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cshadows2887's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
coleycole's review against another edition
3.0
feels like eavesdropping on an awesome raconteur - good stuff.
thematinee's review against another edition
4.0
They say there is a danger in burning too bright too fast. Think about any teen idol who turns into a cautionary tale of sex and drugs before their twentieth birthday.
That danger doesn’t only come with fame, but likewise with talent. It applies to every author who struggled to write their second book after the barn-burning success of their first. It applies to musicians who struggle to balance creating the music with performing and selling the music. And it happens to directors who are so unbelievably talented that they are given carte-blanche by a major Hollywood studio before their thirtieth birthday.
Of these talents that soar into the sky, much is said about the flight up. Much more is said about the fall back down. Few, however, get to talk about life has become years after that crash-landing...
Full review @ http://www.thematinee.ca/afternoonsandcoffeespoons/
That danger doesn’t only come with fame, but likewise with talent. It applies to every author who struggled to write their second book after the barn-burning success of their first. It applies to musicians who struggle to balance creating the music with performing and selling the music. And it happens to directors who are so unbelievably talented that they are given carte-blanche by a major Hollywood studio before their thirtieth birthday.
Of these talents that soar into the sky, much is said about the flight up. Much more is said about the fall back down. Few, however, get to talk about life has become years after that crash-landing...
Full review @ http://www.thematinee.ca/afternoonsandcoffeespoons/
gjmaupin's review against another edition
3.0
A fun read for a fan (which I'm), though the scrabbling for money conversations are almost as sad as the second volume of Guralnick's Elvis bio.
Also a nice reminder for one who whizzes through biographies, that while its easy in a book to gloss over entire years, people have long conversations like this at lunch every day of those years.
Also a nice reminder for one who whizzes through biographies, that while its easy in a book to gloss over entire years, people have long conversations like this at lunch every day of those years.
toddlleopold's review against another edition
4.0
Even when Welles is churlish, self-pitying, arrogant or just plain wrong, he's almost always interesting. Definitely entertaining.
eclark93's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
blchandler9000's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting little read. In the mid-80s, actor/director Henry Jaglom tape recorded a number of luncheons he shared with actor/director Orson Welles. Those conversations were transcribed and made into this book, with some notes by editor Biskind.
Welles is kind of like an opinionated hurricane, dominating the conversation, constantly voicing his thoughts and memories, overrunning any statements contrary to his own. He spouts views that are terribly un-PC, which was sometimes fun, sometimes wince-inducing, and seems to pretty much enjoy nothing. At one point in the dialogues, Richard Burton comes over to the table to ask if Welles would be open to meeting Elizabeth Taylor, but Welles rudely dismisses him, then badmouths the actor behind his back. But behind all the blowharding and big name bashing and that's-not-how-it-was-ing, is this hurt old man who struggles with the fact that he needs work, that he cannot make the movies he wants to make, and that the people he thought he could depend on have left him to rot.
I don't know how much of the gossip in this book is true—Welles even admits in the book he's a constant liar—though there's not too much juicy stuff about Hollywood's golden age, and most of the name-calling and potentially libelous material (i.e. the good stuff) is about old studio heads and producers that few people remember. There were several times when Welles and Jaglom spoke at length about persons I'd never heard of, and I wished there were more memories, less disparaging, more insight, less complaining. However, I would have read this book if it was 5 times as long as it was. Welles was an entertaining juggernaut of opinions.
Welles is kind of like an opinionated hurricane, dominating the conversation, constantly voicing his thoughts and memories, overrunning any statements contrary to his own. He spouts views that are terribly un-PC, which was sometimes fun, sometimes wince-inducing, and seems to pretty much enjoy nothing. At one point in the dialogues, Richard Burton comes over to the table to ask if Welles would be open to meeting Elizabeth Taylor, but Welles rudely dismisses him, then badmouths the actor behind his back. But behind all the blowharding and big name bashing and that's-not-how-it-was-ing, is this hurt old man who struggles with the fact that he needs work, that he cannot make the movies he wants to make, and that the people he thought he could depend on have left him to rot.
I don't know how much of the gossip in this book is true—Welles even admits in the book he's a constant liar—though there's not too much juicy stuff about Hollywood's golden age, and most of the name-calling and potentially libelous material (i.e. the good stuff) is about old studio heads and producers that few people remember. There were several times when Welles and Jaglom spoke at length about persons I'd never heard of, and I wished there were more memories, less disparaging, more insight, less complaining. However, I would have read this book if it was 5 times as long as it was. Welles was an entertaining juggernaut of opinions.
jonjeffryes's review against another edition
3.0
There are some great Old Hollywood stories here and a standout chapter where Welles helps Jaglom with a film project. But it's also just conversation, which all have their duller parts. Definitely a book to dip in and out of rather than try to read in long stretches