Joe Eszterhas

Not what you'd expect from the guy responsible for Basic Instinct, Jade, Sliver and ShowGirls. I thought that I'd despise him, but I came away with nothing but respect. In part an insight into the movie industry (it's as brutal as you'd imagined) and in-part an autobiographical confessional. The book's editor really should have done something about the narrative sag that occurs about about four-fifths of the way through, but otherwise this is an addictive and guilty pleasure. Alternatively show more brash, touching, hilarious, vulgar, insightful, but always absolutely honest. A compelling memoir, if not to everyone's tastes. Highly recommended. show less

Although it one of the worst reviewed films ever and has a (possibly) deserved reputation as one of the worst films of all time "Showgirls" idiotic song and dance shenanigans, bizarre story and all round diabolical acting has seen it developing something of a cult reputation as a bad-taste classic. The storyline follows the adventures of Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) a young woman with a shady past who hitchhikes her way to Las Vegas to make it big in showbiz. She ends up rooming with show more costume designer Molly (Gina Ravera) who is working on the show Goddess at the Stardust Casino. Gina takes Nomi backstage and she meets Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon) the star of the topless revue show. The bisexual Cristal takes a bit of a fancy to Nomi and is soon visiting her at the Cheetah Club where Nomi earns a crust as a stripper and arranging for Nomi to audition for the chorus line of Goddess. Nomi and Cristal are soon at loggerheads, however, and before long Nomi is off with Cristal's boyfriend Zach (Kyle MacLachlan) and is looking to supplant Cristal as star of the show. For a supposed erotic film, "Showgirls" is one of the least erotic but one of the funniest films ever. The dialogue, acting and set pieces are completely ludicrous and over the top and the whole thing is a trashy and absurd mess. Given that the script was by Joe Esztherhas and that the film was directed by Paul Verhoeven, both of whom are skilled technicians, it is difficult to see how the film turned out that way it did by accident; surely Verhoeven and Esztherhas knew what they were doing and took very deliberate decisions to make it the gaudy spectacle that it is? "Showgirls" is more in the tradition of Russ Meyer's "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls", with ludicrous dialogue delivered with straight faces and with the acting deliberately amped up for effect. The film is dynamic and kinetic throughout, with Verhoeven moving breathlessly from one madcap situation to the next. The cinematography by Jost Vacano is excellent throughout, bright, gaudy and capturing the neon washed Vegas cityscape to perfect effect. The original music is by David A. Stewart and he serves up a wacky off-kilter soundtrack and a set of show tunes that compliments the mad dance numbers. It is difficult to know what to make of the acting performances – Gina Gershon appears to be in on the joke; Kyle MacLachlan sports a mad haircut that captures all the attention every time he's on screen and as for Elizabeth Berkley her career simply self destructs over the 128 minute duration of the film. That said she delivers a hugely memorable performance comprised of insane dance moves, eye-popping lap-dancing action and an unforgettable "thrashing dolphin" love scene in a neon-lit swimming pool with a stunned looking Kyle MacLachlan. "Showgirls" is awful, gaudy trash, but utterly fascinating and compelling all at the same time. It becomes more bizarre and awe-inspiring with each successive viewing and it's hard to shake the feeling that you're watching some huge and elaborate practical joke being played on critics and audience by the film makers – a film that you just have to simply sit back with and laugh at / laugh with, or both simultaneously. show less

Lots of emotions are put down in ink here and some random thoughts about what faith might be and after 242 pages you are left with the notion that anyone can be a saint if they team up with other cancer victims. Not the most impressive book intellectually but it’s a short and fast read. And Eszterhas can get to a point when he must. The point of this book seem to be: reconcile with long suffering cancer filled Mom, be surprised at Nazi collaborator dad’s lies, show disgust at church show more abuse scandals which touch his catholic parish as he returns to faith in Ohio, Lebron James is the new Messiah of NBA basketball. Eszterhas is talented enough to write Flashdance (a classic 80s film) and some other books which I never read. His conversion experience is the backdrop for everything else that gets thrown in here and there is a lot of stuff to sort through. Many times, the book feels like his personal journal extracts but that’s fine with me (UFOs, miraculous healings, the Tilma of Guadalupe, Mel Gibson’s perfect anti-clergy-abuse Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, dealing with his daughter post-divorce). This memoir of faith, as he titles it, is an adult entertainment rounded out with his personal maturation as a man and father. His conversion story is the time he spent ignoring what God was trying to tell him all along. That Eszterhas was always loved by God for no reason other than God is love. He never had to prove anything to God. He just had to live his life open to what God had offered to him at every moment of his life. show less

I always find it interesting to read contemporaneous accounts of pivotal historical events. What the reader loses in perspective and analysis is gained in the sense of immediacy that such books written in the immediate aftermath provide. That is certainly the case with this book, co-written by Joe Eszterhas and Michael D. Roberts, who were reporters at the Cleveland Plain Dealer at the time of the Kent State shootings. Both reporters happened to be on campus on May 4, 1970, doing research show more into the ongoing unrest on campus when the shootings happened.

Thirteen Seconds was published just six months after the shootings, and it shows. The attempts to figure out exactly what happened in the days and moments immediately preceding the incident was just beginning, and this book does not have any definitive answers as to why or how the National Guard opened fire on unarmed student protesters. It does offer a tantalizing glimpse into how a year or more of student unrest on the Kent State campus, coupled with administration and law enforcement over-reactions to that unrest and the general public's alarm over the ongoing war in Vietnam and the "hippies" who seemed to sprout overnight on college campuses across the country, contributed to the feelings of tension on the fateful day. Roberts and Eszterhas do not shrink from reporting misbehavior by students, but it is clear that their sympathies lie with the younger generation — not surprising considering they were both in their mid-20s at the time.

Overall, this is a worthy read for anyone interested in learning more about Kent State. It is not the definitive history, but it's an important piece of the puzzle. show less