BARE BONES BOOK REVIEW: CELLULOID WARS: THE MAKING OF BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS by ALLAN HOLZMAN

CELLULOID WARS: THE MAKING OF BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS by ALLAN HOLZMAN

Battle Beyond The Stars is a cult classic Roger Corman production that was made to cash in on the Star Wars sci-fi craze of the 70s and 80s, but is now recognized on it’s own merit. Allan Holzman was an editor on the film and after four decades, has released his journal of the making of this legendary flick that he wrote while the film was in production.

This is a wonderful and fun look at the making of a cult classic by a man whose task it was to put all the fractured pieces together and make a movie out of them. Holzman’s entries detail a very troubled production, populated by a large group of artists and creative people struggling to make it all work, delivering an FX filled epic on a shoestring budget and tight schedule. There are tales of cramped work spaces, unexperienced directors, demanding producers and almost unusable footage. We get Holzman’s account of trying to make an almost impossible release date, with FX work falling dangerously behind and the shots he was getting, an editor’s nightmare to piece together. It’s is a fascinating look at filmmaking, especially from the perspective of the unsung editing process. It’s also a fun look back at how legendary producer Roger Corman made movies back then and a nostalgic look at how some now acclaimed film talents, like James Cameron, John Sayles, James Horner, Gale Anne Hurd and Holzman himself, started out.

If you love movies, Roger Corman films, are a fan of some of today’s most heralded filmmakers, or all of the above, this is a must have book that also features some great bonus interviews with model builders and FX legends Robert and Dennis Skotak and Battle’s costume designer Durinda Wood! Allan Holzman is planning a sequel about his directorial debut on Corman’s Forbidden World and one can’t wait for that after enjoying this delightful book.

-MonsterZero NJ

MORE SAD NEWS AS CULT FILM DIRECTOR JIMMY MURAKAMI HAS PASSED AWAY!

Teruaki “Jimmy” Murakami  1933-2014

Fans of both Roger Corman films and animation also receive sad news as the helmer of the cult classic Battle Beyond The Stars, director and animator Jimmy Murakami, passed away earlier this month with word only reaching us today through Roger Corman himself. Not only did Murakami direct Corman’s delightfully campy answer to Star Wars, but was the un-credited director of the additional footage for Corman’s Humanoids From The Deep when Corman felt that film’s initial cut needed more of the ‘Corman touch’. Murakami was also known for his work as an animator on films such as When The Wind Blows and most recently Christmas Carol: The Movie featuring the voices of Kate Winslet and Nicolas Cage. Murakami, who was also an artist and designer as well, literally worked on films all over the world and will be missed by those fortunate enough to have experienced his talent.

-MonsterZero NJ