* As is common, sometimes you go through boxes in a garage, discovering things you have no memory of owning. A lot of it is junk, but last week I came across another collection of movie related books, most with little value - but a few titles that blew me away, including one that some rare book dealers are asking more than $1,000 and up. * I did not know, for example, that I own a first edition, first printing (1943) of the book that changed Martin Scorsese's life. "The Pictorial History of the Movies" by Deems Taylor, long out of print and ultra-rare in a first printing state, is jammed with "one of the finest collection of photographs of motion pictures from the earliest days to the present ever assembled" (see below), covering movies released from 1893-1941. It's an astonishing book and I can see why Scorsese fell in love with it. It later went through six printings until its last edition in 1950. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251026226562 * In a 1999 intro for another anthology, Scorsese wrote why the 350-page book changed his life: "When as a small boy I first fell in love with the movies, I discovered a book by Deems Taylor entitled, "A Pictorial History of the Movies, at our local branch of the New York Public Library. It was the only film book I knew about, and I borrowed it time and again....It was the first course in my film education." * In a British Film Institute documentary, he spoke again about the book, saying, "it cast a spell on me because back then, I hadn't seen many of the films shown in the book, so all I had at my disposal to experience these films were black-and-white stills. I'd fantasize about them and they would play into my dreams." * Many years later, Scorsese, with all of his resources, hunted down and found a 1943 first edition for himself. But in 2004, he donated it to the same childhood library he visited near Little Italy - when it marked its 100th anniversary - as a way of making "reparations." He confessed that as a boy, he liked an image in the book from "Citizen Kane" so much - that he stole it before returning it. (Thompson Square Library on 331 E. 10th St. between Avenues A and B.) * In his 2003 book, "Deems Taylor: A Biography," author James A. Pegolotti writes, "After two successful books of musical essays, Taylor turned to a unique undertaking. His agent, George Bye, had become aware of 'one of the finest collection of photographs of motion pictures from the earliest days to the present that have ever been assembled.' He explained his idea: 'Each picture has a lot of documentation. What is wanted is a piquant writer like your charming self to take these captions and rewrite them - and organize the pictures and take credit as editor....If I got a pretty hefty publishing advance and good royalty terms do you think you might be interested?' He found the idea fascinating, terms were arranged, and in 1943 Deems Taylor emerged as a film historian with 'A Pictorial History of the Movies,' a book that went into six printings." * Some sellers want more than $1,000-$1,500 for this title, and they're not even first printings. I'll start the bidding at $40 and if it can fetch at least that, I'll know that at least it'll be going to a good home. This 350-page-book has no dust jacket, measures 7 1/4 x 10 1/4, has no additional printing designations beyond 1943 and there's a name in fountain ink by a previous owner on the front free endpaper. It's in about very good condition with some surface and corner wear - a couple of scratches on the back cover - but it has a tight binding and no loose pages or cuts. I'm not kidding, the stills in the book are so great, I couldn't decide when to stop taking images to show in one posting. -d. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251026226562 Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
