It Alive! The Science of BMovie Monsters Chicago Shorts Michael LaBarbera


The B-movie monster—be it gap-toothed gorilla, ripped-from-time dinosaur, overstretched arachnid, or another outrageous anthropomorphic fantasy—has thrilled moviegoers for decades, and firmly sunk its claws into popular culture. In It’s Alive!, Michael LaBarbera delves into the science behind these characters’ construction, from the biology surrounding tyrannosaurid postures in Jurassic Park and King Kong to the questionable physics employed by The Incredible Shrinking Man. Accompanied by a treasure trove of images from old movie posters and stills, and ranging from the 1930s to such recent films as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the latest installments of the Alien franchise, It’s Alive! cleverly uses science to remind us that the best parts of moviemaking might indeed be magic–for all creatures, great and small.
It Alive! The Science of BMovie Monsters Chicago Shorts Michael LaBarbera
I was somewhat skeptical at first to see 3 5-star reviews on this, and nothing else. However, I have to agree. The science seems sound (I never studied much physics but the biology checks out), the examples are thoroughly explained, and the content itself is fascinating. Movie monsters and why they couldn't really work is always a fascinating subject, and this is an excellent analysis, without being so complex as to shut out inexperienced readers. I highly recommend this.A more detailed review can be found at opinionated-cheapskate.tumblr.com
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It Alive! The Science of BMovie Monsters Chicago Shorts Michael LaBarbera Reviews
This is a solid piece of science writing, masquerading as movie reviews. It is a lot of fun to read, and you'll learn something about biomechanics along the way.
Wonderful, quick book by an author with passion for the subject and a great knowledge of biomechanics. Highly recommended.
B-movie monsters beware! Your weaknesses have been exposed! From fragile bones to weak joints to oxygen starvation humans now know. Pick another planet wimps!
This essay is an entertaining and interesting read even if you haven't seen most of the movies discussed. The author uses physics and animal physiology to explain why many movie monsters are not scientifically plausible. Along the way, you'll learn a lot about how animals work - I found the description of insect lungs particularly fascinating. The physics invoked is explained simply and accurately. You do not need a strong science background to enjoy this book. Indeed, you may find that this book explains things more clearly than your high school science classes did. However, the ideas are novel enough that I still found it engrossing even though I have years of science education.
This book is a great example of how reasoning based on simple physics and math can tell you surprising things about the world. The popular physics literature is full of books discussing the limits of physics as we know it - multiple universes, black holes, string theory, the big bang - but there is a lot of great science based on classical physics that is just as fascinating. Furthermore, the kind of quick and dirty, back-of-the-envelope reasoning demonstrated in this book is useful far beyond the world of movie monsters. If you apply this kind of reasoning to other things see in the media you'll find that plenty of ideas people propose are wildly implausible.
The short length and low price of this book are great. Too many popular non-fiction books are padded with repetition and large type so that they can be sold as a full book. This is a waste of the readers' time and money. This book is just the right length for its subject and will cost you little more than a cup of coffee. Buy it!
If you like horror movies - especially the golden oldie B movies from the 50's - you should check out this book. It's a fun, quick read by a zoologist explaining in laymen's terms why some horror film monsters just couldn't exist, and what their weaknesses might have been. You don't need a science degree to enjoy it, either. The author relates the info in everyday terms the reader can understand. Very enjoyable!
Whether you're a scientist, movie monster fan, or just wondering what happens if you shrink a person down really small, this short book will fascinate you. The concepts explored are real science--everything from scaling to spider anatomy--and the style is engaging and accessible. Even if you've never laughed at The Night Of The Lepus (giant rabbits! ...not so terrifying), even if you've never seen Jurassic Park or Alien or Lord of the Rings (but who hasn't?), you'll come away with a better understanding of why the animals around you look and behave the way they do. And if you have seen the movies, Prof. LaBarbera reveals secrets about their creatures that even the moviemakers probably didn't know.
The eminently practical advice on topics such as what to do if you're a shrunk person trying to climb furniture, or how to fight a 12-foot-high ant, will also definitely come in handy.
I was somewhat skeptical at first to see 3 5-star reviews on this, and nothing else. However, I have to agree. The science seems sound (I never studied much physics but the biology checks out), the examples are thoroughly explained, and the content itself is fascinating. Movie monsters and why they couldn't really work is always a fascinating subject, and this is an excellent analysis, without being so complex as to shut out inexperienced readers. I highly recommend this.
A more detailed review can be found at opinionated-cheapskate.tumblr.com

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