Veteran director Little (known for movies like Marked for Death, Rapid Fire, Free Willy 2, Murder at 1600, and Halloween 4) offers an insightful, often funny account of his up-and-down career, sharing close-ups of how he made his own way in a devilishly difficult industry. On-set anecdotes reveal not just the nuts-and-bolts of movie-making but what it takes to maintain control on set, from an untested Little brandishing a one-way ticket back to L.A. to call the bluff of the money men considering replacing him during a location shoot, to legendary cinematographer László Kovács giving Little a movie-saving sign of support in front of meddling producers.
A movie-mad Midwesterner-gone-Hollywood, Little writes in a refreshingly straight-forward style, telling the story of achieving success, first in indies and then at studios, while managing to raise a family and maintain his values. He demystifies the glamor of directing: on a shoot in India, he dealt with lost equipment, a case of dysentery, a hotel room invaded by ravenous feral monkeys, and a sudden flood that nearly destroyed their set and equipment. His accounts of tight deadlines, the pressure to score a hit in three “at bats,” the pressures of financing, and encounters with the likes of Mel Gibson, Sally Kellerman, and Clint Eastwood sparkle with surprise and authenticity. (Tommy Lee Jones turns down a submarine thriller because, Little is told, he always thought of subs “as bathtub toys.”)
Hollywood is a rough-and-tumble town that is not for the faint of heart: “When you’re young, you are invincible and play to win,” he notes, describing risk-taking as an up-and-coming director of action. “When you’re older, you play not to lose.” That’s also true in the executive suites where promises are broken almost as quickly as they are made. A captivating page-turner alive with surprising detail and jolts of wisdom, Still Rolling comes highly recommended for anyone eager to understand how the dream factory actually operates.
Takeaway: A director’s page-turning Hollywood, alive with insight and surprises.
Comparable Titles: Ed Zwick’s Hits, Flops and Other Illusions, Hal Needham’s Stuntman!
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
