HOLLYWOOD: THE ORAL HISTORY

Over 400 stars, directors, and technicians contributed to this audiobook, but none of their voices are heard here. Timothy Andres Pabon and Marni Penning narrate from interviews with filmmakers past and living, he the male voices, she the female. This mosaic approach highlights film's collaborative nature, and the army of skills required. But the narrative suffers from the too-frequent change of contributors, many with only a line or two. Many too are heavy on opinion, thin on detail. Pabon's male speakers dominate, and he is the more engaging narrator. Penning's female voices are sharply pitched and grate over time. Even so, what a grand spectacle unfolds--all the big stars, a cast of thousands, fortunes rising and falling, this one has it all. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]