responsible for that. 

All I'm trying to say is: 

1) Do NOT disclose info about yourself which may be dangerous. Always ask an adults permission before you disclose info.

2) Better to be safe that sorry!

Please remember this is not about individuals. This is about a whole generation. This is not intended to hurt or offend anyone!

"South by Java Head" By Alistair Maclean (Review)

                    South by Java Head (Review)

"Highly dramatic and effective" Observer

"Exitements come and go at a breatless pace" The Times

Plot:

February, 1942: Singapore lies burning and shattered, defenceless before the conquering hordes of Japanese Army, as the last boat slips out of the harbour into the South China Sea. On board are a desperate group of people, each with a secret to guard, each willing to kill to keep that secret safe.

Dawn sees them far out to sea but the first murderous dive bombers already aimed at their ship. Thus begins an ordeal few are to survive, a nightmare succession of disasters wrought by the hell-bent Japanese, the unrelenting tropical sun and by the survivors themselves.

Soon it becomes a desperate battle of wills, and a battle of wits, to stay alive as they journey SOUTH BY JAVA HEAD.

Review:

This is the second book by Alistair Maclean and is absuloutely awesome. It's preceded by "The Guns of Navarone" and followed by "The Last Frontier".

It's mostly written in the location Maclean writes best: The sea. 

About 50 people are on a extremely unsafe boat in the middle of the ocean. One after the other starts dying from different causes. Another small boat is roped to the main one and contains a gang of racketeers/smugglers. The passengers of the main boat are a few women a small boy of 3 years old, and some men. They have pretty much no water, and no weapons except a few guns. That's it. Nothing else. Now throw in ships, submarines, and aircraft of the Japanese, and you've got a hopeless situation. But for some reason the aircraft, submarines, and ships don't want to harm the boat for unknown reasons, they just want to capture it. I'm not going to say anything more. 

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat; it's highly dramatic, suspenseful, and action-packed. I personally really like how the first mate finds ingenious ways to stay alive. What I also like is how the heroes in most of the first Maclean's have faults; they aren't perfect so it's way easier to connect with them and feel for them. What I also really like on most Maclean war novels is that how he portrays war. The heroes aren't knights in shining armour, but men with faults. He portrays war as something evil, which also kills innocents, and brings out the worst of many people, but also the best out of some people.

I highly recommend this book if you're over 14 years old. Some parts will make you laugh, and some parts will make you want to cry. Defintely recommended! You can buy the book here( Amazon UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0006172482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437660789&sr=8-1&keywords=south+by+java+head

"South by Java Head" by Alistair Maclean (Parent Guide)

              South by Java Head (Parent Guide)

Positive Messages: 3/10

Deals with how far people can go to survive. No real positive messages to take away.

Positive Role Models: 6/10

People sacrifice themselves so the rest can survive. The main character has a good heart, and is kind to young children. He pretty much only kills when he has to, except the end where he only seeks revenge.There are also strong female characters.

Profanity: 6/10

Frequent use of bloody, damn, goddamn, bastard, and other religious exclamations.

Sex: 3/10

A few implicit references. Very very light romance.

Drinking: 1/10

Very few instances of drinking Alcohol.

Smoking/Drugs: 2/10

A bit of smoking.

Violence/Gore: 7/10

Highly frequent violence and some very heavy gore. Throughout the novel people are shot, stabbed, impaled, exploded, burned, eaten, and every other way of killing and torture you can imagine. Some very graphic depictions and descriptions of people dead or dying. People get tortured. At the beginning there are 22 survivors. As the story progresses one after the others die.

Frightening/Intense: 9/10

Highly intense and sometimes a bit frightening. As Alistair Maclean is called "The Master of Action and Suspense" you can imagine. There are some frightening scenes.

Mood: Over all DARK

Key characters die, you lose confidence in who means well or bad. The Characters are puzzled, scared, and wounded.

Overall recommended for teens 16 and up for High Violence, Gore, and Intensity. 

The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Parents Guide)

       The Autobiography of Malcolm X      (Parents Guide)

NOT FOR KIDS ( VERY HIGH SEX,DRUG USE AND PROFANITY)

Positive Messages: 6/10

This is a book of a man who refused to let anybody tell him who or what he was.

Of course there is "The Nation Of Islam" but Malcolm leaves them at the end, so it's all right. 

Positive Role Models: 10/10

The first half of the book can't be called highly positive, as he is a drug addict and a burglar, but he is not proud of the bad things he done and repents later in jail. The second half of the book could be called highly positive as he turns into a man with a vision, who will fight to the death to give his people Human and Civil Rights.

Profanity: 8/10

Frequent use of "Nigger". A few uses of crap.

Sex: 9/10

Highly frequent mentions about Prostitution, Rape, Interracial couples etc. though nothing too explicit. Later on he lives in an prostitute brothel with multiple apartments where prostitutes, drug peddlers, and burglars live. 

Drinking: 9/10

Very high as he lives in the ghettos, and later works several times in bars.

Smoking/Drugs: 10/10

He develops into an extreme drug addict, without any morals or barriers of where he's going to go. He becomes a drug peddler later on while smoking them himself. Everyone around him uses drugs to forget their poverty and sadness.

Violence/Gore: 5/10

He carries several guns and witnesses murders. His father is brutally murdered.

Frightening/Intense: 2/10

Not Frightening nor very much intense.

Mood: Sad

The whole world around him is full of sad, and heart-broken people.

THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED AS IT'S A NR.1 BESTSELLER AND IS  THE BEST AUTOBIOGRAPHY EVER WRITTEN. IT'S ONLY FOR ADULTS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SEX AND DRUG CONTENT. 

"Floodgate" by Alistair Maclean (Review)

                                   Floodgate Review

       Now, first of all it has to be understood that Alistair Maclean wrote Floodgate at the near end of his career and life, where he was taken over by alcohol. Pretty much all his later works are not very impressive, as he moved to the United States, and his books and heroes became more unbelievable, and less action and suspense. I think that most of the other fans of Maclean will agree. 

      
      "Floodgate" has virtually no action, no believable romance, too much over cool humor and just plain boring. The main hero is not exactly awesome or fit. Also in the book he is descibed as an feared interrogater. There's not a single scenario where he demonstrates this. There's no action sequence, and too much stale humor. Also the plot is ubelievably unrealistic.


       Now the plot is that instead of Amsterdam Airport there's a huge lake. The FFF, an irish terror organisation, wants to force Britains's hand. Now, for me they're not a terror organisation as they don't kill anybody. So how can they be real bad guys. In the end you think of them as friends, and you wonder who is actually the bad guy/s. 

     
      My advice is that if you have to read this book, borrow it and don't buy it, as it's just a waste of money and time. If you do read it, think about what you read, and probably you'll agree that it's just a waste. Instead read some other Maclean book.

Fear is the Key By Alistair Maclean Review

                     Fear is the Key By Alistair Maclean

Review

 Praise for Fear is the Key:

"Fear is the key has a plot that will require a lot of willpower to stop you looking at the last page." Sunday Mirror

"Exitement and violence. . . the pace never slackens." Scotsman

"Keeps tension at screaming point." Daily Express

Plot:
A sunken DC-3 lies on the Caribbean floor. Its cargo: ten million, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in gold ingots, emeralds and uncut diamonds guarded by the remains of two men, a wife, and a very small son. The fortune is there for the taking, and ready to grab it are a blue-blooded oilman with his own offshore rig, a gangster so cold and independent that even the mafia couldn't do business with him, and a hired assasin. Against them stands one man, and the skeletons in their watery graves are his people. His name is Talbot, and he will avenge their murders.

Review:

    This book is in my all-time best books list. It's plot,action, suspense, and it's raw humor just make a lasting impression on you. It grew to such a bestseller, that a motion picture was made out of it, (Which I haven't watched), and it has the worlds longest car chase ever from a movie.

   Although it's very violent, it gives a pretty clear message of whats right and wrong. But then, this gets outweighed in violence and cold ruthlessness. The main character is a criminal as he wanted revenge for the murders of his family, but then he turns to the criminal underworld so he can kill the murderers. The whole novel is mainly a vengeance plot. (More about the violence, sex, language is in the parents guide.)

On the whole this book can be sometimes near heart-breaking. I would definetely recommend this book to anyone older than fifteen, and who can stomch constant violence and peril. Do not forget Alistair Maclean's works are adult targeted.

You can purchase the book here (Amazon.co.uk):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fear-Key-Alistair-MacLean/dp/0006159915/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1433454551&sr=8-2&keywords=fear+is+the+key

Just pausing to think

                               Just pausing to THINK

(This will just be a short report. This is not written to offend anyone it's just my own opinion.)

1) Why do humans believe everything the goverment tells them, no matter how improbable?

2) Why does every book that was turned into a movie, labeled as "Now a major motion picture"? Surely not every movie can be a major motion picture!

3) Why does the USA finance all the countries that fight Russia?

4) What is actually the point of life? Surely we aren't here just to chill our whole lives long.

5) Look at our finger prints. There's only one finger print for each finger, and none get repeated again anywhere!

6) Will humanity ever stop war?

7) How will the world look like in 100 years? Will there be corruption and sadness everywhere, or will there be happiness and joy all over the earth?

8) Isn't it true that the goverment calls all people who go against them terrorists and whatever they do is counter-terrorism like David Cromwell says in "Why are We the Good Guys?"
You can buy the book here (Amaon.co.uk):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Guys-Reclaiming-Delusions-Propaganda/dp/178099365X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431350471&sr=8-1&keywords=%22Why+are+We+the+Good+Guys%3F%22 

The Lord of the Rings (Collective review) P1

      The Lord of the Rings (Collective review) P1

                    By J.R.R Tolkien

(Please note that this review is not intended to hurt or offend anyone. All that is written here is my opinion.) 

99% of authors nowadays just write for money and entertainment not because they have a gift or talent for writing, or because they want to put their views and thoughts on paper. 

99% of books nowadays are just written for entertainment or money, not to provoke thought etc.

Tolkien didn't write "The Lord of the Rings" to get money. He did not expect money to come rolling in. He just wanted to write LOTR for his friends and family, and to put his imagination on paper. 

People often complain: 

1) That LOTR is too long. Tolkien said once that with a novel that is as long as LOTR people will find something that they don't like. He wasn't really bothered.

2) That it has got too much description. But that's exactly what made it on of the most influential books of the twentieth century. If it just had action all the time it would be just one of the average fantasy books you get nowadays, and not very educational. LOTR is also seen as one of the most educational books of the twentieth century.

3) Some people even said that Fodo and Sam are gay. Now that is absuloutely ridiculous! Let me just mention that in those days being gay was being happy and not homosexual!

Obviously I have watched the movie like everyone else, and I think some things are better than in the book and some things are not as good as the book.

Improvements on book:
 1) The chapter "The Scouring of the Shire" is pretty anti-climatic so I like the movie in this respect more. 

Improvements on movie:
 1) I don't really like the part where instead of Glorfindel Arwen comes.

The Guns of Navarone (review)

                                     The Guns of Navarone

                                    By Alistair Maclean

Praise for Guns of Navarone:

"Action sustained at high pitch. From the outst the is a feeling of suspense... an insistenly gripping tale" Scotsman

"Its strength comes from the speed of its narrative, its vivid creation of tensions, and its power in handling descriptions of action."  Evening Standard

"Could hardly be bettered" Sunday Times

Twelve hundred British soldiers are isolated and waiting to die on the small isand of Kheros, off the Turkish coast. All these lives could be saved if nly the vigilant, savage and catastrophically accurate guns of Navarone could be silenced.

Navarone itself is a grim iron fortress, manned by a mixed garrison of Germans and Italians. To Captain Keith Mallory, skilled saboteur and trained mountaineer, falls the task of leading the small party to scale the vast, impossibe precipice of Navarone to blow up the guns.

This book is just simply amazing! It's just written like a movie script; the action, the language, 
and the atmosphere is just a dead ringer for a Hollywood Blockbuster. Besides being a war novel it's such a thriller it will make you lose track of the time and just keep turning the pages.

Defenitely recommended for anyone 13 years and up and who have guts for tons of violence and gore!

You can purchase the book here (Amazon UK) :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guns-Navarone-Alistair-MacLean/dp/0006172474/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1430562383&sr=8-3&keywords=guns+of+navarone

The Guns of Navarone (Parent guide)

                        The Guns of Navarone

 
                                                            By Alistair Maclean 

Please note that spoilers are marked in red

Positive messages: High

- This is not a case of angelic Allies against evil Germans; it shows that Germans are also humans.  There are both Germans and Allies that are really evil. 

-  The characters (or the team) do not just kill in cold blood, although they can be very ruthless if need be. What I like is that the strongest man in the team hates killing and regrets it every time.

- This also teaches that steady perseverance and mercy can get you to your goal.

Positive role models: High 

All of them are , strong, ambitous, and also have a good sense of humour. But a warning: As I already stated they can be very ruthless and can kill without thinking. An example: Mallory tells Andrea to stab a spy between the shoulder blades. He does not do it after all, but Mallory tells Miller later he would have shot him if need be.

Profanity: Medium: Infrequent

Infrequent use of bloddy, ba***rd, hell, damn, Jesus Christ, e.t.c.

Sex: None
One (I think) implicit reference.

Violence: Near extreme
Nearly all the time people get impaled, shot, stabbed, strangled, tortured, blown up and more.

Gore: High
An grisly description of a young soldier impaled. And a few other graphic descriptions.

Frightening: None really

Intense: Very high
Throught the book. And as Maclean is known as "The Master of Action and Suspense"  you can guess how intense it will be.

Smoking: Medium-High
Pretty many cases of smoking by Germans and Allies alike.

Drinking: Low
Very infrequent use.