Opening Wednesday at a Theater Or Drive-In Near You

February 20, 2017
Film critic Taylor’s first collection brings together a wondrous set of essays on 1970s American B-movies. The decade is known for classics such as The Godfather and Taxi Driver, but Taylor has chosen to highlight the pleasures of lesser-known films. These include Prime Cut, about a Chicago mob enforcer (Lee Marvin) sent after a Kansas City meat magnate (Gene Hackman) who renders his enemies into sausages; Hickey & Boggs, which reunited TV’s I Spy team of Robert Culp and Bill Cosby as washed-up private eyes; the and blaxploitation pictures Coffy and Foxy Brown, both starring the luminous Pam Grier. He also discusses the existentialist hot-rod film Two-Lane Blacktop and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, both of which eventually found greater popularity and acclaim on DVD. Taylor is not arguing that these films are “overlooked masterpieces” (with the stated exception of Alfredo Garcia), but rather that they should be celebrated for treating the viewer “like an adult” in contrast to today’s “infantilized” blockbusters. His essays are consistently illuminating and the reader comes away with a strong desire to track down the films he praises. Agent: Drew McCormick, McCormick Literary.

Starred review from October 2, 2017
Actor Chandler styles his reading of Taylor’s essay collection on American B movies from the 1970s in a low, sonorous tone that’s reminiscent of the voice of Don LaFontaine, the voiceover actor heard on thousands of movie trailers. It’s perfectly fitting for the audio edition of Taylor’s book, which highlights the pleasures of films either long forgotten or surviving on cult followings. Surveying such films as Prime Cut, Foxy Brown, and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Taylor discusses the undervalued elements and overlooked influence of these forgotten gems. Chandler playfully adds over-the-top emphasis while reading Taylor’s summaries and background information on each film and aptly capturing the lines and attitudes of each. It makes for a fun, entertaining listening experience that will likely lead listeners to watching the films. A Bloomsbury hardcover.