Customer Reviews

Hollywood.

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4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
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Bukowski's humor is razor sharp in this book ostensibly on the making of "Barfly." Bukowski was enjoying some measure of success and even respect by this point, and was approached by Schroeder to write the screenplay for a movie about himself. Bukowski was of course flattered and took up the challenge. His books and poetry have always been about himself in one form or another, but here was his big chance to imagine himself on screen.

Bukowski takes you step by step through the making of the movie, with a sardonic eye for the details. Schroeder and his pal tried to get in touch with the lower east side of LA, which Bukowski enjoys poking fun at. He wasn't too keen about having Mickey Roarke cast as himself, he had Sean Penn in mind, but was smitten with the idea of Faye Dunaway as his love interest.

The book doesn't plunge to the lower depths as do his short stories and poetry. Bukowski keeps himself semi-detached from the subject of his early life. The book, like the movie, looks back at these formative years in a wry way that has a number of amusing twists and turns. He ends appropriately enough with the screening of the movie, with much of the gang invited to attend, making a party of it down in front of the screen as they assessed the film. Not bad, Bukowski concluded.

The late Charles Bukowski knew how to do two things properly, drink and write. Then, along came the film producers and directors who wanted to put a semi-autobiographical version of his life on screen, the ensuing film, "Barfly." Bukowski fires back at Hollywood with the novel "Hollywood", a semi-autobiographical, 'fictionalized' account of the slight ups and many downs of making a film. Bukowski was a master at prose and dialogue, and wrote numerous volumes of poetry also. The film "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) has all of the drunken and seedy energy of a Bukowski novel, but none of the heart. Check out the real thing, and read a Bukowski novel with a beer in your hand.

Drinking and creativity do not necessarily go together. For every O'Neill, Faulkner, Hemingway, and London, there are hundreds of others who live lonely, desparate and short existences, slowly drinking themselves to death in complete anonymity. Luckily, the world was blessed to have had Charles Bukowski whose most creative moments emerged when he sat before a typewriter with a wine bottle in one hand. Bukowski wrote gritty and no holds barred novels and poetry about the things he loved best--drinking, horse racing and women. He also wrote the screenplay for "Barfly," a film about his young manhood, spent hanging around seedy bars, getting into drunken brawls with the bartender, and writing some of the best poems this side of the grave.

Bukowski tells the story of his screenwriting experience through his alter ego Henry Chinaski, a survivor when everyone else in his crowd had already died. It's all there--dealing with easily bruised egos, the Hollywood eccentrics, the on again, off again production problems in making the film, and the continuous inconsistency of cash flow. What lends _Hollywood_ its wonderful resonance is its realness--the boldness and the pluck of its coarse leading player, Charles Bukowski/Hank Chinaski. And of course, his inspiration, the bottle of wine which was, even on the set, never too far off.

This had to be one of the most enjoyable books I've read in years. It's actually based on Bukowski's life and the events that lead up to and involve the making of his movie "Barfly." It's totally off the wall, but Bukowski's take on Hollywood's own particular brand of insanity is probably just as true today as it was when Charles Bukowski penned this masterpiece of the absurd. Definitely a great book from one of my favorite writers. Highly recommended!

Although far from Bukowski's best, this is a revealing send-up of what happens when brutal honesty (Buk) interacts with the California entertainment industry. A roman a clef about the making of the independent film Barfly based on Bukowski's life and some of his earlier stories,the book shows Bukowski finally gaining some recognition and acceptance near the end of his career. The movie stars Faye Dunnaway and Hollywood badboy Mickey Rourke who does a good job slurring and walking about with hemorrhoids. Yet it appears from the text that Bukowski would have preferred Sean Penn, who was originally cast in the part, to play him in the film--Penn had more heart. As always with Bukowski, there are real emotions, honest appraisals, and bone-cutting prose--not compromise, pandering, mediocrity, and unfortunately often successful attempts by MSG-dazed writers to pluck the heart strings and collect the cash.In all his books, Bukowski's presence is perhaps the most palpable of any author behind his fictional protagonist. This is, one might argue (and Phillipe Lacoue-Labarthe did, in the Paradox of the Actor), the diametric opposite of actors, whose abilities lie in taking on the personae of others, and consequently losing their own identity in the process. The story is that when Bukowski, although much older, first encountered Arnold Schwazenegger in Hollywood, he had to be restrained from attempting to fight him just for being such an obvious phony. Far from his most testosterone-crazed, drunken bull self here,he does not seduce but does manage as if for old time's sake to pull onto his lap the pretty co-star during a wine-drenched film party. Even and especially when confronted with (and making some money off of) L.A.s billion-dollar dream machine, Bukowski (as alter ego Henry Chinaski) preserves his uncompromising heart and unwavering eye in the face of the ugly truth. A welcome tonic to Hollywood's treacle.

I picked this novel out in the library when I was a teenager. Nothing could have prepared me for what I experienced with Bukowski. It was unexpected, to say the least. From an innocuous cover and title that exploded into the hilarious story of a drunk, his wife and a screenplay, I had to put the book down several times from laughing so hard. It would inspire even the stone sober to crave a drink.

Chinaski doesn't seem to like much about life, save for booze. He and his wife swim in an alcoholic haze throughout the winding tale. The novel was based on Bukowski's experience with the writing for the movie 'Barfly'. The narrative here is patchy, the storyline not so important, and the novel ends up being not much more than an endless recalling of drunken days and nights, strange characters, and interesting occurrences as a result of them.

I am now a devoted Bukowski fan and nothing I have ever read by him has let me down. His humor is unmatched. He is vulgar, disgusting, entertaining and simply brilliant. While not for everyone, he comes highly recommended. Grab a bottle and settle in for a good time.

The act of writing is often a good way for people to consider and reflect on Life, on Ideas, or anything else. Hollywood comes shortly after Bukowski was involved in the making of a film -- barfly: he wrote the script.

Hollywood comes across as a writer trying to comes to terms and reach some sort of conclusion about his experience in the movie industry.

Bukowski experiences both the good and the bad while he is involved with making the film. He meets fellow artists, gamblers, genius' to whom he feels sympathetic, while he also meets primadonnas and business-minded suits. Part of the film business he genuinely seems to like.

The reader shares with Bukowski his enjoyment and pride in seeing something he wrote come alive as actors reenact memorable scenes from his past.

Ultimately, Bukowski decides that he will not write another movie script He is unwilling to compromise his art. And he is disgusted by the business mindedness of so many of the people who have the final say in what movies are going to be made.

One quirk I enjoyed about this book is that it is the first book in which Buk has achieved some success. Bukowski is determined not to let success and money change him as an artist. Only, he wonders if that is possible. He's now driving a black BMW instead of an old Jetta; and he has a Jewish accountant.

Like any Bukowski novel, this isn't a bad read. The dialogue is a strength, and it's easy to see how Bukowski's dialog and prose would translate well into film script.

If you haven't read Bukowski, I suggest you start elsewhere. Ham on Rye: A Novel would be a good place to start. post office: A Novel and Women: A Novel I also suggest reading before Hollywood. Although an exception could be made if you are less interested in Bukowski's literature and more interested in looking inside independent film-making. However, if you haven;t read Bukowski before, it is a sure thing that much of the humor and subtle remarks will not catch on with the reader.

publishers weekly sure has it in for bukowski. personally, i think of that publication as a sort of cemetery where a lifeless staff of dullards pronounce useless verdicts from there dreary coffins. ignore publishers weekly on this and all books. please do. anyway, this is a very enjoyable book which gives an insiders/outsiders look from within hollywood that almost all of us will never see. bukowski is light and comedic here, but still as biting as ever. "ham and rye," might be his best novel; this one is just so much more fun. highly recommended.

This is Bukowskis humorous account of the making of the movie Barfly. Its funny to see the subtle name changes of people like Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, Faye Dunaway, Tom Jones, Madonna (he referred to her as Ramona) and Bukowskis humorous and not always very complimentry recollections and opinions of them.

Hollywood isn't as good as Ham on Rye, Post Office or Women but its still very good and worth reading.

I f you haven't read bukowski before, don't start with this one, pick up Notes of a dirty old man, or try some of his poetry, Love is a dog from hell is good. This one does provide some insight into what it must've been like for our alky friend to deal with uppity Hollywood types, completely out of his element. And it ws nice to see how the man finally got himself into a nice home and descent settings to drink and write in, and, I won't give it away, but I LOVED how he ended it.