Screenwriters have always been viewed as Hollywood’s stepchildren. Silent-film comedy pioneer Mack Sennett forbade his screenwriters from wri...
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reviews
Nov 09, 2010
A chatty, breezy history of Hollywood through the medium of screenwriting. But this description is not to belittle it, Norman is thorough and enlightening and covers all the major shifts in moviemaking- the advent of sound films over silent, the studio system, the unionization of screenwriters, the McCarthy blacklist and auteur era. He's liberal in his use of juicy anecdote. There are also excellent portraits of wannabe screenwriters like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nathaniel West and William Faulkner
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Jun 02, 2009
Duncan
rated it: 
I told I read a lot of filmmaking books. Ok, writing. But, of course, what makes this book great is the gossip, none of which I can remember right now.
Lots of research went into this book, and it gives a great history of the rise, fall and rise of unions in Hollywood. Best quote: "I was too fucking busy, and vise versa," Dorothy Parker.
A really entertaining read of which I can remember very little. I read it in winter; perhaps that's why.
Lots of research went into this book, and it gives a great history of the rise, fall and rise of unions in Hollywood. Best quote: "I was too fucking busy, and vise versa," Dorothy Parker.
A really entertaining read of which I can remember very little. I read it in winter; perhaps that's why.
Jun 05, 2009
Steven
rated it: 
Really cool history of the film industry from the perspective of the writer from the silent era, through talkies, the blacklist, Easy Rider days, 80's blockbusters and post modern Tarantino. The early writers were interesting characters themselves. Cool insights into the writing of Star Wars and a breakdown of Pulp Fiction.
Jan 08, 2009
Alwa
rated it: 
The fascinating latter third (picking up from the birth of the auteur in the '70s--Spielberg, Coppola and Lucas--through Soderbergh and the 'feral child' Quentin Tarantino to Charlie Kaufman, Norman's symbol of the consummate screenwriter) and the swinging first third (Anita Loos, Faulkner and Fitzgerald and Chandler. Also, a ton of booze) make up for the middle section, which suffers from a lack of flamboyant characters and substance abuse. But that might just be my allergy to World War II-era
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Feb 09, 2012
I'm ripping through this. Hugely entertaining. Already shaping up as one of my best reads of 2012.
Dec 27, 2008
Sidney
rated it:
A fascinating book for anyone with a serious interest in the history of the film industry
Jul 27, 2009
Ben
rated it:
Norman's history of Hollywood from the POV of the Screenwriter provides one of the most cogent takes on the film industry. It is through the changing use of story (and storytellers) that cinema has evolved. The book plays out generally chronologically, with major sections devoted to major events and major writers, particularly those who best encapsulated a particular era or were a force unto themselves (Ben Hecht, Paddy Chayefsky).
Jun 02, 2008
Brynn
rated it:
Fascinating history. The writers so often get shorted in favor of the stars, directors and even producers. It was great to finally read a book about the industry that puts the story tellers first.
Oct 25, 2007
"Of all the Christ-bitten places and businesses in the two hemispheres, [Hollywood] is the last curly kink on the pig's tail." - Stephen Vincent Benet
This book sounds great!
This book sounds great!
Sep 26, 2011
"... the vowel-happy photographer Eadweard Muybridge..."
Now that's writin'.
Now that's writin'.
Jan 17, 2012
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