Reading Between The Lines: Movie industry muckraking

The world isn't kind, and that's a fact that we just have to face. Nearly every turn you take, someone's more likely to maul than mentor you, and that fact couldn't be truer in the Hollywood system.

Even with the burgeoning indie film movement, the big studios reign supreme, and with power comes great irresponsibility. Joe Eszterhas, famed writer of the '90s' more... distinguished films, Basic Instinct and Showgirls, became one of the first of the “rock star” screenwriters who demanded large bags of money for their works. He imparts his wisdom of surviving within the system in his semi-autobiographical The Devil's Guide to Hollywood.

There is no definite subject in the book; it isn't entirely a “how to write”-type book (although being a master screenwriter himself, Eszterhas teaches, through common movie trope examples, what to and what not do when penning what should ultimately be your paycheque), but it isn't quite a Hollywood exposé, either. Rather, with a healthy dose of cynicism, Eszterhas gives an inside view of Hollywood from what is generally the most marginalized yet essential profession of that industry: the screenwriter.

The butt of every running joke in the system, the Hollywood screenwriter's stereotype of an alcoholic dreamer whose beautiful words on page are bought out in exchange for a pittance is apparently not all that far from the truth, and that inside view means to educate the reader on the kinds of people they'll meet: crooks, producers, starlet hopefuls, lawyers, directors, more lawyers, and Scientologists with an army of lawyers.

Eszterhas himself has had a rather distinguished career. Basic Instinct, the controversial “erotic thriller” of 1992, broke records as the most expensive screenplay ever bought by a Hollywood studio, at $1.2 million, and turned a profit for the studio, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of the decade. It was the life of an upscale jet-setter for Eszterhas, until the release of Showgirls (1997), a film so bad it lives on in infamy. And the man is awfully candid about it, even as far as his very last Hollywood film project, An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn, the lowest-grossing movie of the '90s that garnered terrible reviews. He has nothing to hide about his failings and it's interesting to see him cite his cinematic failures as a warning against the screenwriter's indulgence: personal projects and Icarus-like overconfidence.

Under the excuse of teaching by anecdote, the book is chock-full of interesting hilarious Hollywood dirt Eszterhas saw or heard. Big name stars and producers indulging in some seriously hedonistic activities is a recurring theme, bringing true to life that stereotype of big money and little care. It's disturbingly fun to see well-loved actors and directors reveal their monstrous, animalistic diva side. But between all the celebrity muckraking, important lessons are taught about the type of people you will meet in the studio system; and the types that would smile to your face as they sink a knife into your back seem to be in alarming abundance.

In the end, while you may not quite find Eszterhas' description of people to be the nicest, his message is still quite clear: stick to your guns, and for the love of all that is good, don't be a doormat that works as some director's tool. Even under veil of hard-tack cynicism, the book encourages the reader, probably a hopeful future screenwriter, to celebrate who he is, an incredibly important part of the film industry that must not be screwed with, ever.

Reading Between The Lines explores books that you may have missed out on that are worth your while. If you have a book to suggest, email Eshaan at e_gupta@fanshaweonline.ca.