True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking

by Don Coscarelli

From Don Coscarelli, the celebrated filmmaker behind many cherished cult classics comes a memoir that's both revealing autobiography and indie film crash course.Best known for his horror/sci-fi/fantasy films including Phantasm, The Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-tep and John Dies at the End, now Don Coscarelli’s taking you on a white-knuckle ride through the rough and tumble world of indie film.Join Coscarelli as he sells his first feature film to Universal Pictures and gets his own office on the studio lot while still in his teens. Travel with him as he chaperones three out-of-control child actors as they barnstorm Japan, almost drowns actress Catherine Keener in her first film role, and transforms a short story about Elvis Presley battling a four thousand year-old Egyptian mummy into a beloved cult classic film.Witness the incredible cast of characters he meets along the way from heavy metal god Ronnie James Dio to first-time filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary. Learn how breaking bread with genre icons Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter and Guillermo Del Toro leads to a major cable series and watch as he and zombie king George A. Romero together take over an unprepared national network television show with their tales of blood and horror.This memoir fits an entire film school education into a single book. It’s loaded with behind-the-scenes like setting his face on fire during the making of Phantasm, hearing Bruce Campbell’s most important question before agreeing to star in Bubba Ho-tep, and crafting a horror thriller into a franchise phenomenon spanning four decades. Find out how Coscarelli managed to retain creative and financial control of his artistic works in an industry ruled by power-hungry predators, and all without going insane or bankrupt.True Indie will prove indispensable for fans of Coscarelli’s movies, aspiring filmmakers, and anyone who loves a story of an underdog who prevails while not betraying what he believes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Memoir, Biography, Media Tie In, Audiobook, Horror

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

DON COSCARELLI became the youngest filmmaker ever to have a feature film distributed by a major studio at age nineteen when Universal Pictures bought his first film, Jim The World’s Greatest. The independent, award-winning filmmaker is best known for Phantasm and its sequels, which spawned a dedicated cult of fans worldwide.
His other indie genre hits include The Beastmaster and Bubba Ho-tep. For TV, he directed the premiere episode of Showtime’s acclaimed series Masters of Horror, and his film John Dies at the End premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Don’s well-received memoir, True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking is now available everywhere.
For more information on the world of Phantasm visit the official website at: Phantasm.com

Reviews

[Evans Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly enjoyable book. The main focus is on the filmmaking and distribution aspects, with plenty of amusing anecdotes and surprising factoids scattered throughout. If you're here specifically for Phantasm info, be forewarned: while there is some behind the scenes info, the Phantasm-related content is pretty light in comparison to his other films, likely because it's already been covered elsewhere in more detail (Phantasm Exhumed: The Unauthorized Companion and Further Exhumed: The Strange Case of Phantasm Ravager).
Interesting insights are included on the fate of the long-rumored Bubba Ho-Tep film sequel, including that Bruce Campbell's withdrawal from participation pretty much ruined its chances of ever being funded. It's clear that Coscarelli is incredibly disappointed by his decision, but I have to say that after reading some of the plans for the sequel I'm on Bruce's side of the issue.
Recommended.

[Espen Aukan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would personally have loved to know a bit more about Coscarelli’s writing process, writing the screenplays for these wonderful indie films he has made. But apart from that this book has everything: Suspense, thrills, shocks, horror, terror, hearbreak and above all INSPIRATION.

I absolutely loved every page, and Don Coscarelli is now my new personal hero.

And man, I would have loved to see his version of Stephen King’s Cycle of the Werewolf brought to life...

[Justin Gerber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Get the shot.

[HUD · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any interest in filmmaking, especially indie filmmaking, and especially especially the filmmaking of Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep, John Dies at the End), I highly recommend this book. The chapters are short — typically averaging 3 or 4 pages — and there’s a lot of great insight into the trials and tribulations, but also the invaluable rewards, of indie filmmaking. Coscarelli is no Spielberg — I’d venture most people reading this won’t even recognize his name — but he’s lived a fascinating life behind the camera and, in doing so, he’s made smaller films that have gained cult status among horror fans (myself included), but even more valuable, he attracted a staggering list of professionals who became friends and family. This gave me an even greater appreciation for his works, and his chapter about the loss of his dear friend and our legendary Tall Man, Angus Scrimm, left me more than a little misty-eyed. Check it out.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Coscarelli's films so this inside look into his filmmaking process and the trials and tribulations he faced during each production was really eye-opening. On top of all the Phantasm anecdotes I especially enjoyed the bits about him trying to adapt Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf and meeting and working with Dio, not to mention his wordy appreciation of Marc Singer's rippling pecs. God bless you, Don.

[Melisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning about how some of my favorite films came to be was extremely interesting. I loved all the little details and side note, especially about the "Phantasm" actors. I was a bit disappointed in Coscarelli at times, though; it becomes clear that he is in the "indie trenches" not because of creative ideals but because major studios never want to work with him -- and he doesn't hide his bitterness; he calls out a few people by name and it's kind of awkward. Still, overall, there's a sense of family and community, which is pleasant to read about.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up watching The Beastmaster and Phantasm, Coscarelli's always been a favorite director of mine, and this book not only details his nigh-unbelievable path into the director's chair, but the array of simply incredible events and coincidences he's been witness to (and victim of) in Hollywood. Through his recollection of these episodes are we shown how he's become the scrappy and underappreciated filmmaker that he is.

Structured and chopped up into small sections for your reading leisure, Coscarelli starts at his childhood, recalls his rubbing elbows with feared executives on the Universal lot, being a cavalier director and learning things the hard way, becoming big in Japan, opening against Jaws and soon creating his own horror classic, the calamities on and off of the set of The Beastmaster...the list goes on. The man's been ingrained in the movie business for a long time, and he has a hell of a few things to talk about. It's worth listening to.

Surely few directors have been saddled with the bad luck that Don Coscarelli has had over the course of his career. Companies going under at the wrong moments, flirtations with big projects that don't work out due to short-sighted big-wigs, contractual impasses, etc. all litter his various project delays or dismissals; all of the while, however, his oeuvre is proof that his love for creating art and his sheer tenacity must be unbreakable.

Great reading for lovers of film or for those who want an inside look at someone that's lived one great example of an interesting life (it's rife with exclamatory moments and chance encounters). If you're not a fan of his films, flip through these pages. Give it a shot. You might find yourself converted, or at least harboring a new appreciation.

His tribute at the end of the book to the late, great Angus Scrimm is simply phenomenal.

It's everything that I hoped it would be and much, much more. I already admired Coscarelli greatly; True Indie simply rockets said admiration up to new heights.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance read.

[Max Evry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining and inspiring Hollywood memoirs you'll ever read. Like Coscarelli's movies there is no fat, all fun and leaves you wanting more!

[Kevin Kangas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Don Coscarelli, you'll really dig this book. It details a ton of behind the scenes stuff of how he came to direct some of the movies he did, and then has chapters devoted to some great inside tales as he makes each movie. All the Phantasms, Beastmaster, John Dies at the End and more.

As a filmmaker myself AND a Coscarelli fan, this was a fascinating read and I'd recommend it highly to other filmmakers.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coscarelli has a flair for making the reader just as excited as he is about film making. This memoir made me want to rewatch Phantasm, a film I haven't seen in over a decade. He is also well aware of the collaborative nature of film making and is appreciative to all of those who he has worked with.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ready to film my masterpiece

[lara phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably only for Phantasm fans, but overall a solid memoir.Would be a nice reality check for aspiring indie filmmakers.

[Joe Aguiar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Coscarelli is one of my favorite filmmakers and his Phantasm one of my all-time favorite horror films. So of course I was very excited to read his memoir, detailing an almost forty year career as an indie filmmaker...and it didn't disappoint. Coscarelli gives a brief account of his upbringing and then on to his first attempt to make a feature film, a drama called Jim, The World's Greatest. He then weaves a fun and informative account of his film career spanning from the making of Kenny & Co. in 1976, to his classic Phantasm, to the harrowing production of the Beastmaster, all the way up to his recent Phantasm: Ravager. The stories of what Don and family and friends went through to get some of his flicks made, and then released, will really give you an idea of how difficult it is make a movie, especially if you don't have big studio backing...which comes with it's own headaches. It's a real treat to hear the production stories of how his movies were made...or not made in some cases...and how even now getting a film going is still not easy even for a man considered a horror legend.

True Indie is a fun true life story woven by a man with a talent for overcoming adversity and for telling an entertaining, sincere and heartfelt story...the account of the final moments he shared with his star and friend Angus Scrimm will have you in tears. A tale of arrogant investors, eccentric actors, the MPAA and those darn silver spheres! A great book if you are a fan of Don Coscarelli, horror films or just filmmaking in general, this is a must read!

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely captivating memoir of fifty years working as an indie filmmaker

Even if you’ve never heard of Don Coscarelli, anyone with a serious interest in independent and low budget filmmaking will be captivated by his charming, informative, and good-natured autobiography. As the book moves through his life Don does provide some background family material, but the book does focus more heavily on his filmmaking than personal life. Covering key areas such as the problems in raising money and financing, how to retain artistic control when a big studio is involved and the importance of film distribution are all fascinating topics for discussion. As Coscarelli has been making films since the mid-1970s it is a truly wide-reaching account which takes us through the films he made before he turned to horror, the videotape boom and the eventual importance of the internet in discovering the genuine love for his cult horror series “Phantasm” for which he is probably best known.

If you’ve never watched a “Phantasm” film (or watched and hated!) be rest assured you can still enjoy this book. It is presented with very short chapters and had a superb balance of film observations, reflective lookbacks, coupled with a real sense of humour and honest “what might have been” moments. For example, it turned out Brad Pitt auditioned for one of the major parts in “Phantasm 2” but nobody could remember it until Brad did indeed confirm it! It was also lovely to read of instances where the filmmaker admits, “you know what? I probably got that wrong” a particularly funny one was when Coscarelli suggested to Quentin Tarantino that he cut the iconic opening scene in “Reservoir Dogs” when they’re all sitting in the restaurant talking about Madonna amongst other things. How wrong Don was, but at least he admitted it!

The voice throughout the memoir comes across as honest, endearing and both totally down to earth and totally at ease with himself. There were so many lovely anecdotes they are far too many to mention, but the sequence when he was involved in “Silver Bullet” (based on Stephen King’s “Cycle of the Werewolf”) was particularly entertaining, a project he was eventually fired from. However, he did get to meet Stephen King, Coscarelli notes that when he was about to bumble a self-conscious compliment to King on his work but Stephen skilfully turned the conversation around, saying how much he enjoyed the “Phantasm” films instead. It was refreshing to read an autobiography where the author did not bitch about anyone, when things did not go his way, he simply accepted it as part of the job. Don and Marc Singer did not particularly see eye-to-eye when they were making “Beast Master” and even though there was friction, Don does not criticise Singer in the book. I found this all very refreshing.

The blurb of “True Indie” has very kind words from JJ Abrams who was involved in the recent restoration of the “Phantasm” films, Rob Zombie, David Wong and the cult film actor Bruce Campbell. “Bubba Ho-Tep” famously starred Campbell as an aging Elvis Presley, living in a retirement home who has to fight a demon. The sequences involving Campbell are truly fascinating and if you ever thought b-movie actors were only in it for the money, think again. Have you ever asked yourself why there was no sequel to “Bubba Ho-Tep 2” even though Coscarelli wrote a script which also involved original author Joe Lansdale? Campbell refused to make another film, mainly because he thought a sequel might tarnish the reputation of the original which has built a cult following in the years since it was released. Initially this film might have been a failure, it was rejected by many film festivals, had distribution problems and Bruce Campbell helped save it by appearing all over the place until it picked up momentum and positive press. This maverick and hands-on attitude to filmmaking permeates throughout the entire book and was lovely to read about.

In some ways “True Indie” was reminiscent of Bruce Campbell’s own superb autobiography “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B-movie Actor” or if we go even further back it recalled Roger Corman’s “How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime” which are written with the same happy go lucky spirit and also full of insightful film observations. Coscarelli makes excellent use of hindsight in regard to his filmmaking and how he might do things differently these days. Because of the advances in technology in filmmaking he reckons an indie film can easily be made for $100,000 and turn a profit whereas in previous decades the sum would have been much higher, he himself quoted $1,000,000 as a ballpark figure. The trials of dangerous filming basic scenes and stunts with the clunky 1970s equipment in the original “Phantasm” were testament to that, which a couple of decades later the same special effects could be achieved on a laptop for peanuts. His battles with special effects, with minimal budgets, particularly the deadly flying “Phantasm” spheres, was a fascinating read.

As a filmmaker Coscarelli has probably revisited the “Phantasm” films too many times for my personal tate, although it was still wonderful to read about them. I am old enough to recall the glory-days of “Phantasm 2” having a big release on home-video in the UK and at the time $3,000,000 was a huge budget for what was effectively a low-budget horror film. In subsequent sequels the budget has dwindled, and to be frank, it showed in the final product. But whatever your opinion on the “Phantasm” films they have earned their place in horror film folklore.

Although Angus Scrimm was in lots of television and films he will forever be known as ‘The Tall Man’ from the “Phantasm” films. He and Don Coscarelli had a friendship that lasted many decades and even when he was elderly and too infirm to travel Angus would deliberately phone Don whilst he was at fan conventions and put on his ‘Tall Man’ voice. The audience loved it and the men remained very close until his death in 2016 which is sensitively covered in the book. “True Indie” is full of lovely stories such as this and if you ever wondered why a director might only make twelve or thirteen films in a forty-year career Don Coscarelli explains it perfectly: in indie filmmaking you have to do everything yourself. From writing and selling your script, then getting the film made and edited, before eventual distribution. Amazingly, Don even turned down some very big directing gigs down the years including “Conan the Destroyer” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

One must applaud Don Coscarelli for his fighting spirit, which really shines through in the book, plenty of others would have given up the dream and got an office job. Why? His first two films were released by different studios who ultimately ignored their product mainly because they found they had bigger fish to fry. Firstly “Jaws” arrived and then lightning really did strike twice with “Star Wars”.

This was an energetic, thoughtful and uplifting look inside the cut-throat indie film business and his many brushes with Hollywood. Don Coscarelli almost makes it sound like fun! If you ever see him, just don’t imply “Beast Master” is a “Conan” rip-off. You’ll piss him off.

Finally, when you next watch Spielberg’s “Ready Player One” watch out for the “Phantasm” Easter Egg film joke! I saw that flick on the cinema with my daughter and I’m damned if I can remember it…

[S.A. Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildly Entertaining and Heartfelt Look at a Life of Cinema.

Phantasm: Ravager (2016), the fifth film in the nearly-40-year arc of the Phantasm series, ends with a bittersweet reunion.
Brothers Mike and Jody and their best friend Reggie, the protagonists from the original 1979 film, sit inside the trademark black Plymouth Barracuda.

They had been separated over the course of their endless battle against the otherworldly Tall Man and his minions. Now, as they sit in the muscle car, they exchange wordless looks. Age has altered their features, and there’s a weariness in their expressions.

However, as the ‘Cuda drives off towards a city under siege by a swarm of alien silver spheres and hordes of the undead, the exhaustion on their faces is replaced with contented smiles.

Like the aging outlaws at the end of Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch, these old friends defiantly face down overpowering forces against impossible odds. But now they do it together. And, like the Wild Bunch, there’s no place they’d rather be.

As you read director and horror legend Don Coscarelli’s memoir, True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking (St. Martin’s Press-ISBN 1250193249), you may find yourself thinking of that scene from Ravager every time Coscarelli and his film crew head out to make movies, odds be damned.

From his first independently produced feature film at the age of 19, to his breakthrough horror classic Phantasm, and the cult hits Bubba Ho-Tep and John Dies at the End, Don Coscarelli overcame snubs from all the major studios, clueless film distributors, and even disinterest from the Sundance Film Festival, to make his movies his way.

How Coscarelli beat the odds time and again is a surprisingly warmhearted story of lifelong friendships, loyal film crews and actors, hard lessons, dumb luck, and the talent to adapt to the challenges inherent to low budget independent filmmaking.

In the book prologue, Coscarelli scuffs up the shiny myth of the hip and cool indie filmmaker epitomized by Quentin Tarantino and the sea of wannabes that came after his success:

“He made it look so damn easy, but all those wannabes quickly found out it’s not. Indie filmmaking is damn hard.”

Don Coscarelli knows of what he speaks. After all, by the time he was 16, he blew a chance to work with Disney and got ripped off for his work by…the YMCA.

He even got to interview visual effects legend Douglas Trumbull for a proposed magazine under the American Zoetrope umbrella, guided by August Coppolla (Francis’ older brother), only to have the project dissolve mysteriously.

“Would it dash your dreams if I report that we never heard a word back from August Coppola…or anybody from American Zoetrope ever again?” writes Coscarelli.

Ah, showbiz.

And yet, by the time he turned 19, Don Coscarelli had made his first full-length feature (Jim, the World’s Greatest), had an office on the Universal Studios lot, his second movie in production (Kenny and Company), and had the ear of one of the most powerful people in Hollywood: Sid Sheinberg, then President of Universal Pictures.

All of that was short-lived. But, the corporate indifference of Hollywood executives and the politics of ineptitude not only make for great stories but also lit a fire under Coscarelli to make his next movie on his own terms. That film was Phantasm, and it propels an eccentric career full of twists and turns that make this book a captivating read.

Despite the penchant for flying silver spheres, reanimated corpses, and fountains of yellow and red blood, the Phantasm movies have always been about friendship, loyalty, and family at their core. While True Indie is a wildly entertaining look at the technical, artistic and political battlefields of independent cinema, it is also a heartfelt love letter to family, friendship and personal integrity.

Coscarelli entertains us with personal stories around his 40-plus year career making movies, but he also allows us a glimpse into his formative years as a boy growing up in Orange County, California.

The author devotes as much time to his childhood and his first movie experiments as he gives to his more famous work. It’s a shrewd move because Coscarelli’s youthful enthusiasm and ambition are contagious. It also shows how friends, teachers and family inspired him in ways he took to heart. There are passages that gratefully acknowledge the people who taught him life lessons that speak volumes about what Don Coscarelli values.

Of course, the book bursts with anecdotal stories about the long, strange campaigns to make his films, including the roadblocks, the hardships of picking the wrong actor or crew, and the missed opportunities (or dodged bullets) of potential films left unmade. There are sobering passages where the director chooses loyalty to his cast and crew over bowing to potential backers, and takes a career hit for it.

Coscarelli also gives the reader a crash-course on how to navigate and survive low-budget independent movie making. The chapter, “Don Coscarelli’s Five-Minute Film School” is worth the price of the book alone. However, the book is peppered with pragmatic and inventive ways to make the most of limited time and resources.

The book is most assuredly the author’s story, but you may be surprised how much time he devotes throughout the book to honor his friends, family, and the actors and crew of his films. Coscarelli believes in film as a collaborative art and he is quick to praise those he worked with. There is real love and admiration for the late actor Angus Scrimm, and the chapters which feature their friendship are poignant and respectful.

Coscarelli’s mixture of sincerity, humor, blunt self-reflection, and an egalitarian mindset reveal a true love for making movies, the people who make them, and the people who help the people who make them. His style elevates this book into emotionally engaging and satisfying territory. True Indie has the rare misfit glee and personality of books like John Waters’ Shock Value and David F. Friedman’s A Youth in Babylon.

It has heart.

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Don’t start a movie unless you passion for the story is so strong that you can not imagine a life without making it."

2.9/5 for lots of invaluable tips mixed with tone-deaf rants

Book Review:
TRUE INDIE: While the book is full of great behind the scenes tips and stories about how movies are made and distributed in the indie world, it’s baffling to me how much Don whines in this book. While I love the stories he shared about Bubba HoTep and his various projects, this book is roughly 40% whining. He goes on defensive rants about critics, agents, people passing on distributing, etc. As far as TRUE INDIE filmmakers go in my book, we make films with no money and do it all by the skin of our teeth. Here is a man who was handed a job in the film business at the age of 18, who had a personal relationship with the president of Universal, whose father personally funded his first two features, and who thinks somehow that he is a true indie. He has more privilege than 99% of the filmmakers currently living on earth and still spends most of the book mewling and bellyaching about how his movies “never made it all the way”. It seems like to Coscaralli, being an indie filmmaker means complaining about your supposed lot in life.

“It was so pathetic that I got a bad review in the New York times because of a projection error in the screening.”

Dude. You are famous, your movies are famous. How dare you complain about the gifts you have been given. It’s truly incredible how inept people are at recognizing their privilege. While he is a vegetarian and feminist, All of his feature films, and I mean ALL of them, revolve around the life and exploits of white men.

I learned some cool things though, I can't deny. I really enjoy the effects breakdowns for Phantasm and Beastmaster that Don describes in detail. He's met and worked with so many Hollywood big shots. Attending those "Masters of Horror" dinners must be enthralling.

While I appreciate learning about film from a seasoned pro like Don, I can’t help but feel like I never want to turn out like him. If all your fame and fortune brought you was resentment, what is the true purpose of being a filmmaker? Are you just in it for the likes Don? Or are you out to make art?

Meeting people who have worked in film for a long time inevitably means meeting a lot of bitter people. Don Coscarelli is no exception. I’m still going to watch his movies. But I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone with starry eyes about their future in the world of movies.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Making a no-budget indie film is like going to war. But you’re not General MacArthur storming the beaches with a force of a hundred thousand soldiers. Instead, you’re more like a small squad of Vietcong guerillas behind enemy lines, trying to complete an impossible mission using guile and your wits, the odds stacked against you. It’s risky, difficult, and dangerous. I can swear to it. I’ve been there.” from the prologue of True Indie.

Beginning with a middle school film called The Fish Movie, the author’s life was filled with dreams of filming Hollywood blockbusters. Borrowing money from his father at 18 to make his first feature film, Coscarelli sells it to Universal Studios for a cool quarter million dollars. Turning down a seven-year contract at Universal and previewing his first feature, Story of a Teenager, the same week as the blockbuster Jaws debuted brought his studio career to a swift end. He was 20 years old.

If you have any interest in film, this memoir is a fabulous backstage look at the process. It is also a great look at someone realizing his childhood dream. The writing style is excellent. It feels like your middle-aged neighbor is talking about his long-ago exploits. There are plenty of secrets from Coscarelli’s films. You can’t ask more from a Hollywood memoir than the story of a True Indie. 5 stars!

Now I just need to watch Phantasm again to truly appreciate the difficulties of filming on the down low with no budget. Okay, I’m back. The author was listed in the credits as the writer, director, cinematographer, and editor. His dad was the producer. Talk about True Indie! It was a much better experience watching the movie knowing some of the filming challenges. On to my favorite film by the author, John Dies at the End.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy.

[Jon Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased my copy of this book used on eBay for the princely sum of $4.87 (and shipping was free!).
Don Coscarelli breaks down the world of independent film making (at least as he experienced it) in the 1970's, 80's, 90's, and into the 21st century. He starts with some biographical background and then plunges straight ahead into the strange world of independent film making, which he entered while still a teenager. The story is broken into many bite-sized vignettes - most chapters are just a couple of pages long. All phases of film making are covered from the perspective of the indie creator struggling to get his inspiration onto celluloid while working outside the Hollywood studio system. Securing filming rights, lining up financing, pre-production planning, casting, filming, special effects, editing, scoring, marketing and distribution - Coscarelli has been in the thick of it all, wearing multiple hats, and lays it out in all its gory details. You have to admire the sheer determination with which he has pursued his creative vision. I enjoyed learning the details of how the flying "shiny sphere of death" in the original "Phantasm" movie was ingeniously filmed on a microscopic budget. I think it would increase the reader's enjoyment of the book to have some familiarity with Coscarelli's filmography (I personally have seen "Phantasm", " The Beastmaster", and "Bubba Ho-tep"). This is not a short book (350 pages) but my interest never flagged. Lastly, I was intrigued to learn that Don Coscarelli's mother, Kate, was a novelist with several titles published. Her books don't look to exactly be "my cup of tea" but I may have to check out one or two.... Four out of five stars.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone had seen BEASTMASTER. Maybe not on purpose, but probably late at night, flipping through the channels, and you just happen to land on... BEASTMASTER. And you watch because, ferrets.
So because of this, you're familiar with Don Coscarelli. Now, thanks to the man's autobiography you can get more familiar with Don Coscarelli.
Don makes it easy to understand his story with clear and concise chapters that are short and easy to read. Thankfully, Don is smart enough to start at the beginning of his life and proceed linearly with few digressions into the mundane complexities and contradictions you might find in a more self-obsessed person.
And what stories Don has to tell... he quickly gets to the good filmmaking stuff with instructive tales of his first couple of movies (STORY OF A TEENAGER and KENNY AND CO), and makes you want to seek out these unavailable titles, before getting into the juicy stories about how PHANTASM and BEASTMASTER came avout.
The writing and descriptions are so good that if you don't think you can make a movie after reading this book, then you should re read this book.
The story is not without tragedy, the demise of the sequel to BUBBA HO TEP is distressing, especially if you liked the original. It comes to a close with a touching piece commemorating the Tall Man from PHANTASM himself, Angus Schrim.
In short, I'll take a piece from the great Joe Bob Briggs, a fan of many of Don' films and say, "Check it out."

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really surprised me! I'm not the biggest fan of Coscarelli, to be honest. I think he's a competent filmmaker, but Phantasm makes no sense and John Dies At The End is a mess. Bubba Ho-Tep is my favorite of his and I haven't seen it in years. I bought this mainly because I'm always interested in how horror directors think and what goes into their films.

True Indie ended up being one of the best filmmaker autobiographies I've ever read, not that I've read a ton. It's not just a memoir, but an instruction booklet on how to make indie films. Every one of his films was filmed under completely different circumstances and he learned new lessons from each one. He seems genuinely humble about the people that he's worked with and met. He only has bad things to say about a couple of people and one of them is a Weinstein, so I'll totally allow it. Most of the folks he describes as "insanely talented" or "absolutely amazing" or something like that. But it never comes off as sucking up. It seems real. And his love and respect for his little filmmaking family (because that's how it feels) is so good to read about in a world so full of disrespect and hatred.

If you've ever had an inkling to make a film, read this book. If you've ever made a film, read this book. Of course, if you love Phantasm, read this book. Don's stories will guide you through your film, your memories, or just your love for a really weird film.

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always appreciated Coscarelli's earnestness and true love of the movies. He has been able to produce some remarkable motion pictures, usually with tiny budgets and no time. In addition to the Phantasm series I grew up watching BeastMaster on cable, and more recently his amazing one-two punch of Bubba Ho-Tep and John Dies at the End. I recommend this book for anyone who loves truly independent, often self-distributed, cinema. Whenever I see Orson Welles documentaries, I'm always a bit flummoxed that all of these famous and wealthy directors who grew up admiring his films didn't throw him a bone when they were at the peak of their fame. I feel the same way about Don Coscarelli. I hope some of these super wealthy young directors who grew up with his films will throw him some money to make the kinds of movies I know he can make.

He is a lovely guy, and this book is a great overview of what it was like trying to make a movie in the late 70s, early 80s and beyond. I am a tough-tough critic, though, and I shaved off a star only because I wanted even more details.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coscarelli's book wins points on earnestness and enthusiasm, plus the nuts and bolts material behind making low-budget horror movies in the 70s is covered with a lot of humorous detail. At the same time, my reader sympathy is lopsided. As a huge fan of decent 70s horror movies, it's hard to respect Coscarelli's childlike wonder at improving explosions or loving sequels and reboots, etc., all in the name of furthering the genre. Truly regrettable is the treatment he receives from distributors, producers, actors (Bruce Campbell) and other liars in Hollywood who don't pay him the respect he deserves. It's still an entertaining book for the stories, and everything is told in a way you hope the director behind the iconic "Phantasm" movies enjoys a happier future. And that he hopefully advances both his style and content. Warning: those predisposed to dislike horror movie conventions or Comic. con in general, the geeky details are here.

[Flora R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don Coscarelli comes off as enormously charming in this memoir of a filmmaking career that spans his first home made films in the 1960s to making a fifth (!!!) Phantasm movie on a shoestring budget in 2016. The book is a great collection of fun anecdotes connected by all the projects he succeeded or failed at making happen over the years. It tends to gloss over anything not fun, but that’s alright. Also, he comes off SO well in this book that I have to suspect he can’t actually be as charming and nice as he presents himself, but that’s just skepticism talking, not any particular knowledge. The book is filled with wild independent film making stories that made me smile and laugh. Frankly, I’m considering working my way through his whole filmography just for fun!

For what it’s worth, I don’t think you need to be a huge horror fan or a Phantasm fan to read and enjoy this, but it really recommend seeing the first movie in general and before reading this book in particular.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read, but Coscarelli is certainly not a literary genius. So why did I persist in reading this memoir? Coscarelli is a horror movie specialist, yet when I Googled "100 Best Horror Movies of all Time" I found no Coscarelli's listed. Of the "100 Best," the only one I'd ever seen was Rosemary's Baby; it's not a Coscarelli. Too, before reading this book, I'd never heard of him as a movie director or producer. Though literary zing is absent, the book is informative. I learn a lot about the ins and outs of movie production: his initial youthful naiveté, his run-ins with studio unions, how flaws become magnified before audiences, how tough it is to find funds to make a film (sometimes even with people without $$$$!), how action must be intricately choreographed, how he bounces off audience rejections, etc. He tells his career stories in an engaging and conversational way; not enticing enough, though, to persuade me to watch his or any other horror film.

[Paul Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don Coscarelli is a name I’ve heard of plenty, but his movies are basically a blank to me because I can’t stand the horror genre. The main reason I picked up this book was Bubba Ho-Tep, and having read Bruce Campbell’s version of events, it was fascinating to see it from the other side, so to speak.
This is one of those rare books where you feel like you’re sitting with the author, listening to his stories over lunch, much the way he describes meeting filmmakers when he was young, name-dropping Coppola, Cage, and most importantly Trumbull. It’s just fun, especially if you have any interest in how movies are made. All the more exciting when it’s low budget; gives young filmmakers hope. But at the end he cautions that things are harder than ever for indies, even though production costs have plummeted.
Lots of fun fascinating stories, but ends with the death of one of the main actors.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only served to inspire my creative pursuits, but also allowed myself a different perspective on hardships. Even those of us that find success time and time again, we may often still find hurdles to overcome, and barriers to break.

Succeeding does not guarantee future success. It certainly helps, but Don Conscarelli's True Indie reveals that even works that we view and cherish with such passion were forced to endure through such bombardments of interference, lack of faith, and unforeseeable circumstance . Through these obstacles, Don details the workarounds, the bonds created, and the risks undertaken by those who truly believed in a creative vision.

For aspiring filmmakers, movie buffs, and any kind of creative, I do strongly recommend you read this book. I'm sure you'll find some nuggets of inspiration, and if not, ignore and find motivation to discover your own path.

[Alexander Veee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When I was fifteen years old I experienced what turned out for me to be a profound dream. This odd nightmare found me trapped inside a maze of immense, never-ending corridors, unable to find my way out. High in the corner of one of the corridors there was a CLUNK and a WHOOSH, and a chrome sphere, about five inches in diameter, appeared and zoomed toward me. I ran. And ran. And as this strange orb hurtled toward me, it suddenly evaporated. I slowed to a walk, then again heard the CLUNK and WHOOOSH and spotted another chrome orb jetting toward me. I was terrified. Again I ran. As the ball neared, I could feel it touching the back of my neck, and I suddenly awoke to find myself safe in my bed."

[Collin Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly fascinating account of Cascarelli’s career, this just goes to show that horror is a genre that brings people together. It’s a community as much as it is a genre. Truly interesting, if a bit too long winded at parts. It’s also pretty honest about just how tedious and frustrating film making can be. The late chapter about angus scrim’s passing was beautiful too.

Between this and If Chins Could Kill, indie horror is quickly becoming my favorite topic of non fiction. The ingenuity involved even in a mediocre horror movie is often insane.

Only other big complaint is that he sure does love his positive adjectives. I get it, you don’t want to rub anyones name in the mud, but would anyone really describe the house on haunted hill remake as excellently directed??

[John “Hoss” · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m just finishing this book today, so please forgive my gushing fan-boy cries when I say that this is by far one of my favorite reads this year! Don Coscarelli is one of my favorite horror directors and artistic forces. His movies are incredible and made huge impacts on me. After finishing this book his impact on me has grown stronger. I appreciate his films, his integrity to making a great movie, and overall how to overcome obstacles in order to tell a story in the way he saw best. If you’re a fan as well I’m sure you’re reading or have already read the book. If not then buy it, read it, and enjoy it! Thanks for this amazing book Mr. Coscarelli!

[Blair Hoyle]

A really insightful, honest, and charming pseudo-biography from indie film stalwart Don Coscarelli. I'm a fan of a lot of Coscarelli's work, and True Indie has been on my to-read list for years now. What a read!

I had the opportunity to meet Angus Scrimm on a few occasions at film festivals over the years, and he was always such a nice, warm dude who was more eager to talk about recent independent films he was a fan of than his own legendary career. Even through our brief interactions, it was clear to me that he was a real gem of a human. I loved reading Coascarelli's beautiful tribute to him in the final chapters of True Indie.