Stone Reader (Special Edition)

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Documentary filmmaker Mark Moskowitz turns literary sleuth in this marvelous tale of a vanished novelist. Enchanted by the 1972 novel The Stones of Summer, Moskowitz was surprised to discover no subsequent trace of the author, Dow Mossman. This led him on a roundabout search for the man, including nicely freewheeling detours to talk about writing with critic Leslie Fiedler and editor Robert Gottlieb, among many distinguished others. Although Moskowitz's detective format is somewhat labored, the true story of Mossman's retreat from writing is fascinating, and the joy of books (and talking about books) is always front and center. The suspense of Moskowitz's quest becomes real, and Stone Reader contains moments that would be implausible if they were in a fiction film--except, of course, they aren't made up. Bibliophiles of every stripe need to see this movie; and if you're not a book lover already, it may make you one. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Too much Moskowitz, too little Mossman.......2006-11-25

Although hailed as a great film for people who love reading, this film's first love is clearly filmmaker Mark Moskowitz. His work on political campaigns is painfully evident throughout the troublesomely concocted "storyline" of his "quest" to find one-novel wonder Dow Mossman. He's sometimes visibly distintered in what the subjects of his "interviews" (which he typically dominates) have to say, preferring to use almost everyone as a prop in a story which is more about his own life than Mossman's.

He carefully massages what ought to have been an afternoon's worth of phone calls into a journey which crosses many miles to talk to vaguely related people who often have no knowledge about anything he wants to talk about (he TRAVELS to interview the illustator of the novel's original cover-- who, it turns out, has almost no recollection of the event). It quickly becomes clear that he is staging almost everything for the camera, and, since most of the people he talks to don't know or don't care about the subject of the film, the majority of it focuses on his rudely cutting off experts to get his own opinion on film or just generally dominating the discussion to harp on and on about his supposed love of reading (not to mention a good deal of name-dropping to demonstrate how well-read he is).

This is all hugely annoying, and made even more so, because the acutal subject of the film --dealing with author Mossman and the world of writing and publishing in general-- is actually very interesting. Mossman's book is a very good (though sometimes frustratingly obtuse) read, and his story begs deeper exploration. Instead, even when Moskowitz finally reveals Mossman to the camera (after about twenty minutes of obvious milking the "Mystery" when Mossman's wherabouts should have been about one phone call away) the focus of the film gets right back to Moskowitz's agenda to get the book re-published, shamefully ignoring Mossman's real life after spending the whole film ostensibly tring to discover it. This is after two hours of focusing on Moskowitz telling us about his OWN life.

Still, if you can survive the contrived setup, overlong runtime, and rude and self-interested director, there are easily 30 minutes of extremely interesting interviews with literary figures and with Mossman himself. This alone justified sitting through the film for me, providing real insight into some fascinating and oft-unexplored areas of life.

A Satisfying Gem of a Film!.......2006-09-08

Filmmaker Mark Moskowitz's inspired documentary, Stone Reader, begins with the singular notion of uncovering more of writer Dow Mossman's literary works. Upon discovering that Mossman's body of work began and ended with The Stones of Summer, a highly acclaimed but mostly forgotten first novel, Moskowitz sets out to learn how a writer, and a work of such promise, could have vanished with nary a trace. In the process, Moskowitz treats us to some delightful detective work that introduces us to an engaging cast of characters - critics, writing instructors and literary agents among them - who provide the clues to the puzzle that is Dow Mossman, but ultimately reveals the painful story of Mossman's creative odyssey. The search for Dow Mossman is at the heart of Moskowitz's story, but so is his love of great literature and the sad truth that talent is almost never enough to achieve literary success. It is a story told with sometimes ordinary, even mundane snippets from daily life - mostly Moskowitz's, his family and friends - that is at the same time deceptively complex. Stone Reader reminds us of our own lives and the daily struggle to make sense of the world in which we live. There are no happy endings, just the discovery of good ideas, great literature and the desire to create a thing that has truth at its center. Watching Stone Reader is not unlike receiving a present that, when opened, reveals other, smaller presents within which surprise and delight as we unwrap them, none more delightful than the present that is Dow Mossman himself. See this film.

I really dug this movie.......2006-02-26

This is for book-lovers and non-book lovers alike. I wish I had read Stones of Summer beforehand, but after reading it, I loved the movie twice as much. It is definitely appealing, even to people who are not used to docs.

this is for book lovers and obsessives.......2006-02-21

I love this movie. I bought the special edition dvd after renting it a few times. Although many people might find it "boring" or contrived. This movie really got to me. There are some flaws, but when one sees the background materials, where the film maker explains his process, all is forgiven. I have watched it now 5 more times and showed it to my 16yr old aspiring writer daughter and she was moved also. The main point about the film is revealed near the end where one of the interviewees describes the what happens when a person is moved my a book. Of course the bond between Moskowitz and Mossman cant be overstated--say what you will about Moskowitz--the man has resurrected a very talented writer who deserved better than he got.

No explosions here...........2005-12-20

"Stone Reader" is great stuff. Does that mean you'll like it? Depends. If you need an explosion every twenty minutes or so to keep up your interest, I doubt it. If T & A is central to your viewing pleasure, move on. If your idea of a great book is John Grisham, rent the movie version of "The Firm" and don't waste money on this one. Judging by some of the reviews, many who took a look at this film fall into the above categories. Now, if you consider books to be a serious endeavor (regardless of whether you write them or just read them) - if you know who, say, John Dos Passos or Saul Bellow are, for example - if you have ever had a book get in your head and stay there - if you have a certain book you just have to read every year or two - if you fantasize about being able to go into Barnes and Noble with a thousand dollars (or more) and spending it all on books -if you believe success is not defined by dollar signs or career titles - if you believe in redemption - if you enjoy a damn good detective story - you can't do better than "Stone Reader". Be warned, the morons will crawl out of the woodwork to criticize what they don't understand (i.e. anything requiring the use of multiple syllables). Don't let 'em bring you down and enjoy a great film.

Stone Reader (3 Disc Special Limited Edition)

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Stone Reader (3 Disc Special Limited Edition)

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Stone Reader
Mark Moskowitz

ASIN: B000I3Z0VI

Product Description

Filmmaker Mark Moskowitz finally reads a critically acclaimed novel he bought back in 1972, and discovers that both the book and the author have long since vanished. STONE READER documents Moskowitz's quest to find out why. As he solves the mystery, the twists and turns of the journey reveal something more-the singular bond literature can create among strangers. The complete 127 minute award-winning film, widescreen, new 35mm to digital transfer, all digital sound, with almost 5 hours of additional material.

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Stone Reader
Director: Mark Moskowitz
Manufacturer: JETFilms, LLC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000D9PFQ

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Suspense - NO, horror - NO, Boring - DEFINATLY!!
SOMEWHERE THERE'S A PLOT
ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz........!!!!!

The Demon Within
Starring: Jeff Fahey , Patrick Bauchau , Katie Wright , Emmanuelle Vaugier , and Allen Cutler
Director: Ian Merrick
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: 6302435579
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Customer Reviews:

Suspense - NO, horror - NO, Boring - DEFINATLY!!.......2005-06-03

This is the worst movie I have ever seen. I kept watching it hoping, thinking that the scares were only a scene away, they never came. If you could die from boredom, I would be. Save yourself the pain of death-by-boredom, and pass this one up.

SOMEWHERE THERE'S A PLOT.......2004-02-05

Writer/director Ian Merrick's DEMON WITHIN is full of such gaping plot holes and inconsistent motivations that it ends up being nothing more than a mishmash of derivative horror cliches. Jeff Fahey, usually a sturdy presence in films, is outrageously awful in the role of Matthew Dobie, who has obviously been both a priest and a stage actor of "great" renown? Katie Wright as our heroine, Sarah, seems to be psychic as she manages to create busts of the murder victims. And somewhere out of the clear blue sky, her professor (Patrick Bauchau) decides she's the target of an Incubus..and his enlightenment comes from a crossword puzzle. Where did he even consider this? The one good thing is the musical score, which combines techno pop with choral vocals reminiscent of THE OMEN. But, that's it....this is coherent, ultimately boring and an ending that comes as a total downer.

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz........!!!!!.......2003-06-11

I guess I'll start positive, this movie was decently filmed and the acting was acceptable... okay, I'm done there at being positive!! This movie was so boring it's obscene! I guess it could cater to the fans of the "Poison Ivy" genre, but this movie had no horror, no suspense, no thrills... this movie might have made it as 2 separate stories; the demented cross-dresser/ costume freak-----and the mentally-unstable student with an attraction to MUCH older men... but intertwined as one story; this movie, despite its interesting end,came up dry...real dry (interpretation: BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!)

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