Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are concise, lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, history, and more. The director of Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, and Thelma & Louise, Ridley Scott is one of cinema's most accomplished visual stylists. As well as having an introductory essay, in this book the making of each of Ridley Scott's visually sumptuous films is chronicled, complete with information on the inspiration for each film and the reaction of critics and audiences. There are also detailed accounts of the Ridley Scott projects which did not make it to the big screen, and a handy reference section listing other books about Ridley Scott, interesting web sites, and availability of his films.
Brian J. Robb is the author of a series of Hollywood biographies, including an international best-seller on Leonardo DiCaprio. Other subjects have included Scream director Wes Craven and Hollywood stars Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Nicolas Cage, Will Smith and River Phoenix.
He is currently Managing Editor at Titan Magazines, a publisher of film and TV related titles in the UK. In addition, he edits the UK's Official Star Wars Magazine, as well as being Managing Editor on Dreamwatch, an international cult film and television magazine.
He is a journalist of 20 years standing who has held a variety of film-related jobs, including Publications Editor of the British Film Institute, editing publications for the 1990 London Film Festival, as well as publications for the 1991 Edinburgh Film Festival and the 1991 British Film Festival in Washington DC.
He was film and video critic for the Edinburgh Evening News for eight years and has contributed film reviews to Scot FM and BBC Radio Scotland. He has worked for the Radio Times and TV Guide, ran a local newspaper group in Edinburgh and was the Founding Editor of Scottish Arts Monthly.
In addition, he has worked on The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday newspapers and contributed freelance work to The Guardian, The Daily Record, Scotsman Magazine, Fear, Fantasy Zone, Doctor Who Monthly, Film Monthly, Dreamwatch and Starburst, as well as regular columns for ZX Computing magazine in the mid-1980s.
Brian has an MA in Film & TV Studies from the University of Glasgow and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism Studies from University College, Cardiff.
