A classic business biography - I can't think of any look at a film production company that's as comprehensive. I meant it goes into a lot of detail about film financing - a lot. But I didnt mind that.
Goldcrest Films was a true shooting comet of the British film scene. It had incredible luck out of the gate, not just with Chariots of Fire and Gandhi but also side investments like The Howling and Escape from New York. But like many a fresh production company once it established a formula that worked - only invest in products from experienced responsible filmmakers, do British stories based on something - they departed from that formula, investing in a lot of first time filmmakers, getting lost in the wilds of television, over expanding.
This book is part memoir from co founder Jake Eberts so is very sympathetic to Eberts but not without criticism. It also tries to be fair to James Lee - which is why Lee ultimately comes out of it so badly.
The best bits of the book are in the second half when they make Absolute Beginners, The Mission and Revolution and you know it's going to end badly. It's gripping, watching-people-jump-off-a-cliff stuff.
There are plenty of lively personalities - David Puttnam, Hugh "perfectionist" Hudson, Dickie Attenborough, James Lee. Some talented, some simply mediocre white men who think the world owes them a living.
I've got to say while Absolute Beginners shouldn't have been made, at least not for anything other than a low budget, I'm glad it was made. And no one seems to watch Gadhi any more.
A grand book.
No comments:
Post a Comment