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I know, I know. Once again, it's been a very long time since the last post! Don't worry, there will be a specialized blog post before the year's end - but I was so moved by the recent privilege I had of pre-reading a FABULOUS book by a promising young author that I HAD TO tell you all about it. Simone, keep on writing. We will need great film historians like you in the future!
"Old Films, Young Eyes" is written from a refreshingly new standpoint - that of a teenage girl who absolutely loves (and diligently studies) classic film! Miss Elias does a remarkable job of recounting her own story of discovering Old Hollywood and why she personally enjoys classic films, but that's just the beginning. Seriously, it's just the beginning of the book - there is so much more to like!
Miss Elias then shares a treasure trove of well-researched information on how Old Hollywood has influenced pop culture, insights into the 1960s beach movie phenomenon, interracial relationships, portrayals of mental illness in Old Hollywood, the iconic 1950s housewife, and much, much more! She even included a section that made my lil' Jewish heart sing - an educated commentary on the prevalent Jews in Hollywood! Other noteworthy sections cover the screen queens previously featured here on SCS: Anna May Wong and Clara Bow! Although, in all honesty, the entire book is noteworthy. And yet...I have no notes. One can easily forget that it's written by a high schooler!
"Old Films, Young Eyes" is the film history book we all needed. There are many great books on the history of Hollywood, of course - but most of them have a common thread: they're written by the well-seasoned "veterans" in the field, a large majority of whom are older adult males. They'd been watching the films and scouring the libraries for decades before Miss Elias arrived on the Earth. And perhaps that's why so many of these books, valuable and well-researched as they are, can start sounding the same after a while. In fact, some of them could be summed up by simply saying "Read one, read them all". But "Old Films, Young Eyes" takes a completely different approach - a youthful, insightful and personal approach that still manages to be informative and accurate.
Whether you're a newcomer to the magic of Old Hollywood or a classic film buff, you will greatly appreciate this book. You're bound to learn something you didn't know before, regardless of your previous knowledge of Hollywood history! Reading about a subject we all enjoy, from the perspective of a younger person is a unique experience that I cannot recommend enough!
Yes, some young people actually spell, research, interpret facts and apply them correctly. Miss Elias is one of them. The kids are gonna be alright, folks. Keep an eye out for "Old Films, Young Eyes" by Simone O. Elias - coming soon!
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