
The Last Action Heroes
The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
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Narrated by:
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Bronson Pinchot
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By:
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Nick de Semlyen
About this listen
'A blast' - Ian Rankin
'A joyous celebration of 80s action cinema' - Robbie Collin, Telegraph
From the editor of Empire magazine, this is the behind-the-scenes story of the golden age of the action movie, the stars who ruled 80s and 90s Hollywood and the beloved films – from Die Hard to The Terminator – that made them famous.
This wildly entertaining account of the golden age of the action movie charts Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s carnage-packed journey from enmity to friendship against the backdrop of Reagan’s America and the Cold War. Revealing fascinating untold stories of the colourful characters who ascended in their wake – high-kickers Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, glowering tough guys Dolph Lundgren and Steven Seagal, and quipping troublemakers Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bruce Willis – it chronicles the rise of the invincible action hero who used muscle, martial arts or the perfect weapon to save the day. And how, as the 1990s rolled on, the glory days of these macho men – and the vision of masculinity they celebrated – began to fade.
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, on-screen and off.
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'Lively' - The Times
'Highly entertaining' - Sunday Telegraph
'A rollicking, anecdote-packed tribute to the cavalier days' - Literary Review
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2023 Nick de Semlyen (P)2023 Penguin Random House LLCListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about The Last Action Heroes
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- Anonymous User
- 08-31-23
Great read!
I thought I knew quiet a bit on those actors but I learned a lot. Fun read!
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- Ash
- 02-06-24
Most Overambitious Cucumber Fold Over of the Week
Bought this on a bit of whim but so glad I did. Was great fun listening to their stories and the behind the scenes of their films.
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