Rating: 
Summary: Not the best Discworld book
Review: Once again, the Discworld's alchemists are getting themselves into trouble. This time they've created moving pictures. Their short "clicks" immediately gain attention throughout the land and soon after people are mysteriously finding themselves drawn to a place called Holy Wood, a location out in the middle of nowhere. Soon, a huge movie industry spurts up and more and more people are coming to Holy Wood to be a part of this. Included in this group are: Victor, a wizard-in-training who would purposely fail his exams to not become a full-blown wizard; Ginger, simple milk-maid; Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, a former sausage salesman about to take Holy Wood by storm; and Gaspode the Wonder dog, a flea-bitten, diseased old mutt who can actually talk. What the people of Holy Wood don't know is that by making these moving pictures, they are actually creating a whole in the fabric of the already thin reality of Discwork. In the process, they are opening the gate for some not-very-nice creatures to come right in.I have read most of Pratchett's books and I found this one the most disappointing. Pratchett plays too much on poking fun at the real motion picture industry than developing the characters or inserting his own brand of humor into the story. There were some classic scenes in the book, like when Gaspode tries to get some trolls to help rescue his friends Victor and Ginger from a collapsed cave by talking to them, but instead the stupid, overly trained dog, Laddie, manages to get their attention instead. However, these are few and far between. Too many times Pratchett just makes obvious connections to the film industry that are funny at first but get rather predictable towards the end of the book. The only thing I did enjoy about the book was Gaspode. This poor dog is given the capability of speech from the Holy Wood magic floating in the air and his side comments are just hysterical at times. He is the best developed character in the book.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best Discworld book
Review: Once again, the Discworld's alchemists are getting themselves into trouble. This time they've created moving pictures. Their short "clicks" immediately gain attention throughout the land and soon after people are mysteriously finding themselves drawn to a place called Holy Wood, a location out in the middle of nowhere. Soon, a huge movie industry spurts up and more and more people are coming to Holy Wood to be a part of this. Included in this group are: Victor, a wizard-in-training who would purposely fail his exams to not become a full-blown wizard; Ginger, simple milk-maid; Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, a former sausage salesman about to take Holy Wood by storm; and Gaspode the Wonder dog, a flea-bitten, diseased old mutt who can actually talk. What the people of Holy Wood don't know is that by making these moving pictures, they are actually creating a whole in the fabric of the already thin reality of Discwork. In the process, they are opening the gate for some not-very-nice creatures to come right in. I have read most of Pratchett's books and I found this one the most disappointing. Pratchett plays too much on poking fun at the real motion picture industry than developing the characters or inserting his own brand of humor into the story. There were some classic scenes in the book, like when Gaspode tries to get some trolls to help rescue his friends Victor and Ginger from a collapsed cave by talking to them, but instead the stupid, overly trained dog, Laddie, manages to get their attention instead. However, these are few and far between. Too many times Pratchett just makes obvious connections to the film industry that are funny at first but get rather predictable towards the end of the book. The only thing I did enjoy about the book was Gaspode. This poor dog is given the capability of speech from the Holy Wood magic floating in the air and his side comments are just hysterical at times. He is the best developed character in the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Play it Agian, Sham
Review: One word: Hillarious. I read this book after readig about Gaspode's other antics with Angua and such, and this tied up a lot of loose ends about him. this is one of Pratchett's better books not belonging to any of the discworld mini series. CMOT, as usual was great (even though why he called himself "throat" in this book is beyond me), and the wizards, as usual, were one of the most entertaining parts of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful blending of parody and fantasy
Review: Only Terry Pratchett would do a satire of Hollywood by incorporating it into a story about Nameless Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. In this Discworld novel, Pratchett once again details -- or, rather, hints at -- the nameless horrors in the Dungeon Dimensions, home to things that destroy sanity and crave nothing more than to invade the universe that we (or rather, the characters in the novel) know. (And a big hello to the fans of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulu mythos.) This time, their entry into reality is afforded through a mysterious little desert community called Holy Wood, where people are being drawn to create a new form of art (and business) heretofore unknown on Discworld: the moving pictures industry, commonly referred to as "clicks." What's happening and why only gradually becomes clear, but first we're treated to a send-up of classic Hollywood, one that eventually embraces dozens of classic films, as well as all the stereotypical Hollywood personalities. Returning characters include the wizards of Unseen University, shady peddler Cut My Own Throat Dibbler, the troll bouncer Detritus and, briefly, the City Watch of Ankh-Morporhk. While movie fans will grin throughout at the "real" nature of the motion picture industry, including unexpected winks at different icons, the story overall has a certain menace and darkness not commonly found in Pratchett's Discworld novels, one which foreshadows his work with Neil Gaiman in "Good Omens." Strongly recommended to fans of Discworld, film buffs and fans of the dark creeping horrors of authors like H.P. Lovecraft.
Rating:
Summary: His best satire ever!
Review: Pratchett has done it again - He has combined his wonderful Discworld, a world and a mirror of worlds, with the Hollywoodian experience in a sweeping parody. Aside for that, here are also introduced Ridcully the Brown, Ponder Stibbons and the rest of the UU faculty members, later to become his most humorous bunch of characters ever. All in all, a good book by itself and excellent as a part of the series. You won't stop laughing!
Rating: 
Summary: In Life You Have to Make Your Own Bricks
Review: Somewhere in Discworld the last priest of Holy Wood shakes hands with Death and one of realities weak points (it has many) suddenly is unguarded. Not long after, an alchemist in Ankh-Morpork suddenly figures out how to make a form of octo-cellulose that only explodes occasionally. In no time, rolls of this miracle compound are being fed into picture boxes where tiny demons frantically paint pictures on the film. You guessed it, the Discworld entertainment industry is about to take a great lurch forward (or maybe backward). Suddenly, ancient Holy Wood was on the map, drawing people to it form all over the world. And from outside the world as well. In the spaces between the universes, unmentionable creatures are drawn like magnets to the thin reality of feature filmmaking. Nor are the locals much more respectable. Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler sells the world's most horrible sausage business and heads for tinsel town to become a mogul, trolls enroll as bit part players, and people who should never be allowed to cook, are. The good guys are just as various. Victor Tugelbend deserts wizardry, and Ginger Withel leaves the farm in order to make it big in show business. These two reluctantly become involved in what is really going on, which is, as usual, 'the end of everything as we know it.' But the very best character of all is poor Gaspode, the talking dog, a disgraceful looking canine who spends his time (when he isn't out drinking with his friend Laddie the Wonder Dog) keeping Victor and Ginger alive and relatively down to earth. Gaspode is as corrupt and sneaky as they come, but he knows that it is no fun being rotten when there isn't a world to do it in. 'Moving Pictures' is parody and punning, as Pratchett makes fun of everything from 'Gone with the Wind' (Blown Away) to H.P. Lovecraft. This is one of his works that is a bit short on plot, but makes it up with humor and a string of outrageous sight gags. The portrayal of Hollywood's foibles is spot on, and you will find yourself recognizing pieces of famous films, carefully twisted to create snorts and chortles. (You will never, ever, feel the same about King Kong again) Even though this is not one of Pratchett's very best - try 'Small Gods' and 'The Truth' for that - it is still delightful entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: both clever and dumb in equal measure, but certainly funny
Review: Terry Pratchett is not a man associated with fine literature. In his Discworld series he has carved out a niche in the massive world of science fiction/fantasy novels: absurdist science fiction. His alternative world, which sort of resembles Earth (complete with humans), contains a wealth of nutty creatures. And Pratchett's narrative, while very simple, has many funny bits. But for this reader, and probably many others as well, his works are way over the top ... and tiresome. Fortunately 'Moving Pictures' seems to be amongst his better efforts. 'Moving Pictures' is the story of how Hollywood (in this case 'Holy Wood') comes to Discworld. The author takes tremendous liberty in poking fun at show business, often to good effect. Double entendres abound. At no time does the author take the story seriously, which eventually make this reader lose interest before the end. But kudos to Mr Pratchett for taking on a delicious subject matter and making the best use of his talent (ie, humour). Bottom line: perhaps one of the few Pratchett books that will appeal to his detractors.
Rating:
Summary: both clever and dumb in equal measure, but certainly funny
Review: Terry Pratchett is not a man associated with fine literature. In his Discworld series he has carved out a niche in the massive world of science fiction/fantasy novels: absurdist science fiction. His alternative world, which sort of resembles Earth (complete with humans), contains a wealth of nutty creatures. And Pratchett's narrative, while very simple, has many funny bits. But for this reader, and probably many others as well, his works are way over the top ... and tiresome. Fortunately 'Moving Pictures' seems to be amongst his better efforts. 'Moving Pictures' is the story of how Hollywood (in this case 'Holy Wood') comes to Discworld. The author takes tremendous liberty in poking fun at show business, often to good effect. Double entendres abound. At no time does the author take the story seriously, which eventually make this reader lose interest before the end. But kudos to Mr Pratchett for taking on a delicious subject matter and making the best use of his talent (ie, humour). Bottom line: perhaps one of the few Pratchett books that will appeal to his detractors.
Rating:
Summary: What is Octo-cellulose?
Review: This book features one of the best characters in all of the disc:(dum Dum DUM)C.M.O.T Dibbler the sausage inna bun peddler and wholesale swindler, who takes over the moving picture industry. This guy hires the dumbest troll in the city, Detrius, to be his hired hand. After making a 3 reeler (It's actually ten minuets long) a monster steps out of the screen and the librarian swings into a concrete wall and says "ook"(well, that is the only thing he says period).I like the Thingeness meter too. Poor bursar.
Rating:
Summary: Good Pratchett; not his best, though.
Review: This book has this really irritating quality typical of middle-period Discworld novels: for the first two thirds of the way through, it's unadulterated fun. But then, you get to the last sixty pages, or whatever, and it insists on building to a profoundly dull climax, rather letting the reader down after all the prior hilarity. Still, most of it's great, even if Soul Music does the same basic idea much better.
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