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Moving Pictures
First published 2002 · 496 pages
A chaotic, laugh-out-loud love letter to the golden age of cinema, wrapped in a delightfully absurd fantasy package.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping onto a frantic, magical movie set where the script is being written five minutes before the cameras roll. It is a brisk, laugh-out-loud experience that perfectly captures the intoxicating, slightly dangerous allure of the silver screen. The narrative crackles with sharp wit, endless puns, and a deep, affectionate understanding of classic Hollywood tropes, all filtered through a lens of absurd fantasy. As the chaos escalates from whimsical ambition to world-threatening cinematic madness, the emotional texture remains surprisingly warm and grounded by its lovable, bumbling cast. It is a perfect read for anyone who loves clever satire, rapid-fire dialogue, and the feeling of being swept up in a wildly entertaining, delightfully unhinged spectacle.
- Mood
- chaotic
- cinematic
- whimsical
- unhinged
- Tone
- satirical
- witty
- irreverent
- affectionate
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the allure of fame · reality versus illusion · the magic of cinema · the danger of unchecked ideas
- The writing
- Sharp, pun-heavy, and endlessly clever, packed with footnotes and rapid-fire observations about human nature.
- The arc
- Starts with lighthearted curiosity and ambition, escalating into frantic, world-saving chaos before settling into a wry, satisfying resolution.
- Who it's for
- Fans of sharp satire, classic Hollywood tropes, and fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously but still has a lot of heart.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- mild peril
About the book
Discworld's pesky alchemists are up to their old tricks again. This time, they've discovered how to get gold from silver -- the silver screen that is. Hearing the siren call of Holy Wood is one Victor Tugelbend, a would-be wizard turned extra. He can't sing, he can't dance, but he can handle a sword (sort of), and now he wants to be a star. So does Theda Withel, an ambitious ingenue from a little town (where else?) you've probably never heard of.But the click click of moving pictures isn't just stirring up dreams inside Discworld. Holy Wood's magic is drifting out into the boundaries of the universes, where raw realities, the could-have-beens, the might-bes, the never-weres, the wild ideas are beginning to ferment into a really stinky brew. It's up to Victor and Gaspode the Wonder Dog (a star if ever one was born!) to rein in the chaos and bring order back to a starstruck Discworld. And they're definitely not ready for their close-up!
Description from Open Library.
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