Rating: 
Summary: A lesser Discworld book, but still entertaining
Review: "Moving Pictures", while not in and of itself and weak book, is one of the lesser entries in the Discworld series. It's first half is anchored more by parody -- which Pratchett uses sparsely and to great effect in the other books -- than by satire -- which is Pratchett's real strength, and the thing that gives the other books their weight. The parody manifests itself in Pratchett's doppelganger depiction of the American movie industry. He gets the characters just right (e.g., an egomaniacal film producer, a talking dog who fancies himself an agent, and leading actors who are vacuous and mundane once the camera stops rolling), but the cheekiness of the situations he presents come off as rather cheesy.There are too many mangled quotations from famous movies, such as a dog inquiring "What's up, duck?", or a lady troll remarking, on an old-fashioned mating ritual, that "a brick on the head could be quite complimentary, but diamonds are a girl's best friend." And the epic being made in the book's middle-third section is about a civil war, a city burning in flames, and the love between a stuck-up Southern Belle and an older distinguished gentleman. When pressed for a title, the film's producer thinks it should having to do with wind, and finally comes up with... 'Blown Away'. The setup to that inconsequential joke was too long to be funny. Although I should note that not all of the film parodies are hokey. At one point a giant woman carries an ape in her hand as she climbs a tall building, and all regret that they don't have a camera rolling to catch the scene. And a golden statue of a bald man holding a sword "looks just like my Uncle Oswald!" Pratchett has some fun with his jokes, but I just found there to be too many of them. They were distracting. Another problem is that the ending just takes too long to unravel. There are myriads of subplots that need to be resolved, some introduced during the final encounter itself and further complicating things. Keeping this story simple would have been a good idea. Terry tended to let it get away from him. The final problem I noticed was that the romantic leads, Victor and Ginger, lacked any heat. Terry seemed to rely on the reader's assumption that since they were the main male and female characters, then love would naturally bloom. He did little to develop this idea, but consistently allowed its possibility to seep into the narrative. All that being said, there were some interesting aspects to the book. A strong point is made about the strength of movie magic (especially in comparison with the Discworld's "real" magic). Although a tad underdeveloped, the idea that people are unconsciously drawn to "Holy Wood" was a thoughtful take on the power of the imagination. And the continuing growth of the character of the Librarian (for the uninitiated, he is a former wizard magically transformed into an orangutan... and perfectly happy to stay that way!) is a joy to watch. Even though he can say nothing more than "Ook", he is consistently the most sensible and conscientious character in any Discworld book, using his logic and reason to save the day.
Rating:
Summary: A lesser Discworld book, but still entertaining
Review: "Moving Pictures", while not in and of itself and weak book, is one of the lesser entries in the Discworld series. It's first half is anchored more by parody -- which Pratchett uses sparsely and to great effect in the other books -- than by satire -- which is Pratchett's real strength, and the thing that gives the other books their weight. The parody manifests itself in Pratchett's doppelganger depiction of the American movie industry. He gets the characters just right (e.g., an egomaniacal film producer, a talking dog who fancies himself an agent, and leading actors who are vacuous and mundane once the camera stops rolling), but the cheekiness of the situations he presents come off as rather cheesy. There are too many mangled quotations from famous movies, such as a dog inquiring "What's up, duck?", or a lady troll remarking, on an old-fashioned mating ritual, that "a brick on the head could be quite complimentary, but diamonds are a girl's best friend." And the epic being made in the book's middle-third section is about a civil war, a city burning in flames, and the love between a stuck-up Southern Belle and an older distinguished gentleman. When pressed for a title, the film's producer thinks it should having to do with wind, and finally comes up with... 'Blown Away'. The setup to that inconsequential joke was too long to be funny. Although I should note that not all of the film parodies are hokey. At one point a giant woman carries an ape in her hand as she climbs a tall building, and all regret that they don't have a camera rolling to catch the scene. And a golden statue of a bald man holding a sword "looks just like my Uncle Oswald!" Pratchett has some fun with his jokes, but I just found there to be too many of them. They were distracting. Another problem is that the ending just takes too long to unravel. There are myriads of subplots that need to be resolved, some introduced during the final encounter itself and further complicating things. Keeping this story simple would have been a good idea. Terry tended to let it get away from him. The final problem I noticed was that the romantic leads, Victor and Ginger, lacked any heat. Terry seemed to rely on the reader's assumption that since they were the main male and female characters, then love would naturally bloom. He did little to develop this idea, but consistently allowed its possibility to seep into the narrative. All that being said, there were some interesting aspects to the book. A strong point is made about the strength of movie magic (especially in comparison with the Discworld's "real" magic). Although a tad underdeveloped, the idea that people are unconsciously drawn to "Holy Wood" was a thoughtful take on the power of the imagination. And the continuing growth of the character of the Librarian (for the uninitiated, he is a former wizard magically transformed into an orangutan... and perfectly happy to stay that way!) is a joy to watch. Even though he can say nothing more than "Ook", he is consistently the most sensible and conscientious character in any Discworld book, using his logic and reason to save the day.
Rating: 
Summary: We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made Of
Review: . . . and our little life is rounded with a sleep." This snippet of Prospero's from Shakespeare's The Tempest, was beautifully ad libbed by Humphrey Bogart during the filming of The Maltese Falcon. It pretty much sums up the experience I took out of reading Terry Pratchett's Moving Pictures. Life in Holy Wood, like life on Prospero's island is one where magical events occur encouraged by a host of spirits. Since these magical events unfold in that piece of the universe known as Discworld, they unfold with wit, humor, and more than a bit of thought.
As the title suggests, Moving Pictures is Pratchett's take on Hollywood. In a manner similar to his approach to Men at Arms, The Truth, and Going Postal, Pratchett takes the development of the motion picture industry and through the literary equivalent of time-lapse photography compresses it so that the reader experiences in a brief time span that which occurred over decades on our slower-moving planet. The result is hilariously funny and made me shake my head and murmur, how did we let this nonsense happen.
CAST OF CHARACTERS: As a click trailer might say: Introducing Victor and Ginger (think Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) as the leading man and lady of this epic. Also new to Discworld is Thomas Silverfish (think Samuel Goldwyn of MGM fame), the first big producer on Discworld. As in Casablanca, Pratchett has also rounded up the usual suspects. Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler (can't think of a character on earth that remotely resembles Dibbler!) and Gaspode (think Oscar Levant as played by a stray dog) are featured prominently and hilariously. This is a big step up for these two contract players in the Discworld series! Rounding out the featured players is that zany group of performers known as the wizards, led by their fearless librarian (think the Keystone Kops meets Planet of the Apes). And, as they say, a cast of thousands, including assorted trolls, an overly obsequious dog known as Laddie (think Lassie) and other delightful diverse denizens of Discworld.
THE PLOT: The plot is simple. It is about the power of dreams in a world, as Dibbler might say, "gone mad". Dreams, particularly the dreams of Ginger, play a critical role in the book. A group of alchemists have invented movies or clicks as they come to be known on Discworld. Fearing that such magic might anger the wizards of Unseen University the alchemists move out of Ankh-Morpork to a strange and wondrous place called Holy Wood. In what seems like only days, clicks become the next big thing. People from around Discworld come to Holy Wood for no apparent reason other than a strange compulsion. Perhaps mysterious forces are at work? The excitement level gradually builds, the outlines of an evil, dark plot by the spirit world reveals itself as in a dream, until all heck breaks loose. Victor strives valiantly to save the universe with the wizards following close behind in a manner reminiscent of the Keystone Kops. The climactic fight scene is both dramatic and hilariously funny. Of course, the fun in any Pratchett novel is not the ending but the journey. Hollywood references abound. It is always fun trying to spot some, even those which Pratchett may never have intended. Dibbler's hilarious product placements and his `invention' of subliminal advertising were worth the price of admission.
Some have suggested that Moving Pictures is not as `good' as his other Discworld books. There is an inference, perhaps, that it does not address profound issues relating to life, the universe and everything as was the case in Mort, Small Gods, or Thief of Time. For me, however, the profusion of cultural gods (from Valentino to Pacino) created by Hollywood and its enormous impact on popular culture throughout the world seems just as worthy of the typical Pratchett treatment as small gods in the form of a turtle. I also have to add that it was a pleasure seeing both Gaspode and Dibbler in more prominent roles.
All in all, as I finished Discworld I kept coming back to Bogart looking wistfully at the worthless Maltese Falcon that so many people had died in pursuit of their dreams. Perhaps for his next click, Dibbler can have Victor close by reminding the audience that, like Prospero:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yes, and all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a wrack behind: We are such stuff
As dreams are made of, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
Th-th-th-that's all folks!!!
Rating:
Summary: Illusions of grandeur . . .
Review: . . . are best accompanied by some "banged grains", which, with butter and salt added, taste just like "salted butter". What better typifies the role of moving pictures in our lives? Terry Pratchett performs literary vivesection on the film industry in this classic parody. He has reached through time and space, exposing the hidden world of film making. The unreal lives of actors and actresses and the hype accompanying movies in our many local Bijou and Rhoxie Theatres is vividly conveyed in this superb novel. The film industry has always been an unlikely marriage of art and business. Yet even the clash of culture and commerce pales against the strength of what "popular appeal" can invoke.
Moving Pictures follows individuals from the population melange of the Discworld's greatest city. An unseen force entices them from reasonably comfortable lives in Ankh-Morpork to a realm of uncertainty and confusion. Victor Tuglebend, aspiring almost-wizard, is inexplicably lured to a desolate desert site. The trees have but one real side, and houses are one type in the front, something else at the back. He's not certain he wants to stay, but the life is too compelling to leave. How do you build a career in a new form of communication? Especially one built on the most unsubstantial foundation of fantasy - and film that explodes. What actually happens before an imp-inhabited box that transforms a chaos of people, contrived scenery and improbable stories into something we willingly - no, eagerly, shell out hard-earned money to watch?
Victor's becomes immersed into the "clicks" industry as he deals with all these improbabilities. As Pratchett builds his story, his expressive genius is given full rein. He draws cliches from the film industry's giants - Producer Thomas Silverfish is derived from Samuel Goldwyn [born Samuel Gelbfisch] among innumerable others. In a narrative rich with imagery - exotic dancer Ruby, a Troll, moves around the stage "like continental drift with curves" - Pratchett traces Victor's increasing awareness of the industry. An inexplicable force is drawing people to Holy Wood. It changes the lives of everyone as it's influence permeates the Discworld. This force builds in vigour and influence. Its effect seems stronger with actresses. Victor's co-star, Ginger, is even more vulnerable to its call. She wants to be the "most important person in the world". Who will consider her "important"? You?
There's a positive side to Holy Wood's mystical powers. On the Discworld there are many species - trolls, gnomes, dwarves. Many of these would battle each other on sight. In Holy Wood, however, they mingle and cooperate. Getting the click finished, on time and over budget is the commonly held goal. Tradtitional animosities are set aside to complete the project. Is the price worth entering the world of delusional images and the admiration of millions? You must decide that for yourself. Pratchett will help you settle the question. And in doing so, will keep you chuckling and reflecting. An amazing and captivating story.
Oh, yes. That'll be ten A-M cents for the bag of banged grains. Thank you. Enjoy the show. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: You have to love this!
Review: a spectualar novel! Satre, ironic, Fantasy and a lot more.
Rating:
Summary: One of Pratchett's best!
Review: And so, "Hogfather" is finally dethroned as my favorite Discworld novel! Terry Pratchett's work is often compared to Douglas Adams's classic "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" applied to fantasy rather than science fiction, but I feel that Pratchett is in another league entirely. He has an uncanny knack to find one element of society -- in this case, the film industry, and deconstruct it, poking fun at all its conventions and turning something we take for granted into a bizarre threat. The magic of "Holy Wood" grips Discworld this time around, as a would-be Wizard, a former farmgirl and a talking dog become the stars of the newest product of alchemy, the moving picture. There's something sinister about the pictures, though, something that should have remained untouched... The ending sequence, which I can't examine in detail without giving away too much, nearly had me paralyzed with laughter as Pratchett systematically took on every Hollywood cliche he could find. If you've ever enjoyed a "Discworld" novel, you've got to read this one. If you love the movies and you love people who can poke good-natured fun at them, you've got to read this too.
Rating: 
Summary: The Funny Movie Industry
Review: I admit that I am not a big fan of the motion picture industry, so maybe that prejudiced my opinion. The book is OK: it does have its strong points. CMOT Dibbler is always funny (and so are his relatives). In fact, the conversations between Dibbler and his nephew? are very funny. But I still think he is funniest as a seller of sausages and meat pies in Ankh-Morpork. And it is funny to watch others try to eat them. The parodying of Hollywood was very funny, especially the "gold warrior" whose job it is to uphold quality in movies. It is worth it mainly to try to catch all the punnish references to Hollywood and to hear the Dibblers arguing all the time - and the 1000 elephants add to it, too. OK, but OK for Pratchett is good for other authors.
Rating:
Summary: A European satire on Hollywood
Review: I deeply enjoyed Pratchett's way of stabbing at and making fun of America's No. 1 dream factory. Nice one, T.P.!!
Rating:
Summary: Not Discworld's best...
Review: I have been reading the Discworld novels in order, and sadly found this book to be the least entertaining one. These doesn't mean that it's not a good book, just that it's below level in comparison to the previous ones (I haven't read the ones that follow Moving Pictures, so I can't compare it with them). The whole deal of poking fun at the movie industry seemed like fun, but seemed to grow old very quickly due to too many references and inside jokes, instead of the usual smart humor Pratchett has us used to. The characters aren't really interesting, save from Gaspode, and maybe some of the trolls, but as for the other new ones (Victor and Ginger), I didn't like them. I have to say I'm biased because my favorite characters (DEATH and the librarian) had little to do this time around. Also, the backstory at the Unseen University seemed out of place and not really connected with the whole Holy Wood theme (at least until the end). Well, I guess I can't really complain. This would be a great book for any other author, but when compared to the rest of the series, it seems a bit off.
Rating:
Summary: Behold! The Splendour of Moving Pictures!
Review: I have read 10 of Terry's books so far, and they have never failed to please. This book is no exception. Moving Pictures is a masterpiece; a great achievement even by Terry's standards. As the title of my review implies, it is no less than splendid. I would say that it is as engaging and interesting as the best of movies ( excuse the pun) The jokes (especially the King Kong one) are apt, and Gaspode is one cool character. I really recommend this book, not only because of its numerous jokes and parodies, but also because it does offer an insider's, as well as Terry's own views, on movie-making. All in all, a downright cool book.
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