Hollywood Rat Race Summary and Reviews

Hollywood Rat Race
by Ed Wood

Hollywood Rat Race
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Book Summary Information

Author: Ed Wood
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1999-01-05
ISBN: 156858119X
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Book Reviews of Hollywood Rat Race

Book Review: "I sit back in wonder and I ponder."
Summary: 1 Stars

Who better to write a guide to Hollywood than Ed Wood Jr., the worst filmmaker in history? Wood's films include the absurd anti-classics, "Plan 9 From Outer Space," "Glen or Glenda?," and "Bride of the Monster" among others. In "Hollywood Rat Race" Wood gives advice on such matters as what to pack for your trip to Hollywood (angora sweater of course), how to get an agent, whether you should have sex to get a part, and how to sleep in the park for free, before finally recommending that you just stay home instead. The book seems to be less about advice, however, than about bolstering Wood's own self-image as an acclaimed writer-director-producer. He name-drops at every available opportunity, exaggerates wildly, and frequently gets sidetracked, rambling on about angora sweaters and people's strange fetishes. It often becomes unclear in his tirades whether he is attacking others or himself. He is outraged by:

drama teachers ("Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach... Let each of them challenge me. I accept! I have made many films, yet I do not teach. I wonder why the schools and colleges hire these never-has-beens.")

actors who criticize Hollywood ("Who are these people who hate Hollywood? Perhaps a bunch of communists?")

sleazy producers ("More than a few of them will be undressed and into your dress or sweater and skirt, almost before you've got them off.")

cross-dressers ("Many of your favorite movie actors go in for this fantastic fetish. Horror of a lawsuit keeps me from naming names.")

bad filmmakers ("The only science (or fiction) about [this science fiction film] was the fact it came into being at all. And this so-called producer is still around Hollywood today taking backers' money for the same crap")

cheap novelists ("It doesn't take an overwhelming talent to write these books")

I would not recommend "Hollywood Rat Race" to anyone who plans to move to Hollywood, or anyone who doesn't plan to move to Hollywood, unless, like me, you're morbidly fascinated by Ed Wood. Wood was anything but modest about his lackluster accomplishments, but he was right about one thing: "Perhaps none of our films, so far, have been up for awards, but they are entertaining pictures." Just not entertaining in the way he meant them to be.

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