Hollywood Hoofbeats: Trails Blazed Across The Silver Screen [Hardcover]

Petrine Day Mitchum (Author), Audrey Pavia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

In Hollywood Hoofbeats, author Petrine Day Mitchum tells stories in page-turning detail, covering topics such as behind-the-scenes portraits of both famous movie horses and those virtually unknown; personal accounts from their trainers, owners, and costars; simple and complex horse stunts, from a fall in mid-gallop to a race across a bridge during a live explosion; and historic black-and-white photos and richly colored contemporary stills.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From 1903's The Great Train Robbery to 2003's Seabiscuit, horses have played a significant role in the annals of moviemaking. Mitchum (daughter of actor Robert Mitchum) and writer Pavia celebrate equine participation by spotlighting these underappreciated animal stars and their handlers. Identifying horses in films ranging from Westerns to romantic comedies, she tells their stories in encyclopedic detail. Though Roy Rogers's Trigger enjoyed star treatment, many others endured inhumane treatment. Errol Flynn was appalled at the cruelty shown toward horses in his 1936 film The Charge of the Light Brigade. Despite his protests, directors and stunt coordinators used painful and even lethal methods to obtain effects. While the American Humane Association exerted some influence in the 1940s, their power waned in the '60s. It took 20 years for animal safety to return as a public issue. Indeed, Mitchum contends it's up to audiences to let producers know their films won't be respected if they don't "treat their hardworking equine and other animal cast members with the respect they so richly deserve." Animal lovers in particular will enjoy the tricks of the trade Mitchum discusses, such as the proper way to teach a horse to fall on cue. The authors give insight into an oft-ignored aspect of filmmaking. Photos. (Oct.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: BowTie Press; First Edition edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931993386
• ISBN-13: 978-1931993388
• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 11.1 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #575,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Words Can't Do It Justice March 12, 2006

By Flame_926

Format:Hardcover

Reading the review/description on Amazon I rapidly came to the conclusion that words can never do this book justice; it's just too incredible. This is a beautiful and very informative coffee table book with exceptional photographs and movie poster art. Although it does not include information on every horse movie it does an amazing job on most films from the start of motion pictures to things like "Spirit," "Lord of the Rings," and "Hildalgo." Ms. Mitchum spent a ton of time interviewing the top stunt riders and horse trainers in Hollywood and it shows - every page is filled with insightful stories about filming, training, and actors. Well worth the cover price, you won't want to put it down!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Trot Down Memory Lane August 16, 2008

By Mokadi Jook

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is fabulous. All my horse-crazy friends and I oohed and ahhed and squealed with delight as page after page brought great photos of all our horsey heros and heroines before our enchanted eyes. The text is well-written, informative and very entertaining. You couldn't do much better as a gift for a horse-loving baby-boomer who grew up with all these famous equines and their two-legged companions.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood Hoofbeats August 23, 2008

By Carla R. Lathrop

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Great book, full of very interesting information about all the great horses that contributed so much to my childhood enjoyment !! Wonderful photo's, very good research in this. I love horses and movies, what a great combo !! Well written !!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The horse in pop culture. Equine stars in movies and TV December 8, 2007

By Kim Cohan

Format:Hardcover

This is an excellent book on horses in pop culture. Well written, lots of great pics. From Muyrbridge's first equine moving images of the horse (1879), to The Lord of the Rings, the equine stars of almost every major (and lots of minor) horse movies are profiled.

Not just the horses, the stunt doubles and wrangler are profiled here as well. Stories about the wranglers and hollywood horse suppliers abound.

The section on the rise of Humane treatment of horses in movies is very interesting. Esepcially the role of Errol Flynn, who led the humane crusade after witnessing the destruction of horses injured in the filming of a scene.

Great present for your horse loving friends.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous book - grab it now September 25, 2012

By Ms L. Lodge

Format:Hardcover

As the newly published author of a much more modest book about the Horse in Film (Lights! Camera! Gallop!) I really recommend the fantastic pictures and Petrine Day Mitchum's unique insights. I know only too well the cost of photos in such a book (printing - and copyrights) so this was a real bargain even without the discount.Lights! Camera! Gallop! The story of the horse in film

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Western Fans March 8, 2010

By MaggieM

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you have watched as many westerns as I have and wondered about the horses, you will enjoy this book. Lots of information on movies, the actors, and their equine partners. Makes a nice coffee table book and a definite must for the western movie horse buff. Petrine Mitchum included lots of information and first-hand knowledge from her years around Hollywood as Robert Mitchum's daughter as well as interviews with actor, horse trainers, wranglers, and stunt men. This book probably answers many questions about the horses you saw in westerns over the years. Would make a nice gift for the western movie/horse enthusiast. Lots of photos.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great hardback book, nice photos great text August 22, 2007

By Donna Scarpa

Format:Hardcover

More than I expected. Informative, great pictures, good text. Nice hardback book. A great deal for the $$$.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood Hoofbeats: Trails Blazed Across the Silver Screen January 4, 2007

By Mary E. Thomson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased two editions of this book. One for my Husband who is a western movie buff and the other for our adult son who is in the horse business and knows many of the people in the book. Both spent half of Christmas day perusing their books and discussing many of the old and current horse trainers.