Sunday, December 4, 2011

Knight of Pleasure (All the King's Men)

  • ISBN13: 9780446553384
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Winner of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize, All the King's Men is one of the most famous and widely read works in American fiction. It traces the rise and fall of demagogue Willie Talos, a fictional Southern politician who resembles the real-life Huey "Kingfish" Long of Louisiana. Talos begins his career as an idealistic man of the people, but he soon becomes corrupted by success and caught in a lust for power. All the King's Men is as relevant today as it was fifty years ago.
Robert Penn Warren's masterpiece has been restored by literary scholar Noel Polk, whose work on the texts of William Faulkner has proved so important to American literature. Polk presents the novel as it was origina! lly written, revealing even greater complexity and subtlety of character. All the King's Men is a landmark in letters.
This landmark book is a loosely fictionalized account of Governor Huey Long of Louisiana, one of the nation's most astounding politicians. All the King's Men tells the story of Willie Stark, a southern-fried politician who builds support by appealing to the common man and playing dirty politics with the best of the back-room deal-makers. Though Stark quickly sheds his idealism, his right-hand man, Jack Burden -- who narrates the story -- retains it and proves to be a thorn in the new governor's side. Stark becomes a successful leader, but at a very high price, one that eventually costs him his life. The award-winning book is a play of politics, society and personal affairs, all wrapped in the cloak of history.It is 1953, on the eve of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and American journalist Helena Claybourn and Chief In! spector John Kincaid have uncovered a long-hidden secret invol! ving men close to the Crown-a secret that unleashes two relentless assassins on a killing spree across England, France and Germany.Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Anthony Hopkins star in this riveting story of a humble man’s rise to political power and the destructive force of corruption and betrayal that would ultimately unravel his soul, based on Robert Penn Warren’s 1946 classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Also starring James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo and Patricia Clarkson.

Beyond All The King’s Men


The Original

The Book

The Soundtrack

More Political Dramas

The Films of Sean Penn

The Films of Anthony Hopkins

Stills from All the King’s Men (click for larger image)







Sean Penn gives another powerhouse performance in All the King's Men, leading a topnotch cast in writer-director Steven Zaillian's underrated adaptation of! the Pulitzer prize-winning 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. When you consider that the previous 1949 film version earned well-deserved Academy Awards for director Robert Rossen and actors Broderick Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge, it's no surprise that Zaillian's film was expected to earn similar acclaim, but lukewarm critical reception and disappointing box-office gave it the stigma of a noble failure. And while the film (which moves Warren's story from the Depression-era '30s to the early 1950s) suffers from uneven pacing, partial miscasting, and an occasional lack of dramatic tension, it still qualifies as a first-class production that resonates with the timeless relevance of Warren's piercing political classic. Like Broderick before him, Penn is riveting as Louisiana governor Willie Stark, an upstart political dynamo (freely inspired by controversial real-life Louisiana governor Huey P. Long) whose rise to power is ultimately doomed by corruption and betrayal.

! Jude Law costars as political reporter Jack Burden, our firsth! and witn ess to Stark's rise and inevitable fall; his orbit of political insiders includes a corrupt judge (Anthony Hopkins) with a dark secret to hide; a longtime friend (Mark Ruffalo) and former lover (Kate Winslet) who fall victim to Stark's influence; and political staffers (James Gandolfini, Patricia Clarkson) who remain powerless against Stark's ill-fated populist juggernaut. At Sean Penn's request, former child star Jackie Earle Haley (from the original Bad News Bears) makes a welcome return to movies as Willie Stark's quietly intense bodyguard, "Sugar-Boy." Coproduced by Louisiana-born political consultant James Carville, filmed on authentic Louisiana locations and boasting all the stately, luxurious production values of a would-be Oscar contender, All the King's Men clearly benefits from Penn's fiery performance and Zaillian's earnest embrace of Warren's still-potent subject matter. And while the film's shortcomings may have prevented it from achieving unanimou! s acclaim, this is still a serious, well-crafted drama with much to say about the insidious potential for fascism in America, especially when well-meaning politicians lose their souls to power. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
The special features that accompany All the King's Men further demonstrate the film's in-production status as a potential classic. While the "making of" featurette is perfunctory at best, the other featurettes are definitely worthwhile despite Sean Penn's conspicuous absence. In "Shake Hands with the Devil," the film's cast, producer, and writer-director Steven Zaillian discuss the timeless theme of political corruption; "An American Classic" is a concise profile of Robert Penn Warren, paying tribute to the poet and author's literary achievements; and "The Legend and Lore of Huey Long" examines the life and legacy of the still-beloved governor who won the hearts of working-class Louisianans while falling prey to his own ambition.! "LA Confidential" is a brief featurette about the film's use ! of authe ntic Louisiana locations and the positive effect they had on cast and crew; three deleted scenes were obviously cut from the film for purposes of time, yet offer ample proof of Zaillian's established skill as one of Hollywood's top screenwriters; and the alternate ending extends beyond the film's final shot, with a funeral scene that serves as a melancholy (and ultimately unnecessary) coda to the film's Greek-tragic drama. --Jeff ShannonNew! Fast shipping!Ryan Ortiz and Nathan Richardson are estranged lovers who shouldn't be apart. When Ryan decides to go direct to LA to fight for a second chance he is caught up in the biggest earthquake to hit the city since records began. LA is destroyed, burning, people homeless, people dying, and fires are ignited high in the LA hills above Nathan's apartment. Nathan is trapped and Ryan is his only hope. It is a race against time and the powerful all consuming destruction of nature for Ryan to find Nathan, trapped in the rui! ns of his home in the hills, and to get both of them to help before the fire consumes everything.ALL THE KING'S MEN - DVD MovieWriter-director Robert Rossen and character actors Broderick Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge (in her film debut) took home Oscars (for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, respectively) for this excellent adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Crawford stars as Willie Stark, a charismatic populist Southern politician (inspired by the real Louisiana Governor Huey Long) who belies his "man of the people" roots as he ruthlessly maneuvers, lies, and deals his way into the halls of power. John Ireland is his right-hand man, Jack Burden, a newsman turned political flack who hangs on to Stark's early idealism even in the face of Stark's most reprehensible acts of corruption. McCambridge is Stark's cool mistress come calculating assistant. The immediacy of the drama is due in part to a documentary-like style, no! tably in the scenes on the campaign trail where Stark sways cr! owds wit h his folksy rhetoric and estimable charm. Joanne Dru and John Derek also costar. Rossen's savage screenplay and firm direction give the film a powerful punch, but it's Crawford's blustery charm and oversized performance that carry the picture. --Sean Axmaker Skella: A form-fitting black garment specifically tailored to cover a man's lean, muscular physique from head to toe. Worn exclusively by those in the king's personal guard. His Guardians. For Nelina Lannen, the skella is more than an outfit. It's a symbol of everything that's wrong with the royal rule. Ever since the king's men stormed into her bedroom eight years earlier and ripped her lover from her arms, she's been haunted by the memory of the ruthless bodyguards. That long-ago night they snatched the only man she's ever loved. Now they've returned to claim her body. Reader Advisory: Contains some scenes of male/male erotic interaction and group sex. THE GREATEST PASSION
Lady Isobel Hume i! s an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.

IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL
Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. So when a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen has a chance to prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.


The Halloween Hoax (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #9)

  • ISBN13: 9781416936640
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Blood pressure drugs guarantee you will get worse, for they actually deplete the nutrients that cause high blood pressure, making sure you will need even more medications. They also shrink the brain and raise your risk of heart attack, senility and blindness. High blood pressure is not a deficiency of blood pressure-lowering drugs. But there are dozens of ways you can permanently cure your high blood pressure without drugs. And since healthy blood vessels determine the longevity of every organ in the entire body, you need this book even if you don't have high blood pressure, for vascular health is key to total body health and longevity. First of all every single cell of your body depends on the health of your blood vessels that supply them. If you don't want to get Alzheimer's, then you need a healthy brain, but it is only as healthy as its blood supply. Likewise, if you don't want cancer (or you are trying to heal it), it starts (and spreads) in areas of poor circulation. The High Blood Pressure Hoax will show you that for every ailment even one as simple as high blood pressure, there are multiple causes and multiple cures. You have a lot to choose from. In fact, I would suggest you read the entire book before you chose your program. For by understanding how the various causes work, you (who know your body and medical history better than anyone else) have the optimum opportunity for choosing the best solution for you. This is the ultimate plan for vascular health, but it doesn't stop there. It also continues on from where Detoxify or Die left off and takes you to more powerful levels of detoxification. I can't wait to empower you! So let's get started.

Boo! The Clue Crew is in for a fright!

It's Halloween in River Heights! The girls can't wait to go trick-or- treating and are busy getting their costumes ready. They also can't wait for the Halloween special of their favorite TV show. They even get the chance to visit the TV studio while the show is being taped! But soon after they arrive, Nancy is spooked. With all the scary noises the Clue Crew keeps hearing and the creepy shadows that seem to be lurking, it seems like the studio is haunted! Is it just Halloween jitters...or are there really such things as ghosts?

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