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From Rufio to Zuko: Lost Boys Edition
From Rufio to Zuko is a personal examination of the upbringing, culture, and work of Dante Basco. Basco ruminates on the formative power of his Filipino-American heritage, his family, the dynamics that evolved throughout his career, and his experiences behind playing a couple of America's most popular characters.
118 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 13, 2020
I never say this about any book, but I wish this one was longer.
This book is a short memoir of your cult favorite. I grew up seeing him in Hook and he was truly the first person in a movie that I ever recognized as Filipino, like me. And now my kids know him from Avatar. It's an easy, comforting read and you'll finish it in one day.
Most of the book is a lovefest for his family, for the legendary actors he's worked with, and his mentors, which was honestly refreshing. He hints at a lot of meaty stuff throughout the book -- an abusive acting coach, a stint in Scientology, his sister wanting to break free from the family for a little while, the end of a long term relationship -- and I wish he'd gone deeper into those things, but it was obvious that these were very personal and this wasn't meant to be a juicy tell-all. And I really loved that about this memoir; he's self aware and socially aware, and he is really mindful of his impact in Hollywood and in the Asian American community.
This book is a short memoir of your cult favorite. I grew up seeing him in Hook and he was truly the first person in a movie that I ever recognized as Filipino, like me. And now my kids know him from Avatar. It's an easy, comforting read and you'll finish it in one day.
Most of the book is a lovefest for his family, for the legendary actors he's worked with, and his mentors, which was honestly refreshing. He hints at a lot of meaty stuff throughout the book -- an abusive acting coach, a stint in Scientology, his sister wanting to break free from the family for a little while, the end of a long term relationship -- and I wish he'd gone deeper into those things, but it was obvious that these were very personal and this wasn't meant to be a juicy tell-all. And I really loved that about this memoir; he's self aware and socially aware, and he is really mindful of his impact in Hollywood and in the Asian American community.
February 20, 2020
My Fil-Am King! I was 10 when the movie “Hook” came out, but I still remember how enamored I was when Rufio (Rufio, Ru-fi-oooooooo) made his bold entrance onto the screen. He was so badass, he was so swoon-inducing, he was so ...Filipino! -like me! Whenever a Filipino face graced the movie screen, which didn’t happen often, I took notice. And it was Dante Basco and Ernie Reyes Jr. who became childhood heroes that I adhered to- and still make me swell with fangirlism and pride to this day. —How beside myself with joy was I when I read in this book that Dante and Ernie are friends???
This memoir is such a quick and casual read. But, it is a huge insight into what the Hollywood experience was and is like for someone making first steps for the Asian American community (and specifically the Filipino-American community) in the world of entertainment. In addition to being a cult favorite and taking part in more films and iconic roles than I was aware of, Dante is also consciously making strides toward assisting others in the Asian American community to have a stronger presence and voice in film and the arts.
This book was surprisingly encouraging, inspiring, and hopeful in addition to being an honest and somewhat vulnerable telling of Dante’s personal story.
I just wish it was longer (and had less typos)!
Dante hints at another book in the future. So, one can hope for more content to come.
Bangarang!
This memoir is such a quick and casual read. But, it is a huge insight into what the Hollywood experience was and is like for someone making first steps for the Asian American community (and specifically the Filipino-American community) in the world of entertainment. In addition to being a cult favorite and taking part in more films and iconic roles than I was aware of, Dante is also consciously making strides toward assisting others in the Asian American community to have a stronger presence and voice in film and the arts.
This book was surprisingly encouraging, inspiring, and hopeful in addition to being an honest and somewhat vulnerable telling of Dante’s personal story.
I just wish it was longer (and had less typos)!
Dante hints at another book in the future. So, one can hope for more content to come.
Bangarang!
August 15, 2020
I have a lot of respect for Dante Basco and his work. He's an excellent public speaker, too. But this book fell flat for me because I had expected more of an autobiography and got more of a personal philosophy with vague anecdotes. The book is written in a stream of consciousness style that speaks to Basco's talents as a poet, but doesn't create a story so much as a mood.
January 20, 2020
This book was amazing, Dante's story of how he became a child actor and also early in life
he and his brothers were a famous break dance group, and so much more instilled in their lives
from a young age that made them what he is today.
Got to read this book.
Elena Carpenter
he and his brothers were a famous break dance group, and so much more instilled in their lives
from a young age that made them what he is today.
Got to read this book.
Elena Carpenter
March 24, 2021
I loved this book. I even went to the book signing in NYC to meet Dante Basco. It was amazing.
Read
November 19, 2019No star rating.
Biography.
Read in 1 day. Interesting, but not very in depth about any time period or project in particular. The most detail came when talking about Hook and being mentored by Dustin Hoffman and personal thoughts on the Rufio look. I loved that section! But I couldn't help being slightly disappointed at the lack of detail in the other chapters. I remember thinking when the Avatar section was discussed that I wished the craziness and cult fandom were discussed more. Like, specific stories or funny moments. And then later on in the final thoughts chapter, being told how much of a struggle it all was, how hard he is on himself. None of that was expanded on in the book! I guess I just wish it were longer. The only bit that rubbed me the wrong way was when he said he didn't know what he'd do if someone walked up to him at a con wearing a MAGA hat.... the poetic sections were interesting and different than other biographies I've read, but I guess I didn't connect with the poetry aspect. Just not my thing.
Biography.
Read in 1 day. Interesting, but not very in depth about any time period or project in particular. The most detail came when talking about Hook and being mentored by Dustin Hoffman and personal thoughts on the Rufio look. I loved that section! But I couldn't help being slightly disappointed at the lack of detail in the other chapters. I remember thinking when the Avatar section was discussed that I wished the craziness and cult fandom were discussed more. Like, specific stories or funny moments. And then later on in the final thoughts chapter, being told how much of a struggle it all was, how hard he is on himself. None of that was expanded on in the book! I guess I just wish it were longer. The only bit that rubbed me the wrong way was when he said he didn't know what he'd do if someone walked up to him at a con wearing a MAGA hat.... the poetic sections were interesting and different than other biographies I've read, but I guess I didn't connect with the poetry aspect. Just not my thing.
February 29, 2020
4.75/5 STARS
I LOVED this book!
It was an honor and pleasure to meet Dante Basco and read his book. From the very beginning, his work in V.O. and in child acting has influenced my childhood. Also being Filipino American, his book resonates with me more than any other memoir has.
His personality and upbringing are very similar to mine which made it so relatable. But what I think I loved most was his passion for more Asian representation in art and cinema. He speaks with his heart and you can hear it in his words.
My only super tiny critique were the few typos toward the end of the book. It was his first run of books and can easily be fixed in republication. There weren't enough mistakes to warrant the loss of a full star, hence my .75 star rating.
I highly recommend this for lovers of his work but also for those who wish to support a fellow Filipino American.
I LOVED this book!
It was an honor and pleasure to meet Dante Basco and read his book. From the very beginning, his work in V.O. and in child acting has influenced my childhood. Also being Filipino American, his book resonates with me more than any other memoir has.
His personality and upbringing are very similar to mine which made it so relatable. But what I think I loved most was his passion for more Asian representation in art and cinema. He speaks with his heart and you can hear it in his words.
My only super tiny critique were the few typos toward the end of the book. It was his first run of books and can easily be fixed in republication. There weren't enough mistakes to warrant the loss of a full star, hence my .75 star rating.
I highly recommend this for lovers of his work but also for those who wish to support a fellow Filipino American.
January 2, 2021
Really loved this. I have a much greater appreciation for Dante Basco now; who he is, what his life and experiences have been like. In my mind, he has gone from the actor of two favorite beloved characters to an active, positive force for youth and minorities in the arts. I'm grateful to have learned about his extensive contributions to the arts and film community, his goals for the future, and his interests in fostering the successes of the next generation. If you love anything he has ever been in, if you are interested in poetry, diversity in Hollywood, the minority experience in America, or the Asian film industry, read this...you won't be disappointed. I feel like it would be an excellent read to be assigned for classes of many subjects (Asian lit, theater, etc.).
April 2, 2020
You know what I wish? Well let's get to that:
My only other wish (the first one being that I wanted it to be longer) regarding this novel was that there was an Audible version for me to listen to his soothing voice. I'm sure they'll make that option available in the future, because I think everyone will agree that we all need it. As an introductory view into his resume experiences, this is an awesome book. I definitely want a followup that goes even more in depth into some of the encounters he teases us with in the book. He definitely brought up an angle that I never would have thought of left to my own devices. This is definitely a celebrity book that you want to read.
My only other wish (the first one being that I wanted it to be longer) regarding this novel was that there was an Audible version for me to listen to his soothing voice. I'm sure they'll make that option available in the future, because I think everyone will agree that we all need it. As an introductory view into his resume experiences, this is an awesome book. I definitely want a followup that goes even more in depth into some of the encounters he teases us with in the book. He definitely brought up an angle that I never would have thought of left to my own devices. This is definitely a celebrity book that you want to read.
January 4, 2021
This is a fairly bad memoir.
Dante himself even states that he works more with poetry than prose, and if you imagine all of these essays as spoken-word pieces pouring out of that husky voice in a poetry lounge somewhere, then they're much more successful. But written as they are-- circuitous, repetitive, riddled with grammatical errors so dire they even make a few sentences unintelligible-- this book drags, even with its very short page count.
If this wasn't Dante Basco himself and just some random writer, I'd probably knock another star off, but he is interesting enough to compel readers forward, and that essay at the very end may just be worth it.
Dante himself even states that he works more with poetry than prose, and if you imagine all of these essays as spoken-word pieces pouring out of that husky voice in a poetry lounge somewhere, then they're much more successful. But written as they are-- circuitous, repetitive, riddled with grammatical errors so dire they even make a few sentences unintelligible-- this book drags, even with its very short page count.
If this wasn't Dante Basco himself and just some random writer, I'd probably knock another star off, but he is interesting enough to compel readers forward, and that essay at the very end may just be worth it.
November 29, 2019
Rounding up from 3.75 stars. I liked the voice of this book and the attention that he brought to being a FilAm - a person if color - in a very white industry, and I really enjoyed the poetry he included. But I wish he had gone into more depth. For example: a family issue was brought up and repeated a few times throughout the book, but we were never given the details of the struggle, how it began or what the issue even was. We never explored it, or learned how it was eventually resolved. I'll echo another reviewer by saying that I just wish there was more.
January 16, 2020
I loved this!!
Found out that Dante is in so much more than I even knew! Shocked to find out that he is the guy in A Goofy Movie that shouts "YO, STACY!!! TALK TO ME, TALK TO ME, TALK TO ME, BA-BYYY!!" Love that line!
The chapter on Hook was very touching. He didn't even talk about Robin Williams that much and what he did have to say about him brought me to tears. Also loved finding out new details about one of my favorite movies from his perspective.
If you're a fan of Dante, or even just him as Rufio, then this is one you should check out!
Found out that Dante is in so much more than I even knew! Shocked to find out that he is the guy in A Goofy Movie that shouts "YO, STACY!!! TALK TO ME, TALK TO ME, TALK TO ME, BA-BYYY!!" Love that line!
The chapter on Hook was very touching. He didn't even talk about Robin Williams that much and what he did have to say about him brought me to tears. Also loved finding out new details about one of my favorite movies from his perspective.
If you're a fan of Dante, or even just him as Rufio, then this is one you should check out!
December 19, 2020
This autobiography felt more like a sampler than a full narrative. Mr. Basco kept mentioning important moments but then never fully addressed them and left them more as side notes and afterthoughts. I understand valuing privacy, especially when the event involved other people, but then perhaps an autobiography was not the best book to write.
It was fascinating to read Mr. Basco’s experience and opinions on race and Hollywood.
It was fascinating to read Mr. Basco’s experience and opinions on race and Hollywood.
January 17, 2020
rating a memoir is fucking weird, and i want to make it clear that i'm not like rating dante's life story. i'm rating how amazing and inspirational this book is to me on a personal level, and as a writer.
November 14, 2020
I love the author and it was great to get a glimpse into his life. Maybe I'm being greedy, but it felt like he was holding back on a lot. It felt like the highlights version of the actual biography.... But again, maybe I'm just greedy.
February 1, 2022
3.5 stars.
I knew Dante Basco was Rufio and Zuko but there is so much to him than some of my favourite characters. He is human and he has a life and sometimes a look into someone's life is the reminder we need that everyone is human, not just those close to us.
I knew Dante Basco was Rufio and Zuko but there is so much to him than some of my favourite characters. He is human and he has a life and sometimes a look into someone's life is the reminder we need that everyone is human, not just those close to us.
November 9, 2019
I enjoyed it, but I wanted it to be longer and to have photographs. Perhaps in a future edition.
March 5, 2020
It was really great insight into a successful actor that started as a child actor. Glad I got to know more about him as I have always been a fan of his.
March 28, 2023
Dante Basco is cool.
June 23, 2022
Actually got this book signed by Dante Basco when he was in Calgary. I enjoyed reading about his life because he is such a creative and he had many insights about how life works that I really related to.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews