Overview

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 Awards—the most of any male actor—Nicholson has received three Oscars and countless other honors. The Essential Jack Nicholson looks at the key films in the career of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. After a brief profile of the actor, James L. Neibaur highlights each of Nicholson’s 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 Cuckoo’s Nest, The Shining, Reds, Terms of Endearment, Prizzi’s Honor, Ironweed, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets, About Schmidt, and The Departed. Neibaur also provides details about each film’s production, critical reaction, commercial reception, major nominations, and awards. A filmography of all of Nicholson’s 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.

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9781442269880

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Reviews

Considering the length (and artistic depth) of Jack Nicholson's career, this survey of some of his most notable films feels slight, though the author hits the high points: Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Chinatown, among others. Neibaur takes a balanced approach, noticing the weakness of some of Nicholson's early films but providing perceptive commentary on the jewels... [T]his is a good survey of an actor's career, with some solid critical analysis and some very interesting coverage of the actor's years working with legendary B-movie maestro Roger Corman. Booklist

Author Information

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.

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