The first volume (1876-1930) begins with various optical devices and ends with the establishment of the sound era. The second (1931-1976) covers Hollywood’s Golden Age and the post-war changes that seemed to revolutionize world cinema; but it ends with the release of a firmly old-fashioned entertainment, Rocky. The final volume follows the movies into the post-studio and digital eras. Together, more than 650 films are discussed, all within the context of the life and times of the diarist, forming a record of not only the story of cinema but of the times in which the diarist lives.
From the Foreword by Paul J. Marasa:
"My relationship to this Diary is a lifelong, intimate one. In 1964 or so (I was about seven years old) I saw The Fly at a matinee, and I lay awake that night certain that, like Emily Dickinson, “I heard a Fly buzz,” and that Something was in the room with me. That something may well be this Diary, at once mysterious and exciting, a record of what may in the end be trivial: the act of moviegoing. But I’ve never let it go, and I’ve kept it with me like a spare pair of eyeglasses you never really need but are happy to have—you know, in case you need to see something.The Constant Viewer is published in three volumes, which can be downloaded from a variety of sources:
"The Diary seems straightforward enough: The diarist goes to the movies, comes home, jots down impressions and associations and so on; but I find it difficult to describe exactly what he’s up to. Is he writing reviews? Reminiscences? Do the entries form a personal record, or, as with so many other diarists, is there a not-so-secret wish for it to be published as a public document? Well, as for the last, here I am publishing it; but what “it” is remains elusive. Maybe it’s simply a journal of seeing; the diarist is a moviegoer, and he writes to remember what he’s viewed. In doing so, he re-views it, so to speak, by lamplight and screenglow for a long time, and for a long time to come."
I've made them available for ...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENNZ5JQ
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENP2QOQ
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EP1N3BS
It's also available for ...
Just go HERE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Marasa?store=ebook&keyword=Marasa
Keep in mind that NOOK Books are readable on Macs, PCs, iPad, iPhone, Android, etc. The app is free; just go to the nook site HERE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook-mobile-apps/379003593
Just go to the iTunes store.
It was my great pleasure over the past six years to bring the Constant Viewer to my online readers, and (despite the challenge of doing all the formatting, editing, and so on myself) I'm happy to be able to present his diary in this new form. Thanks for visiting—and stay tuned for other online projects I'm kicking around. Happy constant viewing!
