Review (PDF) Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book
What are the secrets behind the creation of Larry David's hit show? Fans can finally find out with this long-awaited companion guide to the Golden Globe- and Emmy® Award- winning series. Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book is complete with stories about Larry David's childhood, his roots as a stand-up comic, and his various writing jobs before the breakthrough of Seinfeld. Readers will enjoy dating stories from his bachelor years, discover how he met his future wife, Laurie David, and learn why Cheryl Hines was picked to play his TV wife. A highlighted map of Santa Monica shows locations where favorite Curb scenes were filmed, such as the Toyota of Hollywood where Larry works as a car salesman. Ever wonder if there's a story behind the creation of Krazee-Eyez Killa's infamous rap? There is, and it's in this book, along with the tale of the ordinary afternoon lunch where the idea for Curb Your Enthusiasm was first formed. Perhaps best of all, fans can finally see Larry David's original scene outlines-just a few sentences from which the actors improvise-which eventually evolve into the carefully edited comedy that we see on air. After five hilarious seasons, Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book offers fans an intimate view of the people, experiences, and stories behind one of television's funniest shows. Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book is filled with hilarious images, insights, and behind-the-scenes moments, including: * Original interviews with and commentary from more than 100 cast and crew members, guest actors, comics, and friends and family, including Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, and Richard Lewis * An in depth, four-section interview with Larry David, covering everything from his childhood in Brooklyn to his emergence into the world of comedy and television. * Never-before-seen outlines from the show that are the basis for episode storylines. * Detailed episode guides for the show's first five seasons. * More than 100 full-color photographs.
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Gotham (October 19, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592402305
ISBN-13: 978-1592402304
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 1 x 10.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #91,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #19 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television > Reference #31 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television > Guides & Reviews #87 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television > Shows
Every so often, a television program weaves its way into the cultural fabric of its time. Comedian/writer Larry David has been behind two of those shows. David, co-creator of "Seinfeld" and creator of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," continues the trend of celebrating life's little eccentricities. Along with television shows and movies like "The Office" and Meet the Parents, "Curb" keenly observes human foibles to an exaggerated degree, creating its own "theater of the uncomfortable," which episodes like "The Pants Tent" and "Affirmative Action" aptly demonstrate.Originally an HBO special, David broadened his cringe-worthy antics into a highly successful weekly show. Unlike other situation comedies, "Curb" is entirely improvised. Each season, David creates outlines for 10 shows that cover the season's arc. He writes them out longhand because he doesn't know how to use a computer. His outlines are passed to his assistant who types them up. He then clues in his fellow cast members --- or not. Most of the actors are briefly told what the scene is just minutes before they start shooting. David believes that the best comedy comes out of the more naturalistic improv process: "When I was doing "Seinfeld," sometimes I'd get to a scene and I'd go, 'Boy, this scene doesn't need me to write it...The situation is all there. You can just bring in the actors and they can do it."But despite the kamikaze nature of the filming process, actors refer to "Curb" as "hands-down the most fun I've ever had on a set." Each actor brings his or her own experience to his or her role, but perhaps no one had a more difficult task than Cheryl Hines, the actress who plays David's wife. She had to imagine how anybody "could live with someone like Larry day in and day out.
From the HBO page:With unprecedented access to the set, "Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book" provides a compelling picture of how things go from bad to worse in Larry David's Los Angeles. His character defies all reasonable expectations, especially when he tries to do exactly what's expected. Nothing is simple; not getting his wife's car washed or exiting a parking lot; not waiting in a doctor's office, or even wrapping, giving, or receiving a gift. In the course of the series' four ground-breaking seasons (the fifth season just began in September, 2005), each of these simple acts is a catalyst for an unthinkable sequence of blunders, inappropriate gestures, and far-fetched coincidences that culminate in the shocking yet expected humiliation of Larry David himself. As fans of the show will testify, the worse things get for Larry, the harder you laugh.The book opens with an in-depth profile of Larry David, and the structure that follows is based around in-depth coverage of each of the 50 episodes, including:Anecdotal, behind-the-scene stories from people who were there, including interviews with such stars as Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Jason Alexander, Mel Brooks, Ted Danson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kathy Griffin, Paul Reiser, Richard Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Stiller, and many others.150 photographs, including behind-the-scene photos that fans will devour.First mentions of now legendary phrases.Reproductions of Larry David's original scene outlines (no dialogue) so readers can trace the actual evolution of classic scenes from "real life" to the cutting room.Outtakes, such as show titles and scenes that didn't make the cut and storylines that were too outrageous to use.
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