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The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood
£21.40
A book that sees Hollywood as an idea, a trick, a religion even that swept the world, a book that knows what the bosses did, and why and how, but which also feels the impact on the mass audiences in the dark auditoriums. There isn’t a book that explains – even at a basic level – how the business, the money, of pictures operates. THE WHOLE EQUATION takes the history and describes the grand panorama so that the reader knows how he or she fitted in, along with Bogart, the Marx Brothers and Daryl Zanuck. The business is the neglected aspect of the story, neglected because its truths threaten the alleged magic, the romance of the movies. Yet, the money is the true sexual secret of Hollywood, and David Thomson leaves the reader quite clear, that amid all the hype and pretension, we should always ‘follow the money’.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Little, Brown (3 Feb. 2005) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 448 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0316848603 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0316848602 |
by AUSTRIS ADUMANS
good as expected
by Amazon Customer
Yet to read, but being by David Thomson, one of the foremost writers on movies, I would expect it to be very good.
by JLC2010
I found that I couldn’t invest myself in this book which isn’t the fault of the author at all. I realised that although I love books about Hollywood, I like ones that are more gossipy. However, saying that I did at times go “aaah” so that’s why that happens, so I will read it again.
by Andrew McSkimming
I’m still reading this. However it is well up to Thomson’s usual standard, being full of insight as well as very entertaining. Well worth the money for anyone with an interest in cinema and the movie industry.
by Trevor
I bought this hoping for a history of Hollywood. It is in the title after all. How the Studio system developed, who were the people who made the town and the industry, how we got from silent films to the blockbusters of today, where it went right and where it went wrong. What I got was a sprawling and unfocused ramble about the authors favourite films, in no particular order, alongside a wilfully obscure monologue about why people watch films. Gave up after 100 pages I’m afraid. Anyone know a decent history of Hollywood?
by Jason Parkes
David Thomson is probably the greatest film critic alive, and ‘The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood’ is an absolute masterpiece. Thomson is best known for the key film reference book ‘The New Biographical Dictionary of Film’ alongside his regular contributions to newspapers such as The Independent on Sunday. The front pages to this paperback edition of Thomson’s 2005 book list a detailed oeuvre including such titles as ‘Rosebud: The Story of Orson Welles’, ‘In Nevada: The Land, the People, God, and Chance’, ‘Beneath Mulholland: Thoughts on Hollywood and Its Ghosts’ and ‘Showman: The Life of David O Selznick.’ Thomson’s best work, ‘Suspects’ sadly remains out of print – like the aforementioned titles it taps into Hollywood, and like this book advances on ideas about California, such books as ‘City of Quartz’ or multiple writings from Joan Didion (‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’) who is quoted several times here…
Thomson advances his history of Hollywood through the rubric of ‘Chinatown’ and its writer Robert Towne, with much reference to Hollywood box-office and production – which makes this book a companion to William Goldman’s twin set ‘Adventures in the Screen Trade’ and ‘Which Lie Did I Tell?’ The 20-something chapters explore Hollywood and work as a history – though the book certainly is as ‘provocative’ as JG Ballard’s cover-quote states – the fact the last 30 or so years are covered in just a few chapters sort of tells you how signifcant Thomson feels Hollywood is. The later chapters reveal Thomson’s experience of watching ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and how that type of cinema is different to the kind of film he championed (as ‘The New Biographical Dictionary of Film’ stated, Thomson’s favourite films include ‘His Girl Friday’, ‘Celine and Julie Go Boating’ & ‘That Obscure Object of Desire’) – though Thomson notes here that someone like David Lynch (‘Blue Velvet’, ‘Mulholland Dr.’)can counter the negative view.
‘The Whole Equation’ is one you can get lost in, as vital as the writings of Pauline Kael and more adventerous than a very good film writer such as Mark Cousins or Ryan Gilbey. The book is a joy to give yourself up to – marvel not only at the grammatical construction (a style definitely worth imitating…) but the insights and allusions to other works: Chaplin, ‘The Day of the Locust’, Cahiers Du Cinema, ‘The Last Tycoon’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, Lillian Gish, Robert Towne…and surprising things like a critical reassessment of the much maligned ‘Heaven’s Gate’ aligned to the great film book ‘The Final Cut’ (one of those obligatory film books like ‘Film’). Thomson helpfully offers a list of related books you might want to pursue after…
‘The Whole Equation’ is the best film book to appear in sometime, it manages to include an element of the gossip/personality focus of a book like ‘Easy Riders, Raging Bulls’ alongside more developed discourse (think Baudrillard on ‘The China Syndrome’ or Borges on ‘Citizen Kane’ – happy to veer off into historical/political or a book like Conrad’s ‘Chance’). Great stuff…
by Adam Dickson
A profound book in many ways, written with an obvious passion for all things Hollywood. Thoroughly enjoyable.
by Tandytwo
Fascinating look at the machinations of the Hollywood studio system.