SUPERMAN VS. HOLLYWOOD: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Jake Rossen. Chicago Review Press; 2008.
This is a very entertaining book that goes behind the scenes of the Superman comic book and all of the adaptations for films, television, serials, cartoons, and radio, as well as the struggles to gain rights, assorted lawsuits, and other internecine battles. The cast of characters includes everyone from George Reeves to Marlon Brando, Richard Donner and Richard Lester, Bud Collyer and Nicolas Cage [a big comic book fan who wanted to play the Man of Steel] to the Salkind Brothers, who produced the big-screen movies. You'll discover who really directed what on the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, and read about Superman projects that ultimately never materialized, such as Superman vs. Batman. Rossen also writes about Lois and Clark, Smallville, and Superboy TV programs, and the Broadway show It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. Immensely readable, well-researched, and very informative.
Verdict: As much fun as a Superman comic book. ***1/2.
No comments:
Post a Comment