The book, originally released in hardcover in 2019, offers a unique exploration of its themes, delving into the intricacies of human experience and connection. It presents a compelling narrative that intertwines personal stories with broader societal issues, providing readers with both entertainment and insight. The author's distinctive voice and thought-provoking perspective invite readers to reflect on their own lives while engaging with the rich tapestry of characters and events woven throughout the text.
"The behind-the-scenes story of the larger-than-life action stars who ruled '80s and '90s Hollywood--Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, and Jean-Claude Van Damme--and the beloved films that made them stars, including Die Hard, Rambo, and The Terminator. The Last Action Heroes opens in 1990, at the Cannes film festival, where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone finally forged a truce. After years of bitter behind-the scenes combat--Stallone once threw a bowl of flowers at Schwarzenegger's head; the body count in Schwarzenegger's Commando was increased to "have a bigger d*** than Rambo"--the world's biggest action stars had at last formed a friendship. In The Last Action Heroes, film journalist Nick de Semlyen charts their wild, carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship. He also reveals the personal stories of the colorful characters who ascended in their wake, from Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal, to Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan. But as the '80s rolled on, the era of the invincible action hero who used muscle, martial arts, or the perfect weapon to save the day started to fade. When Jurassic Park trounced Schwarzenegger's Last Action Hero in 1993, everyone knew that the glory days of these macho men--and the vision of masculinity they celebrated--were officially over. Drawing on candid interviews with the action stars themselves, plus their collaborators, friends, and foes, The Last Action Heroes is a no-holds-barred account of a period in Hollywood history when there were no limits to the heights of fame these men achieved, or to the mayhem they wrought, onscreen and off"-- Provided by publisher
The behind-the-scenes story of the larger-than-life action stars who ruled 80s
and 90s Hollywood, from Schwarzenegger and Stallone to Jackie Chan and Jean-
Claude Van Damme.
Príbeh o posledných akčných hrdinoch sa zrodil v máji 1990 v Cannes, kde za potlesku slávnych osobností vystúpili bok po boku Arnold Schwarzenegger a Sylvester Stallone. Po rokoch rivality sa konečne zmierili dve najväčšie akčné hviezdy na svete. Nick de Semlyen v tejto strhujúcej knihe o zlatej ére akčného filmu mapuje „mŕtvolami“ posiatu cestu Stalloneho a Schwarzeneggera na pozadí Ameriky osemdesiatych rokov a studenej vojny. Čitateľom zároveň sprostredkúva dosiaľ neznáme príbehy osobností, ktoré kráčali v ich stopách: Chucka Norrisa a Jackieho Chana s ich výkopmi, zamračených drsných chlapov Dolpha Lundgrena a Stevena Seagala, aj sarkastických rebelov Jeana-Clauda Van Damma a Brucea Willisa. Čas však neúprosne plynul a éra neporaziteľných akčných hrdinov, ktorí svojimi svalmi, bojovým umením a modernými zbraňami zachraňovali svet, pomaly spela ku koncu. Keď trhák Jurský park v roku 1993 prevalcoval Posledného akčného hrdinu, slávne dni týchto svalovcov sa oficiálne pominuli. Nick de Semlyen čerpá z otvorených rozhovorov so samotnými hviezdami, ich kolegami, priateľmi aj rivalmi, vďaka čomu prináša ničím neskalené svedectvo o hollywoodskych časoch, keď sa nedala obmedziť sláva týchto hercov, ani spúšť, ktorú po sebe zanechávali – či už na plátne alebo mimo neho.
