The Essential Jack Nicholson

(Hardback)

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For ten years Jack Nicholson toiled in low-budget films and guest spots in such television shows as Dr. Kildare and The Andy Griffith Show before his breakout performance in Easy Rider. Despite retiring in 2010, Nicholson remains one of the most revered actors of the last half century. Nominated for twelve Academy Awardsthe most of any male actorNicholson has received three Oscars and countless other honors. The Essential Jack Nicholson looks at the key films in the career of one of Hollywoods biggest stars. After a brief profile of the actor, James L. Neibaur highlights each of Nicholsons most important works, explaining why his performances are essential viewing. In addition to Easy Rider, the films discussed include Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, Chinatown, One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest, The Shining, Reds, Terms of Endearment, Prizzis Honor, Ironweed, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets, About Schmidt, and The Departed. Neibaur also provides details about each films production, critical reaction, commercial reception, major nominations, and awards. A filmography of all of Nicholsons movie roles (and select television performances) is also included. The Essential Jack Nicholson is a valuable source of information for fans of this iconic star and his films.

Reviews

Neibaur takes a balanced approach, noticing the weakness of some of Nicholsons early films but providing perceptive commentary on the jewels.... [T]his is a good survey of an actors career, with some solid critical analysis and some very interesting coverage of the actors years working with legendary B-movie maestro Roger Corman. * Booklist *

Author Bio

James L. Neibaur is a film historian, educator, and the author of several books, including The Fall of Buster Keaton (2010), Chaplin at Keystone (2012), The Silent Films of Harry Langdon (2012), and The Charley Chase Talkies (2013), all published by Scarecrow Press. He is also the author of The Elvis Movies (2014), The Clint Eastwood Westerns (2015), Butterfly in the Rain: The 1927 Abduction and Murder of Marion Parker (2016), and The Essential Mickey Rooney (2016), all published by Rowman & Littlefield.