Synopsis
Part biography, part Hollywood tabloid, this book about the life of film producer Don Simpson looks at his success as a producer of blockbuster movies as well as his death from years of drug abuse and reckless living. Simpson and his partner, Jerry Bruckheimer, collaborated on films such as "Top Gun", "Flashdance", and "Beverly Hills Cop", which set the standard for over-the-top action films in the 1980s.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1998-05-01 |
| Size | | Length: | 294 pages | | Height: | 9.8 in | | Width: | 6.3 in | | Thickness: | 0.5 in | | Weight: | 20.0 oz |
Publisher's Note
High Concept takes readers on a riveting journey inside the Hollywood of the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout the period, Simpson and his partner, Jerry Bruckheimer, were the most successful independent producers in the history of moviemaking, responsible for the hit films "Flashdance", "Beverly Hills Cop", "Top Gun", "Crimson Tide", "Bad Boys", and "The Rock". Widely credited with the genesis of the "tentpole," or "event," business strategy, which could make a studio's year in a single shot, Simpson had an uncanny ability to boil down a movie into an easily salable product. His films generated billions of dollars at the box office, and today his business philosophy continues to drive the fortunes of the major studios, where $100 million blockbusters are now the norm. But at the same time that his vision was driving the Hollywood bottom line, Simpson's lifestyle epitomized the pervasive dark side of the industry's power base. Through intensive research and interviews with sources throughout the film community, Charles Fleming chronicles how Simpson made his mark as a young executive at Paramount, gradually gained entry into a small circle of friends, and gratified himself beyond recognition. His legendary consumption knew no bounds. This unrestrained excess killed him and sent a warning cry throughout the industry.
Using the life and career of producer Don Simpson as a point of departure, High Concept takes readers on a journey inside the Hollywood of the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout the period, Simpson and his partner, Jerry Bruckheimer, were the most successful independent producers in the history of moviemaking, responsible for the hit films Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Bad Boys, and The Rock. But at the same time that his vision was driving the Hollywood bottom line, Simpson's lifestyle epitomized the pervasive dark side of the industry's power base. His legendary consumption knew no bounds. And as long as he continued to crank out box-office gold, his every desire was conspicuously indulged - an unrestrained excess that killed him and sent a warning cry throughout the entire industry.
Industry Reviews
"Lots of sex, lots of drugs, and even a little rock 'n' roll--there's something for every scandal lover in this rollicking, dirt-dishing account of the life and times of Hollywood producer Don Simpson."
Elliott
| See an error? Submit a change request |
All rights reserved.
