Thursday, May 06, 2021

Book review - "The Beauty of Living Twice" by Sharon Stone (2021)

 Excellent introduction - the tale of her brain bleed. It's well written. Actor-y - lots of talk about spirituality and supporting HIV research and friends. I was hoping for more stuff on the movies, TBH. There's a little on Basic Instinct and Casino and some on the rough shooting conditions on King Solomon's Mines. An entertaining bit about her start in Stardust Memories. She has nice things to say about Arnie, Paul Verhoeven, Michael Douglas. She talks a lot about her friends and family. She doesn't mention Joe Eszterhas (which must have driven him wild). There's a fun anecdote about a producer who I assume was Robert Evans encouraging her to have an affair with who I assume was Billy Baldwin. She takes pride in The Quick and the Dead. Talks fondly about Bruce Wagner, mentions a first husband and that newspaper guy is alluded to as a lousy husband after her stroke (but she thanks him in the "thanks" section). She had dodgy health. Says nice things about Bruce Beresford.

I was hoping for more goss, to be honest, and more of the films. Nothing about Irreconcilable Differences or Catwoman or Police Academy 4 or the action films or the Mighty and The Muse or The Specialist.

She was so good looking and great on screen. I remember when Basic Instinct came out she was the flavour of the month but me and my mates had liked her since King Solomon's Mines. She was good then. I am genuinely surprised she didn't last longer as a star. Bad luck. Made a lot of films that would've sounded great on paper: Sphere, Diabolique, Sliver, The Mighty,The Muse. To be fair, not sure what she turned down.

Not a bad read just not what I was hoping. I'm glad she's doing better. Poor Joe Eszterhas!

No comments: