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Hollywood: The Oral History Hardcover – November 8, 2022
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The real story of Hollywood as told by such luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Harold Lloyd, and nearly four hundred others, assembled from the American Film Institute’s treasure trove of interviews, reveals a fresh history of the American movie industry from its beginnings to today.
From the archives of the American Film Institute comes a unique picture of what it was like to work in Hollywood from its beginnings to its present day. Gleaned from nearly three thousand interviews, involving four hundred voices from the industry, Hollywood: The Oral History, lets a reader “listen in” on candid remarks from the biggest names in front of the camera—Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Harold Lloyd—to the biggest behind it—Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele, as well as the lesser known individuals that shaped what was heard and seen on screen: musicians, costumers, art directors, cinematographers, writers, sound men, editors, make-up artists, and even script timers, messengers, and publicists. The result is like a conversation among the gods and goddesses of film: lively, funny, insightful, historically accurate and, for the first time, authentically honest in its portrait of Hollywood. It’s the insider’s story.
Legendary film scholar Jeanine Basinger and New York Times bestselling author Sam Wasson, both acclaimed storytellers in their own right, have undertaken the monumental task of digesting these tens of thousands of hours of talk and weaving it into a definitive portrait of workaday Hollywood.
- Print length768 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper
- Publication dateNovember 8, 2022
- Dimensions6.12 x 1.79 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-100063056941
- ISBN-13978-0063056947
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Hollywood's ultimate oral history . . . a hard book to put down. The special virtue of Basinger and Wasson’s work is its seamlessly sequential organization . . . With a net cast this wide, many glimmering fish are drawn up.” — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker
“. . . a fat, showbiz-nerd-satisfying tome with something for every showbiz-nerd taste . . . . a trove of direct, un-self-conscious observations about the times and ways in which these pros worked . . . .” — New York Times
“. . . something fresh, revealing and frequently amusing on nearly every page . . . . Hollywood will surely bring joy to any cinephile…” — Wall Street Journal
"The secrets of Tinseltown burn bright in this collection of interviews culled from the American Film Institute’s archives and assembled by film scholar Basinger and author Wasson . . . . The commentary crackles with humorous anecdotes and acerbic insights . . . . The result is a fascinating conversation about Hollywood’s magical blending of art and commerce." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Surely the most comprehensive portrait of America’s dream factory ever committed to paper.” — The Guardian (UK)
"As close to a comprehensive Who’s Who of American film as we’re likely to see, and as close to a definitive history of American cinema as we’ve seen so far. An absolute must-read for industry pros and fans alike." — Booklist (starred review)
"This book is a movie buff’s dream (especially if you love gossip). Even if you think you know a lot about Hollywood and its leading players, I guarantee you’ll gain new insight from this book. It’s a perfect one to keep in mind when you need gifts for the cinephiles in your life this holiday season." — BuzzFeed News
"Unparalleled in its scope and vision . . . Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson are two of our best chroniclers of Hollywood's past, but this collaboration marks their most ambitious work yet . . . . Offers a unique first-hand account of the industry's founding and ever-evolving approaches." — Entertainment Weekly
"Recommended for the large audience of popular culture enthusiasts for whom knowledge of the Hollywood past will enable them better to appreciate occurring and anticipated industry changes." — Library Journal (starred)
“There is something majestic about this book . . . . A must-have for any fan of Hollywood history . . . Will remain a standard work of reference for many years to come . . . .” — Los Angeles Review of Books
“. . . This book is enjoyably absorbing and genuinely unputdownable . . . . Resounding with the multitudinous voices of Hollywood’s first century, it delivers a narrative sweep as embracing as any Cinemascope historical drama . . . .These are stories you have never heard before . . . reflections of the famous and the not-so-famous directors and stage hands, major and minor performers, script girls and sound engineers, set and clothing designers, agents and critics—all seamlessly spliced together without a narrative glitch in sight.” — The Spectator
“. . . an incredible look inside one of the world's most storied industries . . . honest, surprising, and delightful details about what life is like on and off camera.” — Town & Country
"This volume is a gold mine of production details, backroom deals, and inside gossip. There are surprising revelations—e.g., Joan Crawford was more beloved than her reputation for derangement would have one believe—and memorably graphic stories, as when Billy Wilder noted that during the filming of Greed (1924), Erich von Stroheim “stopped shooting for three days because there wasn’t enough horseshit in the streets” and forced staff to collect more for him “because that’s what he wanted. Plenty of good horseshit. . . . Fun firsthand accounts from 100 years of Hollywood history." — Kirkus Reviews
“These Hollywood scholars have assembled what is arguably the most comprehensive, gossipy and insightful oral history of Tinseltown ever made.” — Globe and Mail
“. . . a delightful and illuminating account of moviemaking . . .” — Christian Science Monitor
“Hollywood aficionados, especially Tinsel Town’s queer fans, will find it hard to resist this book.” — Washington Blade
About the Author
Jeanine Basinger is the Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, founder and curator of the Wesleyan Cinema Archives, founding Chair of the Film Studies Department, and a recipient of Wesleyan’s Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching. She is the author of Silent Stars, which won the National Board of Review’s William K. Everson Prize, and The Star Machine, which won the Theatre Library Association Award. She is a trustee of the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, a member of Warner Brothers Theatre Advisory Committee at the Smithsonian Institute, and a former member of the Board of Advisors of the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers. She also served as advisor to Martin Scorsese’s film foundation project, The Story of Movies. She lives in Middletown, Connecticut.
Sam Wasson is the author of seven books on film, including the New York Times bestsellers Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern American Woman; The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood; and Fosse. With Jeanine Basinger, he is the coauthor of Hollywood: The Oral History. He lives in Los Angeles.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper; First Edition (November 8, 2022)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 768 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0063056941
- ISBN-13 : 978-0063056947
- Item Weight : 2 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.12 x 1.79 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #142,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #195 in Movie History & Criticism
- #209 in Television Performer Biographies
- #1,126 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
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"One of the great chroniclers of Hollywood lore" (New York Times), SAM WASSON is bestselling author of FIFTH AVENUE, 5 A.M. and THE BIG GOODBYE. His latest book is THE PATH TO PARADISE: A FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA STORY.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. It provides them with insightful information about Hollywood's history, including technical and cultural discussions. The storyline is described as fascinating and a must-read for film fans. However, some readers feel the lack of indexing is disappointing.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it engaging and interesting, a must-read for film fans. The book is unique in its storytelling through the voices of people. It provides insightful commentary and is an invaluable resource for movie enthusiasts.
"...And when everything fell into place, you got a masterpiece - with great sets, great costumes, dialogue coaching, dance instruction......" Read more
"In their massive, easily readable and entertaining book, Hollywood: The Oral History, film historians Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson have..." Read more
"I am going to enjoy this book. It’s unfortunate that the editors were too cowardly to include an index." Read more
"I’ve been reading this glorious tome for a few weeks, and admire everything about it...." Read more
Customers find the book provides insightful information about Hollywood. They enjoy the brief commentaries from the famous and the people who work in the industry. The historical insights and actual conversations with cinematographers, producers, directors, screenwriters are appreciated. The book is a fun read built on an interesting concept of taking bits of dialogue from many Hollywood participants. It's considered a master reference for those with more knowledge.
"...It's compiled from a series of interviews done by the American Film Institute starting the in the early 1960s, so the earlier interviewees had..." Read more
"...self-serving, sometimes revealing jealousies, these are brief commentaries from the famous and as well as from people whose names we would otherwise..." Read more
"...best introduction for a beginning student and a master refererence for those with more knowledge...." Read more
"...Jeanine Basinger has long been a great authority on film and this volume burnishes her high reputation to a glow...." Read more
Customers find the storyline informative and engaging. They say it's the true story of Hollywood told by the people who created it.
"...sometimes heartbreaking, always informative, this is the true story of Hollywood told by the people who created it." Read more
"Most engaging; love the stories." Read more
"Best Book On The History of Hollywood..." Read more
"Fascinating Synopsis of Hollywood from the beginning to today..." Read more
Customers are unhappy with the lack of indexing and titles in the book. They feel the editors were too cowardly to include an index.
"...It’s unfortunate that the editors were too cowardly to include an index." Read more
"...As mentioned by others, the lack of indexing, titles/subtitles within chapters, and other organizational guideposts was definitely a detracting..." Read more
"Amusing, But No Index: Useless for Research..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2024I took this along for night time reading on a recent visit to Los Angeles and it was a perfect companion. It's compiled from a series of interviews done by the American Film Institute starting the in the early 1960s, so the earlier interviewees had memories going back into the earliest days of American film.
What struck me most about the book is how it illuminates film as a collaborative art. You hear from actors and directors and studio executives, but also from costume and set designers and other members of the craft unions. You would think this might be a little boring - but it isn't. It gave me more of an understanding for the positive side of the "factory system" of film production perfected by MGM and practiced by all the "majors." Yes, most of the products of the system were horribly mediocre - but most products of any system are horribly mediocre. And when everything fell into place, you got a masterpiece - with great sets, great costumes, dialogue coaching, dance instruction...
This is definitely a "must read" for any film fan - plus it's fun!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2024This is a book for everyone — we have all been to the movies, right?And we probably have an immediate reaction when we hear that one magic word, Hollywood.
This volume, and it is indeed voluminous, lets the people who labor behind the cameras, and a few who worked in front of them, tell you what the motion picture industry really is like.
The authors, each a noted movie historian, have selected portions of more than 3,000 oral histories to try to explain how the industry came to be. The people who were there relate how “movies” developed from a storefront amusement lasting just a few seconds through unimagined technological advances — moving cameras, sound, color, super widescreen, 3D, video, computer-enhancements.
And all of it told through first-person recollections, with resultant jokes, profanity, contradictions. Sometimes self-serving, sometimes revealing jealousies, these are brief commentaries from the famous and as well as from people whose names we would otherwise never know — technicians, costumers, makeup and hair artists, script writers, cinematographers, agents.
Gathered here, this is the real Hollywood (and Burbank, Culver City …)
- Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024In their massive, easily readable and entertaining book, Hollywood: The Oral History, film historians Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson have imaginatively woven together excerpts of some 3,000 transcripts from the American Film Institute’s archive of industry interviews.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024This is the real deal. Having read hundreds of books on film, this is probably the best introduction for a beginning student and a master refererence for those with more knowledge. Every aspect of filmmaking, from makeup and costuming to financing and distribution, and how they have all changed in the last 120 years is described by the people who actually made the movies. Household names like Capra, Hitchcock, Spielberg, Hanks and hundreds of others. If you only read one book, make it this one. If you have any curiosity, it will not be the last. A great jumping off point.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2022I am going to enjoy this book. It’s unfortunate that the editors were too cowardly to include an index.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024I really enjoy oral histories and first-person memoirs as opposed to biographies written by historians and could've kept reading this even if it was another 1,000 pages long.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2022I’ve been reading this glorious tome for a few weeks, and admire everything about it. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m reluctant to do so, as it’s both informative and fun. Some have decried the lack of an index, but if one had been provided I’d be spending even more time in it, flipping back and forth. The coverage of all periods and subjects dealing with the movies make it an invaluable resource. The best and longest part covers stars, but even the technical and cultural discussions are riveting. Jeanine Basinger has long been a great authority on film and this volume burnishes her high reputation to a glow. I have stacks and stacks of books I’m burning to read, but I know I’ll come back to this for a re-read.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2022There are any number of books out there on moviemaking history
Some are(to use the scientific term) BLECHHHH!
Many are decent and fun and/or informative
A few achieve greatness (a good guide to many of these is checking for the names Basinger or Wasson on the cover)
And then there's this one!
Get it!
Read it!
Treasure it!
You will not find it's like again!
(and if they could add PICTURES! Oy!)
Top reviews from other countries
- Gary David MillerReviewed in Canada on December 24, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative
Great read and photos
- TLReviewed in Germany on November 19, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Crash Course in Movie history
Oral History by those who made the industry great, edited into a surprisingly coherent picture. Highly entertaining and in depth coverage of many aspects of filmmaking.
- Robert ‘Bob’ MacesperaReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars As excellent as it is original. A delight for all (good) cinema lovers
This is an excellent book, in great measure because of its originality: telling the Hollywood story through direct accounts made by its participants. From the very early days of DW Griffith and Mark Sennett, through the era of the studio moguls (Thalberg, Mayer, Goldwyn) to the great directors, Wyler, Wilder, Cukor, Hitchcock, etc., and then to the "author" sixties. Thankfully, the bulk of the book (around 500 pages) deals with the beginnings and the studio system and only a last (and mercifully short) section tells the post-Stars War period.
The authors have had the good sense to count with the stories not only of the stars and the well-known names (all those mentioned above and then some more) but also with a myriad of other talented men and women that, literally, made Hollywood. These are the composers, art directors, tailors and film editors, largely represented here, and deservedly so.
The book's great originality becomes at points its risk and the fact that there's no narrator, rather the tale is made by the said participants, can be confusing at some point: we read, for instance, "L. B. Mayer was a tyrant" by one actor and then "Mayer was the sweetest person" by another one, and the reader often doesn't know what to make of this.
Another flaw perhaps could be that the cinema reviewers are unrepresented here - only Andrew Sarris gets an entry, but nothing by the greatest of them all: Kael and Thomson, which could have graced considerably the book.
In the end, a mammoth of a book that at over 700 pages is a true delight and an endless source of anecdotes for good cinema lovers.
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Amazon CustomerReviewed in Spain on January 29, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Según lo publicitado, es una síntesis notable
Lo único que echo de menos son fotos
- Andy BReviewed in Australia on November 24, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written and totally engaging.
Brilliantly written and totally engaging. Based on thousands of hours of oral history, including interviews from the past and present if you love Hollywood, you will appreciate this great book.