Rebels on the Backlot

The 1990s saw a shock wave of dynamic new directing talent that took the Hollywood studio system by storm. At the forefront of that movement were six innovative and daring directors whose films pushed the boundaries of moviemaking and announced to the world that something exciting was happening in Hollywood. Sharon Waxman of the New York Times spent the decade covering these young filmmakers, and in Rebels on the Backlot she weaves together the lives and careers of Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction; Steven Soderbergh, Traffic; David Fincher, Fight Club; Paul Thomas Anderson, Boogie Nights; David O. Russell, Three Kings; and Spike Jonze, Being John Malkovich.

“"[Waxman's] thorough reporting results in a compulsively readable chronicle of the decade's auteurs and their work."”

"Admirably reported ... Waxman unearths juicy anecdotes that'll keep film fans cackling and turning the pages." -- Salon.com "Riveting tales of Hollywood hubris ... a fun read." -- Entertainment Weekly "Vivid ... fascinating ... delightful ... [Waxman's] background as a hard news reporter serves her well." -- New York Times Book Review "A behind-the-cameras fireball of wicked insider revelations ... Love it!" -- Liz Smith, syndicated columnist -- Premiere "Enjoyably dishy." -- Variety "Addictively readable ... fascinating" -- Miami Herald "A lively book with gossipy and readable stories about some obsessive guys who are as much rascals as rebels." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review "Terrific ... wildly informative and readable about the plight of the biggest young talents in modern movies" -- Buffalo News "[Rebels on the Backlot] makes a case for creating a new film canon of this late '90s renaissance." -- Pittsburgh Tribune "Waxman perceptively depicts the vocabulary of the new Hollywood ... well-written ... recommended." -- Library Journal "Hums along on detail and gossip, adding up to a template for making it in contemporary Hollywood." -- men.style.com "Up-close, often gossipy" -- The Hollywood Reporter "Fascinatingly candid" -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

Sharon Waxman is a Hollywood correspondent for the New York Times, and previously was a correspondent for the Washington Post covering the entertainment industry. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her family.

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