Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval: A Portfolio on the Subjects of Mid-century Cinema, the Broadway Stage and the American West

by Wes Anderson (Editor), Jake Perlin (Editor)

Inspirations for Wes Anderson's Asteroid City : a collection of new and classic writing on mid-century cinema and the American West

** Includes an exclusive interview with Wes Anderson in which the director details how the pieces collected here influenced the characters, stories, and settings in the film **

Featuring 8 newly commissioned pieces alongside more than 20 classic essays from the likes of François Truffaut and Jonas Mekas, DO NOT DETONATE explores key influences on celebrated director Wes Anderson's new film Asteroid City . Together they form a detailed, captivating portrait of the mid-century film world and the enduring myths of the American West.

A Conversation Between Wes Anderson and Jake Perlin
A Life excerpt – Elia Kazan
The Celluloid Brassière – Andy Logan
Rainy Day – Lillian Ross
The Other Men’s Women – Gina Telaroli
The Petrified Forest – Jorge Luis Borges
Ace in the Noir in Broad Daylight – Molly Haskell
What Makes a Sad Heart Some Came Running – Michael Koresky
One False Start, Never Wear the Same Dress Twice – Durga Chew-Bose
Maigret at the Coroner’s excerpt – Georges Simenon
Sunbelt Desert Fury – Imogen Sara Smith
The Voyage Down and Inferno – Kent Jones
Bad Day Near The River’s Edge – Nicolas Saada
Watching Fail Safe at the End of the World – K. Austin Collins
Black Desert, White Desert – Serge Toubiana
Marilyn Monroe and the Loveless World – Jonas Mekas
Beyond the Stars – Jeremy Bernstein      
“Nashville” – Pauline Kael
Coming Around the Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Matt Zoller Seitz
Selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary – Bob Balaban
Introduction to Small A Film Novel – François Truffaut
By The Time I Get to Phoenix – Thora Siemsen
My Guy – Hilton Als
Wild to the Wild – Sam Shepard

Genres: Film, Essays, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

240 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2023

About the author

Wesley Wales Anderson is an American director, writer, and producer of features, short films and commercials. He was nominated for a 2001 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Royal Tenenbaums.

Reviews

[Cyrus Arnieri · Rating 2 out of 5]

just expects you to have hella prior knowledge of movies and doesn’t help you if you haven’t watched a movie that it mentions. i feel like most people ain’t even see all the damn movies they’re talking bout. i liked the story of the wolf at the end tho n the ones about miss monroe. also i feel like this book doesn’t blend well. the end.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Veering towards some level of pretension, especially with the poor overall editing of the articles that make up the book. Expects the reader to have a prior understanding of mid-century film history and doesn’t extend an olive branch to readers with no such background. At its best with the narrative pieces and at its absolute worst with the film reviews pulled from magazines of the time.

[Sivert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have been more organized, otherwise great.

[Julian Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to learn about the world and about culture through cinema because cinema, great cinema, is essayistic, and this book exemplifies that—covering all that Asteroid City covers regarding movies, science, Broadway/the Actor's Studio, etc.

[Tepi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any collection of essays is going to have it's inevitable ups and downs and you feel it in this one for sure. I would go from clutching my fist like YES AMAZING!!! to shaking my head in confusion, not because the essays are bad necessarily but sometimes they feel underbaked and reliant on the audience's presupposed enjoyment of the movies mentioned and thus agreement with the authors' thesis. It does feel like it requires a prior knowledge of film history to properly enjoy; it's greatest sin is not understanding that reading a physical book one expects the inspirations present to be, well, more narrative. The more memoir/biography-esque pieces are the most effective. However, as a film freak I found this really engaging and it held my attention much better than I expected and I zipped through it in an entire Sunday. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do Not Detonate is a collection of essays and stories which inspired Wes Anderson’ film Asteroid City, beginning with a transcript of a conversation between the co-editors about the arts in the 1950’s, and where Anderson drew his inspiration from.
The stories are a mixture of historical and modern ones, which seems to coincide with the composition of a Wes Anderson film – I could picture the stories being played out in his well-known cinematic style.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this and getting a small insight into the mind of Wes Anderson and his influences.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy of #DONOTDETONATEWithoutPresidentialApproval

[Joel Mansfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good essays and reviews such as Sam Shepard and close encounters sections. However, I would’ve like more insight from Wes on the process to link it back to the creation or writing of the movie. I can see how these influences shaped the movie. But that being said it also highlights how most of the material referenced here was mostly better than the film. Perhaps, just like the film this book was a little too obsessed with its influences and forgot to create something more engaging. Some sections were also merely long rambling reviews of 1950s cinema. I needed more asides from Wes or something to keep me engaged.

[Greta Bedell]

Can’t really rate it anything since it’s a collection of awesome essays. I love learning yippee!!! I want to read everything Sam Shepard has ever written!!! I want to watch so many movies made between the 30’s - 70’s!!! I must go to the Arizona wilderness!!! And of course rewatch Asteroid City, the world of which I think I now have a greater understanding of :)

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik had het leuker gevonden als ik mee was met alle Old Timers

[Robbe Rooms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish there was more of a direct link between the essays and Astroid City, but I enjoyed most of the essays

[Stagger Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inevitably patchy but full of mostly interesting, sometimes fascinating essays about the films (mostly) that served as a kind of moodboard for Asteroid City. The pieces on Ace In The Hole, Nashville, The Misfits and Marilyn Monroe were especially good.

[Riley Cusick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will definitely be going back to re-read the final essay by Sam Shepard from time to time.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the Pushkin Press for an advance copy of this book of articles collected by the director Wes Anderson for inspiration and aid in creating the film Asteroid City.

Wes Anderson is a filmmaker known not only for his quirky stories, and humourous American Express ad, but for his unique style in music, clothing, lighting and in set design. Anderson has a a vision, and presents it on the screen, a world that is slightly familiar, but one with a bit of the New Yorker circa the 50's and 60's. Or Le Monde, during the time of the French New Wave. The way the characters stand, speak, the music that is played, even the way the scene is blocked is uniquely Wes Anderson. To create at that level much research has to be done, though honesty I think Anderson just has to look at his bookshelves for inspiration, the man lives his art, and I really respect that. For the movie Asteroid City, Anderson has collected classic pieces, and some newer ones to help understand where the movie is coming from, and what the backstory is for the characters. Edited by Wes Anderson and Jake Perlin DO NOT DETONATE Without Presidential Approval: A Portfolio on the Subjects of Mid-century Cinema, the Broadway Stage and the American West gives a view of what the wizard is planning behind the curtains, and what helped shape his ideas for the movie.

The book begins with an interview between co-editors Anderdson and Perlin. The conversation seems to be joined in progress as it seems some of what is being talked about is being kept from the readers. What follows is a discussion on art, acting, actresses and actors from the 1950's a look a science films, Stephen Spielberg and more. Hints are dropped about the movie, and I am sure after viewing much more of this talk will make sense. What follows is a collection of pieces detailing some of what was discussed between the two editors. There are film reviews from Pauline Kael discussing Nashville, which Asteroid City being an ensemble movie makes sense. Profiles on Lee Strasberg and the Actor's Studio by Elia Kazan. An excerpt from French detective writer Georges Simenon featuring his famous character Inspector Maigret. A behind the scenes view of working with François Truffaut on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, with a piece by Truffaut about working on his own movie with child actors. All of this drop hints, and ideas of what the movies Asteroid City might entail.

A behind the scenes book that looks at the behind the scenes of collecting ideas for the writing of the screenplay. A very different idea and one that I enjoyed quite a bit. The interview was a teaser for the movies and again one that will probably be made clearer after the movie comes out. The pieces were in some cases of their era, some might be like who are these people. Others, nerds like myself will be reading this obsessively trying to figue out what is going to happen. The essays are quite good. I really loved the Truffaut on the set and I am going to have to seek that one out to read in its entirety. Seeing the work that Anderson puts into his research makes one appreciate the work he puts on the screen.

Recommended for Anderson fans, and film students in how to get ideas, and what to look for. Also a interesting book for writers screen, prose, nonfiction, on how to look for sources, and how to draw on the past to make art for today.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval, edited by Wes Anderson and Jake Perlin, is a wonderful collection of essays that are interesting in and of themselves but, when taken as material that helped shape the "world of the work" in Anderson's Asteroid City, they become things to consider in relation to each other and, thus, the film.

Wow, that is a bit of a convoluted sentence I just wrote. I'll try to make sense of it. First, the essays (and photographs and interview) are quite interesting each on their own. It helps to make sure you know the time when each was written, and which were written specifically for this book, as well as maybe a little about what is written about.

Knowing that what makes a Wes Anderson movie special is the overall atmosphere, the attention to detail and the juxtaposition of elements that separately might not add much but together makes a statement, or at least creates a feeling, then the essays take on a different purpose in reading them. It might be less important that you know much about the movie Borges is talking about and pay more attention to the qualities he is highlighting. Doing this throughout the book, then watching Asteroid City, brings everything into conversation with each other, with you as moderator. The film may have Anderson as moderator, but in the creation that results from your viewing, you take over that position. And this book gives you some of the background to better understand what Anderson did.

Of course, there will be some who will see the film and feel embarrassment for Anderson, you know, because they know better how to make a film. They certainly have more experience, with more critical and popular acclaim. It couldn't be that they simply didn't like it, no, that is far too pedestrian. It sounds so much more (faux) intellectual to speak to how poorly it was done. All I know is I'm glad I don't have a similar outlook on life, if I don't like something, I am confident enough to just say I don't like it, not try to make my subjective opinion into an objective flaw. But I am getting off topic.

Whether you like or dislike Asteroid City (I happened to have liked it, though not as much as some of his other work) this collection will help you appreciate what he did. If you mostly just want to read the essays you will be richly rewarded, these are quite interesting and can lead you down some intriguing rabbit holes if you choose to look things up.

I would recommend this to fans of Anderson's work as well as movie buffs who seek the substance in a film rather than whether a special effect meets their (so-called) quality level. If you're an active reader and moviegoer, you'll find a lot here to enjoy.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do Not Detonate is a collection of Essays written by different voices about the different films that inspire Wes Anderson's recent film Asteroid City. This is all anchored by an opening conversation between Jake Perlin and Wes Anderson as they discuss the creation of the film. It is here that its main source of inspiration- 1950's- is fully fleshed out. The films themselves span different time periods, but this is where we fin the films rich setting being actualized.

Beyond the conversation piece, the essays begin with a reflection on Lee Stasberg and his filmmaking process, particularly when it comes to method acting. We can see this emphasis on "real emotion" playing into certain aspects of Andersons film, especially when it comes to Scarlott Johannsons character. On the other side of the "process" is the final chapter is a story by Sam Shepard which establishes an emphasis on theme. This is arguably the strongest and most interesting essay given its ability to contextualize the collection of essays in a simple idea, one that the film evokes through the wildness of its setting.

By far, the largest of the essays surrounds Marilyn Munroe, a story that has rich influence in Asteroid City an its focus on the relationship between art, artist and viewer. Other dominant themes are the desert, and experiences behind the set, be it theatrical or film. Jorge Luis Borges delves into the relevance of allegory in his essay on The Petrified Forest. Or Ace in the Holes emphasis on post war America. The emphasis on a fusion of styles, be it noir, the western, nostalgia, comedy, abstract in Desert Fury. The political backrop of a particular time in Americas history (Fail Safe), or the cultural commentary of the film Nashville.

Taken together, what becomes clear is how big the questions actually are in Asteroid City, while also being contextualized into a very particular time in America's history. Art helps us to navigate these questions, and yet they exist as an interpretive exercise that arrives without the baggage of needing concrete answers. It is a film, as the influences suggests, that balance fear with ideology, the world the artist is then navigating and speaking to. An as an artist, what Anderson seems to be finding in all of these influences is a freedom to allow the art to say what it will.. That it exists in such an uncertain world is perhaps the most important thing.

[Nadirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval" is a collection of essays and writings which are indirectly related to Wes Anderson's Asteroid City. Disclaimer: I haven't watched the movie prior to reading this, so I'm judging this collecting purely based on the selected articles/writings themselves. As noted by Jake Perlin & Wes Anderson in the preface:

JAKE : It all exists in the same orbit as the in the spirit of, as you said. All the new writing in the book makes no reference to Asteroid City at all, it all stands independently as criticism, as you wanted. Just that these are films you had said played some role in the conception of the film, but not explaining further than that allows us to find texts and images that illuminate the period, but not being direct references.
WES: What's underneath it? When you set a movie in this time: what's the America that we're trying to write about?

These writings offer fascinating insights into the glamor of Hollywood, and the less glamorous side of it. Most of them are made up of film criticisms, but some of venture a more personal account of a person who is enmeshed within the industry (e.g. Bob Balaban's diary while he was filming "Close Encounters"). As with most collections, some of the writings are great while some were just okay. Overall, this does offer a varied look into the workings of Hollywood's filming industry, and it's worth a read for those who would like to know more of such things.

__________________

Noteworthy essays:
Rainy Day by Lillian Ross
The Outskirts: Other Men's Women by Gina Telaroli
Watching Fail Safe At The End of the World by K. Austin Collins
Black Desert, White Desert by Serge Toubiana
Marilyn Monroe and the Loveless World by Jonas Mekas
Selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary by Bob Balaban
Coming: "Nashville" by Pauline Kael

[cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Do Not Detonate felt like watching Asteroid City itself: dreamy and arid like the desert it (and many of the essays within) is set in. I watched the movie on a plane and only once, so I can't say I've unlocked The Underlying Message of it, but reading this anthology makes me feel as if the richness of watching the film has come back in full force. We read about writers, the desert, the movie screen, directors, actors, movies -- it's such a treat, and every selection fits into place. I especially really liked "Black Desert, White Desert," a recounting of a snippet of Marilyn Monroe's life, particularly around the filming of The Misfits, and I also appreciated the progression of the Seitz, Balaban, then Truffaut pieces, which follows Spielberg into the filming of Close Encounters of the Third Kind then Truffaut out of it. This sequence in particular was a great choice on Perlin's part, and it's so enjoyable to read behind the curtain, if that makes sense. Maybe this is too much to ask because I loved reading the conversation between Anderson and Perlin, but I would have liked to hear a little more about the editors' decisions to include each of the essays. Regardless, though, a solid 4.5 stars!

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

'—the kind of movie it is, we're aiming for something a bit more in the vein of a poem. That's sort of our goal. A poetic meditation on something or other. There certainly isn't a genre we can put it in—It does all sort of swirl together.'

Starts with an 'interview', followed by a (short) collection of writings curated by Wes Anderson (ones that specifically inspired his latest film). Enjoyable enough, but more so if you're more obsessed with films. I, for one, like watching films more than reading about films. Particularly like the one by Sam Shepard because True West is one of my favourite plays ever (read it multiple times, and (a bit sadly) only watched it once on stage (Kit Harrington, Johnny Flynn)). I guess I'm a bit biased.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whereas the two other Pushkin Press titles from Wes Anderson-- An Editor's Burial (which I have read) and The Society of the Crossed Keys (which I haven't, though I did read a book of Zweig short stories around the same time it was released)-- give the reader/viewer a greater appreciation of the two films which inspired them, I can't really say the same for Do Not Detonate. Other than a handful of fascinating photos and a few brief essays on classic films, which really only relate to Asteroid City inspiration as far as subject matter (desert settings! UFOs! '50 photographers! anxiety in the atomic age!), the two best pieces are probably more interesting in their own right than in relation to the film: Serge Toubiana's Black Desert, White Desert, a behind-the-scenes exploration of the making of The Misfits, and Selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary by Anderson regular Bob Balaban. The rest isn't all that insightful or particularly absorbing.

[Avedon Arcadio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike his previous works where the companion books reflected much of what was within the film they were relating to, this book really has no other connection to Asteroid City other than it giving you a snapshot of what was being filmed and written during that time period.

It’s meant to give you an idea of what writers and directors were going through during that era and the spectacle and attraction of the Southwest, but because of this, there isn’t much connection to the film exactly. You’re left with reviews, and essays based on films, plays, and artists that you may or may not have seen or heard about. And you’re left wondering what they were about in order to understand what the texts are referring to.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fascinating to learn about the time period and be introduces to many films and writers this way. But i’m left a little disappointed that there isn’t any more insight behind the actual film this is supposed to be accompanying.

[Marcus Todd]

Kinda torn on this one ngl. Honestly reminds me of my initial reaction to Asteroid City. Unlike with “The Society of Crossed Keys”, which got me really into Stefan Zweig and made me super excited to read more of his writing, or “An Editor’s Burial”, which frankly made me obsessed with the history and personalities of The New Yorker, this collection makes me feel like I was supposed to do homework that I didn’t do. It doesn’t help that it was mainly movie criticism for movies I hadn’t seen. Naturally the essays that resonated with me most were the ones about a movie I have seen, “The Misfits”

Honestly I would like to revisit this book, but maybe after I’ve seen a few more of the films mentioned

[Austin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable trot through early and mid-20th century American film studies. A few other reviewers here find some of the contemporary reviews dated - I disagree. Any datedness is, in fact, the interesting detail and as source material for Anderson's moviemaking, these are a great collection. I would have loved a longer book, but that's my only true criticism and it's only because I enjoyed this one so much. The highlights are the long essay on the making of The Misfits, Bob Balaban's experiences making Close Encounters alongside Francois Truffaut, and Sam Sheppard's (who is always interesting) closing essay Wild To The Wild.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of An Editors Burial, the prospect of another insight into the thought process behind Wes Anderson’s work was certainly intriguing.

Whilst Do Not Detonate was interesting read, the storyline of Asteroid City was a lot less appealing to me personally in comparison to The French Dispatch and the same can be said for this companion piece.

What I really loved about Asteroid City was its aesthetics which naturally translate better to screen but Do Not Detonate was an enjoyable read nonetheless!

[joaqui. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ultimately, I hope somebody has an experience watching the movie where all this stuff that swirls around it is interesting, and enhances it, and informs it. But hopefully the thing itself, the kind of movie it is, we’re aiming for something a bit more in the vein of a poem. That’s sort of our goal. A poetic meditation on something or other. There certainly isn’t a genre that we can put it in."




It's good if you like to hear stories and opinions about the cinema world.





companion film:
asteroid city (2023) dir. Wes Anderson.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exquisite selection of articles, interviews, and film criticism that both gave me a pretty incredible smattering of stuff to move up my watchlist (Some Came Running, in particular), and has me pretty desperate to revisit Asteroid City very soon. So glad I finally got around to this, and the acute realization that Wes Anderson's film is quite pointedly a synthesis of many of my personal favorites (Nashville, Close Encounters, Ace in the Hole, Bad Day at Black Rock, etc.) only further bolsters its stature as my favorite of his films overall.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really interesting companion curio to the film - particularly recommended if you're unfamiliar with the Actors Studio and the synergy between theatre and studio films that informed the rigour and impulses of a new breed of actors like Brando, Newman, and Marilyn. loved the essay on Huston's The Misfits, the excerpt from Bob Balaban's Close Encounters of the Third Kind diary, and Hilton Als' gloriously tender nod to Sam Shepherd.

[Coby Friesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the nerds, who love and trust their beloved Wes Anderson and were curious about the many layers that made up Asteroid City. It definitely doesn’t explain the movie but it certainly helps give context into Anderson’s latest cinematic poem.
Not every piece hit, but damn it was real interesting to read people’s love on certain movies of the time AND especially BTS memories of classic movies. I think my favourite was Bob Balaban’s excerpt on Close Encounters and how he got to meet Truffaut!

[Gabriel Mauel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little collection with some ups and downs, I like to view it as a celebration of film and acting from an era that we seem to have moved on from. Does it recontextualize Asteroid City, or give any new insights? Maybe a bit. I think the films adoration for this era is more apparent now. A fun read, definitely can recommend even for those with a passing interest in Hollywood history.

[Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

maybe just a bad idea for me to be picking up a book like this having zero understanding of film and having seen literally nothing. i kinda hoped it would help me understand how people talk about film and what i should be looking for, which it didn't really. kinda just a weird nebulous collection of various essays without any direction or broader themes

[Er Yáñez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una sólida colección de ensayos con sus altibajos. Me encantó el rato con Monroe y el rato con Encuentros cercanos. También el inicio. Quizá una mejor organización hubiera servido mejor. Quiero leer la colección que se hizo para The French Dispatch y me dan ganas de ver Asteroid City otra vez, sabiendo que aún no será de mis favoritas de Wes.