Book Description

A landmark manifesto about the genuine closing of the American mind.

Lawrence Lessig could be called a cultural environmentalist. One of America's most original and influential public intellectuals, his focus is the social dimension of creativity: how creative work builds on the past and how society encourages or inhibits that building with laws and technologies. In his two previous books, Code and The Future of Ideas, Lessig concentrated on the destruction of much of the original promise of the Internet. Now, in Free Culture, he widens his focus to consider the diminishment of the larger public domain of ideas. In this powerful wake-up call he shows how short-sighted interests blind to the long-term damage they're inflicting are poisoning the ecosystem that fosters innovation.

All creative works-books, movies, records, software, and so on-are a compromise between what can be imagined and what is possible-technologically and legally.For more than two hundred years, laws in America have sought a balance between rewarding creativity and allowing the borrowing from which new creativity springs.The original term of copyright set by the Constitution in 1787 was seventeen years. Now it is closer to two hundred. Thomas Jefferson considered protecting the public against overly long monopolies on creative works an essential government role.What did he know that we've forgotten?

Lawrence Lessig shows us that while new technologies always lead to new laws, never before have the big cultural monopolists used the fear created by new technologies, specifically the Internet, to shrink the public domain of ideas, even as the same corporations use the same technologies to control more and more what we can and can't do with culture. As more and more culture becomes digitized, more and more becomes controllable, even as laws are being toughened at the behest of the big media groups. What's at stake is our freedom-freedom to create, freedom to build, and ultimately, freedom to imagine. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Enlightening
In a world dominated by "ideas" (images, sounds, text, drugs, algorithms, etc.), it is (perhaps) surprising that the ongoing struggle over the control of "intellectual property" has essentially no presence in the public consciousness. Knowing perhaps a little more about copyright than the average newspaper reader, I found Free Culture eye-opening and occasionally shocking.

Lessig provides a very readable overview of the issues and history surrounding copyright, including an inside look at his efforts to have the Supreme Court rule Congress' continual copyright extensions unconstitutional (Eldred v. Ashcroft). The strength of Free Culture is the anecdotes it presents, from 18th century publishers trying to keep Shakespeare out of the public domain to a modern corporation trying to keep Mickey Mouse out of the public domain, with minimal bias but the clear message that things are going wrong.

Lessig falters when proposing solutions to the current crisis, which are weak and/or underdeveloped. He also occasionally displays his loony-left politics with misplaced analogies; I found his references to gun control and the war on drugs especially out of place, even misleading.

While Free Culture is weak in spots, it may well change the way you think about intellectual property.

You can even download the book for free!

Feudalism depended on maximum control and concentration
A free culture supports and protects creators. The internet has established the ability for thousands to participate in the building and cultivation of culture. Laws regulating intellectual property have been laws against piracy. Copyright law regulates both republishing and transforming the work of another.

Disney's great creativity was built on the work of others. In 1928 the average term of copyright was thirty years. Today public domain is presumptive only for work created before the Great Depression. In the world free culture has been broadly exploited. Japan has a huge market of knock off comics and does not have many lawyers.

We celebrate property but there is plenty of value not subject to the strictures of property law. George Eastman created roll film and the upshot was the era of mass photography. The real significance was not economic but social. Now the internet allows creations to be shared, web logs, blogs, have grown dramatically. Blogs are a virtual public meeting. They are unchoreographed public discourse. Bloggers are amateur journalists.

John Seely Brown of Xerox believes we learn by tinkering. Recording music, radio, cable TV all were technologies involving forms of piracy. The piracy problems were solved by legislation. Peer to peer sharing was made famous by Napster. It is not clear that the file sharing has caused the decline in the sale of CDs.

In 1710 the British parliament adopted the first copyright act. In the last three hundred years the concept of copyright has been applied ever more broadly. The copyright law was a limitation on the power of book sellers. A decision in 1774 in the House of Lords held the limitation in the Copyright Act set forth the notion of a Public Domain. The common laws right of a publisher's monopoly was broken.

A documentary film maker could not rely on the fair use doctrine in showing a short glimpse of THE SIMPSONS in an employee break room. The author claims that Jack Valenti analyzes intellectual property improperly. In 1790 Congress enacted the first copyright law. In 1976 the law changed the scheme and for all works created after 1978 there was only one copyright term, the author's life plus fifty years. For corporations the term was seventy-five years. An amendment to the law extended the term for an individual to ninety five years. Copyright protects derivative uses also.

Technology researchers have been warned they may be in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Technologies of the internet are open to snoops as well as sharers. The change in concentration and integration of the media is cause for concern. There should be an evaluation of the loss of independence. The author cautions that in the case of internet technology a land grab is taking place. Currently there is a widely punitive system tending to stifle creativity. The author believes that a reasonable balance between opposing interests in the area of intellectual property has been lost.

A Very Important Book
If you care that your rights as creators and comsumers of art are being taken away by multinational corporations this is the book to read

Is Jack Valenti our most culturally-destructive person?
About halfway through "Free Culture" author Lawrence Lessig offers his most arresting example among many to illustrate his main arguments. That example - or set of examples - comes from Adobe's eBook Reader. When using this particular piece of software to read a downloaded electronic book, you are given a set of "permissions". These include how many times you can copy from the book to the clipboard, how many times you are allowed to print selections from the book, and how many times, if any, you can have your device "Read Aloud" the book. (Other eBook readers have similar characteristics, and Lessig is quick to absolve Adobe of fault.)

This represents one case of how technology allows content providers to introduce new restrictions that have no basis in copyright law or practice as it existed until recently. The Adobe eBook Reader allows such providers to limit even "fair use", or any use, even for books that are not in fact copyrighted. Congress and the courts have however been quick to provide shelter for this increasing control garnered and enforced by content owners. These and other trends lead to Lessig's main point: "the Internet should at least force us to rethink the conditions under which the law of copyright automatically applies, because it is clear that the current reach of copyright was never contemplated, much less chosen, by the legislators who enacted copyright law."

As evidenced by the preceding quote, Lessig's language is seldom extreme, although the instances he cites and the conclusions he draws are truly alarming. He lays out his case in a methodical, always interesting, and frequently entertaining approach. He begins historically, leading us through the record of how we and the courts have defined "property" and "property rights", particularly as they apply to intellectual and cultural property. He demonstrates how, in the U.S., almost every segment of the media industry began with "piracy" of some sort. He cites how, until now, the decisive judgments by the courts in cases dealing with such "piracy" have almost always been in support of, ultimately, the "free" dissemination of culture.

Essential to Lessig's story is the specific history of copyright law. In the U.S., the first such law in 1790 established a copyright term of 14 years, allowed for only one renewal (also for 14 years), and required registration. With the passage of the "Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act" (CTEA) in 1998, we now have an effective term of 95 years, renewal is essentially automatic, and no registration is required. (One of the most compelling sections, although not critical to Lessig's overall narrative, is how he unsuccessfully argued in the Supreme Court against CTEA.)

As "Free Culture" demonstrates, even more effective than recent Congressional action in stifling cultural dissemination have been the efforts of people and groups such as Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The author shows that their favorite weapon is the harassment suit that overwhelms the defendants' fiscal ability to respond. Valenti and the MPAA sued to outlaw VCRs (luckily Sony did have the wherewithal to defend itself). The RIAA sued the Girl Scouts for singing around the campfire. And the two groups combined to spend about $1.5M in lobbying leading up to the passage of the Sony Bono Act.

Lessig closes with some very specific and detailed proposals of how we can fight these increasing incursions on the free spread of culture.

This is a valuable and necessary book. For the most part, it is lucidly argued and engagingly written. The examples, metaphors, and illustrations are plentiful and right on the mark. The flow of the book has, I think, just two lapses that, while perhaps obscure, may interfere with a reader's ability to follow Lessig's logic at critical junctures.

One such lapse is that he does not clearly maintain the distinction between digital, Internet-based technologies for cultural dissemination and those non-digital ones which will live on. His arguments in the first half of the book seem to suggest that he believes that "hard-copy" media will eventually disappear, or at least that all new works will, at some point, be produced only via electronic means. I doubt if this is precisely how he envisions the future; he needs I think to clarify how he sees the distinction playing out.

The second lapse is this. The ability of big media conglomerates to recruit the courts and copyright law to their side is based on a legal determination that, as Lessig puts it,"each use of the Internet produces a copy." He glides over this point without fully explaining how that is so. Since it is so vital to the whole structure of how the law deals with the Internet, and since it will seem counter-intuitive to many, it would have been helpful for the author to have fully explained it and to have done so early in the book.

Media conglomerate attacks on music-sharing, campfire-singing, and movie-sampling may seem entirely justified to many. "Free Culture" sees and presents clearly the kind of constricted cultural future this might well lead to. My favorite passage is when Lessig writes: "lawyers are rarely empirical." Lawrence Lessig is a lawyer, and he has written a very empirical book.

Ten million reasons why copyright should be reformed
Lawrence Lessig's "Free Culture" is nothing short of brilliant. It outlines an incredibly important modern problem that is lost under the noise of more pressing concerns like the war in Iraq or corporate scandals. That problem is the loss of our culture at the hands of intellectual property law. And what that problem lacks in immediacy and prime-time-worthy sex appeal, it makes up in long-term consequences.

Lessig does a formidable job of making the issue come alive for both experts and laymen with his use of anecdotes that clearly illustrate how the ever-growing term and scope of copyright have stifled creativity and shrunken the portion of our culture in the public domain. He shows how the content industry is trying to redefine IP as the equivalent of tangible property, when it is not and has never been, and how that industry has manipulated Congress and the Courts to get closer to its goal.

If you followed the Eldred v. Ashcroft case (like I did; I was lucky to be at oral argument before the Supremes), you'll want to pick up this book for Lessig's inside account. Most of it is a mea culpa for not realizing that the Court didn't want a constitutional argument, but a consequentialist one. I'm not sure this would have made a difference. The Court's right, who, like Lessig, I thought would chime in for a strict reading of what is clear language of "limited times" in the Copyright Clause, must have had some special reason for turning their backs on their originalist rhetoric and I doubt that a political argument would have changed their minds. I still can't understand what that reason might be, and I refuse to believe it's just the dead hand of stare decisis that gave Scalia pause. Lessig is obviously very upset at that Justice; while he does mention having clerked for Judge Posner, Lessig doesn't mention in his bio (neither in the dust jacket nor the back pages of the book) that he clerked for Scalia in 1990-91.

One curious thing about the book is that throughout it Lessig implies that he is a leftist and that the ideas he is advocating are leftist. He patronizingly writes at a couple of points that he would be surprised if a person on the right had read that far. I think he is selling himself-and conservative readers-short. In fact, there is very little in the book incompatible with a conservative or libertarian free-market viewpoint. Private interests using the power of the state to distort the market and quash their competitors, and an originalist Jeffersonian interpretation of the Constitution as the response are very conservative themes indeed.

But it's not all agreement. I, like most free marketeers, will object to parts of Free Culture. Foremost among them are Lessig's concerns about media concentration. The fact is that there are more options today in television and radio than 20 years ago, and the the explosion of Internet sites and blogs, which Lessig spends most of the book lauding, belies the idea that news can be controlled. And it is interesting that Lessig seems to understand this. He says that he has seen concentration only as market efficiency in action, and that only recently has he 'begun to change his mind'. His skepticism is reflected in the fact that he only dedicated a small section (7 pages) to the issue. Another point of contention will be some of the solutions he proposes. While I applaud the idea of shorter terms that must be renewed with payment of a token fee, compulsory licensing and fees paid out by the government out of general revenues is beyond the pail. Won't such mechanisms be ripe for corporate manipulation as well?

Still, small quibbles aside, this book beautifully puts the IP issue in perspective. Everyone is touched by copyright whether they know it or not. This book shows us how the future of our culture is a dark one unless we change course soon. ... Read more

Book Description

Court TV host Nancy Grace presents her case in this behind-the-scenes look at the high-profile cases everyone is talking about.

Nancy Grace is a name millions of Americans recognize from her regular appearances on Court TV and Larry King Live. Legions of loyal fans tune in for her opinions on today's high-profile cases and her expert commentary on the challenges facing the American judicial system. Now, in Objection!, she makes her case for what's wrong with the legal system and what can be done about it.

Grace has inside access to the court cases everyone in America is talking about and she offers readers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what goes on both inside and outside the courtroom during these trials-all in her trademark sassy, in-your-face style. In Objection!, she reveals surprising -- and sometimes shocking -- insights and information surrounding the cases of:

--Scott Peterson --Robert Blake
--Michael Jackson
--Jayson Williams
--Kobe Bryant
--Martha Stewart
--Phil Spector
--and many more

An outspoken critic of the atmosphere surrounding today's biggest courtroom battles and an ardent victim's rights advocate, Grace provides an articulate, well-informed point of view on the cases that are shaping the course of judicial history. ... Read more

Book Description

MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF MEDIA LAW is a comprehensive and concise summary of media law The text offers a lawyer's grasp of current cases, a teacher's grasp of the key principles of communication law, as well as the need to communicate clearly. The text is revised every year to include the most recent developments in communication law through the end of the Supreme Court's term. Each August, a new edition is available for fall classes, with recent developments through July 1, 2004, fully integrated into the text, not added as an appendix or separate supplement. ... Read more

Book Description

MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF MEDIA LAW is a comprehensive and concise summary of media law. The text is revised every year to include the most recent developments in communication law through the end of the Supreme Court's term. Each August, a new edition is available for fall classes, with recent developments through July 1 fully integrated into the text, not added as an appendix or separate supplement ... Read more

Book Description

This market-leading text discusses the most relevant mass media legal decisions, from the Constitution to the most recent Supreme Court sessions, in relation to their relevance to modern American law. From the Internet to political advertising laws, Mass Media Law examines the current issues that are shaping the United States legal system. Known for its clear explanations and its consistent pedagogy, the text includes mid-chapter summaries, a table of cases, and more. The new edition has been heavily revised to include several new cases, updated coverage on military censorship (to include the war in Iraq), intrusion on the Internet, and new material on the deregulation of the telecommunications industry. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Case Background
The major categories of mass communication are presented with key cases under each. Prior to getting into the various cases, background on the legal system is explained. The readers are told about public communication and the law in general. There is an overview of the first amendment to the U.S. constitution. Logically flowing out of that is discussion of issues directly related such as libel and privacy. Graphically the design is such that the content is easy to digest. The book goes on to provide sections on intellectual property, corporate speech, advertising, and journalism. Matters of accessibility are included as well. This book is an excellent overview to mass media law. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Robert W. McChesney

"Robert McChesney's work has been of extraordinary importance. . . . It should be read with care and concern by people who care about freedom and basic rights."
—Noam Chomsky

"Robert McChesney is one of the nation's most important analysts of the media."
—Howard Zinn

The symptoms of the crisis of the U.S. media are well-known—a decline in hard news, the growth of info-tainment and advertorials, staff cuts and concentration of ownership, increasing conformity of viewpoint and suppression of genuine debate. McChesney's new book, The Problem of the Media, gets to the roots of this crisis, explains it, and points a way forward for the growing media reform movement.

Moving consistently from critique to action, the book explores the political economy of the media, illuminating its major flashpoints and controversies by locating them in the political economy of U.S. capitalism. It deals with issues such as the declining quality of journalism, the question of bias, the weakness of the public broadcasting sector, and the limits and possibilities of antitrust legislation in regulating the media. It points out the ways in which the existing media system has become a threat to democracy, and shows how it could be made to serve the interests of the majority.

McChesney's Rich Media, Poor Democracy was hailed as a pioneering analysis of the way in which media had come to serve the interests of corporate profit rather than public enlightenment and debate. Bill Moyers commented, "If Thomas Paine were around, he would have written this book." The Problem of the Media is certain to be a landmark in media studies, a vital resource for media activism, and essential reading for concerned scholars and citizens everywhere.

Reviews (2)

Hypercommercial Antimarkets Revealed
Expect this book to get a wave of one-star liberal-bashing reactionary reviews once the neoconservatives learn that it exists. That's because their entire philosophy, especially concerning the media, is decisively shot down in this powerful manifesto. McChesney's specialty is media ownership patterns and their effects on popular democracy. Here we find that the modern push for deregulation in media industries is leading to a real crisis for democracy in America - in effect there really is a "problem of the media." While megacorporations wrap their campaign for unlimited profits in rhetoric about free speech, the First Amendment, and giving the people what they want, McChesney finds that all of these claims are false and usually downright dishonest.

The current wave of media deregulation has been greased by big media money in the halls of power, and influence peddling among a few power players (including FCC chairman Michael Powell, whom McChesney unapologetically cuts down to size). The common people are left out of the loop, with a loss of media coverage toward local and dissenting viewpoints, and more and more lowest-common denominator media content. Despite the rhetoric about free trade and capitalism, today's media is far from competitive and equitable. Instead it's a hyper-commercial oligarchy of power consolidation and political power grabbing, and McChesney provides plenty of evidence and eloquent arguments about these trends and the damage they are doing to popular democracy.

Certain parts of this book also serve as a monumentally informative primer on modern neoconservative politics, with that movement's almost total contempt for the public interest and slavish kowtowing to corporate bigwigs. That makes this book essential for media watchdogs, plus more general political observers who can then learn more about media trends as a specific issue. A bonus is Chapter 3 in which McChesney brutally deconstructs the standard right-wing claims of "liberal bias" in the media, finding that this is merely an attempt by conservatives to monopolize social thought, in addition to income and political power. This book's final chapter presents a partial happy ending in documenting the vast popular uprising that is now confronting the media giants and their pocketed politicians. The people are up for a long fight against media money and power, but all those who read this outstanding treatise from McChesney will certainly have the knowledge necessary for true democratic progress. [~doomsdayer520~]

Next time you hear 'them' screaming about 'Liberal Media'...
The corporate owners of the media, their executives and their business partners (commercial and political advertisers) are in collusion to make sure that the deck is stacked against regular citizens who are raised to believe in fairness and in favor of those in collusion. Their tools include the Federal Communications Commission and their agenda is the perpetuation of commerce, not an informed citizenry.

This book explains the early traditions of American media, how the media has been coopted and corrupted by the Right and by powerful commercial interests, and how this situation has become self-perpetuating and institutionalized by the FCC.

Don't be persuaded that this book is a left wing screed. Although this issue is a major reason why we have a Bush administration, it is not a personal indictment. Rather, it is an indictment of the system that is, and a case for why it should be (and once was) very different.

Robert McChesney tries hard to be an honest broker of information about the Media and he largely succeeds. In the lengthy (chapter-length) appendix, he is meticulous with his sources and invites further reading on all sides of the issue. While you're reading McChesney, read John Nichols (and particularly the book they wrote together, called "Our Media, Not Theirs").

The next time you hear people ranting about the liberal media, ask them to question who influenced them to think that way and point them to this book. Consider: why is it that the more citizens question the consolidation and bias of the media, the more the issue is fogged up by figures in the media? The answers are simple; McChesney helps the reader understand. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to provide learners with a foundation in medical law and ethics, this book uses case studies from actual legal procedures to illustrate key points of law, interpretation of statutes, as well as ethical dilemmas.This newly revised edition helps the medical office professional interact with the legal profession, recognize when they need legal advice, and protect their employers from medical malpractice complaints.In addition to understanding their rights as an employee, the rights of the patient are explored, as well. ... Read more

Book Description

This seminal book explains the nuts and bolts of the legal and business aspects of independent film productions. Contracts, distribution and financing are explained in down-to-earth language. Basic contracts and other forms used in the industry are included. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

More Than a Great Book--It's a Public Service
This is more than a great book--it's a public service.The
authors share insights from their decades of legal and
entertainment production experience, in essence offering
thousands of dollars of free legal advice to aspiring
independent producers.Beyond offering a roadmap of business-
planning steps, the book includes templates of numerous legal
forms that an independent producer might need.Meanwhile, in
clear and artful prose, they alternate between You're-Not-God
straight talk and You-Can-Do-It encouragement.Between the
lines, there seems to be a genuine interest in helping
important stories and quality independent work to see the
light of day.I've read other books on the business side of
entertainment that were helpful, but this stands out as the
best of the lot.

The bible of independent film producer
If you are or want to become an independent film producer, this book will give you all of the business/legal knowledge of filmmaking you need.Even though I have not finished the book yet, I've already found this book to be extremely valuable.Because I am planning to produce a new film next year, I even called up Mr. Tulchin directly for legal advice.He was very friendly and took the time to give me great advices and was very knowledgeable in not just U.S. based entertainment law but also international entertainment law as well.Read this book and you will find it worth more than what you paid for!!!

The 'business' of 'show business' explained
One thing that isn't taught that much at film schools is how many contracts are generated and how much time you spend negotiating deals.Our first film is still in post-production (April 2003) and we already have a filing cabinet filled with contracts and paperwork. I wish this book had been available when we started production.The chapter on delivery requirements alone is worth every penny.In it you'll find out what a distributor will want along with your film.Don't forget the still photographer on the set and behind the scenes!Great and easy read, too.

Bravo!
The Independent Film Producer's Survival Guide is the most practical and concrete text on the Hollywood deal-making process that I have read to date.Its succinct presentation of the independent film business-legal process is welcome.Many of the real-world examples of independent producers struggling to secure the deal are thought provoking and encouraging.I believe that any independent film producer who reads and applies the information contained in the Survival Guide can only win.Film schools should seriously consider adding this publication to their list of reference texts.

If you are a filmmaker you MUST buy this book!!!
This book not only lays down everything you need to make and sell an independent film but even provides you with the forms and contracts to do it with! It is a very easy read and the experience these authors have in unsurpassed in the film industry so listen to what they have to say! ... Read more

Book Description

This book's reader-friendly approach, dynamic writing style and numerous illustrations present the ins and outs of communication law in an engaging and lively way. Discusses First Amendment principles,common laws, constitutional considerations, privacy factors, advertising, protecting news sources, broadcast regulations and the internet. For anyone wanting to know more about communication law or media law. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive, ready-to-use collection of 44 model business and legal forms will save anyone involved in the performing arts thousands of dollars in legal fees! Written by an entertainment lawyer and producer, Business and Legal Forms for Theater includes samples for every aspect of theater law, including author agreements, commissions, production license, play publishing, and more. Artists, producers, directors, theatrical designers and even box office managers will have everything they need to prepare their own contracts, negotiate the best possible deal, and minimize legal risks. Accompanying CD-ROM includes all forms, checklists, and contracts in both Mac and PC formats. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Breathes Life into Law
This book is great! Not only do you get vital information on momentous First Amendment cases, but you also get to 'hear' the people involved discuss their motives for and feelings while standing up for their (and our) rights.

The book is a compilation of interviews with lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants from 10 key First Amendment law cases that deal with topics such as freedom of expression, libel, privacy, the use of anonymous sources, free press vs. fair trial, commercial speech, broadcast and cable regulation, and new media regulation.

While Russomanno probably intended this book to be used in a Mass Communication Law class, it is also a fascinating read for anyone interested in our right to "speak our minds." The book is well written (especially the Nebraska Press chapter), well researched and interesting on many levels. Definitely a great addition to any collection.

If you're into the First Amendment, you must have this book!
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Of special interest are the lists of ready-to-use questions
An ideal addition to any journalist or author's Writer Reference shelf, The Interviewer's Handbook: A Guerrilla Guide by John Brady is a compendium of instruction into the diverse tactics and techniques of acquiring and conducting interviews by journalists and writers. Enhanced with lively anecdotes, practical advice, conventional (and unconventional!) methods for approaching varied situations, dealing with "off-the-record" issues, securing colorful quotes, even what to do when assigned to get interviews with entertainment celebrities, business leaders, and influential politicians. Of special interest are the lists of ready-to-use questions for an interview.

"Interviewing" = RDI (required daily investment)
While of us do not interview celebs livelihood-wise, we all need to extricate important info from others. Whether in commerce, aerospace, security, health care, or the "Plain Jane social scene", communication skills are vital to success. Interviewing is the art form of asking (artfully constructed questions)and active listening is an opportunity to extricate "more". Seasoned journalist/author Brady shares trade secrets. "The Art of Listening" reminds us aggressive listening can mean success or failure. Quoting John Travolta--Brady reminds us that "people are interesting...you just need to ask the right questions" is a real thought pearl.

For the socially shy- Chapter 22 "Best Questions" has goodies for cocktail chit-chat stuff. This book, sprinkled with wit, humor, insight, could easily change your life. Highly recommended. Easily digestible.

Miriam Erick/ Boston
Author: "Managing Morning Sickess" (c) 2004 (Bull Pub. Boulder, Co ... Read more

Book Description

The proliferation of images of law, legal processes, and officials on television and in film is a phenomenon of enormous significance.Mass-mediated images are as powerful, pervasive, and important as are other early twenty-first-century social forces—e.g. globalization, neo-colonialism, and human rights—in shaping and transforming legal life.Yet scholars have only recently begun to examine how law works in this new arena and to explore the consequences of the representation of law in the moving image."Law on the Screen" advances our understanding of the connection between law and film by analyzing them as narrative forms, examining film for its jurisprudential content—that is, its ways of critiquing the present legal world and imagining an alternative one—and expanding studies of the representation of law in film to include questions of reception. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A popular film guide with real substance.
As a lawyer, I did not expect that a book on movie trials, aimed at a popular audience, would have much substance. But I was very pleasantly suprised. The authors, two law professors, do an excellent job of pointing out the numerous errors Hollywood makes when it tries to depict a trial. (Most non-lawyers would be surprised, for example, to learn that *My Cousin Vinny* is much more realistic than *The Verdict.*) The authors' discussions go into real (but not tedious) depth about not only the errors in the way judges, lawyers, etc., behave on film, but also the mistakes scriptwriters make in creating tactics and legal theories for their characters. In addition, the authors helpfully explain what would (most likely) *really* happen in many filmed situations. Because the authors treat each movie at length, this is not an exhaustive filmography. However, all the biggies are here, and the book also contains usefully organized indexes. This would be a great selection for lawyers, film buffs, or anyone who has to serve on a jury.

If you love legal dramas you must read this book.
Courtrooms are the scenes of many of our greatest dramas, both on film and in real life. So it's no surprise that a book reviewing the legal and dramatic merits of dozens of law-related movies is a great read.

You learn a lot about the law through the authors' explanations of what famous trial scenes in the movies were based in actual law or not. And you get lots of insights into the making of many excellent movies.

Not only did I enjoy this book enormously, I've also used it as a guide for what movies to rent.

The co-author of Reel Justice responds to the critics.
As a co-author of this book, I'd like to respond to the review written by Reader from Los Angeles. I'm sorry the reader didn't like our attempts to be humorous. However, I can assure the reader that my co-author and I saw, researched, and analyzed each and every one of the films discussed in the book. If there are errors, we'd appreciate hearing from the Reader so they can be corrected in a subsequent edition.

A great idea for a book, but messed up by authors' poor job
A great idea for a book, but the book is messed up by the authors' silliness and self-indulgence. Had the authors just dealt with their topic, it would be five stars. Instead,the book suffers from two major problems. First, almost every paragraph is replete with childish "inside" jokes, sophomoric asides (invariably Lefist where they are politifal), imbecilic puns and similar self-indulgent stupidity, apparently included to show how clever the authors are. Instead, all this junk just distracts from any discussion and generally leaves the reader grinding his teeth in annoyance. Second, there are serious and repeated errors in the descriptions of the movie plots. Did the authors actually watch all the films discussed, or did they rely on others (grad students, perhaps?) for some of the material? My conclusion is that the topic is well worth a book, and its a shame the authors made such a mess of this one.

An excellent book on "celluloid law."
This is a generally well written and informative book that does well what it sets out to do. The legal analyses are nothing if not jurisprudentially educational, and indeed, for any movie listed within, these synopses will probably provide you with a much more thourough and insightful critique than you would get with Siskel, Ebert et.al. A particularly good gift for any lawyer who loves the cinema. ... Read more

Book Description

A team of barristers from Five Raymond Buildings, the media, entertainment and human rights chambers, have come together to writethis timely consideration of the rapidly developing law of privacy inEngland and Wales. The book considers how the law protects thepublication of personal information without undermining thefundamental principle of freedom of expression.The Law of Privacy and the Media is essential reading for allthose who act for or against the media, as well as all those with ageneral interest in the subject. ... Read more