In "CinemaScope One: Stupendous in 'Scope", I provided a general (if brief) introduction to wide-screen movies, lensed with the anamorphic CinemaScope lens developed by Professor Henri Chretien. (This information, along with details of other wide-screen processes, can found on pages 122 through 127). In "CinemaScope Two: 20th Century-Fox", I concentrated on the movies released by the studio that introduced and popularized the process. In "CinemaScope 3: Hollywood Takes the Plunge", I extend the discussion to include all Hollywood studios.

This is a truly massive book, crammed full of detailed information and reviews, plus many reproductions of original cinema posters. Yes, the pictures (aside from the lovely color portraits of Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe) are presented in black-and-white, alas. It would be nice to have them in color, but this would double the price of the book. However, I did go out of my way to select from my personal collection either posters that would look reasonably attractive in black-and-white, or newspaper mats that were actually supplied in black-and-white originally.

Many people have complimented me on the exhaustive entries for "A Star Is Born", "Far from the Madding Crowd", "The Longest Day", "Cleopatra" and "2001: A Space Odyssey". But all the films in the book receive detailed coverage. I particularly like the screamingly funny interview with Wilfrid Hyde-White on the set of "Let's Make Love".

And now that a CinemaScope print has become available, I was also very glad to include "The Egyptian", a much under-rated film that seems to have improved in power and impact since its first release way back in 1954.