The Big Room: Forty-Eight Portraits from the Golden Age

The Big Room collects forty-eight profiles and character studies written by Michael Herr during Hollywood's final golden years. The portraits capture actors, directors, producers and other film industry figures from the 1970s and early 1980s. Herr conducts extensive interviews and spends time observing his subjects in their professional and personal environments. His pieces examine both the public personas and private dimensions of entertainment industry personalities ranging from major stars to behind-the-scenes players. The collection provides an insider's view of Hollywood during a transformative period, documenting both the remnants of the old studio system and the emergence of New Hollywood. The writing style combines journalistic observation with literary techniques developed during Herr's time as a war correspondent. The portraits collectively explore themes of power, authenticity, and the blurred lines between performance and reality in an industry built on crafting illusions. Through intimate access to his subjects, Herr examines how people navigate the machinery of fame and storytelling.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Michael Herr's overall work: Readers praise Michael Herr's raw, immersive writing style in describing the Vietnam War experience, particularly in Dispatches. Many note his ability to capture the psychological toll on soldiers and journalists. Several reviewers cite his unique blend of journalism and literary techniques. Common criticisms include his stream-of-consciousness style being difficult to follow, occasional drug references that some find distracting, and sections that feel disjointed or meandering. Some readers note the book can be emotionally overwhelming. Review Ratings: Dispatches - Goodreads: 4.2/5 (18,000+ ratings) - Amazon: 4.5/5 (800+ reviews) Quotes from readers: "Puts you right in the mud and chaos" - Amazon reviewer "Sometimes beautiful, sometimes incomprehensible" - Goodreads review "The most honest account of war I've read" - Goodreads review "Too experimental in structure for my taste" - Amazon reviewer His other books receive less attention, with Walter Winchell and The Big Room averaging 3.5-3.8 stars on review sites.

Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris This chronicle of five films from 1967 examines Hollywood's transition from old studio system to New Hollywood through firsthand accounts and interviews with key players.

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind The book documents Hollywood's transformation during the 1970s through portraits and stories of filmmakers including Scorsese, Coppola, and Spielberg.

The Devil's Candy by Julie Salamon Through behind-the-scenes access and interviews, this book captures the making of Brian De Palma's "Bonfire of the Vanities" and the complexities of Hollywood filmmaking in the 1990s.

The Season by William Goldman This investigation of Broadway's 1967-68 season presents insider perspectives on theatrical productions and personalities during a pivotal era in American theater.

Hollywood Animal by Joe Eszterhas This memoir-style narrative presents encounters with Hollywood figures and power players from the perspective of a screenwriter working through multiple decades of the entertainment industry.

🎬 Michael Herr was best known for his groundbreaking Vietnam War coverage in "Dispatches" and his screenplay contributions to "Full Metal Jacket" before writing "The Big Room" 📝 The book's title refers to the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, which was nicknamed "The Big Room" and served as a legendary gathering place for celebrities 🌟 The forty-eight portraits in the book span Hollywood's golden age from the 1930s to 1980s, including intimate profiles of icons like Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and John Wayne ✍️ Herr wrote these profiles during his time as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine, where he had unprecedented access to Hollywood's elite 🎭 Unlike typical Hollywood biographies, Herr approached his subjects with a literary journalist's eye, focusing on capturing the essence of their personalities rather than simply recounting their achievements