Emmett JamesReseñas

Not to take anything away from Mr. James, but I don't see how he warrants a biography any more than I do. The writing was witty at times, but at others it was an obvious attempt at wittiness. I've read funnier and more interesting bios that didn't take 200 pages.

What are the key movies in your life? Perhaps not your favorite movies, but the movies that stand out as important moments in your personal history, the ones the represent significant periods of time or events or people in your past?

Actor Emmett James uses this question to frame each chapter of his memoir Admit One: My Life in Film. You've probably not heard of Emmett James. He has had a moderately successful career, judging from his profile on the Internet Movie Data Base--20 acting credits ranging from voice work to regular roles on a short-lived television series to a supporting role in James Cameron's Titanic. The one with Leonardo and Kate. His memoir, Admit One, follows hs life from childhood in England to a struggling, then promising career as an actor in Hollywood. Each chapter is framed by a particular movie, one that Mr. James found important at that point in his life.

I like the idea. In fact, we share a few movies in common: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Star Wars: A New Hope, The Elephant Man, The Amityville Horror, Taxi Driver, 2001: A Space Odyssey. (A confession--my mother wouldn't allow my little brother and me to see The Amityville Horror though I did get my hands on a copy of the book which I devoured in secret, and in my day there was just Star Wars...none of this New Hope business.) When Mr. James writes about how thrilling it was to see Sindbad fight an army of skeletons, I could identify. I remember. Those stop-motion animation monsters, once state of the art, that inspired Mr. James to pursue an acting career inspired my friends and I to try our own hand at film making. All we needed was my best friend's father's Super 8 camera, a cable for the shutter, a backyard sandbox and my little brother's plastic dinosaurs. (Another confession-- half of the dinosaurs were mine.)

While suburban California where I grew up is a long way from the working class England of Mr. James's childhood, I found the first half of Admit One nostalgic reading. We're bound together by a common love of the same childhood movies. (I wonder if Avatar will inspire the same sort of amateur film making. I hope it does.) The second half of Admit One follows Mr. James's journey to Hollywood and his attempt to become a professional actor. Success does not come easily. There are roles he'd rather not talk about, both small and large, a few respectable acting gigs here and there, then a big break, a part in a full scale Hollywood production. The kind they don't make anymore. Titanic.

A good idea can hinder a memoir as well as help it. At first the the events in each chapter stick close to the movie that frames them. Mr. James's childhood need not match the reader's childhood if the two share the love of the same movie. We were all watching Star Wars at that age, or whatever our era's Star Wars was. This makes it easy to identify with young Emmett even if the theatres we attended were radically different. It seems odd that the closer Mr. James gets to a career in movies the farther away the chapters in Admit One get from the films that frame them. A few offer little more than ironic commentary on the events they describe, and the narration becomes snarkier, more worldly-wise. By then end of the book I began to miss the little boy who loved movies so much.

But it just may be too hard to love movies like a child does once you're in the world that makes them. The Hollywood Mr. James ends up in does not live up to his expectations. One day an agent calls--get to the set right now; you're needed for a scene. Full of hope, the young actor arrives on set to be sent to the make-up trailer. He is stripped, shaved, dressed in a bikini with large balloons stuffed in the top. The scene, a boxing rink. The part, a woman boxer. The reason an actor was hired instead of an actress, the visual joke of punching a woman's oversized chest. This is not the worst thing that happens to the aspiring actor. Mr. James makes a living but it's not the one he dreamed of when he was a little boy amazed by the sight of Sindbad fighting an army of skeletons.

Maybe one day....

"Admit One: My Life in Film" is the amusing memoir of actor Emmett James. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in Croyden, England, Emmett soon discovered that the cinema made for a great escape from his mundane childhood. Using a memorable movie as the theme for each chapter, he writes his story starting with his first ever movie experience and moving through his childhood to adulthood when he tried to break into the movie business.

While I found his childhood interesting and was glad he included those details, for me the book really got exciting when Emmett started getting involved in acting. I’ve always had an interest in the behind the scenes world of Hollywood and this book gave me a glimpse at the ups and downs of a struggling actor. The dichotomy between his experience in soft porn and his experience on the set of the blockbuster film "Titanic" is not something many popular actors of today would ever share, so I appreciate the fact that Emmett does not try to hide the realities he dealt with while struggling for his “big break”.

This honest and cleverly written memoir was a really fun read, and I can see why it recently won the award for Best Book from the USA Book News as I would not hesitate recommend it to anyone who has an interest in acting or movies. I wish Emmett James the best in his future career whether it be in acting, writing, or some other aspect of the entertainment industry.

The memoir is a series of stories from James' life until his movie role in Titanic. Each chapter begins with a movie that was important to James during that time period or provides a clue to the reader about the chapter contents. The beginning chapters made me recall movie going experiences with my own parents that I had forgotten.

One standout story is about his quest to be cast in a superhero movie. From the start the reader knows the outcome won't be good - it's one blunder after another. It definitely one of those stories that seems devastating at the time (to all involved) but is now a great laugh.

Other stories include trying to find work in Hollywood, his first movie role with lines, and experiences on the Titanic set. Some of the later stories take a while to find their way to the punch line.

Full review available at http://www.amberstults.com/?p=2283½

Emmett James is funny. He's acerbic. He's irreverent. And he's written a memoir that is good fun indeed.

Starting with his childhood in Croyden, James takes the reader through his life as a boy in London and eventually as an actor in Hollywood. The book seems to split cleanly into two pieces along these lines. His boyhood was a fairly normal if poor one and he invokes images of childhood that anyone who grew up around the same time will recognize and appreciate. He can be faintly snarky about Croyden, his family, and his exploits growing up but I found these entertaining and funny. The section focused on his life in Hollywood trying to make it as an actor ramps up the entertainment factor as he honestly portrays some of the shifty things he does to get noticed or just to have fun. He discusses his career in forgery, his porn film debut, his roles as an extra, and meeting the parents of a boy he "reconnstructed" who died horribly. Ultimately James is really one of the lucky ones because he does get some breaks, including a role in Titanic.

The short chapters are headed by plot synopses of films that either influenced James or parallel the narrative within the chapter. It's an intriguing and fairly successful way of structuring the memoir. The films themselves are not under discussion in the chapters, they are merely foils to James' life. This distinction might disappoint film afficianados but for the regular Janes among us who might not have seen all the movies listed (::ahem:: like me), it works well, offering a small glimpse of the theme to come. The writing is honest and open but witty and occasionally biting. James doesn't shy away from presenting himself warts and all. What he doesn't present so much though, is a depth and an emotion to his story. It stays mostly on the surface, skimming from event to event without offering a deeper insight. For instance, his only mention of his marriage comes after his plot summary for the movie Green Card and the extent of the chapter is "Life imitates art. Enough said." While this gets a chuckle, it is indicative of the way in which he shies away from heavy emotional content throughout the memoir. It still works as light fare but there's still a slight sense of lack as a result. Over all, James' story is appealing and anyone interested in an insider's view of Hollywood, uncluttered by unreality as presented in magazines and tabloids, will appreciate this decidedly funny, conversational, and very different memoir. James has captured both the magic of childhood and the magic of movies. I hope he gets the chance to play himself in the film.

Thanks to Lisa at Online Publicist for sending me a copy of the book for review.½

I just finished the most interesting book! Admit One by Emmett James is many things - it is really amusing (read about "The Wizard of Oz") it is sad ("Amityville Horror") and, above all, the separation of chapters by movie titles is just splendid.

Emmett is raised in Croydon, London, England along with his older brother, Cymon. He is a typical 1960s kid, harassed at school for being nice, harassing his older brother for no known reason and having the neighborhood thief as his best pal. When he is of age, he saves up his monies and comes to America with the intent of being the next Big Thing. Doesn't quite happen that way.

What he does discover is that phone call audition sometimes end up with porn movies, porn movies actors aren't all sluts and tramps and sometimes, just sometimes, things do turn out like you wish them to.

All in all, a wonderful story by an author who doesn't hesitate to poke fun at himself or anyone else he comes in contact with. I loved it!

In this entertaining memoir, British actor Emmett James recounts his cinematic memories from childhood to his stint on television's "Redemption High." James begins each chapter with a film linked to his past, starting with "The Jungle Book," his first cinematic adventure, to "Batman Forever," "It's a Wonderful Life," and others. His shortest chapter is "Green Card," where he says "Life imitates art. Enough said."

From his earliest memories growing up in South London, James is drawn to movies and their ability to take the audience to another time and place. James earns his college degree in advertising and graphic design. He then learns acting at the Lee Strasberg Acting Institute in London and tries to break into the film industry. His hilarious attempts at securing the part of "superhero sidekick" result in James' arrival in Hollywood, where he pays his dues and then some.

"Admit One" is a fun and revealing memoir by a Hollywood insider. James' humor draws readers in and keeps their interest through the end. From a porn film to "Titantic," his career spans a wide spectrum and his love of movies shines throughout. I recommend this book to anyone interested in life in Hollywood and how to survive it. The memoir is the winner of "Book of the Year" for USA Book News.

Grab a big bag of popcorn and settle in for an adventure ripe with humor, drama and a sprinkle of adolescent spice. Admit One is a memoir beginning with Emmett’s first movie/cinema experience in his hometown of Crydon, South England. From here, Emmett’s life is forever changed and his love of the cinema takes a strong hold. This love, however, does not diminish as he ages, but instead grows stronger. It doesn’t take Emmett long before he decides to takes the leap, hop across “the pond” and forge his way into America and the treasured glimmer of Hollywood. Do not be mistaken, however, it is not an easy road. After several experiences as an extra and a few quite interesting stints, including one particular role which required strapping on false breasts and having his body completely waxed to play a stunt double for a woman wrestler, Emmett finally breaks into the more enjoyable side of acting. After a big break with a small part in Titanic, things open up and Hollywood seems to embrace Emmett a bit more, allowing his dream of acting and involvement in film to grab a more secure and solid hold on his life.

Admit One is not your typical memoir - anything but. Each chapter opens with a particular film title, complete with a bit of background information and then commencing with a time in Emmett’s life that reflects that movie. Humor is a very strong point in the author’s writing, taking the reader through such adolescent high jinx as sibling arguing, digging a large hole in the family garden to find lost treasure, then perhaps a tunnel to China or Australia, that infamous first crush and first date and even a bit of testing out how much a youth can get away with by pocketing a BMX sticker (lets say that Emmett found this to be a very wrong thing to do right from the start).

Though Emmett has told his story in a delightful and fun way, it also holds a profound lesson. The lesson that if you have a passion for something, be sure to do something about it, rather than just let life pass before you and wake up one day regretting all that time that you let go by. Life is what you make it and as long as you pursue your dreams, even if things don’t turn out exactly the way you may have wanted, you will be much better off. Admit One is a wonderful story and one that I would recommend as both a great read and an excellent lesson.

According to the back of the book: "…Admit One details how self-deprecating writer Emmett James escaped from the pains of adolescence by going to the cinema."

I suppose this is a fairly accurate description of the book, but it simply wasn’t how it felt to me. I didn’t feel that there was always a strong connection between the films and James’ life, as I expected there would be. I felt like this was simply a memoir of someone with a rough childhood who happened to go to the movies alot, I didn’t quite buy that movies were something that truly influenced who James was, other than making him want to be an actor.

Even then, this could be a story if James had overcome the odds to make it big. Instead, he dons a pair of rubber breasts for a boxing match scene and photoshops pictures of Nicholas Cage’s wedding. Yes, he finally makes his way into the James Cameron’s “Titanic”, but even there he didn’t exactly have the lead role.

By no means do I think only ‘big’ people should be allowed to write memoirs, but I just didn’t quite see the reason for James’. I thought he made some very bad choices and didn’t come across as a very likeable person. I also thought the book could have used another read through by an editor.

For the full review:
http://www.devourerofbooks.com/2008/07/admit-one-a-journey-into-film-book-review...

Admit One is Emmett James' nostalgic and whimsical memoir of his passion for movies. Marking his personal milestones with cinema favorites, James recounts his childhood in South London, telling stories that many will fondly relate to. In the section titled Coming Attractions, he expounds on his childhood. From his mother's giddy fascination with John Travolta in Grease to his experience with a dodgy Santa, James is always entertaining. Through his introduction to petty crime, and his very own ghost story, James recounts his childhood along with his favorite must-see films. The later section, Feature Presentation, deals with his life as an adult trying to break into the movies. This section really takes off, as he divulges his crashing of the Oscars, his hilarious stint as an extra, the unintentional stalking of a director, and his defining moment: a brief appearance in Titanic. Each of these anecdotes is recounted in conjunction with a movie that shaped him during the experience, making this a colorful and interesting tale. As he moves from watching the movies to actually being a part of the cinema magic, he realizes that his dreams of Hollywood are more encompassing than mere movie appearances.

I found this to be a curious book. James relates a story that is at once universal yet unique. His experiences could have been the everyman's, yet the framework and method of delivery made them distinctive. The sections on his childhood would have seemed common and interchangeable without the inclusion of the movie introspection. It was impressive the way that movies shaped and defined his childhood, and sustained him throughout his later years. The later sections I found to be more entertaining, as James went out of his way to maintain his connection to the silver screen. Many of the incidents were zany and incredible, leaving me hungering for more. I felt that he could have divulged more details of his escapades to win and delight the reader. It was almost as if he withheld the most compelling and forceful part of the narrative by leaving off the more satisfying bits of the story. Another puzzling aspect is that the author seems to have bypassed any emotional reflection throughout the book. He never speaks of his deeper feelings about his family or friends (except for a brief excerpt about his father), or expounds on the feelings he had as a struggling actor making his way in show business. Instead of emotional exposition on his part, he catalogs a list of hardships endured at the time. At one point, while having an unexpected adventure in Mexico, he does seem to make the emotional connection, but it is brief. Most memoirs I have read have captured more fully the experience and viewpoint of the subject, and it was odd that this book didn't seem to have that emotional connection to the reader. His attitude throughout the book seemed to be strangely distant and miffed, as if he wanted to simple tell a story, not share it.

On the other hand, his passion for movies and movie making was clearly communicated in such a way as to be infectious. I wanted to go back and re-watch the movies to experience the awe and excitement that James had found, to be shaped by what was on the screen in undefinable ways. Though most people love movies, James took his passion for cinema and channelled it into a life appreciating and being surrounded by the art.

This book had its ups and downs. I loved the anecdotal way in which the stories were described, and found that the book was very clever and witty. James' tone was descriptive and engaging, which gave the book a light and conversational feel, yet I wished that I could have been privy to more of his feelings and insights. I laughed and discovered the joy of film with him, but in the end, felt like I really didn't know him. He was clever in describing the movies and how they made him feel, but that's where it ended. It seemed as though if an emotion wasn't related to a movie, it wasn't worth delving into. A bit of an uneven book, yet diverting and amusing nonetheless.½

This book starts with a fun premise: Emmett James' life has revolved around the movies, so he tells his stories in the context of the movies. From his first family outings to the cinema for Jungle Book to his appearance in a soft-core porn film, he manages to tie his significant life experiences to the movies. This idea works best when there is some tie-in to the actual film, whether it's one he watched or one he appeared in (talking about his junior high ezcema in the chapter on The Elephant Man was a bit of a stretch). James was quite the little juvenile delinquent and his family stories aren't always happy, but he isn't bitter or trolling for sympathy. Some of his stories about his early days in Hollywood - especially the stories about crashing Oscar-night parties - are hilarious. He has a very straightforward style, whether he's talking about wetting his pants (literally) watching The Wizard of Oz, the filthy streets of South London or using his tuxedo as a blanket, sleeping in an unfurnished Hollywood apartment. I found it refreshing. There's a bit of British slang; not enough to make it difficult, just a bit of flavor.

The book could have used a bit more editing. As a former proofreader, it pains me to read "doing the thing they new best", which is not the only grammatical error that's been overlooked. (This may have been addressed in the final version.) This review copy came to me autographed by the author, a very nice touch, and I enjoyed reading it.½

When I was offered the opportunity to read this memoir, I was extremely excited. I’ve always loved movies and this love is something my husband and I share in common. Danny studied to work in film during college, where he worked very hard to create and direct his senior project. I believe that if my husband were to ever write a memoir it would be a combination of Admit One and Love is a Mix Tape (hopefully without the widower connection). Knowing that my husband and James shared a similar passion made this book a must read for me.

Admit One details the childhood and early acting career of Emmett James as framed by the films that have impacted his life. A different movie provides the backdrop of each of the 22 stories making up this book. From The Jungle Book to It’s a Wonderful Life, James shares his memories and what he learned about life in both Croydon, South London and Los Angeles, CA. If you are a film lover, you will appreciate that James writes about the way this medium can interweave with our lives and shape our perspective on what it means to live.

Reading this memoir brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me. I believe that almost everyone has tried to dig to China or Australia (or vice versa) during childhood. It was the first thing Emmett James did after seeing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. At first his dig started out as an archaeological excursion in search of some Indy-worthy treasures. After coming up empty, he changed his motivation entirely and that made this chapter came alive for me. There is something about watching dramatic representations of other people that can drive both the young and old take on the characteristics of heroes or even glamorous villains if only in our imaginations. That is the true beauty and worth of film.

Unlike for the James family, a trip to the movie theater was an infrequent yet beloved treat in our household. It was a reward for a semester’s good grades, or more often an excuse for my father to see an adventure film. Being of a similar age to the author, my childhood was likewise shaped by E.T., the original Star Wars trilogy, The Karate Kid, The Wizard of Oz, and Ghostbusters. Although our backgrounds are extremely different, we could most certainly communicate clearly and concisely using the language of movies. Reliving my life through each of these films, among others, was the best part of reading this book.

Whereas film has brought a great deal of joy to the author’s life and ultimately brought him to Hollywood’s door, this memoir isn’t entirely happy. James’ relationship to his family is distant and even a little cold. In the same section where he is dreaming of uncovering precious artifacts, James reminisces about the last time his family went to a movie together. He wishes he could recapture that experience once again, but the rest of his story is about moving further and further away - first emotionally, and then physically. When he writes that “movies have always meant everything to [him],” I believe that they have become his family in a way that his flesh and blood family never did. I can’t help but feel saddened by that.

In addition to weaving film throughout his stories, I enjoyed this peek at what life was like for a young boy growing up in a working to middle class neighborhood in South London. Once James left England and became acclimated to Hollywood, I felt that the book started to lose its direction. While he did learn about himself and what he wanted out of life working on the set of Lap Dancing, I’m not it was deserving of an entire chapter. It could have been tightened up and combined with Honeymoon in Vegas. I was also surprised by what he chose to write about when discussing Titanic, I eagerly anticipated reading about being directed by James Cameron or acting opposite Kathy Bates. Instead, he describes both the poverty of Mexico and an odd and somewhat alarming experience with a cab driver. As a result, those chapters lack the cohesion I felt throughout the rest of the memoir.

At its heart, Admit One is a love letter to film. The author rightly points out that movies can have a powerful effect on viewers. They can serve as entertainment, promote wonder and imagination, educate, help us communicate with one another, and challenge us. In addition to being a lover of film, James has the added pleasure of being a working actor in Hollywood. It is his passion for his life’s work that made this book a reality, and I was not disappointed. If you ever wanted to ride your BMX through the sky or fight storm troopers with your very own light saber, this is the book for you.

http://literatehousewife.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/83-admit-one/½

Emmett James has always loved the movies. From his childhood, sharing precious time with his family, to his first visit without an adult, to his aborted attempt to cop a feel, Emmett's memories all involve the movies. When he told his dad he wanted to be an actor, his dad told him to be sure to have a backup plan. But Emmett's desire to be in pictures eventually brought him to L.A., where he has seen the movie business from the other side, and experienced its highs and lows.

I really wanted to love this book. I do love the premise - each chapter begins with a movie title, which is the basis for the memories that James shares. And there are some great memories - from his morphing of the Wicked Witch of the West with his mother, to his time spent living in a haunted house, to his digital retouching of Nicholas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley's wedding photo, James has certainly had the life movies are made of. I think part of my frustration with the book was that each vignette was so short - I would almost have preferred fewer chapters with more content. His stories are funny and interesting, but I felt as though we only scratched the surface of most of them.

It also took me quite a while to get into the style of the book. James uses a significant amount of slang and crass language, which took some time to get used to. I'm not sure I would have made that editing choice, but it was obviously the way James wanted to go. Perhaps other readers would feel drawn in by it, as though they were hearing the stories firsthand. It just didn't quite work for me.

All in all, it was an entertaining read, but I was left wanting just a little more. I hope James writes a longer version of his life story in the future, because I have a feeling he will have many more movie-worthy adventures to come.

To me my love and books and movies were always separate. There weren't many movies about books nor books about movies. When I heard about Emmett James's book, Admit One: A Journey into Film I knew the gap had been bridged. I knew I had to read it.

Emmett's memoir starts with his early memories of visiting the cinema with his family. He doesn't remember much of the movie (he falls asleep) but remembers the affect it has on his brother. Each chapter is framed by a different movie and gives a little synopsis. The first half of his book explores Emmett's love of movies as a viewer and the second half explores it as a participant. He moves to LA and starts to work. I loved how it hits movies from two sides. I could relate to the viewer side but had always wanted to hear about the participants side. I wish this jump between the two different parts had been bridged with just a little more detail (he seems to go from a young teenager to a 20-something like that) but maybe that's just me.

I was also pleasantly surprised to hear he went to school for graphic design for a spell. The chapter about retouching was so funny to me.

All in all, I love books, movies, and memoirs so to me this was just a great idea for a book. Peeking into something I don't believe i ever had, has been a great joy.

Thank you to Lisa Roe, Online Book Publicist for the review copy.½

Emmett James has been in love with movies his whole life. He grew up in a nondescript London suburb where, to him, things seemed very ordinary, even boring. He can remember his first movie at the age of about three, Walt Disney's The Jungle Book, which he largely slept through. The beginning and the end are clear, though, and he liked what he saw. Now, how to stay awake? The answer? Every child's best friend...SUGAR, of course!

In this funny and upbeat memoir Mr. James takes us on a "This is your life" kind of ride by linking his past to the films that shaped his world. The yearly television viewing of The Wizard of Oz and the terror of the Wicked Witch inevitably caused him to have a bladder accident. Plus if it looked remotely gloomy outside he was jumpy, watching the skies for a rogue tornado. Poor kid, England has gloomy weather fairly regularly.

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial inspired a love for the BMX bike and eventually led to a short lived life of teen crime, causing his parents to move the whole family from London to Cambridgeshire, a fate worse than death to the author. Especially when the new home, built in about 900, turns out to be haunted. The author's room is the scene of a hair-raising ghost sighting.

Emmett's love of films inspire him to be an actor and so, at the first opportunity, he moves himself to Hollywood to find his own piece of the American Dream. He finds it, too.

I happen to be about the same age as the author and as I was reading I was thrust back in time, back to my own movie experiences. When I had to be taken out of Walt Disney's Bambi because I cried and cried when his mother was shot. When my best friend and tough girl astonished me by crying at E.T. (I'd never seen her cry before).

This is a story to take you down your own memory lane and remind you of the wonder and magic of the movies.

Book - Admit One: A Journey into Film
Author – Emmett James

“If you have every truly loved a film, you will surely find yourself within these pages” is a caption, on the back of the book, that truly expresses the feelings that Emmett James writes with in this childhood to adult story of his life so far.

I went back in time with him at the beginning of each new chapter as he used a movie title to describe the content of each section. He is detailed in his writing about his childhood of family outings to the movie theater, where he went from falling asleep before the movie began to sitting through a whole movie. His love of movies spread from just going to the movies to wanting to be an actor. He doesn’t get the support for his acting in England, so he decides to try making it in Hollywood. Emmett James gives a wide eye view of how hard it can be for those people trying to ‘make it’ in Hollywood. He explores having to live in a YMCA, forge his travel papers to stay in the U.S., disguise himself to get in to an Academy Awards party, be characters he didn’t like and knock on the door of a producer’s house to try and get part. His break finally comes when he gets a small part in a BIG movie called “Titanic.”

Even after finishing this book, I am unsure about how I feel about it. When I first started, Emmett James’ candor and English slang usage about his life almost turned me off to the book. I slowly got use to his writing style and respected his ability to speak so openly about life. He did make me smile and laugh at his use of relating certain movie titles to different parts of his life. “Grease” reminds me of a special summer camp I went to that changed my life before going in to high school.

I am glad I finished the book. It definitely was an eye opening view in to the life of an actor and the extremes he had to go through to achieve a dream he had since childhood of being in the movies.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

After reading the introduction (an open letter to Steven Seagal) to Emmett James’ book, Admit One, I thought that James’ caustic wit would be too harsh for my liking. Happily, I was wrong. This delightful memoir made me laugh out loud as I looked at films through the eyes of young Emmett. I, too, had watched The Wizard of Oz a million times and was afraid of the wicked witch. Admittedly, I was not SO afraid that I kept a lookout for weather reports of tornadoes that might be in the area. Nor did I see any resemblance in my own mother’s facial structure to that of the witch, so I had no worries about That.

James’ memoir leads us through various phases of his life alongside popular films of the day. His obsession with cinema takes him away from England to Hollywood, where his experiences range from working in a porn movie to crashing an Oscars party. His self depreciating humor makes this collection of antidotes about the film industry and life in general a lot of fun to read.½

"Celluloid is about dreams, movies are about fantasy, and motion pictures are about things you couldn’t possibly even imagine in your wildest dreams, brought vividly to life in front of your eyes. Cinema is about capturing the good and bad things that are pivotal in people’s life." [pg. xv]

Admit One: A Journey Into Film by Emmett James
Wheatmark; 2007
Nonfiction (Memoir); 198 pgs

I cannot remember which movie I saw first in the theater. Tootsie or Annie. Seeing Annie on the big screen was part of my birthday present one year, and, oh, I could not wait! The music, the singing, the dancing . . . All of it was like magic to me. I wanted to be Annie or better yet, her friend Molly. I memorized all of the lyrics to the songs and drove everyone around me crazy for years singing It’s the Hard Knock Life and Tomorrow. Be glad you cannot hear me as I write this—I’ve serenaded my husband, cat and dog with a few of my favorite songs from the musical, including Let’s Go To the Movies (not to mention made them watch YouTube videos). Tootsie was the first “grown up” movie I went to see that year. A friend and I went together, chaperoned by my friend’s mother. Dustin Hoffman was amazing—and I loved how it all turned out in the end.

Emmett James’ book, Admit One: A Journey Into Film, elicited many such memories from me. I imagine it helped too that he and I are not so different in age and many of the films that touched him early in his life were also ones that meant a lot to me. As an avid movie fan, I was quite excited at the opportunity of reading this book. Online publicist Lisa Roe was kind enough to arrange for me to receive a copy, and the author personally inscribed it (you probably disregarded by squeal of glee as a rather obnoxious bird flying by).

In Admit One, Emmett James takes readers on a journey through his life as it was defined by the movies he so loved. He dreamed of one day becoming an actor himself, a dream he has fully realized in his adult life.

Each chapter is titled after a movie that touched his life in one way or another. He describes how the movies influenced his early life as well as those of his friends, from digging a hole to Australia to hoping to get to first or second base with a girl in the back of a darkened theater. He took a job washing cars in the Miyagi style, honing his karate skills. Emmett got into trouble like many boys his age, endured sibling rivalry and his parents’ attempts at reform. Later in life, as he struggled to get noticed in the acting community, he proved himself to be quite clever and bold, even if a bit too eccentric for the times and not always being successful.

Not only is Admit One a book about the influence movies can have on our lives, even in the smallest of ways, but also about one man’s journey to making his dream come true. It was not an easy journey for Emmett James. He could barely make ends meet, took on shady jobs just to eek out a living, and was not always proud of the acting jobs he was given. He also had his successes, landing a role in a major movie and a staring role on a TV show, at least while it lasted. He makes a distinction between being a celebrity and being an actor. A big celebrity he may not yet be, but he has definitely earned his stripes as an actor.

Movies are not just a form of entertainment and escape (well, some arguably are). They can be influential, open lines of communication, make people think as well as feel compassion. Movies encourage the use of one’s imagination. Is it any wonder than that I am drawn both to movies and books?

Reading Admit One: A Journey Into Film was like a romp in the park, entertaining and humorous. The author does not let the reader too close into his own life, barely skimming the surface it seems like at times, but that approach suited the book just fine. Now I’ve got the urge to go out and rent Titanic for a glimpse of Mr. James.

Admit One: A Journey into Film is Emmett James's story about his childhood and his love of movies. What I really loved about this book was Mr. James's un-censored take on movies, growing up into adult hood, his feels towards a certain actor and life in general. Admit One: A Journey into Film had me laughing at the good times and there were plenty. Like the time when Emmett just knew he was destined to be the next greatest superhero sidekick, or the time he tried to cop a feel with Joanne Hardy, also the time when Emmett was explaining that you can always count on the fact that at all movie set buffets you can find red licorice, and my favorite was his feelings towards a famous trained monkey (actor). Ok, I will give you a clue who it is....yeah right you will just have to read the book for yourself to find out.

Admit One: A Journey into Film is one of those rare books that just make you feel good inside. I found myself having a hard time putting this book down. Everytime I would start, it was not long before I had it back in my hands and before you knew it I was finished reading it. Thank you Mr. James for not being bashful in writing this novel Admit One: A Journey into Film. I now have a new book to recommend to all my friends. For anyone who has a love for any type of movies needs to read Admit One: A Journey into Film. It will make you remember all the good times about your childhood and wish you were young again! Pop yourself a bag of popcorn and settle in to read Emmett James's Admit One: A Journey into Film.

A light hearted memoir about the struggle of growing up in Croydon, England where going to the movies was an escape from daily life. Each chapter of the book is headed with a movie title and the text within relates to how that movie affected the author. From falling asleep in The Jungle Book to putting a basket on the front of his bike because you never know when you might run into an alien who needs rescuing. Before starting this book I had no idea who [[Emmett James]] was and had to google him. To date his biggest role was a small part in Titantic. I also felt that James might have gone into more depth of his struggles in Hollywood. The whole book only ever seemed to scratch the surface of things and never really going into much of the gritty details. However, since this is a signed copy (addressed specifically to me) it will earn a place on my shelves for awhile. And who knows...if James ever strikes it big that autograph could be worth something. ;-)

For a full review go here:
http://tickettoanywhere.blogspot.com/2008/05/admit-one-journey-into-film-by-emme...

Emmett starts with his youth in Croydon, South London. Each chapter is wrapped in the context of a movie that in some way impacted his life. Thinking at once of all the ways in which this could become a too-cute and ultimately annoying trick, I was delighted when the book deviated immediately from the expected. When Emmett saw the first movie he used to frame a chapter, Disney's The Jungle Book, he was so young that he fell asleep within minutes, and saw only the beginning and end credits. Yet the experience of going to the movies with his family, and the effects it had on his mother and brother, profoundly affected him.

When I finished Admit One I was surprised to note that it was put out by a publisher I'd never heard of before. It had been such a fun read, so filled with quotable quotes, that I fully expected it to be an offering from a big-name group. Well, their loss. Emmett writes with a tone that can shift from wryly humorous to childlike delight, self-deprecation to sly jabs in an instant. I was hard put to keep from constantly laughing out loud and reading selections to everyone around me.

For a longer review visit Errant Dreams.