We Make Our Own Destiny: Behind the Scenes of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: Foreword: Jerry Bruckheimer; Afterword: Jake Gyllenhaal (Disney Editions Deluxe

by Michael Singer

When Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions unite to create a movie, the result is bound to be epic, magical, and full of adventure. In Prince of The Sands of Time , Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal ( Brokeback Mountain, Rendition, Zodiac, Jarhead, Donnie Darko ) stars as a young prince who must prove his innocence with the reluctant help of a conquered princess. As he searches for a dangerous artifact that has the potential to prevent the unleashing of an Earth-destroying sandstorm, he faces deceit, betrayal, and treacherous, black-cloaked Hassasins.

This beautifully designed narrative will describe in detail every aspect of the movie-making process, from casting to costumes to computer graphics. Author Michael Singer takes readers on an extraordinary journey, recounting the links in the Prince of Persia chain—from the wildly popular video game to the film project, spearheaded by one of the world’s most successful producers, Jerry Bruckheimer.

A veritable oasis of exclusive photos and insider information, the book includes information on the production, makeup, location filming, stunts, and special effects, as well as profiles of the films’ incredible stars!

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Parka]

(More pictures at parkablogs.com)

This is a large coffee table book printed with really good quality paper, the thick low-gloss type, which is a surprise for the affordable price.

The first thing that catches my attention is the use of beautiful high resolution photos, some of which are taken by producer Jerry Bruckheimer. They are so huge you can check out all the details of the costume tapestry and elaborate set designs. If it's really that hot shooting in the Moroccan heat, it's not showing up in the photos because I can't see anyone sweating.

The writeup is filled with information on all aspect of the movie, from casting actors, creating the humongous sets, shooting at 8000 feet in Morocco, weaving costumes, training ostriches, to clearing dangerous snakes and scorpions before day shoots. It's interesting to read those incidents that happen behind the scenes.

There are also parts where they reveal certain items, like weapons, to pay homage to the game series. But there's not so much reference to the game as the movie isn't really a direct translation of the game. The reference part I guess would be the atmosphere and setting which was really well portrayed to make this feel like a Prince of Persia world.

The last thing I want to add is the excessive compliments in some cases, especially for Jerry Bruckheimer. I like his films and TV shows but the compliments can be at times a bit, to put it politely, thick.

It's a nice book that fans can look to if they want to know more about the movie production.

[Josh]

Let me state this right from the get go - I am completely obsessed with this movie even though I have yet to see it. Everything about it completely appeals to me, from the setting in Persia during ancient times to the action to the search and protection of a priceless dagger that could alter the fate of a kingdom. And yes, Jake Gyllenhaal is wildly sexy as evidenced from the hundreds of photos in this over-size companion piece to the movie. So basically, I can not wait until this movie hits my local multiplex.

As much as I love movies, I have to admit that for many years, I was fairly naive as to how they were put together. Reading this book allowed me to fully grasp and understand how complex an undertaking it is to put a movie together. This book gives away very little plot of the movie, thus preserving the mystery. What it does do is go into great detail about the arduous preparation and work that occured to make this movie in Morocco during the blazing summer heat and then in England at the famed Pinewood Studios over 7 or 8 months. The book describes the draw the Middle East holds for artists and people alike. He also discusses the origins of the Prince of Persia as a video game that premiered in 1989. From there, all of the actors and their respective roles are written about, as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Mike Newell. I liked this part because you get to find out what drew these people to this movie, what experiences they had filming it, and how working in an exotic country under harsh conditions affected them.

Then the book breaks down the construction of sets, the creation of costumes and weapons, dealing with all the different animals, the stunt work, and a bit about post-production of this epic. For me, this book was a lot of fun to read. It really immerses the reader into this film world. While it can be a bit self-congratulatory and many of the people are constantly praising each other, this is overcome by great detail, wonderful photos, and a lively way of telling how this movie came about.

I think if you are at all interested in this movie, this would be a great book to read or peruse through. I certainly enjoyed reading it.