Seems there should have already been a category like this but I couldn't find one.
Matthew Specktor is a Hollywood kid. He was born there, lived there —or close by — most of his life and continues to do so. He's also like his parents — an agent, and a wannabe screenwriter — in the business, albeit only occasionally and often reluctantly.
Always Crashing in the Same Car is a personal memoir of sorts. It's subtitled On Art, Crises, and Los Angeles, California. Which is a little hyperbolic. It's framed around a series of mini-bios. These are mainly of artists with connections to "The Industry," and/or the neighbourhood. Those who, like Speckor himself, experienced success, failure or neglect within it. They include: Eleanor and Frank Perry (writer/directors), Carole Eastman (screenwriter, actor), Thomas McGuane (author), Tuesday Weld (actor), Warren Zevon, (musician), Hal Ashby and Michael Cimino (directors), and Renata Adler (critic.) Off the top it's pretty clear some of these connections are tenuous to put it mildly. Zevon was brought up in the Hollywood area, but he had no connection with movies at all. McGuane, though he wrote screenplays and even directed a film of one of his books, is quoted as saying he "spent, maybe, fifteen days in Hollywood" in his life. Renata Adler, none at all, IIRC.
Having said that, I confess I was totally sucked into this book. The subjects are among the foremost creators of my personal culture in my teens and twenties, so how could I not? The Swimmer (the Perry's), Five Easy Pieces and The Fortune (Eastman), Pretty Poison (Weld), Harold and Maude, Shampoo, even The Landlord (Ashby.) Brilliant all of them. They're definitely my people. What is odd about this book however is that all the subjects are at least a generation older than Specktor, or more. In fact most of them are dead. He never discloses why this is. It's true he grew up with movies, so was aware of the subjects from a younger age than most people his age. But that doesn't explain why more contemporary figures aren't included. It's curious. Anyway if you're at all into Hollywood of the the sixties his book absolutely hits the spot.
Matthew Specktor is a Hollywood kid. He was born there, lived there —or close by — most of his life and continues to do so. He's also like his parents — an agent, and a wannabe screenwriter — in the business, albeit only occasionally and often reluctantly.
Always Crashing in the Same Car is a personal memoir of sorts. It's subtitled On Art, Crises, and Los Angeles, California. Which is a little hyperbolic. It's framed around a series of mini-bios. These are mainly of artists with connections to "The Industry," and/or the neighbourhood. Those who, like Speckor himself, experienced success, failure or neglect within it. They include: Eleanor and Frank Perry (writer/directors), Carole Eastman (screenwriter, actor), Thomas McGuane (author), Tuesday Weld (actor), Warren Zevon, (musician), Hal Ashby and Michael Cimino (directors), and Renata Adler (critic.) Off the top it's pretty clear some of these connections are tenuous to put it mildly. Zevon was brought up in the Hollywood area, but he had no connection with movies at all. McGuane, though he wrote screenplays and even directed a film of one of his books, is quoted as saying he "spent, maybe, fifteen days in Hollywood" in his life. Renata Adler, none at all, IIRC.
Having said that, I confess I was totally sucked into this book. The subjects are among the foremost creators of my personal culture in my teens and twenties, so how could I not? The Swimmer (the Perry's), Five Easy Pieces and The Fortune (Eastman), Pretty Poison (Weld), Harold and Maude, Shampoo, even The Landlord (Ashby.) Brilliant all of them. They're definitely my people. What is odd about this book however is that all the subjects are at least a generation older than Specktor, or more. In fact most of them are dead. He never discloses why this is. It's true he grew up with movies, so was aware of the subjects from a younger age than most people his age. But that doesn't explain why more contemporary figures aren't included. It's curious. Anyway if you're at all into Hollywood of the the sixties his book absolutely hits the spot.
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