The Gross: The Hits, the Flops-The Summer That Ate Hollywood Book + PRICE WATCH * Amazon pricing is not included in price watch

The Gross: The Hits, the Flops-The Summer That Ate Hollywood Book

In the summer of 1998, as far as Hollywood was concerned, nothing went the way it was supposed to. As Peter Bart recaps that season: A cheaply made gross-out comedy generated twice the revenues of a Steven Spielberg high-concept adventure; two pricey asteroid films collided, yet neither suffered damage; Jim Carrey made a hit movie that didn't offer a single laugh; Eddie Murphy buried his hard edge long enough to make two successful, warm-and-cuddly family films; Harrison Ford made a love story playing opposite a self-avowed lesbian; and finally, defying the mythology of the "youth demos," two stars in their sixties, Robert Redford and Warren Beatty, enjoyed yet another warm moment in the sun. Bart is a seasoned observer of the film industry both as studio executive (holding seats at Paramount and MGM/UA) and as the editor in chief of Variety and Daily Variety. His insider's perspective, and his ability to gain access to the major players in the business, serve him well here. The Gross is filled with juicy behind-the-scenes stories on how certain summer blockbusters got made and positioned for release--even though the book could strongly benefit from both an index, to make finding information on particular films easier, and information on its sources, to determine exactly how much of the story is Bart's original legwork and how much comes from the trades. Along the way, he sketches a grim portrait of an industry whose leaders have become increasingly frustrated with the high cost of filmmaking; even when they're making fun-filled romps like The Mask of Zorro and Armageddon, people at the studios don't seem to be enjoying themselves. Bart manages to cover almost every major summer release of '98 with enough detail to hold readers' interest, so while The Gross may not be the ultimate overview of the film business, it's a captivating snapshot of an industry in flux. --Ron HoganRead More

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  • Product Description

    Summer is crunch time in Hollywood. It is the season when studios roll out their most expensive, effects-laden pictures in a feverish race to win the box-office derby.

    The magnitude of the wagers is astonishing. Each summer there are at least a dozen movies costing between $100 million and $200 million to produce and market. As one blockbuster after another opens to a massive publicity fusillade, careers are made and lost in the same weekend.

    Yet the spoils of victory are enticing. A studio may see its summer movies gross in excess of $500 million in the U.S. alone in two short months. Vast riches in the form of bonuses, gross percentages, and other perks rain down upon those who gambled wisely. Filmmakers and stars who figure in the summer hits come away with the power to squander untold millions on their future projects and to compete yet again in next summer's sweepstakes.

    In The Gross, Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety, puts the spotlight on the summer of 1998. He takes us through the entire cycle of would-be summer blockbusters, from script through casting and production and finally into release. He gives an in-depth account of the making of such films as Saving Private Ryan, Deep Impact, Godzilla, Armageddon, and There's Something About Mary. And, most important, he shows us why some succeeded and others failed.

    The cast of characters in The Gross includes the most important and powerful names in Hollywood. Dozens of actors, directors, producers, agents, and studio heads--from Steven Spielberg and Mel Gibson to Warren Beatty and Michael Eisner--all talked at length to Bart. Through these interviews, as well as exhaustive reporting, the author gives us a revealing portrait of how today's movies get made. We also learn the real meaning of the summer season in Hollywood. Can quality movies survive in this pressure cooker? Has an atmosphere been created where only the worst rises to the top? Can the artistic process be managed by multinational corporations?

    Peter Part, the ultimate Hollywood insider, answers these questions and much more in The Gross: The Hits, The Flops--The Summer That Ate Hollywood.

  • 0312198949
  • 9780312198947
  • Peter Bart
  • 1 February 1999
  • St Martins Pr
  • Hardcover (Book)
  • 311
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