LIFE: HOLLYWOOD: Two Volumes Slipcased

In November 1936, publisher Henry R. Luce launched LIFE as a photo-led weekly news magazine with a clear purpose: "To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events." Before readers' attention was consumed by television, LIFE served as their window to the world. Jean Harlow was the first movie star to appear on a LIFE cover in 1937, and from then until 1972 over 200 covers featured Hollywood-related subjects, illustrating the strength of the bond between LIFE and the film industry. Matching the splendour of the finest Hollywood production, this two-volume epic blockbuster box set is meticulously researched and curated, and features over 600 colour images from the magazine's archives - well over half previously unpublished - and stars icons such as Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot, Hedy Lamar, Vivien Leigh, Errol Flynn, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly and her giant poodle, Robert Redford and many more. LIFE had special access to these celebrities following them on set, to extravagant parties, Oscar nights and at home, providing readers with intimate glimpses of their lives away from the spotlight. Volume 1 (1936-1950s) covers the Golden Age of Hollywood: dashing leading men, glamorous starlets, powerful studio moguls, Warner Bros illusions, and opulent lifestyles. Witness how LIFE documented the inner workings of the industry and the collective effort that went into creating the illusions on the screen, from screenwriters and composers to publicists and acting coaches. Volume 2 (1950s-1972) focuses on the New Hollywood, in which major studios gradually lost their stronghold, marked by a shift toward independent films, international stars, and a more diverse array of voices and faces. See how LIFE reported from the sets of classic movies such as The Godfather, Guys and Dolls, Citizen Kane, and The Ten Commandments; and with the aid of exclusive editorial materials like contact sheets, tear sheets from the stories, and internal editorial notes, we learn how LIFE planned and framed their innovative photo-essays. Featuring introductory texts by photography critic Lucy Sante, captions by film historian Justin Humphreys, and over 70 legendary LIFE photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, Peter Stackpole, Gordon Parks and many others. Two hardcover volumes in slipcase, 26.5 x 36cm, super heavyweight quality 8.69 kg, 708 pages. Colour and quality mono photos and illus. New from Taschen.
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