Heath Ledger was one the most charismatic and powerful screen presences of his generation. Having established a high-profile acting career by the age of 21 with the lead in 'A Knight's Tale', the young Australian went on to pursue a succession of increasingly diverse and often subversive roles that challenged the film industry's initial impression of him as a mere teen-idol. While a limited number of his early roles would hint at the greatness of which he was capable, it was not until his ...

Keanu Reeves' combination of authority, forthrightness, and sexy good looks has made him one of the most popular and bankable modern stars. In this revised and updated biography, Brian J. Robb explores Reeves on- and offscreen, including his rock 'n roll career with the band Dog Star, and the twin tragedies that took the lives of his unborn daughter and his former partner Jennifer Syme. This new edition contains 130 photographs and a 48-page coverage of The Matrix and its...

For four decades, Depeche Mode dominated electronic music, from the naïve melodies of 1981’s Speak & Spell through to 2023’s Memento Mori. Through changing line-ups featuring Vince Clarke, Alan Wilder, and Andy Fletcher, singer Dave Gahan and main songwriter Martin Gore have been the band’s core. Starting as teenagers and now in their 60s, they have survived worldwide fame, addictions to drink and drugs, and near-death experiences, while continuing to innovate as technolo...

The The was always a personal project for songwriter Matt Johnson. Started in 1979, when Johnson was a teenager, the post-punk outfit became central to the political and personal pop of the 1980s. Never a singles band, despite a few minor hits, their albums were successful: Infected in 1986 reached 14, followed by 1989’s Mind Bomb at number four and 1993’s Dusk at number two. Band members included Johnny Marr and DC Collard, with other collaborators including JG Thirlwell, Jools Holland, N...

Philip K. Dick, the visionary author behind Blade Runner, is the most adapted science fiction writer in cinema history. Though he struggled to make a living during his lifetime, his work has since served as a deep seam of ideas to be mined by filmmakers such as Ridley Scott, Paul Verhoeven, Steven Speilberg, John Woo and Richard Linklater, resulting in some of the most successful and influential SF movies of all time. For the still-unequalled future world of Blade Runner ...

Ultravox made an indelible mark on the popular music of the 1980s despite never reaching the UK number one at any point: famously, 'Vienna' stalled at number two, while their only other top five single was the zeitgeist-capturing 'Dancing With Tears in My Eyes', reaching number three in May 1984. Between 1981's 'Vienna' and 1984's 'Love's Great Adventure', Ultravox scored 17 UK Top 40 hit singles and seven top ten album releases.Fronted first by John Foxx, then Midge Ure, the band w...

Houdini was quick to grasp the concept of 'entertainer as brand', where fame was an aim in itself. When others stole his act, he published a book of his 'handcuff secrets' and quickly moved on to more extravagant escapes. He arranged many escapes with local merchants in the towns he visited on tour, in early mass tie-in marketing, and set up challenges with newspapers. He created his own magazine; became the president of Martinka & Co., America's oldest magic tricks compan...

Writer, producer, and director Wes Craven has successfully tapped into the horror vein for over forty years, serving up scary, funny, cutting-edge thrillers that have become classics in the genre. His films have been both critical and commercial successes, most notably Nightmare on Elm Street, which spawned a series of sequels and made Craven (and his creation, Freddy Kruger) an international sensation. He then created a second indelible series in the horror movie trope with S...

This critical history of Doctor Who covers the series 60 years, from the creation of the show to its triumph as Britain's number one TV drama.Opening with an in-depth account of the creation of the series within the BBC of the early 1960s, each decade of the show is tackled through a unique political and pop cultural historical viewpoint, exploring the links between contemporary Britain and the stories Doctor Who told, and how such links kept the show popular with...

The Comeback Kid will be the first biography of Robert Downey Jr.A Detailed and authoritative account of the life, career, stardom and controversy of Robert Downey JR – one of Hollywood’s most popular, and gifted, actors of recent times.A behind-the-scenes look on the making of his most famous and infamous movies, talking to the people closest to him, from actors and directors to those he has encountered during his trips to the dark side.“I’ve alway...

Superheroes - fictional characters fighting evil with superhuman powers, gadgets and way-out weapons - have fascinated us ever since Superman first donned his cape and tights back in 1938. This fantastic 128-page hardback book charts the growth of the genre, profiling the most notable superheroes and giving us insight into their creation. It's topped off by quotes - every superhero had a catchprase - trivia and a guide to collectibles, from Marvel Comics to Corgi Batmobiles, that fetch the...

For almost a century, the world has relied on two major heavyweights for mass production of comic books; of which their iconic characters are a result of. DC and Marvel Comics have fought it out ever since their inceptions in the 1930s to become the most globally recognisable brand and produce the most commercial success. This eBook takes a look at the origins of DC Comics, their characters such as Wonder Woman and Batman and the development of their world renowned brand.