William Park
'Hollywood: An Epic Production' delights as it instructs. Written in heroic couplets, the form used by Dryden and Pope in their mock epics and satires, it recounts and interprets the history of the movies. Like other great epics, it contains twelve (short) cantos, each one devoted to an era such as the Twenties or Film Noir, an epic catalogue, and epic similes. Its witty lines and deep insights prove once again that poetry can be as enjoyable as it can be meaningful. Every lover of the movies, every devotee of film, every student of Americana, indeed, anyone who appreciates literature will want to read this poem and to share it with others. 'Page by page, William Park's epic poem 'Hollywood: An Epic Production' takes the reader on a poetic romp through Hollywood's razzle-dazzle history. The poem is composed by an author made of three personalities - the passionate moviegoer, scrupulous historian with an encyclopedic knowledge of films and why we love them, and witty poet. Park takes us on an elegiac journey from Capra to Kubrick, silent films to the modern day blockbuster that reminds us of all that is great about movies and poetry. Melding film and poetry in a deft blend, Park's poem is ultimately a celebration of the artistic spirit.' Jon Avnet, director of Fried Green Tomatoes, Up Close and Personal, and Uprising. 'William Park loves the movies and loves the eighteenth century, and his mock-poetic history of Hollywood in heroic couplets brings together both loves.' Gilberto Perez, author of The Material Ghost.
