Harrison Ford Books

Just the kind of book I was looking for. Being a huge fan of Harrison Ford films I wanted to read something to the point - the making of his movies. This is precisely what you get from Brad Duke's extremely well researched and complete book. Having this book along with my Netflix subsciption and I was in Harrison Ford film school. A book like this can add so much enjoyment to the movie watching experience. I would love to see more books exactely like this one for other great actors such as Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or any other you care to name. Duke's style is perfect for film fans who want to aquire a deeper knowledge of the films and actors they admire without the celebrity hoopla and nonsense and on the other hand without the over the top intellectualism of much film criticism that stuffs the shelves of most book stores. In conclusion, an excellent read and a very useful reference for the work of one of the finest actors of the last 40 years. A must for all fans.

This is truly very well documented book about Ford's life and his films. The author goes into great detail about his films (maybe too much detail) and you will learn something new about Ford and his films. That is a promise. I thought I knew almost all there is to know about man - I was mistaken. But I have two complaints. First is the fact that all the photos in the book are in black and white. Not a big issue but I would have liked to see some color photos. And the second and more important is that if you are not a true 100% fan of Harrison Ford, the author's method may get boring. Although an excellent book, the author doesn't use much variety. Each chapter is filled with the same kind of information. Why Ford accepted the role, how the director got involed, how the script got wriiten, some technical element and the location, what Ford thought of the project, how it was received by critics and how much money it made. Finally we have Ford's view on the project. And although great for us Ford fans, it will certainly be a bit boring for the average reader midway through the book. But nevertheless this is a very good book for Ford fans and the best thing about this book is that it tells much more about Ford and his views than the previous books about Ford. There are more Ford quotes than in previous books. Usually it is mainly what Ford's co-worker and old school friend said about him. This is more what Ford has said and those closest to him. Therefore I recommend this book for everybody who are interesting in books about films/actors but warn the average reader that it may get tiresome midway through the book.

Despite it being a tad pricey, this book is incredibly well researched - and if you're a true Ford fan - well worth the price. It truly reads like a textbook in that there's no fluff to get in the way of the facts. Mr. Duke tells the story of Ford's life chronologically and goes into - dare I say, graphic - detail into the making of his films.
Just when you thought you knew everything about the legend, it's time to think again...

'Harrison Ford: The Films' is infinitely detailed and exhaustingly researched in a way that other books simply are not. Fans and film students will find this to be a substantive and well written source for information on both Mr. Ford himself, and the trials and tribulations of film making. Moreover, Mr. Duke's work is absorbing and entertaining - not merely a bland list of the actor's acomplishments, but a witty and reverant discussion of Mr. Ford's career and life. The author graciously omits the cheap "gossip" that so often finds its way into such works, while including a well rounded look at Mr. Ford's origins and personal achievements.

In short, this book is a MUST for any Ford fan or film buff!

Brad Duke's years of research, interviews and extensive travel have paid off in the biggest of ways in the form of 'Harrison Ford: The Films'. Duke's chronological peek at the stellar career of Harrison Ford is unarguably the most thorough, complete and compelling work that has ever come to the literary marketplace.
Commencing with Harrison's working class upbringing and intricately weaving it's way through years of legendary films, directors, actors, friends and business associates, 'Harrison Ford: The Films' could certainly be used as a textbook in a college course about Ford's life and career. This extraordinary book gives the reader a fly-on-the-wall look at the reclusive star's life, loves, personal passions, films and little-known philanthropic efforts. It is a rare feat when a Hollywood-themed book can manage to side-step gossip and innuendo and wind up with a true and accurate depiction of a man, an actor, a crazy business and the passion that fuels all three.
Utilizing little-known stories and interviews with industry big-wigs and insiders, the reader is "a-FORD-ED" with a rare glimpse of the movie industry and all it's workings and complications. Duke further encourages the reader with the use of easy-to-understand terminology and funny stories that, some of which, until now, have not been committed to print. You will certainly find this an easy read and an extremely insightful and funny look at the world's most popular movie star. Starting with Harrison's earliest work in television, the book faithfully chronicals the trials, tribulations and triumphs in such areas as co-stars, film budgets, script problems, studio clashes, risky stunt work and the toll that his work has taken on Mr. Ford himself.
I bought the book when it first came out and did not put it down until I was finished reading it. I found it poignant, interesting, insightful and absolutely charming. I'm sure you will too.

This book is really useful, as it provides an easy reference to Harrison Ford's films and allows the reader to find the ones that are worth watching.

Besides the blurbs of reviews and general information on the movies, however, this book is made really interesting (and at times really funny too) because of the stories about the production experience for each of the movies that it includes as well. Seriously, it is hard to imagine, when viewing the finished products, the disasterous, strange, and hysterical events that occurred during the making of some of the films.

So, if you are a fan of Harrison Ford or are just a big movie fan who is especially interested in behind-the-scenes type information, this book is highly recommended. If you don't care for either of the above things, why are you looking here anyhow?

This was one of THE best HF books I have read! (It's one of the ONLY ones!) Even if you hate HF you would like this book! It has many off-screen photos. It has SO many pictures! The only thing I can say is, READ IT!!!!!!

If you just appreciate Blade Runner like every other movie, this book is not for you. But if you are indeed hooked on it and want to confirm that what you've seen in the movie is for real, get this book!

I had the priviledge to watch Blade Runner in the movie theater when it first came out. I've bought the VHS and watched it over and over with increasing attention to detail, memorized lines, researched Philip K Dick and the whole nine yards. I've once thought of writing it all down so I would not forget.

More than a decade later, I saw this book at Amazon and gave it a shot! Everything that I've deemed interesting is in it: from the "mistakes" (we actually will never know if they were on purpose or not!) of a relatively inexpensive production (you can see wires that were not supposed to be seen, lips moving that do not match the lines, cheap wigs falling from stunts heads etc.

By the way, the Voigt-Kampff test is here!

The book provides a fascinating look into the trials and tribulations that was the making of Blade Runner. The movie is easily Scott's best, and his relentless pushing of the cast and crew is a testament to his determination and vision. Future Noir gives an in depth view of all the turmoil; the "various cuts debacle", the studio interference, the collaboration, and the omnipresent friction.
It is worth the read but the writer's prejudices are just that. This is not the most influential scifi made. It was a quiet, intellectual scifi and I'm not sure it's influence can ever be quantified. But I enjoyed it-actually it is my favorite scifi behind The Phantom Menace(that's a joke people)-and I enjoyed this book.

At best, this book should be looked at if you're interested in the facts behind the production of the film and you're able to look past Sammon's masturbative narrative.

While the book is informative on what happened and the difficulties behind the making of the film, the author's writing ability is about the same as someone standing next to you with a bullhorn. Self-aware and bordering on narcistsic, Sammon's dirt-basic writing ability has a constant feel of "Hey! I was here to see all this!" attitude that really undermines his attempt at objective writing.

Frustrating and amatuerish, "Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner" is an unworthy footnote and a worthwhile coffee coaster.

This is a fantastic book and reference tool, and a must-have for any hard-core Blade Runner (BR) fanatic. It's packed with names, places, dates, fascinating factoids throughout, a trivia cornucopia. But, you've gotta be a serious BR fan to stick with author Paul Sammon all the way through this densely detailed, thorough, and clearly personally meaningful work. The book does have one major flaw: Sammon's failure to prove his subtitle promise that Blade Runner is the most influential sci-fi film of all time.

The book reads easily and well, Sammon's style informal. He writes as one BR fan to another, a great approach. The production details are thorough, insightful, and wonderful to read, 441 pages in 18 chapters, with nine appendices containing interviews, production details, the cast list, etc. Sammon is a total BR devotee, I compliment and commend him on his achievement and the recognition of those who worked so hard to make BR.

There is vast information throughout from all members of the cast and crew, all of them supportive of Sammon's effort to tell their story. There is surprisingly liberal information from the movie's principals, Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Michael Deeley, Syd Mead, Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. One disappointment is the absence of direct input and comment from the soundtrack maestro, Vangelis. Sammon nevertheless gives him thorough justice.

Wonderful esoteric tidbits abound through the book, such as the revelation that the original lead was not Harrison Ford, but Dustin Hoffman. Edward James Olmos provides great background on his preparation for his role as Gaff and his detailed construction of his Cityspeak dialog (most of it sadly unused). We learn of fantastic special effects scenes never realized, and that in the background in one of the aerial city shots is a painted Millennium Falcon model. We learn that the process of creating this movie was a years-long, highly personal effort, first by Hampton Fancher to secure rights and create a screenplay, then later by Ridley Scott and other members of the team who continued to craft the film even after they were fired by the production company. It is a story of dedication to craft and art from a group of artists looking to raise diverse artistic, social, moral, and ethical issues with this genre-transcending film. I often was reminded of the documentary Hearts of Darkness, the story of Francis Ford Coppola's unending dedication to and struggles with the making of Apocalypse Now.

Highlighted superbly in the book is the true key to BR's success, Ridley Scott's intense attention to detail, his relentless questioning of the larger context and physical placement of the story. For example, Scott insisted on instructions painted on the futuristic parking meters in the street scenes. Absolutely illegible in the finished film, this sort of detail nonetheless set a compelling, even subconscious tone for the set and those who worked within it.

Particularly entertaining is Chapter 8, the scene by scene account of the shoot, with comment from the actors, producers, specialists, crew, and Scott. Also very useful for the true BR fanatic are the appendices listing all of the various BR versions, their formats, availability, and catalog information. Sammon does the same for the various soundtracks and musical compositions heard throughout the film, even the music and lyrics from the advertisements sported on the ad-blimps. Especially enjoyable is Appendix C's detailed list of "blunders," a compendium of the film's both obvious and subtle continuity errors, dubbing flaws, and inserted footage.

There are dozens of illustrations throughout the book, and Sammon gives due credit to BR's still photographer for the hundreds of stills that BR fans know and collect. The main problem is that the ONLY color photos in the entire book are on the front and back covers. The B/W photos in the book are small, grainy, poorly reproduced, and do not reflect Sammon's praise. These sorry photos do not allow the reader, who hasn't seen many of these never-before-published stills and production drawings, to revel in the details.

Sammon is overly obsessed with cataloging ALL of the different versions of the film, and detailing the most minute differences. We have chapter after repetitive chapter discussing the differences between the Workprint, the pre-release revisions, the theatrical release, the various video, broadcast, and satellite releases, as well as the competing director's cuts. The fascinating core tale of the political, economic, and artistic fights over all of these versions of the film is lost as Sammon loses track and focuses too closely on the details of the different versions, obsessing to the point of irrelevance on miniscule details. For the BR fanatic this is invaluable, but for most readers this makes the narrative tedious and repetitive, given this technical information is available also in Appendix B.

Sammon's promised discussion of BR's influence on sci-fi film is absent. His subtitle, "The Fascinating Story Behind the . . . Most Influential SF Film Ever Made" promises a discussion of BR's influence on filmdom. His discussion is poorly introduced, disorganized, and sorrowfully weak on supporting facts and testimonials, leading ultimately to the conclusion that BR simply is NOT the most influential sci-fi film of all time. In fact, the paltry six-page discussion of BR's influence is one of the shallowest, most poorly researched and organized parts of the entire book. Sammon's strength and enthusiasm clearly lie in the film's production details. Nowhere in the book does he cite any filmmaker, actor, editor, producer, or special effects artist describing BR as an influence.

This book is an invaluable acquisition for any die-hard BR fan, and a great memoir for any student of filmmaking. It's not for the casual BR or film fan; it's a cult book, just as Blade Runner is a cult film. Disappointingly, Sammon fails to deliver a crucial element of his work, a thorough and convincing discussion of BR's influence on cinema and its place in greater filmdom.

The book is written by Paul M. Sammon in 1996, about 15 years since the original release and 4 years after the Director's Cut re-release. As he explains in the opening chapter of the book, Sammon worked for a science fiction magazine called Cinefantastique, and what began as a double-issue special on the making of the highly-anticipated film Blade Runner eventually evolved into what Sammon calls an "exhaustive archaeology" of information regarding the film.

The novel is simply an overwhelming wealth of information on all things Blade Runner; chapters focus on every minute detail such as the evolution of the story as it passed through the hands of Phillip K. Dick's novel, Hampton Fancher's screenplay, then into the hands of David Peoples and Ridley Scott. Chapter VIII is such a delight, as it meticulously works through each scene in the film, stopping along the way to add tidbits of info such as exclusive interviews with the actors. Sammon apparently also had the luxury of roaming the set of Blade Runner, and he reveals things such as the futuristic magazine covers he would see on the magazine racks and many other incredibly obscure decorations the design team threw in that are virtually impossible to see when you watch the film.

Like the other reviewers, I agree that Sammon is not perhaps the most skilled writer, and the prose of the book is very choppy and (especially in Chapter I) pretty corny. What troubles me most, though, is that Sammon has a particularly annoying habit of throwing out names without properly introducing them and explaining their role in the Blade Runner universe. Mercifully, there is a cast and crew listing printed as an appendix, which is a great help. This, and some of the other errors in the book seem quite obvious, and it leaves one wondering who was in charge of the editing.

Anyhow, the book allows great insight into the workings of the film, all gathered from what must be piles and piles of notes and cassette-recorded dialogue Sammon collected over the years to produce a rather well-organized book for fans of the film to read. I have seen the film countless times, and the new perspectives and ideas gained from this book keep the film fresh and wondrous as the years go by.

"How to Gamble at the Casinos Without Getting Plucked Like a Chicken" is an excellent guide to becoming a winner. It explains how to play all the major casino games like a pro. For some games (Sucker Games) it flat out tells you that the right way to play the game is to keep your money in your pocket.

It explains that only some versions of Blackjack and a few video poker games actually can be beaten over the long haul without counting the freebies that the casinos give you for playing. If you count the value of the freebies, a few more games, like Baccarat, Craps, Pai Gow Poker and some slot machines have generous enough odds that you can actually come out ahead playing them. The book is very specific about exactly which games you should play and how to play them, as well as which games are strictly for losers and can't be beaten regularly.

Before you take your money to the casino, you should read this book so that you don't get plucked like a chicken and don't look like an idiot. It doesn't guarantee that you WILL win, but it shows you how to get the best odds so that you CAN win.

If you are only going to read one book on gambling, this is the one you should read. It covers just about every casino game of any consequence and gives you the essential information about each game with a minimum of blather.

This book doesn't promise to make you rich, but it sure can keep you from looking like an idiot. The best part is that it is a pleasant read. It makes the details easy enough to understand so that you can become a competent gambler without having to have a PhD in mathematics.

Even if you don't go to casinos to gamble, this book explains the factors that make it possible to win more often than you lose - for all kinds of games. That's why you really should read this book.

This is a great book! I read it before my last trip to Las Vegas and it really helped me. Rather than wasting my time and money on sucker games, I followed the advice and played the games that gave me the best odds. Not only did I come out ahead for the trip, but the casino comped my room!

I find that going gambling is a lot more fun when you win. This book can really improve your chances. It sure has helped me.

Many gambling books are dull reads, even if they give the best possible analyses of the games and how to play them intelligently, so it is great to read a book that is enjoyable and, at the same time, informative. This book gets high grades in those areas. Definitely worth reading.

Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!

I liked the way the author wrote. It was an easy read. The video poker section maybe outdated by now because casinos change machines so often.

This is a massive book. It is really much too large to easily read unless you sit down with it and prop it on a table. The weight and size make it a bit uncomfortable to read and that is a shame as it has such good content and is a very important and timely book about the earth's biodiversity crisis.

Hotspots are areas of the earth that harbor unusually high concentrations of plants, birds, mammals, fish and other species out of proportion to their small area. Examples are the cloud forests of the Andes and the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil. Most of these areas are threatened by logging or other development and biologists are racing to catalog and describe all that is there as the conservationists struggle to protect portions of the areas.

There is much to learn from the pages of this book and to appreciate from the images taken across the world. I too would recommend sharing this book with friends but would recommend a weight lifting program before hauling this off to your reading room.

It isn't often that a sumptuous coffee table book is both visually appealing and scientifically packed with well-researched data. Hotspots Revisited hits the mark on both scores. This updated revision of the 1999 edition of Hotspots expands the number of planetary hotspots to 35. This is an information-packed compendium on those areas of our planet that are species-rich and home to the highest levels of species endemism. The book acknowledges that all biodiversity is important and that all nations and communities must do everything possible to protect our planet's rich biological heritage. Life, however, is not evenly distributed around the world and because of this fact, this volume presents a convincing and forceful rationale for adopting the hotspot strategy for prioritizing areas for biological conservation. This is done by summarizing the distributions of plants and vertebrate animals in a way that is both comprehensive and intelligible to even the lay reader who does not have an extensive background in the biological sciences. This volume is both a visual feast and a celebration of life. It is hard to set it aside once you have opened it. Without a doubt, it is one of the best bargains of any book offered by Amazon.com and should be required reading for all governmental and private organizations charged with saving our natural resources at a time when the fabric of life on planet Earth is being threatened by overexploitation, environmental destruction, violent conflict, and countless other factors. Buy it, read it thoroughly, learn more stunning facts about planetary geography and biodiversity than you have probably ever been exposed to at one sitting, and by all means loan it to a friend once you have immersed yourself in this model expose of our planet's extraordinary biodiversity.

Before I read this book, I thought Harrison Ford was a selfish and air-headed movie star. It proved me wrong. I learned about his struggle through his childhood, his rise to fame and how he is a perfectionist, finding that just by being myself, I have lots in common with the man who created wonderful heroes such as Indiana Jones, Han Solo and Jack Ryan, to name a few. He is selfless and modest, a condition hard to find in a movie star.
So if Mr. Harrison is reading this-keep making great movies, sir, and I'll keep watching and rooting for you all the way!

If you enjoyed this novel, the same author wrote a biography on Daniel Day Lewis which is just as interesting.

The are a couple things to note when reading this book. First, is that it is unauthorized which doesn't mean that the author does not have to "sugarcoat" Harrison Ford. Sounds like a great book. Second is that the book is unauthorized...conversely, the author does not seem to have spoken with Harrison Ford.

Unlike other unauthorized biographies, this book doesn't make a big production of it. The author is not trying to sell this book on scandal. The sell is on the picture behind what you usually hear or read. From going through the notes, the author has interviewed quite a few people and has gone through a lot of background information to create this.

The book reads easily, and I don't find myself questioning the author. All his statements about Harrison Ford, like his being a perfectionist, follows from the supporting evidence. The author also does not jump around. It all flows logically.

Harrison Ford is an American movie icon. This book allows you to look at the experiences and attitudes which got him there. If you are a fan of Harrison Ford, then I would suggest you take a deep breath before reading. The author is not trying to make him into a saint.

It's alright that the author didn't speak with Ford while writing and researching this unathorized biography. Often the person being written about can clarify something that isn't clear. Often, the person being written about can put a positive spin on some event in an attempt to make themself look better. This is a good book about the humble actor that looked at his pre-success years, going back to his mid-west roots, marriage, and the ups-and-downs of his experience in the film industry, which was covered a lot. How did Harry get that scar?....the answers lies within these pages. One interesting note is the story of a young producer, writer and director who made a movie in the 70s. At the screening, many movie moguls approached the young creator and told him bluntly that his film would be a flop, no one would see it, and his career may be in jeopardy after producing such a poor piece of work. The name of the movie was......."Star Wars." The man was George Lucas.

When I first started reading this book I was pumped! The more I read of it, the more I got tired of it. I am an avid Harrison Ford fan, but most of the contents you can find in any magazine article.

Despite being only 132 pages, this little book is quite the read. Robert Abele profiles actor Harrison Ford's life to date in a detailed and thoroughly entertaining manner. Illustrated with 52 B&W photographs from throughout Ford's lifetime, and a timeline of his life and films through the years, this is a must have for any fan of Harrison Ford.

This is Les Roberts' first book, introducing us to Saxon, a private investigator who is also an actor. His secretary calls him one night after her husband has been shot at outside the home of renowned author Buck Weldon. Saxon agrees to look into it and it becomes apparent that the target of the attack was most likely Buck Weldon himself. It wasn't the first attempt on his life, which prompts Saxon to investigate further. Also prompting him to investigate further is Buck's beautiful daughter, for whom Saxon has fallen utterly and hopelessly in love.

This book is somewhat reminiscent of the Elvis Cole books by Robert Crais, although Saxon is not quite as pithy in his dealings with clients, nor as cool. The story moves at a good pace, but it contained no real surprises. Those that were meant to be earth-shattering revelations were telegraphed and I easily figured them out long before they happened. All in all this is a quite enjoyable book, yet didn't contain anything that made it stand out from the many other private investigator books out there.