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Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating Take on the Film Industry - 1970's and Beyond
Review: A fascinating take on the film industry from both an agent's/producer's point of view. A number of the films he's had a direct handle in are amongst my all time favorite list and it's interesting to read backstage stories about the process, how these films came to be and how sometimes it's merely the luck of the draw. Kudos to Mr. Michael Medavoy for an extremely well written book as well as a long and distinguished career. His book is enjoyable from start to finish.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking
Review: I didn't like this book. It was bloated and uninsightful. The writing was not particularly good either. This will end up in the $1 book bin.
Rating: 
Summary: Great history of the movies from the 70s till now
Review: If you like movies over the past 30 years, you'll love this book. It's well written by an intelligent man who saw the industry from a perspective few do, as studio head. The man that writes the checks. Medavoy is pretty blunt about how movies get made and how he managed to make bad movies as well as good. The highlight of the book comes early as he is in charge of production at UA and produces Best Oscar movies repeatedly in his first few years starting with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Rocky. UA specialized in making artist's driven movies which shaped Medavoy's footprint to stay away from youthful, tentpole event movies throughout his career. From Rocky to The Terminator to Silence of the Lambs you will be amazed at the stars and movies that Medavoy worked with. To further this study of movie history, after UA Medavoy worked at Tri-star pictures shortly after it was purchased by Sony working with Peter Guber and Jon Peters. This first-hand account of the Japanese invasion in Hollywood is interesting in and of itself. Medavoy does a great job of focusing this book on the movies, the personalities involved, and the business side of the industry. He does not burden the reader with unwanted history of his childhood. But he does give great insight into the cultural influences of his job, the intellectual environment he functioned in, and his political involvement with Gary Hart and Bill Clinton. I strongly recommend this book if you like movies, stories of the business side of making movies, or American cultural influences of the last 30 years. While on vacation a year ago, I played tennis for a couple of days with Medavoy and his business associate Arnie Weems. In my brief encounter with him, it's obvious he is an extremely intelligent man. A somewhat reserved man, who showed no real interest in intellectual discussion but only in relaxing and enjoying his tennis. His associate who was mentioned in the book was much more outgoing and friendly. I believe Medavoy's reserved nature is due to the many people who want to know him to somehow break into the movie business so his reserved nature is understandable.
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