Overview

An in-depth look at one of the film industry's most audacious working actors In 1982, a gangly teenager named Nicolas Coppola made his film debut and changed his name to Nicolas Cage, determined to distance himself from his famous family. Once he achieved stardom as the rebel hunk of 1983's Valley Girl, Cage began a career defined by unorthodox risks and left turns that put him at odds with the stars of the Brat Pack era. How Coppola Became Cage takes readers behind the scenes of the beloved cult movies that transformed this unknown actor into an eccentric and uncompromising screen icon with a wild-eyed gift for portraying weirdos, outsiders, criminals-and even a romantic capable of seducing Cher. Author Zach Schonfeld traces Cage's rise through the world of independent cinema and chronicles the stories behind his career-making early performances, from the method masochism of Birdy to the operatic torment of Moonstruck and abrasive expressionism of Vampire's Kiss, culminating with the astonishing pathos of Leaving Las Vegas. Drawing on more than 100 new interviews with Cage's key collaborators--including David Lynch, Martha Coolidge, John Patrick Shanley, and Mike Figgis--How Coppola Became Cage offers a revealing portrait of Cage's wildly intense devotion to his performances behind the scenes and his creative self-discovery as he drew on influences as far-flung as silent cinema and German Expressionism. These were all crucial ingredients in the creation of a singular acting style that rejects the limits of realism. Brimming with previously untold stories and insights, How Coppola Became Cage both revels in and demystifies Cage's onscreen eccentricities. No other modern actor has explored such profound creative extremes while bending the boundaries of good taste. Here is the origin story of an actor who truly is wild at heart and weird on top.

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9780197556375

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Reviews

I learned so much from Zach's deep, deep dive into Cage's foundational years and how he came to be the experimental Hollywood A-lister we know today. Zach's thoroughness is remarkable. * Lindsay Gibb, author of National Treasure: Nicolas Cage * Before Nicolas Cage was a national treasure, he was Nicky Coppola, an eccentric young actor trying to break out from the long shadow of his family name. In this thorough look at Cage's seldom documented early years, Zach Schonfeld draws on original interviews with siblings, classmates, and colleagues to chronicle his journey from high school theater kid to Valley Girl heartthrob to household name. A must read for Cage fans. * Dan Ozzi, author of SELLOUT * Charting an authoritative middle path between scholar and superfan, Schonfeld breaks down the life and works of a beguiling figure with a careful balance of critical rigor and curious open-mindedness. His writing is exhaustively researched and inexhaustibly entertaining, as singularly committed to its project as Cage himself. * Charles Bramesco, author of Colors of Film: The Story of Cinema in 50 Palettes * A lively, anecdote-filled look into the actor's shape-shifting, storied career. Even the most ardent Cage fans will learn something new. * Publishers Weekly *

I learned so much from Zach's deep, deep dive into Cage's foundational years and how he came to be the experimental Hollywood A-lister we know today. Zach's thoroughness is remarkable. * Lindsay Gibb, author of National Treasure: Nicolas Cage * Before Nicolas Cage was a national treasure, he was Nicky Coppola, an eccentric young actor trying to break out from the long shadow of his family name. In this thorough look at Cage's seldom documented early years, Zach Schonfeld draws on original interviews with siblings, classmates, and colleagues to chronicle his journey from high school theater kid to Valley Girl heartthrob to household name. A must read for Cage fans. * Dan Ozzi, author of SELLOUT * Charting an authoritative middle path between scholar and superfan, Schonfeld breaks down the life and works of a beguiling figure with a careful balance of critical rigor and curious open-mindedness. His writing is exhaustively researched and inexhaustibly entertaining, as singularly committed to its project as Cage himself. * Charles Bramesco, author of Colors of Film: The Story of Cinema in 50 Palettes *

Author Information

Zach Schonfeld is a freelance writer, journalist, and critic based in New York. He contributes to Pitchfork, Paste Magazine, and other publications. He was formerly a senior writer for Newsweek, where he was on staff for five years. His first book, 24-Carat Black's Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth was published in 2020 as part of the 33 1/3 series.

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