One of the great thinkers of Indian cinema, Javed Akhtar needs no introduction. As a screenplay writer, he and Salim Khan wrote the dialogue for blockbusters like Zanjeer, Deewar, and Sholay; as a songwriter, he has composed a huge variety of songs including, ‘Yeh kahaan aa gaye hum’, ‘Kuchh na kaho’, and ‘Kal ha na ho’. Talking Films and Songs showcases both these aspects of Javed Akhtar’s versatile genius, through freewheeling conversations with Nasreen Munni Kabir. Originally published in 1999 (Talking Films) and 2005 (Talking Songs), these extremely popular books have delighted readers, researchers, and scholars of Indian film. Full of wit and wisdom, this edition is a must-read for Hindi cinema enthusiasts.

Is the universe infinite, or does it have an edge beyond which there is, quite literally, nothing? Do we live in the only possible universe? Why does it have one time and three space dimensions - or does it? What is it made of? What does it mean when we hear that a new particle has been discovered? Will quantum mechanics eventually break down and give way to a totally new description of the world, one whose features we cannot even begin to imagine?This book aims to give the non-specialist reader a general overview of what physicists think they do and do not know in some representative frontier areas of contemporary physics. After sketching out the historical background, A. J. Leggett goes on to discuss the current situation and some of the open problems of cosmology, high-energy physics, and condensed-matter physics. Unlike most other accounts, this book focuses not so much on recent achievements as on the fundamental problems at theheart of the subject, and emphasizes the provisional nature of our present understanding of things.

Poet, lyricist and screenplay writer, Javed Akhtar is that rare individual celebrated in the diverse worlds of popular cinema and of literature and letters. Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay, with screenplays written by him in partnership with Salim Khan, are milestones in the history of Indian cinema. Javed Akhtar's book of poetry, Tarkash, published both in Urdu and Hindi, has enjoyed enormous critical as well as commercial success. The songs he has written for the Hindi screen have also been trendsetters, and today Javed Akhtar is among the most respected names in the Indian film industry. Here, Nasreen Munni Kabir talks with this hugely creative writer about his early influences, his relationship with his parents, his life and work in films where he began as a clapper boy in the mid-sixties, and his successful partnership with Salim Khan. An original thinker, Javed Akhtar turns his analytical gaze to the conventions of Hindi cinema, its songs and its stories. He is illuminating about many aspects of screenplay, dialogue writing and lyric writing, bringing alive his understanding of these creative forms with his descriptions of the way well-known film dialogue and famous songs canme to be written. Akhtar speaks with clarity and honesty about his development as a poet and his growth as a politically-aware person. Sparkling with Akhtar's wit, intelligence and skill as a raconteur, this well-illustrated book will appeal to everyone interested in cinema and the arts.

Peter Larsen traces the history of music in film and discusses central theoretical questions concerning its narrative and psychological functions. He looks in depth at film classics such a Howard Hawks's 'The Big Sleep' and Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest' as well as later blockbusters such as 'Star Wars' and 'Bladerunner'.

The Sound of Music is a classic film cherished in the hearts of millions. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture, upon its release in 1965. This tribute to a Hollywood classic is sure to thrill everyone who's ever sung along to "My Favorite Things" at one of the many screenings that still take place today. Through interviews with the cast and crew, in-depth access to memorabilia and personal scrapbooks and archival research at Fox Studios, author Julia Antopol Hirsch reveals the lively human story behind the making of the von Trapp family film. Fans will learn what motivated Christopher Plummer to take the part of the Captain, the challenges Julie Andrews faced filming the iconic opening scene and what life was like on an Austrian set for the seven children actors. This engaging celebration is the ultimate insider's guide to America's favorite movie.

A stimulating and unusually wide-ranging collection of essays overviewing ways in which music functions in film soundtracks.

Silent films were, of course, never silent at all. However, the sound that used to accompany the screen picture in the early days of cinema has been neglected as an area of study. Altman explores the various musical, narrative, and even synchronized sound systems that enriched cinema before Jolson spoke.