Hollywood by Charles Bukowski Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Hollywood
Book Review: 'Bukowski light' describes the making of 'Barfly'
Summary: 4 Stars
Legendary down-and-out poet Henry Chinaski writes a screenplay for a determined film producer at the risk of his soul in this light, but entertaining novel. At this point in his life, at the more mature age of 60 or so, Chinaski (Bukowski's fictional alter ego) isn't the hopeless drunk he appears to have been in his younger days. His lady friend (whom he stays with for theentirety of the book - perhaps a record) tries to keep him off the hard stuff, and is usually pretty successful, so there's almost none of the helplessness, depression, womanizing, and self-destructive behavior that we most associate with Bukowski's work. Spurred on by a relentless producer who is determined to make a film by the Great Chinaski, Hank spends 22 days churning out a screenplay, much against his own better judgment. We stay
with Chinaski through the meetings, the parties, the desperate ploys for financing, the scouting for locations, and some of the actual shooting itself, and through it all a vision forms of how independent films actually get made. The most entertaining part of the story is Buk's descriptions of the moviemakers themselves and the odd lifestyle that forces them to live in abject poverty while working on films that may gross millions of dollars. There are a couple of hard-edged scenes, but this book really isn't Bukowski at his hard-core worst. As a result, some of his fans will probably consider this book pretty lightweight - a mere diary of how he happened to make a movie, rather than the painful confession of his own inadequacies we've seen so often and grown to love. Still Bukowski is Bukowski, and his dry, cynical attitude can't help but color every landscape he sets his gaze upon (usually gray) and turn every word from his mouth into an obscenity (you know the usual monosyllables), so not everyone will find this book quite to their taste. While nowhere near as depraved as some of his earlier fiction, this novel is not for kids, or the prudish, and may strike some as crude, amoral, disgusting, and brutish, while die-hard fans may be disappointed in this kinder, gentler, mellower Bukowski. For the rest of us, this fascinating story, told in earthy, straightforward prose, provides a rare glimpse into the world of independent filmmaking.
Book Review: A must read for any Barfly fan.
Summary: 5 Stars
This novel by Charles Bukowski is basically the making of the movie Barfly. All of the people are recognizable even if given not so obvious fictional names. If you are a lover of Bukowski and a lover of Barfly the movie, this is a five star classic. If you are a lover of either of the above----it's still a four star, well written work. I found that this novel exceeds both Pulp and Women, his other known longer works, in both writing style and movement of plot and characters. Theme wise it takes you to the familiar places that Bukowski often drags you to.Book Review: A real life experience broughrt to life.
Summary: 4 Stars
Buskowskis account how "Hank" wrote the screenplay for the famous movie is very Buskowski. Funny, real, and very well written. If you like reading "Buk" and have/nt read this, DO IT !Book Review: Bait and Switch
Summary: 2 Stars
I ordered Bukowski's "Hollywood" after looking at the book online and seeing that it was published by Black Sparrow Press. Imagine my disappointment when I got the book and it was published by Ecco, NOT Black Sparrow. I might send it back for an exchange. Haven't made up my mind yet. I consider this a "bait and switch" con job that Amazon doesn't care much about. I do! I will think twice before ordering anything from this site in the future.Book Review: Brilliant drunken mayhem in tinseltown.
Summary: 4 Stars
The late Charles Bukowski knew how to do two things properly,
drink and write. Then, along came the film producers and directors
who wanted to put a semi-autobiographical version of his life
on screen, the ensuing film, "Barfly." Bukowski fires back at Hollywood with
the novel "Hollywood", a semi-autobiographical, 'fictionalized' account
of the slight ups and many downs of making a film. Bukowski was
a master at prose and dialogue, and wrote numerous volumes of poetry
also. The film "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) has all of the drunken
and seedy energy of a Bukowski novel, but none of the heart. Check out
the real thing, and read a Bukowski novel with a beer in your hand.