Favorite fictional books about the movies and/or Hollywood.

Craighoit

Active member
So we all have them. Or I suspect most of us do. The favorite book about Hollywood or making movies. Since I'm always looking for a good read, I'd love to hear suggestions. And if someone has mentioned your favorite, no problem - chime in as to why you like it as well. Since there are so many fantastic non-fiction books out there, I'm looking more for the made-up stuff. This could be a great way to start a summer (it is coming, I know it...) reading list.

I have a couple that if you haven't read, you really do owe it to yourself to track them down.

The first is my all-time favorite book. Boy Wonder by the late James Robert Baker. This book is out of print, but it is worth hitting up ebay or amazon. One of the most gonzo, over-the-top, funniest books I've ever read. Let's just say there's a scene with an amorous donkey and a shirt with Nancy Reagan's picture on it; the filming of a movie called Red Surf where the production ends up blowing up a good portion of Orange County, and on and on and on. Humor so dark it could be a black hole. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but really laugh out loud funny for those of us who are a little touched in the head.

Another good read is Flicker. Don't remember the author off hand, and it may too be out of print. Really neat bits of film history, that goes way, way back. As I remember there was some Knights of Templar stuff thrown in for good measure. Sort of a treatise on what happens when the auteur theory goes very wrong....

So what are some others....

Craig
 
Awesome, will look up Boy Wonder for sure.

One of my favorites and it's quasi fictional is Bukowski's Hollywood. Definitely one of his most entertaining!
 
"What Makes Sammy Run" by Budd Schulberg is my favorite.

It's old, 1941, but it feels current. Hustling and backstabbing haven't changed much over the years.
 
Slightly off-topic (this is actually a film), but when it comes to a fictional story about filmmaking I'm all in on 'Living in Oblivion' (1995). I just watched it the other day, and it's hilarious!
 
Great suggestions everyone. I hadn't realized that the Player was a book before the movie. One of my favorite Altman films, though perhaps not one of his best if that makes sense. Will be picking up some of these!
 
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