The Red Carpet

"This is a fascinating book. It will educate you. Schwartzel has done some extraordinary reporting." — The New York Times Book Review “In this highly entertaining but deeply disturbing book, Erich Schwartzel demonstrates the extent of our cultural thrall to China. His depiction of the craven characters, American and Chinese, who have enabled this situation represents a significant feat of investigative journalism. His narrative is about not merely the movie business, but the new world order.” —Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree and The Noonday Demon An eye-opening and deeply reported narrative that details the surprising role of the movie business in the high-stakes contest between the U.S. and China From trade to technology to military might, competition between the United States and China dominates the foreign policy landscape. But this battle for global influence is also playing out in a strange and unexpected arena: the movies. The film industry, Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel explains, is the latest battleground in the tense and complex rivalry between these two world powers. In recent decades, as China has grown into a giant of the international economy, it has become a crucial source of revenue for the American film industry. Hollywood studios are now bending over backward to make movies that will appeal to China’s citizens—and gain approval from severe Communist Party censors. At the same time, and with America’s unwitting help, China has built its own film industry into an essential arm of its plan to export its national agenda to the rest of the world. The competition between these two movie businesses is a Cold War for this century, a clash that determines whether democratic or authoritarian values will be broadcast most powerfully around the world. Red Carpet is packed with memorable characters who have—knowingly or otherwise—played key roles in this tangled industry web: not only A-list stars like Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, and Richard Gere but also eccentric Chinese billionaires, zany expatriate filmmakers, and starlets who disappear from public life without explanation or trace. Schwartzel combines original reporting, political history, and show-biz intrigue in an exhilarating tour of global entertainment, from propaganda film sets in Beijing to the boardrooms of Hollywood studios to the living rooms in Kenya where families decide whether to watch an American or Chinese movie. Alarming, occasionally absurd, and wildly entertaining, Red Carpet will not only alter the way we watch movies but also offer essential new perspective on the power struggle of this century.

Relive 25 years of red carpet glamour in this unprecedented collection of photographs by a veteran celebrity photographer, who has had a front row seat to nearly every major star-studded Hollywood event for the past three decades. Featuring more than 1,000 full-color photographs, this jam-packed, flamboyant volume is the ultimate treat for fashion fans and celebrity stargazers.

A wild motorcycle chase after a runaway unfolding red carpet ends in an unexpected welcome for a visiting foreign dignitary.

A successful young entrepreneur is faced with a partner who refuses to honor an agreement to return to America, a traditional Indian mother circumvents her Western-educated daughter's aversion to marriage, and a neighborhood gossip is determined to discover what goes on behind the curtains of a hip couple across the street, in a debut collection of stories set in modern-day India. Reader's Guide available. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

Rumors on the Red Carpet Learning at the hands of a billionaire When a dream holiday propels Thia into the glittering world of New York's scandalous elite, she catches the eye of renowned businessman Lucien Steele. For the first time, Thia's determined to take what she really wants...love and life in the fast lane! The Talk of Hollywood Lights, Camera, Bedroom! From his latest sports car to his latest blonde, gossip surrounds infamous Hollywood director Jaxon Wilder. Infuriatingly, Stazy Bromley proves resistant to Jaxon's usual charms--and demands an equal stake in his project! Is it only a matter of time before another scandalous affair rocks the tabloids?

Offers the first scholarly study of the Oscars red carpet as a media phenomenon.

Ever wonder what really goes on behind the scenes of the Oscars? Want to know which actors are funny and which ones are just plain boring? What is it like to interview Madonna, Robin Williams, and Pierce Brosnan? All of these questions (and many more) are answered by veteran entertainment journalist Francine Brokaw. With a delightful mixture of wit and honesty, Francine gives readers an uncensored view of life as an entertainment journalist. In addition to her own perspective, Francine’s colleagues across the country weigh in on questions like . . . • What is the best swag you’ve ever received? • What is the most memorable interview you’ve ever conducted? • Have you ever had to interview someone rude? Perfect for a weekend read or as a companion text to an introductory course in mass media, Beyond the Red Carpet is an informative and entertaining book that covers every aspect of the business of entertainment journalism. Francine Brokaw has been a professional writer for over twenty years, focusing on entertainment and political journalism. Her work has appeared in numerous national and international magazines. She frequently interviews A-list celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Blake Lively, Julie Andrews, and Johnny Depp, but her favorite time period to write about is the studio days of Old Hollywood.

Pulling from inspirational and humorous tales during her probing chats with red carpet royalty, Rivers lays out 10 essential rules to seize momentous times with graciousness, fun, preparedness, and confidence.