Untouchable: A Biography of Robert DeNiro

Book Description

From his amazing feature film performances to his roles as producer and director to his many notable guest appearances, De Niro started his career as early as 1965 and has since dominated the world of Hollywood. Untouchable will take you inside the life of this astonishing actor to provide a revealing and sometimes startling account of an intensely private man. Dougan provides information on actual life events that seemed to have had a profound effect on De Niro emotionally, and discusses De Niro's working and personal relationships with personalities such as Martin Scorcese, Jack Nicholson, Jodie Foster, and Sharon Stone. With an updated epilogue and filmography, this new edition will also include De Niro's entrepreneurial and behind-the-scenes role in co-founding Tribeca Productions in 1988 and the works he has since produced and directed. Although De Niro continues his work as an actor, it is his vision for Tribeca to be the axis of the film industry and the heart of New York City's film community that currently takes up most of his time. 24 black-and-white photos are included.

Customer Reviews:

A Suspect Expose.......2006-06-22

First, I must say that the writer must be British, because of his spelling. However, I personally believe that only a New Yorker can really accurately capture a man like Robert De Niro's life. I also believe that the author engages in speculation on more than one occasion and oftentimes his speculation is presented as fact. Granted, Robert De Niro is an "intensely private" individual, as the author says. So an author must engage in some speculation, however there is too much ambiguity, tenuous speclation in this biography, for my taste. But, Mr. Dougan's alleged reputation as "a respected film reviewer and broadcaster" became a matter of speculation itself, when Andy Dougan makes the impugnable offense of claiming that "De Niro, incidentally, is the only person in the Godfather films who utters the immortal phrase about non-refusable offers...When Al Pacino as Michael relates to Vito's negotiating ploy in the first film he says only, 'My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.'" (page 65, second to last paragraph) Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone tells his godson, Johnny Fontane, that it's too late for the Godfather to get him into an acting role, because the part has been cast,
Fontane: "It's too late, they start shooting in a week."
Don Corleone (Brando): "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."
I only realized after this review that other Amazon reviewers spotted the mistake, however when I read it, I almost fell out of my chair; I knew it was a mistake immediately. How can a "respected film reviewer" forget about one of the most famous lines, in perhaps the most famous film ever made? For me, a movie purist, this casts a shadow on the veracity of this biography, or any of this author's speculation and/or conclusions. This is not pedantry, I believe that when writing a biography of Robert De Niro, and proclaiming yourself as a respected film reviewer, one cannot make these mistakes. Also, the author does not make much reference to the friendship of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Personally, through some inside knowledge, I happen to know quite a bit of their relationship through a source who "hung out with them" during the early to mid 1980s in Jersey City, NJ and Manhattan. However, let me point to some positives, I did in fact learn several little trifles of knowledge and interesting facts about the legendary screen actor, director, and film-maker.

Untouchable..........2003-12-27

I'm a big fan of Robert DeNiro.This book help me to see him in different view.The way he's prepare for each role his endeless hard work and great performing.He's know as a private person and the book is not only talk about his great movies,but tell a lot of his private life.I learn so much and I recomended everybody who loves him.

De Niro.......2003-12-14

UNTOUCHABLE is a decent book. I agree with the others that state some obvious errors, such as the famous Godfather quote. Another is the Scorsese/Raging Bull quote. Scorsese actually greatly admired Buster Keaton's work in Battling Butler (and Keaton never hit anyone over the head with a chair in it). Dougan has it all wrong.

Having said that, this is about the only biography of Robert De Niro available and Dougan does a good job of covering his personal life which is not well known.

GOOD BOOK LOTS OF INFO........2002-03-21

It took me a long time and I mean a very long time about 6 mths. to actually get into this book but after I did I enjoyed it and found out alot of information that I never knew about Deniro. The one thing that bothered me about this book and took me so long to get into it was the grammar in this book I mean I am no English lit. teacher but at least proofread the book before publishing it. I mean come on there was alot of mispelling of words and missing words that you just kind of had to fill in for yourself along the way, and it was a little confusing the way the author went back and forth with certain events and movies you really had to follow along every single step of the way. Overall I liked it because it was a good book as far as info. was concerned. I really only bought the book because I love Deniro as an actor and think he is THE sexiest man alive!!!

DEE-Cleveland,OHIO

"Anytime, anywhere.".......2002-01-29

It took me a while to decide whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. As you can see, I decided on the lower number. I have many reasons for this:
1. This is an interesting book, but only because it is about Robert De Niro. Not because the information is presented in an interesting fashion. In fact, my Calculus textbook presents its information more interestingly than this bio. Mr. Dougan either doesn't know how to write, or had his 9 year old write this book for him. The language of his writing is awful. The way he states things is bad (he also uses the word "keen" at least once every 2 pages-what's up with that?)You'll understand what I mean
if you have read this.
3. He doesn't do everything in chronological order. For example, he'll go on for a few pages about a movie De Niro was doing, than he'll suddenly go back five years and tell us about De Niro's relationship with one of his wives or something like that. He could definately have done this in a way so that it isn't so grating on the reader.
4. He uses quotes that are at times unrelated to what he's talking about.
5. He repeats the same information multiple times. For example, I think that he has John Belushi dying about 5 times in 2 chapters. In fact chapters 22 and 23 three begin with almost the exact same sentence ("The death of John Belushi was a devastating blow for De Niro." and "Since the death of John Belushi, De Niro had been taking stock of his life." Tell me that those two chapters don't sound like they are both about the same thing, De Niro dealing with Belushi's death.)
6. He uses unrelated things to make the book seem bigger. For example, a little over two chapters are devoted to John Belushi's life, his relatationship with De Niro, his death, and the investigation after his death.
7. He doesn't have enough actual information about De Niro preparing and making his movies. He tends to spend much more time quoting reviews that various critics gave of De Niro's performances. In fact, I'd say that the critic quotes outnumber actual facts about making the movies 3 to 1.
8. He has absolutely no interviews that he specifically did for this book with anyone who would know anything about De Niro's life, preparing for roles, making his movies, anything! Instead he relies on past interviews that other people have conducted with De Niro and people who know him.
So, overall this was an interesting book since it is the first bio of Robert De Niro that I read. However, that is the only thing it has going for it. Unless you can't find ANYTHING at all better, don't read this. If you have to read this because your library doesn't have any other bios on De Niro (the unfortunate situation that I fell into), then I guess this is okay.
Oh, I almost forgot one more thing:
9. He gets a lot of his facts wrong. For instance, he says that De Niro, playing Vito Corleone in Godfather II, was the only one to say the famous "offer he can't refuse" line. While in fact, Brando says it in the first one when telling Tom Hagen what to do about Woltz, the movie producer, AND Michael (Pacino) also says it in the first one when Fredo asks how he will convince Moe Greene to sell the casino. And those two are just off of my head (he does say that Pacino "alluded" to the famous line while telling Kay about Luca Brasi and the band leader during the wedding scene, but he says that that apparently doesn't count).

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
An Unrelenting Attack on his Character
Poorly written
John Baxter should go piss up a flag pole.
de Ziro

De Niro: A Biography
John Baxter
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0006532306

Book Description

Robert De Niro's portrayals of the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather II, Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, and Jake La Motta in Raging Bull are among the most vivid ever committed to celluloid. The actor is famously perfectionistic, and the lengths to which he will go to create his characters are legendary. Based on scrupulous research and conversations with De Niro’s friends and colleagues, and featuring a complete filmography, John Baxter’s biography sheds new light on the life and career of this fiercely private star.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-07-22

Baxter certainly doesn't seem to be in love with his subject! Reading this book, you would think that De Niro has only made a couple of decent films.

While De Niro has certainly made his share of lemons, the talent of the man only comes out sporadically in this biography and you don't get a sense of what he is really like.

I wouldn't recommend it.

An Unrelenting Attack on his Character.......2005-12-23

I had wanted to like this book. The subject is one of the world's most respected actors and I had hoped for an even-handed treatment. I so wanted to disagree with the other assessments that the author simply "has it in" for the actor, Robert De Niro. But after an initial framing of Robert De Niro as the great actor dedicated to earning a right to inhabit a part, the author rips into him at every opportunity. All the scandals, the dirt, every bit of tainted laundry and really; who cares if De Niro's dad was gay, bisexual or straight? Still, the author hammers away about De Niro's dad struggling with his sexuality. How this shapes the actor is of little consequence. And the saddest part is that this bully, this needless attack on Robert De Niro's character will go un-answered.
Yes, you will read about film deals, and the actor's competitive nature, his dedication to his craft and then judgment after judgement will follow that he has phoned-in performances for nearly 15 years to sustain his TriBeCa production company. But it's an uneven book, a hack job, a work of disrespect thinly veiled in false praise. It peddles De Niro and Scorsese's relationship as drug-fueled excesses with barbaric results.
It is easy to attack Robert De Niro because he won't respond. This book is sensationalist bullying. Robert De Niro deserves better, he's earned better. Not because this reviewer feels the need to defend him, but because this particular biography is equivalent to literary "poo" and not worth the cash, nor the time required to get through it.
And further, the public knows of De Niro's preference for black partners, why dig into his conquests and his sexual appetite as though it mattered at all? With respect, those who will read this book will find little more than tabloid gossip, speculations about his famiy life, his intimacies and failures. Ultimatey we learn that Robert De Niro is an actor, a man, and a father many times over with all the frailties that come with being human. Aside from that, the book is truly flawed by lousy facts, inconsistencies and flat-out unforgivable errors. There are better books about this actor. This one is not worth your time.

Poorly written.......2005-09-13

There are so many examples of gratuitous name dropping in this "biography" that it is indeed a chore to get through it. As a fan of much of De Niro's work, I also realize he has made some poor role choices but Baxter has little to say that is positive. I learned some details regarding De Niro's early life and training that were somewhat interesting so I give it 2 stars for that but it seems that a better biography with more balance might be a better choice for the general reader. Actually then later chapters seem rushed as if Baxter was more concerned about hitting a deadline than producing a good and balanced book.

John Baxter should go piss up a flag pole........2005-07-07

This is a really terrible book. For starters, it's unfair. Most biographers should find a balance between negativity and praise - a good example is Laurence Leamer's recent Arnold Schwarzenegger biography, "Fantastic," which details his faults and strengths.

"De Niro" (oh, what a unique title!) by John Baxter is a terribly painful ordeal. It's clear from the beginning that he dislikes De Niro, and considers his last good performance to be in the film "Taxi Driver" (1976) -- thereby forgetting "The Deer Hunter" (1978), "Raging Bull" (1980), "The King of Comedy" (1983), "Brazil" (1985), "Midnight Run" (1987), "Awakenings" and "GoodFellas" (1990), "Casino" and "Heat" (1995). (I'm one of De Niro's fans who also likes his comedic ventures, but if you're a snobby film critic, chances are you'll consider "Casino" his last great film, if that.)

Anyway, Baxter's first mistake is that he tries to offer film criticism. Simply put, he sucks at a critic because he can't get his facts straight. He says "Awakenings" came out in 1987. Claims "Deliverance" came out the same year as "Mean Streets." Incorrectly quotes De Niro and Scorsese on many occasions, as well as erroneously makes assumptions about their box office failure "King of Comedy." He misspells names frequently, occasionally making mistakes altogether (replacing one name with an entirely different one). He gives incorrect plot summaries and seems to like comparing Pacino and De Niro in his section on "Heat" and other films - a mistake, I think, since they're two very different actors, and anyone who tries to compare them is doing something utterly pointless. I mean, really, they're two great actors - let's just get over with it already, okay?

Another thing Baxter does is try and make a claim to support the fact that De Niro is stupid, inarticulate, weird (because of his intense privacy), and so on and so forth. I think that's a very cheap shot. He's inarticulate BECAUSE he is shy, dumbass. Privacy doesn't automatically make someone a reclusive weirdo. I'm a private person, too, and am not very good at expressing myself through speaking publicly. I don't think that's "strange" - it's just different personalities. If I had to define Baxter's personality, I'd say he's one of those arrogant snobs who belittles others to make himself feel better. But that's my opinion.

Baxter is a really bad writer and he can't get any of his facts straight. His bio is unauthorized and as a result he has nothing worthwhile to say; save your cash and wait for an authorized biography in the future.

de Ziro.......2004-08-24

When a biographer can't even get the most basic facts right, there's good reason to wonder about the rest of his research, too. In addition to a raft of rudimentary errors pointed out by other readers, Baxter also misidentifies the author of Helter Skelter (it's Vincent, not Steven, Bugliosi); refers to the cult film Spider Baby as Spider Boy; confuses Milton Berle with Arthur Godfrey (this incident is so mangled it's impossible to know who Baxter really means) and claims that Mean Streets (released in 1973) got lost in the shuffle because so many other high-profile movies were released that year--including A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Deliverance (1972). But why go on? A real mess.

Average customer rating:

THE book to own for Robert De Niro fans!
Bravo
Beautiful, perfect book

The Films Of Robert De Niro
Douglas Brode
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0806521104

Customer Reviews:

THE book to own for Robert De Niro fans!.......2005-03-03

Robert De Niro is without a doubt one of the best actors of all time. This wonderful in-depth book covers his film career, from his early student films of the 60's with Brian De Palma through 1998's "Ronin". It briefly mentions his roles after "Ronin" and ends with "Meet the Parents" and "Men of Honor". As this fourth edition was published in 2001, an updated fifth edition is badly needed. But, even the most hardcore De Niro fans like me must admit that he hasn't had many memorable roles since "Ronin", although "Analyze This" was very funny.

When looking through this book I'm surprised at how many De Niro films haven't been released yet on dvd. With each of his movies, the author lists the cast, gives a plot summary, and tells how the critics and public reacted to each movie upon its initial release. There are hundreds of great photos from his movies (including a nice color section in the middle of the book) that fans will appreciate. I was already a major Robert De Niro fan before I bought this awesome book, but reading it helped me discover many more of his great movies. This book is an absolute must for any De Niro fan!

Bravo.......2005-01-12

You may think that Bobby D is the man, and you'd be right. But do you really understand WHY he is the man? Douglas Brode does, and in this project, he lays out all of the reasons De Niro has become one of the most prolific actors of his time. Informative and entertaining, The Films of Robert De Niro is a must read for fans of the actor and his movies.

Beautiful, perfect book.......2003-02-05

This series of books is always outstanding for the bunch of pictures it contents. But the text equals the image, there's a lot of research for each movie De Niro's done -critic-guru Pauline Kael's comments among others-, and a few insights on the flaws of some of his movies, that may give you the right impression that this author knows some things about craftsmanship.

Average customer rating:

City by the Sea
Robert Ddwa 22082 De Niro
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Arts & Photography | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Entertainment | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Nonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0790764725

Average customer rating:

THE FILMS OF ROBERT DE NIRO.
Douglas. Brode
Manufacturer: Citadel Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7KEU6

Average customer rating:

Robert De Niro
Patrick Agan
Manufacturer: Robert Hale Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0709058187

Average customer rating:

Robert De Niro (Movie Top Tens Series)

Manufacturer: Creation Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1871592887

Book Description

One of the most versatile and acclaimed actors of recent years, famous for the uncompromising method approach he brings to roles ranging from the psychotic Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese's seminal "Taxi Driver", to the nerveless robber of Michael Mann's "Heat" and the loser in Tarantino's "Jackie Brown".

Jack Hunter (author of film studies Inside Terradome and Eros in Hell) has selected his own chronological Top Ten of Robert De Niro's most engaging or offbeat movies, roles or performances, which are analysed in illustrated, in-depth essays by some of the best cutting-edge film critics of today. The result is both an incisive overview of Robert De Niro as an actor, and an anthology of films by some of the leading cult directors of recent decades such as Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Quentin Tarantino, Sergio Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Francis Ford Coppola.

Feature films include: "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", "Angel Heart", "Once Upon a Time in America", "Jackie Brown", "King of Comedy", "Heat", "1900", "Cape Fear", and "Godfather II".

Customer Reviews:

Worship 101.......2001-10-28

Willaim Cosgrove is probably an excellent fireman, good husband and father, etvc. But he is not even a fair writer. Hired to be Robert De Niro's technical assitant for the making of the movie Backdraft, Cosgrove's prose resembles that of a love-sick tween describing a back-stage encounter with a pop music star. Other than knowing that De Niro is famous, and that movies are made, Cosgrove shows no deeper knowledge of his subjects than was presented to him during this experience. Thus, no analysis or depth - strictly a chronological narrative, without any insights.

Fantastic.......2000-08-09

Brother Bill Cosgrove did an excellent job when writing this book. What an experience he must have had.

Gritty firefighter meets Hollywood icon........1999-03-28

Bill Cosgrove's recounts his friendship with Robert DeNiro and the movie Backdraft in his first book, "Robert Deniro and the Fireman". Bill tells us about meeting the famous actor, and eventually he is hand picked to be DeNiro's technical advisor for the movie. We follow the pair around the streets of Chicago, to the different places Backdraft was filmed at. Bill tells us where many of the scenes were shot at, and what its like to be on a movie set. But most of all, it tells of a friendship- one that brought a regular firefighter together with one of Hollywood's famous actors, and a pair of socks.

Scorsese on Scorsese (Directors on Directors)

Average customer rating:

A Master of His Craft, in His Own Voice
A Book That Would Satisfy ANY Scorsese Fan
Answers Scorsese Fans' FAQS
A fascinating peek inside the mind of a film master
An absolute must for the Scorsese-reverent

Scorsese on Scorsese (Directors on Directors)
Martin Scorsese
Manufacturer: Faber and Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0571176720

Amazon.com

True to its title, this book lets Martin Scorsese speak for himself. In what is essentially a long and fascinating interview, David Thompson and Ian Christie encourage Scorsese to recall the whole of his life, from his childhood in Little Italy to the creation of his most recent films. More than any major director working in America today, Scorsese proves himself to be terrifically articulate and wonderfully open when speaking about his life and work. Scorsese on Scorsese also contains a biography, a filmography and lots of terrific behind-the-scenes photographs.

Book Description

Martin Scorsese's challenging and often controversial films are a record of the most personal achievement in modern American cinema. Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Gooodfellas--these titles conjure up a world and a style of filmmaking that he has made his own, one of a savage beauty of great intensity and truth.

The interviews which make up this book chart the journey that Scorsese has taken across the years in search of new subjects to engage and absorb him, and in the process reveal a man who, like Michael Powell and Francios Truffaut, has an unbridled passion for film--a passion which is evident in every frame of his work.

This new, revised edition includes chapters on Goodfellas, Cape Fear, The Age of Innocence, and other projects up to Casino, thus bringing up to date the story of America's most exciting and articulate contemporary filmmaker.

Customer Reviews:

A Master of His Craft, in His Own Voice.......2007-03-04

Now that Hollywood has finally given Scorsese his due with what amounted to a career-Oscar, the time is ripe to read the revised edition of this superb book. The questions asked of the director are intelligent, not fawning, and his answer's are lengthy and fascinating. The generous space devoted to his childhood and early years help one better understand why Scorsese has been so attracted to a particular genre and how he executes it so well. This director is, of course, immensely knowledgeable about the history of film, and his comments on other directors' work are fascinating. A readable mine of information about one of the most important popular artists of our time.

A Book That Would Satisfy ANY Scorsese Fan.......2002-07-07

I bought this book out of respect and deep admiration for Martin Scorsese. What I got was keen insight into a creative genius. The numerous interviews reveal a side to Scorsese that not many people see outside the camera. It's a lot more personal than that. When he talks about his movies, he ultimately parallels them to what his life was like at that time. So it's a fine blend of his personal life mixed with his professional life. There's also the obvious vibe that this man always was and always will be a student of film; his passion is infinite. Perhaps that's what makes him as influential and well-respected as he is.
You're the best there is, Marty!!

Answers Scorsese Fans' FAQS.......2001-03-30

This reader felt almost privileged to read these interviews, lectures, and conversations with Martin Scorsese. He simply shares everything, and indeed he is, if nothing else, a true fan of movies!

The insightful words of Scorsese, arranged to parallel his filmography up through New York Stories, are annotated by the redoubtable editors Thompson and Christie. Scorsese is arguably the greatest postmodern artist, (and I would have to say the only postmodernist I unhesitatingly adore -with possible exception of Matt Groening), and the reader really gets to see how Scorsese constructs a film. His inspirations are as predictable as directors Pasolini and Powell, yet as diverse as Mahatma Ghandi and Little Richard. He loves all with equanimity and enthusiasm.

That's the joy of this book... the guy loves movies, loves making them, and all that energy just shines through.

Extremely valuable resource for the student of film, but good fun for the humble film buff, too. Bonus: interesting black and white photos you won't find elsewhere. Excellent (though naturally out-of-date) filmography appendix.

A fascinating peek inside the mind of a film master.......2000-12-29

I absolutely devoured this book, essentially reading in two sittings a day apart. A rare and privledged look into the mind of Scorsese in his own words, followers of his work will be thrilled with the insights and anecdotes. Anyone half-aware of the man's work can recognize the thought that goes into it, but these interviews reveal the incredible depth and passion for film and its history that underlies his craft.

An essential read for anyone that considers her- or himself a film buff.

An absolute must for the Scorsese-reverent.......1999-07-06

There are few filmmakers more brilliant than Martin Scorsese, and this book provides wonderful insight into the sources of his obsessions. Almost any book on Scorsese is worth reading, but this volume gives equal time to his less-appreciated, (but no less wonderful), films like The King of Comedy and After Hours. By far, the most informative book on Scorsese yet.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books