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Robin Williams, American Master: The Movies and Art of a Lost Genius
A comprehensive guide to all of Robin Williams’s movies, with facts about plots, performances, and cast, as well as notable trivia and behind-the-scenes details about each film.
Did you know that, according to director Chris Columbus, Robin Williams improvised so much during the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire that the studio had enough footage to release PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 versions of the movie? Or that Robin ad-libbed all his lines in Good Morning, Vietnam because the DJ the movie was based on didn’t really do comedy during his shows?
Robin Williams, American Master looks at Robin’s seventy movies, from his earliest appearance in Can I Do It…’Til I Need Glasses? to his final posthumous voice-only appearance in Absolutely Anything .
Each film is discussed in detail, with special emphasis on Robin’s performances and how they exist in the context of his entire body of work.
Robin Williams, American Master is the perfect tour guide through Robin’s epic collection of cinematic genius.
Did you know that, according to director Chris Columbus, Robin Williams improvised so much during the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire that the studio had enough footage to release PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 versions of the movie? Or that Robin ad-libbed all his lines in Good Morning, Vietnam because the DJ the movie was based on didn’t really do comedy during his shows?
Robin Williams, American Master looks at Robin’s seventy movies, from his earliest appearance in Can I Do It…’Til I Need Glasses? to his final posthumous voice-only appearance in Absolutely Anything .
Each film is discussed in detail, with special emphasis on Robin’s performances and how they exist in the context of his entire body of work.
Robin Williams, American Master is the perfect tour guide through Robin’s epic collection of cinematic genius.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published December 8, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 9, 2021
More of a review guide than a contextual thesis about Robin Williams, I was disappointed in the analytical thinness for each film in Robin’s filmography. However, I was turned on to a few titles I did not know he appeared in, and I look forward to viewing them.
March 13, 2023
One of the most poorly written books I have ever read. At times his recaps are word for word recitals or the critics reviews. I got the book hoping for some insightful anecdotes about Robin Williams from some of his films and was utterly disappointed by what was provided.
January 12, 2021
This one felt like a super long essay. Not much was noteworthy. It was repetitive and boring and felt like a drag to get through.
December 4, 2021
It gets a 3 star review simply because it is Robin Williams. If it were just for the author... 0-1 stars.
April 4, 2022
Did not love. Unnecessary. There is so much written about Robin Williams that is more meaty that I don't know why this book was ever attempted. It doesn't say anything new or interesting.
October 19, 2024
Moving
Given the context of Robin’s tragic death, I found most of this book quite moving. His suicide, and the illness that was later revealed as a major contributing factor, are openly discussed at the beginning, and throughout. This allows the reader (listener) to reflect and process this context. Great job of writing about so many movies… even though I had not seen many of them, it did not take away from appreciating these. RIP Robin.
Given the context of Robin’s tragic death, I found most of this book quite moving. His suicide, and the illness that was later revealed as a major contributing factor, are openly discussed at the beginning, and throughout. This allows the reader (listener) to reflect and process this context. Great job of writing about so many movies… even though I had not seen many of them, it did not take away from appreciating these. RIP Robin.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews