Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #354584 in Books
• Published on: 1991-11
• Binding: Hardcover
• 434 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent insight into the bowels of Hollywood
You don't have to have read Bonfire of the Vanities to appreciate this book, because it isn't really about Tom Wolfe's novel. It's about how Hollywood turns great original scripts into the mush we all know and love.

The author has chosen the making of one film - which happened to flop - to illustrate the commercial pressures which deny directors and writers their artistic integrity, and result in films which appeal to the lowest common denominator.

I imagine this book would be a good starting point for would-be film-makers. It describes in great detail the risks, the characters (e.g. your infamous stroppy stars), and the roles (what exactly does a producer do...?)

I also recommend this book to anyone who is simply curious about how Hollywood works. The writing is clear and enthralling. I couldn't put it down.

BTW, When I finished this I then read Bonfire of the Vanities, which is also pretty good.