Donald Cammell: A Life on the Wild Side Book

This is the first ever book about the extraordinary life of Donald Cammell (1934-1996), a man whose life is believed by many to be one of the most decadent of the 20th Century. The first film he directed, Performance has been called one of the Great Books of Decadence. The classic British film Performance, starring Mick Jagger and James Fox, established Donald Cammell as one of the great talents of British cinema. Although Performance immediately launched Cammell into the international limelight, his career after Performance proved elusive. He completed only three more feature films before his death by suicide in 1996. Yet it was this elusiveness that elevated Cammell to mythic proportions. Performance?s innovative approach and provocative subject matter brought a new sensibility to the modern cinema and inspired a generation of young filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill), Steven Soderbergh (sex, lies, and videotape) Roger Avary (Killing Zoe), and Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine). Yet Cammell?s other films, Demon Seed, White of the Eye, and Wild Side, are thoroughly compelling and reveal other aspects of the complex, enigmatic artist responsible for Performance. Illustrated with rare stills and previously unpublished personal photographs, Donald Cammell: A Life on the Wild Side is the first biography of the legendary filmmaker and the first to discuss all of his creative work, including his early career as a portrait painter, the completed films, the many unrealized and uncompleted projects, and unpublished screenplays. Comprised of dozens of interviews and many years of extensive research, Donald Cammell: A Life on the Wild Side sheds startling new light on one of Great Britain's most important filmmakers.Read More