Elizabeth and Monty by Charles Casillo

 

Title: Elizabeth and Monty

Author:  Charles Casillo

Narrated by:  Paul Heitsch

Publisher: Highbridge, a division of Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 47 minutes

Source: Checked out from the Kewaunee Public Library through Overdrive.  Thank-you!

 Do you have a lifelong best friend?

 Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were unlikely best friends on the surface; they seemed more destined to be Hollywood lovers.  Elizabeth was a beautiful teenager on the verge of stardom and Montgomery Clift was a young rising star when they first starred together in A Place in the Sun.  Elizabeth fell madly in love with Montgomery, but he had a secret, he was gay.  The two had chemistry, but it was just as friends.  They loved bawdy humor and could commiserate on their stage mothers.  They remained friends through all of their trials through the end of Clift’s life and beyond.  Taylor’s work with HIV patients was partially inspired by Clift.

 I had just listened to the History Chicks podcast on Elizabeth Taylor and I wanted to learn more.  I was intrigued by this audiobook.  It told the story of the two stars lives and how their paths crossed.  Nothings was as shocking as the crash that changed Clift’s life forever.  Taylor saved his life that day, but Montgomery had a sad, slow decline until the end of his life at the age of 44.  I felt so sad for him and horrified.

 The only thing I didn’t like about this book was when it went into gossip about Clift’s genitalia.  The guy is dead . . . you can leave those details alone.

 I just rewatched The Heiress with Montgomery Clift and it has made me really want to rewatch A Place in the Sun to see the start of this great friendship. 

Best Movie Year Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raftery

Title: Best Movie Year Ever:  How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen

Author: Brian Raftery

Read by:  George Newbern

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 55 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Shuster Audio.  Thank-you!

Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this audiobook.  I love movies and books . . . and listening to an audiobook about movies is right up my ally.  Even better is that I was 21 years old in 1999 so I will go along with the thesis that 1999 was a premiere year for movies.  I always have read and heard how 1939 was the premiere movie year so it was interesting to listen to a new perspective, and one that is more current. 

I was surprised listening to this audiobook just how many excellent movies came out in 1999:  Fight Club, Office Space, The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, 10 Things I Hate About You are just a few examples and all movies I love.  As a young woman, I was in college, and watching these movies either at the theatre or on videotape.  I remember watching The Blair Witch project on campus with the cheap movies that would play weekly through the year. 

This audiobook had a great narrator who made it interesting to listen to – I love his conversational, enthused tone.  He made the audiobook like a conversation I would have with a friend about movies.  It was very entertaining.

I had not watched all of the movies that were mentioned, but I found it all interesting.  Author Brian Raftery masterfully gives not only a summary of what the movie is about, but what made it special and capture the imagination of people in 1999.  There were insights into how the movie was made, marketed, and released.  It also had interviews from those involved in the making of the movie from the actors, actresses, directors, etc.  It discussed why the movie fit into what people were feeling at the time.  It was fascinating, even learning about movies that I have not seen.

I’ll admit I loved when favorite movie critics from the 90’s (example Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly) and Premiere magazine were mentioned.  I was a subscriber to both Entertainment Weekly and Premiere at the time and it was a great blast from the past. 

I really liked the discussion about how the proliferation of indie movies at the time allowed freedom, experimentation, and unique movies.  It made me sad that we don’t see that now, but author Brian Raftery made a case for TV having taken over the mantel shortly afterwards with the Sopranos and how now many of the new daring movies are shown on streaming services.  It was a very interesting discussion point. 

Overall, Best Movie Year Ever:  How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen is a fascinating audiobook for those that love movies and late 90’s culture or who would like to learn about it.    I would love to listen to more audiobooks like this.  Does anyone else know of other good books about movies?  I hope Brian Raftery writes more books!