From movie buffs and film students to anyone who enjoys true-crime stories or is interested in U.S. politics, this companion to a critically acclaimed biopic offers a rare glimpse into the creative process of cinema. A mix of
Reservoir Dogs,
Goodfellas, and Oliver Stone's
W, George Hickenlooper's
Casino Jack explores the complex figure at the center of the biggest scandal to hit Washington after Watergate-Jack Abramoff, a political operative who worked the back alleys of Republican administrations around the globe from Nicaragua to Angola. The screenplay begins with Abramoff's arrest by the FBI in Los Angeles in 2005 and the Mafia-style murder of the Florida casino owner Gus Boulis, then goes back in time to George Bush's inauguration in 2000, which Abramoff celebrates with the powerful House Leader, Tom DeLay. From there Abramoff proceeds to gain a multimillion-dollar fortune lobbying on behalf of dodgy Asian sweatshop owners and gullible Indian casino proprietors-all the while wining and dining the big players in Washington. This illustrated companion to the film features the complete screenplay in script form, a foreword by the film's writer Norman Snider, an introduction and photo diary by the film's director George Hickenlooper, 10 storyboards, an afterword by film critic F. X. Feeney, and more than 50 film stills interspersed throughout the text.
About the AuthorNorman Snider is a screenwriter with six movies to his credit, including
Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fliess,
Body Parts, and
Dead Ringers. He is also the author of
Changing of the Guard: How the Liberals Fell from Grace and the Tories and
The Roaring Eighties and Other Good Times. He lives in Toronto.
George Hickenlooper was a filmmaker and screenwriter whose credits included
Dogtown, Low Life, and an early version of
Sling Blade.F. X. Feeney is a film critic, an author, a screenwriter, and was a creative consultant to Z Channel and ClickStar. He lives in Los Angeles.
ReviewsWith
Casino Jack, George Hickenlooper culls the wit of
Primary Colors, the dark layers of
Advise and Consent, the tension of
All the President's Men, and the insider awareness of
The Candidate to create his own unique work-a cinematic treasure, and a book that captures in print format what is so wonderful on screen." -Rod Lurie, director,
The ContenderBook InformationISBN 9781550961539
Author Norman SniderFormat Paperback
Page Count 280
Imprint Exile EditionsPublisher Exile Editions
Weight(grams) 367g