Dino: The Life and Film of Dino De Laurentiis

by Dino de Laurentis

Drawing on numerous interviews with DeLaurentiis, this sweeping biography chronicles the life and career of the legendary filmmaker, from his early days in Italy through his six-decade career in cinema, capturing the filmmaker at work, his transformative role in the world of entertainment, and his relationships with such luminaries as Martin Scorsese, Roberto Rossellini, and others. 25,000 first printing.

Genres: Film, Biography

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Alessandro Balestra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questa è la straordinaria avventura di un giovane pastaio di Torre Annunziata che con tenacia ed entusiasmo è riuscito a diventare uno dei produttori cinematografici italiani più importanti al mondo. Un libro appassionante e coinvolgente che mi ha reso orgoglioso di essere italiano. Bravo Dino! PS tra i tanti film che ha prodotto ci sono anche un sacco di horror che mi hanno accompagnato da ragazzo.

[Janna Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this biography of the master producer is like going to film school...only better and more entertaining! In this biography, you learn how Dino began his life as a pasta salesman for his family's pasta company but, sensing something better for him was around the corner, gave it up to go to film school.

Beginning his career as a bit-part actor and gradually producing his own films -- at first on shoestring budgets and borrowed money -- and later, with higher budgets and borrowed money -- it shows the tenacity, spirit and high ethics that Dino had and how he parlayed those key traits into a formidable producing career.

[Daniel Etherington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin, but hardly an inspired piece of biography. It's a pretty pedestrian, largely chronological account of the life of this extraordinary figure. He was not just at the heart of Italian cinema for several decades, he was at the heart of large-scale international cinema for several more.

The book, translated from the Italian (which may in part explain why it's a bit flat in English), was published in 2004, and De Laurentiis died in 2010, aged 91. Perhaps if it'd be written after his death, it could have been a bit braver and more incisive, rather than so deferential. It's so deferential, in fact, it wouldn't surprise me if DDL had commissioned it himself somewhere along the way.

[Ben]

An extraordinary book about an extraordinary man, filled with history and lessons for aspiring producers. Manages to skirt much of the controversy without feeling too hagiographic.

[Robert DaGasta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know some of these reviews say that perhaps some of the spark of this bio was lost in translation from Italian to English but I found the story of Dino's incredible journey from his early provincial days to creating a name for himself and then transforming Italian cinema in the 50's to becoming the legendary world-renowned producer fascinating and inspiring. Reading about Dino's deal-making (often in his own words) and the creative ways he got what he needed was especially entertaining. Equally enjoyable were behind-the- scenes stories about many of his classic films and working with directors like Fellini, De Sica, Rossellini, David Lynch, Scorsese, Polanski and Ridley Scott. He truly was a hands-on producer in every sense who knew about every aspect of filmmaking - an old school style of doing business long gone in today's industry. I've seen the De Laurentiis name on many of my favorite movies over the years including King Kong (1976), Flash Gordon (1980), The Dead Zone, Serpico and many others, but to finally read the story of the little man behind this giant name brought a newfound respect and appreciation for his lasting contributions to the industry. Particularly the many careers he launched taking risks on young talent both actors, writers and directors which he considered the future of cinema. For better or worse and sometimes at the cost of his personal life and family (both of which are written about extensively in this book), he never stopped working and searching for that "next project" even into his 80's. But he left behind a legacy to be proud of.