Dino: The Life and Film of Dino De Laurentiis [Hardcover]

Dino De Laurentis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2004

In a career that has spanned six decades-and shows no sign of slowing down-Dino DeLaurentiis has walked the cutting edge of lmmaking. He has personied the powerful, visionary Hollywood producer for one reason: he invented the role. Dino celebrates this living legend and his passionate, exhilarating life in the pictures. The son of an Italian pasta maker, DeLaurentiis was drawn to the cinema at an early age. He was essential in creating a groundbreaking Italian lm industry. The unstoppable DeLaurentiis next sailed to the United States and went on to produce Serpico, Three Days of the Condor, Ragtime-and hundreds more. Based on extensive conversations with DeLaurentiis and lled with extraordinary photographs, this sweeping memoir takes us from Italy to Hollywood and back, exposing the inner workings of the silver screen and luminaries including Roberto Rossellini; Vittorio De Sica; Robert Altman; Ridley Scott; Martin Scorsese; Roman Polanski; and many more. A chronicle of high art, entrepreneurial savvy, and a particular zeal for life and risk, DeLaurentiis's tale is a must-have for every lm buff.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although this bio of Italy's most prolific movie producer doesn't quite descend into puffery, it does feel like an early, extended eulogy for the octogenarian. Italian film critics Kezich and Levantesi frequently refer to their subject as "our hero," but truth be told, it's hard not to like Dino. The story of how DeLaurentiis (b. 1919) bluffed and bargained his way through both the German and American occupation of Italy to help rebuild the devastated Italian film industry after WWII is as inspiring as any Horatio Alger fable. Unfortunately for the book, this bundle of energy, determination and charisma lacks the more monstrous vices and bitter rivalries that make reading about other moguls (e.g., Harvey Weinstein) so entertaining. DeLaurentiis is ever the diplomat. Speaking to the authors, his daughter Raffaella says, "[w]hen he talks about actors, directors, or other producers, he absolves them all. You'll have to try and ambush him, though, because otherwise the book will become extremely boring." Alas, Kezich and Levantesi never do. Nor do they offer much insight into DeLaurentiis's extraordinarily eclectic taste in movie projects, which range from King Kong, War and Peace and Flash Gordon to The Bible, Conan the Barbarian and La Strada. Instead of DeLaurentiis's work, the authors' primary focus is on the producer's second love, the Italian film diva Silvana Mangano. While this is an intimate portrait of a difficult marriage (she suffered from severe depression), it will likely be of much less interest in America than Italy, where DeLaurentiis and Mangano are still icons. 32 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Miramax (March 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078686902X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786869022
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #692,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dino:The Life and Film of Dino DeLaurentis, July 15, 2009

By 

Carolyn D. Hopkins "keukamoon" (Hammondsport, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dino: The Life and Film of Dino De Laurentiis (Hardcover)

A fascinating biography and a must read for anyone interested in early Italian cinema and/or if one has traveled to Italy or planning on traveling to Italy. This book brings to life all of the important film giants of the 40's, 50's and beyond. Well written with sections of direct interviews with De Laurentis. A few select photographs are included, but would have liked more.