Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions
My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood
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Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions
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Narrated by:
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Ed Zwick
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By:
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Ed Zwick
About this listen
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER
“This funny, insightful, and deliciously dishy memoir” (Town & Country) from the director of Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Legends of the Fall, and Glory, creator of thirtysomething, and executive producer of My So-Called Life, “takes its place alongside Adventures in the Screen Trade and Easy Riders, Raging Bulls as one of the indispensable behind-the-scenes books for fans of movies and television” (Aaron Sorkin).
“I’ll be dropping a few names,” Ed Zwick confesses in the introduction to his book. “Over the years I have worked with self-proclaimed masters-of-the-universe, unheralded geniuses, hacks, sociopaths, savants, and saints.”
He has encountered these Hollywood types during four decades of directing, producing, and writing projects that have collectively received eighteen Academy Award nominations (seven wins) and sixty-seven Emmy nominations (twenty-two wins). Though there are many factors behind such success, including luck and the contributions of his creative partner Marshall Herskovitz, he’s known to have a special talent for bringing out the best in the people he’s worked with, notably the actors. In those intense collaborations, he seeks to discover the small pieces of connective tissue, vulnerability, and fellowship that can help an actor realize their character in full.
Talents whom he spotted early include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Claire Danes, and Jared Leto. Established stars he worked closely with include Leonardo DiCaprio, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Craig, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Connelly. He also sued Harvey Weinstein over the production of Shakespeare in Love—and won. He shares personal stories about all these people, and more.
Written mostly with love, sometimes with rue, this memoir “is not just a wonderfully intimate memoir. It's also an indispensable guide to the shark-infested waters of artistic integrity” (Cameron Crowe). Destined to become a new Hollywood classic, Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions is “a must-read for any film fan, and a sacred text for any aspiring filmmakers out there” (Forbes).
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- N Morgan
- 28-04-24
Amazing. Honest, witty, vulnerable.
LOVE this book. Great insight into how Ed Zwick navigated a tough world and made films with heart and meaning. His wife Liberty is incredible!!
An important read for myself as someone in film but also to everyone that wishes to create a life of purpose. Thank you to Ed and the team.
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- melbopp
- 03-04-24
very enjoyable
wow how do the rich, famous and successful pack it all in ? Great story well told interesting takes and advisory bits. would recomend.
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- Eoin Fleming
- 03-11-24
an un expected gem
the life lessons trumped the stars stories, and a few words to live by, a great listen
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- J Clark
- 16-04-24
Excellent film maker’s autobiography
Excellent background to great film and tv making, up to and excluding the current comic/toy IP obsession.
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- bruce wood
- 01-07-24
No Illusions here!
I really wasn't sure what expect from this, other than hoping that it was even half as good as the reviews and comments I've noted over the last few months.
I needn't have had any reservations. Ed Zwick had a wonderful, easy going prose and his self-effacing journey is a joy!
I would heartily recommended this book to any one with even a passing interest in the making of movies. Superb *****
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- Weaselboy
- 24-03-24
Beautifully written, beautifully read
It’s not just the usual career retread with a few choice anecdotes, this book is wonderfully humane, thoughtful, and fascinating insight into the creative process. Hugely enjoyed it, I’ll look forward to rewatching Ed Zwick’s moves with these stories in my head
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- hamish campbell
- 10-04-24
A must read
for anyone who makes anything visual, this is such a great read/listen packed with brilliant anecdotes and lessons in the art of film making.
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- Millside
- 02-03-24
Enjoyable book, great performance
Ed Zwick has a wonderful voice. Listening to him read his own words is a complete pleasure. Also great to hear a book properly read through by the author and not a synthetic or computer-generated rendition based on sampling. Thanks, Ed!
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- Gregory Barker
- 23-03-24
Great honest insights
Loved it from start to finish! What a career and what a beautifully told story of working in the industry of dreams and illusions.
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- Ian
- 01-05-24
Insightful and entertaining.
I really liked the book. The author is a veteran of Hollywood and known for films they simply wouldn't make for a cinematic release anymore. It's a little sad to see that starkly illustrated in his career. Glory, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond and Defiance are all great movies, but because of Hollywood shareholders being what they are, movies like this are unlikely to be made again (except for streaming). This is illustrated in a telling moment in the book when an executive warns him that Blood Diamond will be the last of its kind. It was a financial success, just not a big enough financial success. These days, if a superhero isn't in it, or if the Mission isn't impossible, they simply won't pay for it to be distributed on the big screen.
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