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Polanski
This in-depth examination of one of Hollywood’s most famous, and infamous, directors and stars is utterly absorbing.
Born in Paris to Polish-Jewish parents, Polanski dealt with the terrors of his childhood — including internment in Auschwitz — by creating an elaborate fantasy world in which he lived as a film star. He would go on to become one of the very best and most infamous directors in Hollywood’s history — with a backlist that includes Repulsion; Rosemary’s Baby; Macbeth; Chinatown; Tess; Frantic and, more recently, the Oscar– and Golden Globe–winning The Pianist. Yet it is within his personal life that the most dramatic story unfolds.
In August, 1969, his wife Sharon Tate, eight months pregnant, and seven of the couple’s friends were butchered by the Manson family. Polanski, the intended target, was in Paris at the time. Then, eight years later, he was arrested by LA police on charges of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He fled the country and has since lived in exile in Paris. Polanski’s latest film was the hit Oliver Twist and, it is rumoured, he promises to follow it with his long-awaited version of the Tate killings. Both projects, dealing with child exploitation and murder, can only fuel the controversy that surrounds him.
This biography is the first chance his fans and detractors have had to read about him in real depth. It reveals the brilliant creativity, talent, self-destruction, sex, drugs and wild excesses, with names and stories told for the first time.
Born in Paris to Polish-Jewish parents, Polanski dealt with the terrors of his childhood — including internment in Auschwitz — by creating an elaborate fantasy world in which he lived as a film star. He would go on to become one of the very best and most infamous directors in Hollywood’s history — with a backlist that includes Repulsion; Rosemary’s Baby; Macbeth; Chinatown; Tess; Frantic and, more recently, the Oscar– and Golden Globe–winning The Pianist. Yet it is within his personal life that the most dramatic story unfolds.
In August, 1969, his wife Sharon Tate, eight months pregnant, and seven of the couple’s friends were butchered by the Manson family. Polanski, the intended target, was in Paris at the time. Then, eight years later, he was arrested by LA police on charges of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He fled the country and has since lived in exile in Paris. Polanski’s latest film was the hit Oliver Twist and, it is rumoured, he promises to follow it with his long-awaited version of the Tate killings. Both projects, dealing with child exploitation and murder, can only fuel the controversy that surrounds him.
This biography is the first chance his fans and detractors have had to read about him in real depth. It reveals the brilliant creativity, talent, self-destruction, sex, drugs and wild excesses, with names and stories told for the first time.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Sandford
83 books28 followersChristopher Sandford has published acclaimed biographies of Kurt Cobain, Steve McQueen, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, and Roman Polanski. He has worked as a film and music writer and reviewer for over 20 years and frequently contributes to newspapers and magazines on both sides of the Atlantic. Rolling Stone has called him "the preeminent author in his field today."
His latest project, MASTERS OF MYSTERY (forthcoming November 2011, Palgrave Macmillan) explores Arthur Conan Doyle's and Harry Houdini's incredible friendship and fascination with Spiritualism.
His latest project, MASTERS OF MYSTERY (forthcoming November 2011, Palgrave Macmillan) explores Arthur Conan Doyle's and Harry Houdini's incredible friendship and fascination with Spiritualism.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 3, 2012
Ah, it had EVERYTHING one could want in a memoir...
A crazy childhood during an historic period.
Nazi's - never boring.
Suffering and homelessness.
Alternative art.
International locations.
Drugs. It was the 70's...
Creative success.
Famous friends doing really odd things.
Dramatic love affairs.
Cults.
Murders organised by a psychopath.
Illicit sexual acts.
Hiding out from the law.
And... International Fame.
HOW. CAN. YOU. GO. WRONG???
A crazy childhood during an historic period.
Nazi's - never boring.
Suffering and homelessness.
Alternative art.
International locations.
Drugs. It was the 70's...
Creative success.
Famous friends doing really odd things.
Dramatic love affairs.
Cults.
Murders organised by a psychopath.
Illicit sexual acts.
Hiding out from the law.
And... International Fame.
HOW. CAN. YOU. GO. WRONG???
Read
January 20, 2012If I had to live through what Roman Polanski saw I would be a different person.
March 8, 2011
Well-written biography that occasionally veers into hero worship (about Polanski's filmmaking) but is brutally honest about the other parts of his life (growing up in WW2 Poland, his inveterate womanizing, the death of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family, his "date rape" of a 13 yr old girl, etc.).
November 23, 2011
Sub-par rehash of public records and archived interviews. Merely a reassembly of old data, Sandford brings nothing to the party, save an endless stream of "x refused to be interviewed for this book." A snooze.
September 18, 2012
Ewwwwwwww.
May 6, 2018
Um dos livros mais interessantes que já li, porém com vários pequenos detalhes que estragaram um pouco da leitura, pra mim.
O autor pesquisa extensivamente a vida do diretor, da infância aos acontecimentos mais recentes, e a narrativa tem uma boa escrita, embora, na minha opinião, pudesse ter sido melhor organizada. Também apreciei cuidado do autor em se ater aos fatos o máximo possível, mesmo tendo que, em alguns casos, contradizer o próprio Polanski em sua autobiografia ou em suas aparições na impressa.
A carreira cinematográfica é ampla e cronologicamente relatada, e interessante do começo ao fim; mesmo não me considerando fã do diretor (que me chamou a atenção basicamente por ter dirigido um dos meus filmes preferidos, "O Pianista"), me vi subitamente curiosa por alguns de seus outros trabalhos.
O relato sobre Sharon Tate foi absolutamente respeitoso, na minha opinião, e o autor não poupou críticas ao circo da mídia ao redor da tragédia, que vemos frequentemente até nos dias atuais. Ao retratar o inferno pelo qual Polanski teve que atravessar, em um dos piores momentos da sua vida pessoal, é impossível não se solidarizar com o diretor.
Os problemas, porém, começam quando os relatos de abuso começam. Senti que em vários momentos, Sandford meio que justifica, usando até mesmo as palavras de Polanski, os abusos cometidos, às vezes culpando a vítima, e até sugerindo que a "mentalidade puritana" seria a culpada pela punição esperada, já que na Europa isso "jamais aconteceria". Não sei mais quando ou que tem que acontecer para que entre na percepção de todos, de uma vez por todas, de que Não é Não e que sexo com menores de idade é, sim, estupro, não importa se há dinheiro ou fama ou carreira profissional na história.
Dito isso, não poderia em sã consciência recomendar essa leitura.
O autor pesquisa extensivamente a vida do diretor, da infância aos acontecimentos mais recentes, e a narrativa tem uma boa escrita, embora, na minha opinião, pudesse ter sido melhor organizada. Também apreciei cuidado do autor em se ater aos fatos o máximo possível, mesmo tendo que, em alguns casos, contradizer o próprio Polanski em sua autobiografia ou em suas aparições na impressa.
A carreira cinematográfica é ampla e cronologicamente relatada, e interessante do começo ao fim; mesmo não me considerando fã do diretor (que me chamou a atenção basicamente por ter dirigido um dos meus filmes preferidos, "O Pianista"), me vi subitamente curiosa por alguns de seus outros trabalhos.
O relato sobre Sharon Tate foi absolutamente respeitoso, na minha opinião, e o autor não poupou críticas ao circo da mídia ao redor da tragédia, que vemos frequentemente até nos dias atuais. Ao retratar o inferno pelo qual Polanski teve que atravessar, em um dos piores momentos da sua vida pessoal, é impossível não se solidarizar com o diretor.
Os problemas, porém, começam quando os relatos de abuso começam. Senti que em vários momentos, Sandford meio que justifica, usando até mesmo as palavras de Polanski, os abusos cometidos, às vezes culpando a vítima, e até sugerindo que a "mentalidade puritana" seria a culpada pela punição esperada, já que na Europa isso "jamais aconteceria". Não sei mais quando ou que tem que acontecer para que entre na percepção de todos, de uma vez por todas, de que Não é Não e que sexo com menores de idade é, sim, estupro, não importa se há dinheiro ou fama ou carreira profissional na história.
Dito isso, não poderia em sã consciência recomendar essa leitura.
April 15, 2019
DNF - 50%
É uma biografia ok. Foi a primeira experiência com biografias que tive e gostei e não gostei. Gostei por saber a vida de uma pessoa tão famosa e as dificuldades da sua infância durante um período da história tão sombrio. Acho que só estava interessada em saber sobre o caso de Sharon Tate, e me mantive entretida no livro até então e depois desse ponto, esse livro parou de me interessar. Principalmente por o autor detalhar tanto algumas coisas que não são de importância para mim, ou não prendem a minha atenção.
Li metade do livro e me sinto muito bem com isso, não vejo necessidade de ler a outra metade, da qual não assuntos que me interessam pelo que passei o olho por cima. Prefiro para por aqui tendo gostado do livro o tanto que gostei, do que me "forçar" a terminar e e ficar com uma má impressão.
Outra coisa que me incomodou no livro, particularmente da edição brasileira, foi o prefácio do José Wilker, do qual não acrescentou NADA ao livro, achei COMPLETAMENTE desnecessário e até tira um pouco a vontade de ler.
É uma biografia ok. Foi a primeira experiência com biografias que tive e gostei e não gostei. Gostei por saber a vida de uma pessoa tão famosa e as dificuldades da sua infância durante um período da história tão sombrio. Acho que só estava interessada em saber sobre o caso de Sharon Tate, e me mantive entretida no livro até então e depois desse ponto, esse livro parou de me interessar. Principalmente por o autor detalhar tanto algumas coisas que não são de importância para mim, ou não prendem a minha atenção.
Li metade do livro e me sinto muito bem com isso, não vejo necessidade de ler a outra metade, da qual não assuntos que me interessam pelo que passei o olho por cima. Prefiro para por aqui tendo gostado do livro o tanto que gostei, do que me "forçar" a terminar e e ficar com uma má impressão.
Outra coisa que me incomodou no livro, particularmente da edição brasileira, foi o prefácio do José Wilker, do qual não acrescentou NADA ao livro, achei COMPLETAMENTE desnecessário e até tira um pouco a vontade de ler.
April 11, 2019
I haven’t read Polanski’s actual autobiography but I imagine this is probably more accurate seeing as the author clearly doesn’t think much of “that” particular episode of the directors life.
Regardless, Polanski’s has a very interesting life even if he gets a bit too much credit for an uneven filmmaking career.
Regardless, Polanski’s has a very interesting life even if he gets a bit too much credit for an uneven filmmaking career.
September 12, 2018
I really adore Polanski’s films. As a person, he is obviously not always great or good, but I enjoyed reading about his life, despite the book sometimes being a bit boring. No one should have to go through what he did as a child during World War II, nor when his wife was murdered in 1969.
January 7, 2018
Impressionada com a dedicação de Sandford. Envolveu carta ao Manson, contato com o FBI... Para quem começou a ler biografias agora - que é o meu caso - é um começo muito incentivador.
March 16, 2018
Автор проделал колоссальную работу по сбору и сопоставлению абсолютно всех фактов (а их в жизни-роллеркостере Полански набралось просто миллион) и оформил все это в легкий и динамичный текст.
January 11, 2021
Very interesting and revealing book about the life of Roman Polanski.
August 6, 2021
INTERESTUT SLOW AT TIMES OF ONE OF THE MOST CNTROVERSIAL FILM DIRECTORS OF ALL TIME.
November 17, 2025
Książka mniej ukazuje Polańskiego jako człowieka, bardziej skupia się na jego filmach. Wolałabym więcej wątków prywatnych.
February 10, 2012
This is a fairly pedestrian biography covering Polanski's life, without much new or insightful, or even any literary flair that could have given it some much-needed energy. The author claims to have spoken to a lot of people for this volume, including several Polanski "insiders" who declined to be named on the Acknowledgements page. Unfortunately, in what seems to be a common modern error with living biographical subjects, he has neglected to speak with his subject directly, who he says declined to be interviewed. This oversight robs the book of any real authenticity, and we are left with a string of Polanksi quotes and anecdotes which, since nobody's memory is quite so accurate, especially over the long periods of time involved, must have been often gleaned from the popular press - a source which both Polanski and his biographer agree has been consistently unreliable in reporting the details of his life.
Keeping to this theme, Sandford lost all credibility when he reported that Polanski's 1967 film The Fearless Vampire Killers was a cult hit in Iceland. He then proceeded to quote its local title there in Finnish - highly unlikely since Icelandic is an old version of Danish and from a completely different language family to Finnish. I thought at first that "Iceland" was a typographical error, until he mentioned the 1968 Reykjavik Film Festival. Maybe he thought his mostly monolingual American readers wouldn't care what foreign language he used here, but if he couldn't be bothered finding out its correct title in Icelandic, then perhaps he was similarly lax in checking other facts. Sandford also has an irritating habit of jumping around in his chronology, so that he might suddenly leap forward several years, anticipating the consequences of some event, or do the same thing in reverse, instead of progressing in a more logical and easy-to-follow fashion from year to year. Overall, quite a disappointment.
Keeping to this theme, Sandford lost all credibility when he reported that Polanski's 1967 film The Fearless Vampire Killers was a cult hit in Iceland. He then proceeded to quote its local title there in Finnish - highly unlikely since Icelandic is an old version of Danish and from a completely different language family to Finnish. I thought at first that "Iceland" was a typographical error, until he mentioned the 1968 Reykjavik Film Festival. Maybe he thought his mostly monolingual American readers wouldn't care what foreign language he used here, but if he couldn't be bothered finding out its correct title in Icelandic, then perhaps he was similarly lax in checking other facts. Sandford also has an irritating habit of jumping around in his chronology, so that he might suddenly leap forward several years, anticipating the consequences of some event, or do the same thing in reverse, instead of progressing in a more logical and easy-to-follow fashion from year to year. Overall, quite a disappointment.
April 17, 2013
I think this is more than I ever needed to know about Roman Polanski.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews