The Cannon Film Guide Volume II

by Austin Trunick

“Trunick’s Guide . . . will sit comfortably on reference shelves next to Michael J. Weldon’s Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film and Danny Peary’s Cult Movies books.” – Spectrum Culture

"The Cannon Film Guide is a treasure trove of info for Golan/Globus fans. Even diehard Cannon scholars will learn from this tome.” – Paul Talbot, author of the Bronson’s Loose! books

The unbelievable story of the legendary 1980s B-movie studio continues in The Cannon Film Guide Volume II, which covers the company’s output from 1985 to 1987, their peak production years under Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. This book takes an up-close look at sixty Cannon movies, from deep cuts to cult classics, including American Ninja, The Delta Force, Over the Top, Invasion USA, Masters of the Universe, Runaway Train, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, King Solomon’s Mines, Lifeforce, Superman The Quest for Peace, and many more. With hundreds of photos and more than forty interviews with Cannon directors, writers, and stars, this is an indispensable reference book for fans of the VHS era’s wildest production company.

“For students of film history—of which the Cannon saga has been a largely unexplored chapter—fans of exploitation filmmaking and B-movies, and aficionados of cult cinema, The Cannon Film Guide is likely to be an essential addition to your bookshelf.” – Den of Geek

Genres: Media Tie In

1284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2022

Reviews

[Joe Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the peak years of Cannon Films, presented with 40+ interviews with actors, stunt people, directors, and others! Austin has one-upped himself with this second volume in his Cannon trilogy. An absolute must-read for any '80s film fan!

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Austin Trunick takes a look at the studio’s incredible history in his book The Cannon Film Guide , a study in the origins and early hits of the studio. Trunick returns with the follow-up The Cannon Film Guide: Volume II 1985 – 1987, the second installment in a proposed trilogy of books following the rise and fall of a Hollywood dream. This middle chapter finds Golan and Globus in top form with a full slate of titles in production. From 1985 – 1987 they would release more than sixty pictures. The author thoroughly covers each film in individual chapters presented in chronological order by release date. His plot synopses are frequently hysterical as he recaps the batshit nature of these flicks, and his behind-the-scenes trivia is thorough and fascinating. The ambitious number of movies produced in this time frame makes it impossible to cover more than brief highlights in this review, as the book is nearly one thousand pages long!

You can read Robert's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[I.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A massive look at Cannon’s peak years this does a great job at talking about the movies and the stories behind them. It’ll make you want to rewatch a few, track down a few more, and reevaluate a few others. Great stuff. Bring on volume 3!

[Brad Shellady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great volume!

I loved both these books from beginning to end. For those of us who grew up with
Cannon this is a treasure trove of nostalgia. Rush out and get them.

[John Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book cataloguing the Golan/Globus Cannon movies, and it's quite good. There are movies in here that I never realised were made by Cannon.

Now I want to locate a copy of Vol. 3.