Reviews for South Jersey Movie Houses, New Jersey (Images of America Series)

The average rating for South Jersey Movie Houses, New Jersey (Images of America Series) based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-10-27 00:00:00 Albert Holewinski I'm not a huge California history buff, but I'm always eager to learn about the various places I've lived, worked, and attended school. Culver City, located between downtown Los Angeles and Venice Beach, is one of those places. My family lived there when I was a little tyke, and I can rightly call it my very first hometown. I haven't resided in Culver City for several decades and it's been a long while since I last set foot there, but I love the place and think about it often. The unique historic buildings, the ocean breeze that keeps the climate cool and comfortable, and even the city's official logo -- a cursive "Culver" followed by block-letter capitals spelling the word "City" -- remain a source of fascination. This trim book, one of many similar volumes in the Arcadia publishing company's "Images of America" series, showcases approximately 200 captioned black & white photos from the city's archives. Most of 'em are from the era of the city's founding in 1917 through the World War II years, with disappointingly few from the postwar period. Since Culver City has long been a major center of the film and TV industry, it's not surprising that the book's centerpiece is a chapter about the movie studios headquartered there. There's some great stuff here -- photos of notable studio back lots, executive office buildings, locations of classic movie scenes, etc. If you've ever wondered why Culver City's nickname is "The Heart of Screenland", check out these pictures and wonder no more. Unfortunately the other chapters all seem mind-bogglingly random, with odd combinations of pictures grouped side-by-side. One especially wacky example: The site where the chariot race in the 1925 version of"Ben Hur" was filmed; a 1970s shot of a popular fried chicken restaurant, the city's first example of Byzantine architecture; and the charred remains of a Prohibition-era bootleggers' still that exploded and caught fire. Huh? Also on the downside: This book was published during the early days of C.C.'s recent gentrification process, so there's nothing here that explains how the city has earned its current upscale/trendy reputation; readers interested in that phenomenon will need to explore magazine and newspaper articles on the topic. And, on a personal note, how can anyone create a book about Culver City without one single mention of the legendary Mexican food joint, Tito's Tacos? Simply unconscionable! Three stars. Recommended if you're into the Westside area of Southern California or the historical development of the film and TV business.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-07-25 00:00:00 Gary West Loved reading about Culver City, which has become my home town by default after 40 years residence!