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Shooting Midnight Cowboy
- Art, Sex, Loneliness, Liberation, and the Making of a Dark Classic
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins
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Publisher's summary
A history of the controversial Oscar-winning film that signaled a dramatic shift in American popular culture
The director John Schlesinger’s Darling was nominated for five Academy Awards and introduced the world to the transcendently talented Julie Christie. Suddenly the toast of Hollywood, Schlesinger used his newfound clout to film an expensive Eastmancolor adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd. Expectations were huge, making the movie’s complete critical and commercial failure even more devastating, and Schlesinger suddenly found himself persona non grata in the Hollywood circles he had hoped to join.
Given his recent travails, Schlesinger’s next project seemed doubly daring, bordering on foolish. James Leo Herlihy’s novel Midnight Cowboy, about a Texas hustler trying to survive on the mean streets of 1960s New York, was dark and transgressive. Perhaps something about the book’s unsparing portrait of cultural alienation resonated with him. His decision to film it began one of the unlikelier convergences in cinematic history, centered around a city that seemed, at first glance, as unwelcoming as Herlihy’s novel itself.
Glenn Frankel’s Shooting Midnight Cowboy tells the story of a modern classic that, by all accounts, should never have become one in the first place. The film’s boundary-pushing subject matter - homosexuality, prostitution, sexual assault - earned it an X rating when it first appeared in cinemas in 1969. For Midnight Cowboy, Schlesinger - who had never made a film in the United States - enlisted Jerome Hellman, a producer smarting from a failed marriage, and Waldo Salt, a formerly blacklisted screenwriter with a tortured past. The decision to shoot on location in New York, at a time when the city was approaching its gritty nadir, backfired when a sanitation strike filled Manhattan with garbage fires and fears of dysentery.
Much more than a history of Schlesinger’s film, Shooting Midnight Cowboy is an arresting glimpse into the world from which it emerged: a troubled city that nurtured the talents and ambitions of the pioneering Polish cinematographer Adam Holender and the legendary casting director Marion Dougherty, who discovered both Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight and supported them for the roles of Ratso Rizzo and Joe Buck - leading to one of the most intensely moving joint performances ever to appear on screen. We follow Herlihy himself as he moves from the experimental confines of Black Mountain College to the theaters of Broadway, influenced by close relationships with Tennessee Williams and Anaïs Nin, and yet unable to find lasting literary success. By turns madcap and serious, and enriched by interviews with Hoffman, Voight, and others, Shooting Midnight Cowboy is not only the definitive account of the film that unleashed a new wave of innovation in American cinema but also the story of a country (and an industry) beginning to break free from decades of cultural and sexual repression.
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- The Triumph of Broadway
- By: Michael Riedel
- Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The 1990s was a decade of profound change on Broadway. At the dawn of the '90s, the British invasion of Broadway was in full swing, as musical spectacles like Les Miserables, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera dominated the box office. But Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard soon spelled the end of this era and ushered in a new wave of American musicals, beginning with the ascendance of an unlikely show by a struggling writer who reimagined Puccini’s opera La Bohème as the smash Broadway show Rent
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Why Didn’t Michael Riedel Read This Himself?
- By Tallulah on 01-17-22
By: Michael Riedel
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The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock
- An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense
- By: Edward White
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Author Edward White explores the Hitchcock phenomenon - what defines it, how it was invented, what it reveals about the man at its core, and how its legacy continues to shape our cultural world. Illuminating different aspects of Hitchcock's life and work, the book's 12 chapters reveal something fundamental about the man he was and the mythological creature he has become, presenting not just the life Hitchcock lived, but also the various versions of himself that he projected and those projected on his behalf.
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Very Good History of Hitch
- By aaron on 07-31-21
By: Edward White
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You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried
- The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation
- By: Susannah Gora
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The landscape that the Brat Pack memorialized is rich with cultural themes and significance, and has influenced an entire generation who still believe that life always turns out like an '80s movie. You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried takes us back to that era, through Susannah Gora's interviews with key players such as Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy, and John Cusack, and mines all the material from the movies to the music to the way the films were made to show how they helped shape our visions for romance, friendship, society, and success.
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Brings me back to my teenage years! Fantastic Narration! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- By Amazmama on 06-24-22
By: Susannah Gora
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The View from the Bridge
- Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood
- By: Nicholas Meyer
- Narrated by: Nicholas Meyer
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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When Nicholas Meyer was asked to direct the troubled second Star Trek film, he was something less than a true believer. A best-selling author and successful director, he had never been a fan of the TV series. But as he began to ponder the appeal of Kirk, Spock, et al., he realized that their story was a classical nautical adventure yarn transplanted into space and - armed with that insight - set out on his mission: to revitalize Trek.
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Mostly good
- By David W Braddock on 06-07-21
By: Nicholas Meyer
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Made Men
- The Story of Goodfellas
- By: Glenn Kenny
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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When Goodfellas first hit the theaters in 1990, a classic was born. Few could anticipate the unparalleled influence it would have on pop culture, one that would inspire future filmmakers and redefine the gangster picture as we know it today. From the rush of grotesque violence in the opening scene to the iconic hilarity of Joe Pesci’s endlessly quoted “Funny how?” shtick, it’s little wonder the film is widely regarded as a mainstay in contemporary cinema.
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Mostly script-reading and pedantic film criticism
- By Buretto on 09-26-20
By: Glenn Kenny
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Backwards and in Heels
- By: Alicia Malone
- Narrated by: Katherine Littrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Women have been instrumental in the success of American cinema since its very beginning. One of the first people to ever pick up a motion picture camera was a woman, as was the first screenwriter to win two Academy Awards, the inventor of the boom microphone, and the first person to be credited with the title film editor. Throughout the entire history of Hollywood women have been revolutionizing, innovating, and shaping how we make movies. Yet their stories are rarely shared. This is what film reporter Alicia Malone wants to change. Backwards and in Heels tells the history of women in film in a different way.
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Great Book
- By Alfie on 09-27-21
By: Alicia Malone
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The Castle on Sunset
- Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Since 1929, Hollywood’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his 16-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what has happened inside the Chateau’s walls has eluded the public eye - until now.
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Was enjoying it until...
- By leigh on 04-22-20
By: Shawn Levy
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Get Happy
- The Life of Judy Garland
- By: Gerald Clarke
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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She lived at full throttle on stage, screen, and in real life, with highs that made history and lows that finally brought down the curtain at age 47. Judy Garland died over 30 years ago, but no biography has so completely captured her spirit - and demons - until now. From her tumultuous early years as a child performer to her tragic last days, Gerald Clarke reveals the authentic Judy in a biography rich in new detail and unprecedented revelations.
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A good book, but...
- By Donna Deal on 08-27-21
By: Gerald Clarke
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Everybody Thought We Were Crazy
- Dennis Hopper, Brooke Hayward, and 1960s Los Angeles
- By: Mark Rozzo
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Los Angeles in the 1960s: riots in Watts and on the Sunset Strip, wild weekends in Malibu, late nights at The Daisy discotheque, openings at the Ferus Gallery, and the convergence of pop art, rock and roll, and the New Hollywood. At the center of it all, one inspired, improbable, and highly combustible couple—Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward—lived out the emblematic love story of ’60s L.A.
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Wonderful!
- By Rob on 06-07-22
By: Mark Rozzo
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Pictures at a Revolution
- Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
- By: Mark Harris
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the epic human drama behind the making of the five movies nominated for Best Picture in 1967 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate, In the Heat of the Night, Doctor Dolittle, and Bonnie and Clyde - and through them, the larger story of the cultural revolution that transformed Hollywood and America forever.
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Would It Be Too Much To Ask?
- By Casey Keller on 12-31-08
By: Mark Harris
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Steve McQueen
- A Biography
- By: Marc Eliot
- Narrated by: Marc Eliot
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and '70s with now-classics such as The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Bullit, Steve McQueen is renowned as one of the most exciting actors ever to come out of Hollywood. Now, in Steve McQueen: A Biography, best-selling author Marc Eliot gives unique insight into McQueen's life, from his films to his three marriages, many affairs, and struggles with addictions.
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Snooze
- By Cill on 10-27-11
By: Marc Eliot
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American Rebel
- The Life of Clint Eastwood
- By: Marc Eliot
- Narrated by: Marc Eliot
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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From the New York Times best-selling author Marc Eliot comes the definitive biography of one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful actors, producers, and directors in the history of American motion pictures. Marc Eliot examines the ever-exciting, often tumultuous arc of Eastwood's life and career, from his days as a disaffected college dropout, to his rise to fame as the archetypal loner, to his acceptance into the pantheon of the Academy as a multiple Oscar Award winner.
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I learned the hard way.
- By Ty Pritchard on 07-23-10
By: Marc Eliot
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Caddyshack
- The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story
- By: Chris Nashawaty
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Caddyshack is one of the most beloved comedies of all time, a classic snobs vs. slobs story of working-class kids and the white-collar buffoons that make them haul their golf bags in the hot summer sun. It has sex, drugs, and one very memorable candy bar, but the movie we all know and love didn't start out that way, and everyone who made it certainly didn't have the word classic in mind as the cameras were rolling.
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Not Really About Caddyshack Until Hour 5
- By William M. on 07-01-18
By: Chris Nashawaty
What listeners say about Shooting Midnight Cowboy
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-25-22
a mixed bag made worthy by the narrator
The reader of this audible piece is what makes the book and helps wallpaper over the cracks. Authoritative, alive, conversational and deliberate, the narrator keeps the story going along, even when on paper much of it feels misdirected, long-winded or irrelevant. This is a shame. The book is unsure as to whether it wants to deal with the making of the film or a history of LGBT issues in cinema. It tries to do both. And perhaps only succeeds in the directly related midnight cowboy segments. This gives off a feeling of having to dig for the gold. And that is not a good feeling.
That said, the success of the book is certainly the feat it accomplishes in conveying two inspiring points: the day-to-day labor and luck it takes to create a masterpiece and all its attendant risk. Secondly, that Schlesinger for all his initial insecurities is one of the treasures of modern Cinema. Despite my quibbles, the book was ultimately worth it. And those minor concerns could be remedied with a better framing of what the book entails by the publisher / author before you dive in.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Lolly
- 08-14-22
Fantastic!
Everything you want in an audiobook about a great movie. Well edited & performed. Highly recommended.
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- Zackary Sugar
- 10-28-23
Extraordinary Movie/Joyful Time !!!!!
Spent Hours Reflecting Life’s Journey. Brilliant, Real Performances By Dustin & Jon. A Final Special Joy, Having Studied Acting With Jon From Sanford Meisner 60+ Years Ago. Zack Norman
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- ZENSIXTIES
- 07-29-21
Well done. Good insight into all aspects
Glenn Frankel's book about the making of the classic '60s film Midnight Cowboy rises to the occasion and gives an in-depth exploration behind the film, including the lives of the actors, writers, and focuses often on the director John Schlesinger. This is one of my favorite films, being a '60s buff, and this book gives all the details of filming in NYC, Texas, and FLA. It misses a few minor things, such as the opening credits being filmed in New Jersey and Tennessee Williams' cause of death--he repeats the original story that he choked on an eyedrop cap. Not true; he was using an eyedrop cap to take seconal capsules, and ODed on them. Not nitpicking; just setting the record straight.
Anyway we get to know the writer Jim (Jamie) Herlihy who used his movie fortune to explore the underside of the country including the communes at the time. We hear what happened to everyone post Midnight: Dustin had a long successful career until the false charges of Me Too hysteria came to his door. Jon Voight also found big success (both won Oscars), but then sadly went down the rightwing rabbithole ending at the Fascist door of Conald Chump. So sad.
John Schlesinger's legacy is also delved into; for everyone connected to Midnight it was the magnum opus of their careers. The thing is they didn't realize it until it was all over. The filming actually was done earlier than most probably realize: they ended the NYC shoot on July 9th, 1968.
Importantly Frankel correctly points out that Midnight, even though there is a gay undercurrent (Herlihy, Schlesinger and a few others on set were) the relation of Joe and Ricco was not. I.e. the author and director were not pushing that agenda. Just like Edward Albee's play Virginia Woolf was not. I mention that because when someone tried produce it with a 4 man cast, Albee himself shut it down.
But the books big scoop is supposed to be the X rating story. Frankel tears down the original story: that it was simply the MPAA that rated it X and Schlesinger wouldn't budge. Instead MPAA gave it an R and Arthur Krim of
United Artists wanted a second opinion so checked with friend-psychiatrist Aaron Stern, whom had an antigay bias of his profession at the time and recommended the X rating. I mean it was so obvious an R was correct, but as usual the psychologists got it wrong.
Anyway, Midnight was the culmination of 1960s culture and NYC decadence, including Andy Warhol's milieu. Which is another interesting portion: Morrissey's film within a film in which Warhol's "superstars" were paid $25 a day as extras...which was better than Andy's salary of zilch.
Finally the music is really what made the film: Nilsson's Everybody's Talkin' and John Barry's harmonica theme are classics of the era and sets the atmosphere of the whole film. If you doubt the importance of this try to picture Star Wars or Psycho with no music; same principal for Midnight.
If we were to blast a sampling of Earth's top films into space like with did with Pioneer and Voyager, I'd like to think that the aliens who find them will go through them and radio back to us: Send more Midnight Cowboy!
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6 people found this helpful
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- Yenrab Namrehs
- 06-06-21
A Complex Weave: Far Beyond The Making Of A Movie
Exceptional. The book covers so much more than the making of a movie. Carefully weaving together the individuals, the social movements of the period, the emergent Gay liberation, the author successfully creates the broad canvas that came together to form a movie that, still today, stands as a remarkable film with outstanding direction, acting, music, a cinematography.
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- Kevin Walters
- 04-19-24
Midnight Miracle
A all-told, insightful, and deep dive into the making of a great big misunderstood film that was and is a happy accident where commerce and art worked together. Outstanding.
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- Anthony B. Moton
- 05-20-21
Brilliant Work
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this read! not only a fine documentary of the making of my favorite movie, but also a vivid and informative history lesson about the industry, society and our world at Large. as a writer, I also have been informed about the Great lengths and passion it takes to turn dreams into art into reality. bravo!
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- J
- 12-16-22
Incredible
thank God for mavericks like John Schlesinger.
If your a film fan this books is a must.
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- Douglas O McLaughlin
- 12-28-22
A classic!
An excellent and well crafted account of one of the greatest movies ever made. Insightful, wise, meaningful, and entertainingly informative. It makes you want to watch the film again with fresh eyes, or to discover it. Well done!
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- Anonymous User
- 05-22-24
Down to Earth
This book walked through the writing, then the making of this movie in such a way I felt like I was standing on the sidewalks of New York City watching the film crew at work. These were people making movies, and not the high and mighty described in some books about the great directors and the larger than life stars. Real people chasing a dream, and unsure at times if they pulled it off or missed the boat altogether. I've seen other books in the Audibles library written by Glen Frankel and I plan to listen to them as well.
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