The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

The story behind The Magnificent Seven could have been a movie in itself. It had everything--actors' strike, writers' strike, Mexican government interference and a row between the screenwriters that left one removing his name from the credits, all under the lingering gloom of post-McCarthy era Hollywood. A flop on release, it later became a box office hit.

This book tells the behind-the-scenes story: how Yul Brynner became the biggest independent producer in Hollywood; why John Sturges was not the first choice after Brynner surrendered the director's chair; why Sturges quit; the truth about the Mirisch Company (producers); the details of the film's botched release and unlikely redemption; the creation of Elmer Bernstein's classic score; and how internecine fighting prevented the making of the television series in 1963.

Myths about Steve McQueen, his feud with Brynner and the scene-stealing antics of the cast are debunked. A close examination of the various screenplay drafts and the writers' source material--Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai--shows who wrote what. Extensive analysis of Sturges' directorial work is provided.

1120363987
The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

The story behind The Magnificent Seven could have been a movie in itself. It had everything--actors' strike, writers' strike, Mexican government interference and a row between the screenwriters that left one removing his name from the credits, all under the lingering gloom of post-McCarthy era Hollywood. A flop on release, it later became a box office hit.

This book tells the behind-the-scenes story: how Yul Brynner became the biggest independent producer in Hollywood; why John Sturges was not the first choice after Brynner surrendered the director's chair; why Sturges quit; the truth about the Mirisch Company (producers); the details of the film's botched release and unlikely redemption; the creation of Elmer Bernstein's classic score; and how internecine fighting prevented the making of the television series in 1963.

Myths about Steve McQueen, his feud with Brynner and the scene-stealing antics of the cast are debunked. A close examination of the various screenplay drafts and the writers' source material--Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai--shows who wrote what. Extensive analysis of Sturges' directorial work is provided.

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The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

by Brian Hannan
The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

The Making of The Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western

by Brian Hannan

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$19.99 

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Overview

The story behind The Magnificent Seven could have been a movie in itself. It had everything--actors' strike, writers' strike, Mexican government interference and a row between the screenwriters that left one removing his name from the credits, all under the lingering gloom of post-McCarthy era Hollywood. A flop on release, it later became a box office hit.

This book tells the behind-the-scenes story: how Yul Brynner became the biggest independent producer in Hollywood; why John Sturges was not the first choice after Brynner surrendered the director's chair; why Sturges quit; the truth about the Mirisch Company (producers); the details of the film's botched release and unlikely redemption; the creation of Elmer Bernstein's classic score; and how internecine fighting prevented the making of the television series in 1963.

Myths about Steve McQueen, his feud with Brynner and the scene-stealing antics of the cast are debunked. A close examination of the various screenplay drafts and the writers' source material--Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai--shows who wrote what. Extensive analysis of Sturges' directorial work is provided.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781476619101
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date: 10/14/2015
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 288
File size: 10 MB
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Brian Hannan writes a regular column for Cinema Retro magazine and gives lectures on film at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.
Brian Hannan writes a regular column for Cinema Retro magazine and gives lectures on film at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1. The Arthouse Actioner
2. Yul Brynner, Movie Mogul
3. John Sturges and Mirisch: A Hollywood Marriage
4. Battle of the Scriptwriters
5. Walter Newman vs. William Roberts
6. Masquerade, Strike, Lawsuits, Censor
7. Casting: The Truth Went Thataway!
8. Egos Unleashed
9. Steve McQueen, Scene Stealer, Elmer Bernstein, Scene Setter
10. Breaking the Rules
11. Interlude: The Poster That Never Was
12. John Sturges: Artist and Economist
13. John Sturges: Battle Master
14. Interlude: Renegades and Firebrands
15. Encountering the Inevitable: Themes of The Magnificent Seven
16. The Film Nobody Remembers
17. Panic Stations
18. Showdown at the Box Office
19. Redemption
20. Magnificent Seven the Musical
21. Legacy
Appendix: Seven Samurai Reissues
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
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