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Don Coscarelli

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True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking Kindle Edition

by Don Coscarelli (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.8 144 ratings

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From Don Coscarelli, the celebrated filmmaker behind many cherished cult classics comes a memoir that's both revealing autobiography and indie film crash course.

Best known for his horror/sci-fi/fantasy films including Phantasm, The Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-tep and John Dies at the End, now Don Coscarelli’s taking you on a white-knuckle ride through the rough and tumble world of indie film.

Join Coscarelli as he sells his first feature film to Universal Pictures and gets his own office on the studio lot while still in his teens. Travel with him as he chaperones three out-of-control child actors as they barnstorm Japan, almost drowns actress Catherine Keener in her first film role, and transforms a short story about Elvis Presley battling a four thousand year-old Egyptian mummy into a beloved cult classic film.

Witness the incredible cast of characters he meets along the way from heavy metal god Ronnie James Dio to first-time filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary. Learn how breaking bread with genre icons Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter and Guillermo Del Toro leads to a major cable series and watch as he and zombie king George A. Romero together take over an unprepared national network television show with their tales of blood and horror.

This memoir fits an entire film school education into a single book. It’s loaded with behind-the-scenes stories: like setting his face on fire during the making of Phantasm, hearing Bruce Campbell’s most important question before agreeing to star in Bubba Ho-tep, and crafting a horror thriller into a franchise phenomenon spanning four decades. Find out how Coscarelli managed to retain creative and financial control of his artistic works in an industry ruled by power-hungry predators, and all without going insane or bankrupt.

True Indie will prove indispensable for fans of Coscarelli’s movies, aspiring filmmakers, and anyone who loves a story of an underdog who prevails while not betraying what he believes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for True Indie and Don Coscarelli:

"Coscarelli proves a natural storyteller on the page as well as the screen... His conversational prose style is straightforward and unadorned, but it readily communicates the director’s signature trait―his enthusiasm, which is as charming as it is infectious." ―Publishers Weekly

"Not just a fine life story, this is also one of the best books you’ll ever read about indie filmmaking." ―Booklist

"The director's ingenuity, DIY ethos, and enthusiasms will motivate aspiring filmmakers...Fans of the author's cult films will particularly appreciate the behind-the-scenes chapters, while general readers will enjoy this wunderkind's journey from Long Beach to Hollywood." ―Library Journal

“A must-read for fans of horror, lovers of independent cinema and people who respect tenacity, determination and perseverance. True Indie is a charming, entertaining and insightful look at the life and work of a bold and brazen filmmaker. It hits the mark like a speeding, double-spiked chrome ball.” ―J.J. ABRAMS

"The two best books about the process of filmmaking are Hitchcock-A Definite Study by Francois Truffaut and How I Made A Hundred Movies in Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime by Roger Corman. Well, I now add to this list True Indie: Life And Death in Filmmaking by Don Coscarelli. A smart, insightful and entertaining look at the bizarre roller coaster life of an indie director. If you don’t love this book… you’re already dead.” ―Rob Zombie

"The term indie is overused and misapplied. To me, indie means 'independent of corporate financing or influence.' I had the good fortune to witness such creative freedom on my first movie, Evil Dead. Don Coscarelli has made indies, in the truest sense, for most of his career. I wanted to work on Bubba Ho-Tep not only because of Joe R. Landsdale’s great concept, but because I knew that Don was beholden to no corporate decisions and could make Bubba as raw and outrageous as the movie needed to be. Don Coscarelli is as indie as they come." ―Bruce Campbell, New York Times bestselling author of Hail to the Chin

"A career in any creative field is like a ride on a broken-down roller coaster that you have to power with your own feet. True Indie: Life And Death in Filmmaking is proof of that; it's a wild crash course in what a life spent in Hollywood is really like. Don has seen it all, and this memoir is required reading for anyone who loves movies and great anecdotes." ―David Wong, New York Times bestselling author of the John Dies at the End series

"Mr. Coscarelli, a veteran cult auteur, knows what he's doing. His resume includes the Phantasm horror franchise and the incomparable Bubba Ho-Tep... These movies are, in every sense, unbelievable. Which means they just might restore your faith in absurdity." ―The New York Times on John Dies at the End

"A can-do filmmaker, an artist who could transform household materials into crowd-pleasing, genre fare." ―Consequence of Sound

About the Author

DON COSCARELLI became the youngest filmmaker ever to have a feature film distributed by a studio when Universal bought his first film at age 19. The independent, award-winning filmmaker is best known for Phantasm which spawned a rabid cult of fans worldwide. His other indie genre hits include The Beastmaster and Bubba Ho-tep. On TV he directed Showtime’s Masters of Horror premiere episode. His most recent film was Sundance selection John Dies at the End. In 2004, he was inducted into Fangoria’s Hall of Fame.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B079DTZZ3C
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (October 2, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 2, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 40984 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 343 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1250193249

Best Sellers Rank: #207,834 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #20 in Biographies of Movie Directors
- #62 in Movie & Video History & Criticism
- #84 in Movie Director Biographies

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Jon Kitley

A Must Buy for all Movie Fans

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2018

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Having the chance to see Bubba Ho-Tep in the theater with the director Don Coscarelli in attendance is well worth me traveling into Chicago for it. Even more so if Coscarelli is there promoting his new autobiography as well! Hearing him talk about the book after the screening made me want to dive into it right away. In fact, I started reading this the next day. And two weeks later to the day, I finished it. If you want to get the gist of this review without having to read it all, just go by the book. It is one of the most entertaining biographies I’ve read in a long time. But if you want more details, read on.

I’ve always admired Coscarelli and his work, especially the Phantasm films, and have met the man more than a few times at different conventions over the years. Each and every time I have met him, he has been one of the most genuine and friendly person you could meet. In fact, as me and a friend we’re waiting outside the theater for the book signing, Coscarelli walks up to us and says “Hi, I’m Don. Are you hear for the singing and movie?” Such a class act.
His book covers his beginnings in the world of filmmaking which will astonish you, but also show you the hard work and dedication required for it. He also shows how “fun” it is working in the industry, especially with the studios. But his tales of working outside of that system is really where the interesting tales come from. One of the things I’ve always admired about the first Phantasm film is how creative they were for such a low budget. He mentions early in the book, saying “visual effects did not necessarily require a lot of money, but rather true creativity and ingenuity.” I couldn’t agree more and wish more young filmmakers would take that approach.

I was even amazed at some of the things I learned in this book and even more surprised at the fact that I already didn’t know it. Like that Coscarelli directed the music video for Dio’s The Last in Line! I was a huge Dio fan back in the day and knew who Coscarelli was back then. So why did I not stumble across that bit of info back then??? See that, kiddies? You can actually learn stuff from these books!

He goes through each of his films, from his very first, Jim The World’s Greatest, to the final (or is it?) entry in the Phantasm series, with plenty of stories that will make you laugh as well as gasp at how he managed to pull off what he did. While he remains very positive when mentioning people that he’s worked with, he doesn’t pull any punches when there is a problem either. You will fly through this book faster than a flying sphere and enjoy every page. This comes highly recommended.

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Scott A. Bradley

DON COSCARELLI Proves He Still Plays a Good Game with the Wildly Entertaining Memoir, “TRUE INDIE”

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2020

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Phantasm: Ravager (2016), the fifth film in the nearly-40-year arc of the Phantasm series, ends with a bittersweet reunion.
Brothers Mike and Jody and their best friend Reggie, the protagonists from the original 1979 film, sit inside the trademark black Plymouth Barracuda.

They had been separated over the course of their endless battle against the otherworldly Tall Man and his minions. Now, as they sit in the muscle car, they exchange wordless looks. Age has altered their features, and there’s a weariness in their expressions.

However, as the ‘Cuda drives off towards a city under siege by a swarm of alien silver spheres and hordes of the undead, the exhaustion on their faces is replaced with contented smiles.

Like the aging outlaws at the end of Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch, these old friends defiantly face down overpowering forces against impossible odds. But now they do it together. And, like the Wild Bunch, there’s no place they’d rather be.

As you read director and horror legend Don Coscarelli’s memoir, True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking (St. Martin’s Press-ISBN 1250193249), you may find yourself thinking of that scene from Ravager every time Coscarelli and his film crew head out to make movies, odds be damned.

From his first independently produced feature film at the age of 19, to his breakthrough horror classic Phantasm, and the cult hits Bubba Ho-Tep and John Dies at the End, Don Coscarelli overcame snubs from all the major studios, clueless film distributors, and even disinterest from the Sundance Film Festival, to make his movies his way.

How Coscarelli beat the odds time and again is a surprisingly warmhearted story of lifelong friendships, loyal film crews and actors, hard lessons, dumb luck, and the talent to adapt to the challenges inherent to low budget independent filmmaking.

In the book prologue, Coscarelli scuffs up the shiny myth of the hip and cool indie filmmaker epitomized by Quentin Tarantino and the sea of wannabes that came after his success:

“He made it look so damn easy, but all those wannabes quickly found out it’s not. Indie filmmaking is damn hard.”

Don Coscarelli knows of what he speaks. After all, by the time he was 16, he blew a chance to work with Disney and got ripped off for his work by…the YMCA.

He even got to interview visual effects legend Douglas Trumbull for a proposed magazine under the American Zoetrope umbrella, guided by August Coppolla (Francis’ older brother), only to have the project dissolve mysteriously.

“Would it dash your dreams if I report that we never heard a word back from August Coppola…or anybody from American Zoetrope ever again?” writes Coscarelli.

Ah, showbiz.

And yet, by the time he turned 19, Don Coscarelli had made his first full-length feature (Jim, the World’s Greatest), had an office on the Universal Studios lot, his second movie in production (Kenny and Company), and had the ear of one of the most powerful people in Hollywood: Sid Sheinberg, then President of Universal Pictures.

All of that was short-lived. But, the corporate indifference of Hollywood executives and the politics of ineptitude not only make for great stories but also lit a fire under Coscarelli to make his next movie on his own terms. That film was Phantasm, and it propels an eccentric career full of twists and turns that make this book a captivating read.

Despite the penchant for flying silver spheres, reanimated corpses, and fountains of yellow and red blood, the Phantasm movies have always been about friendship, loyalty, and family at their core. While True Indie is a wildly entertaining look at the technical, artistic and political battlefields of independent cinema, it is also a heartfelt love letter to family, friendship and personal integrity.

Coscarelli entertains us with personal stories around his 40-plus year career making movies, but he also allows us a glimpse into his formative years as a boy growing up in Orange County, California.

The author devotes as much time to his childhood and his first movie experiments as he gives to his more famous work. It’s a shrewd move because Coscarelli’s youthful enthusiasm and ambition are contagious. It also shows how friends, teachers and family inspired him in ways he took to heart. There are passages that gratefully acknowledge the people who taught him life lessons that speak volumes about what Don Coscarelli values.

Of course, the book bursts with anecdotal stories about the long, strange campaigns to make his films, including the roadblocks, the hardships of picking the wrong actor or crew, and the missed opportunities (or dodged bullets) of potential films left unmade. There are sobering passages where the director chooses loyalty to his cast and crew over bowing to potential backers, and takes a career hit for it.

Coscarelli also gives the reader a crash-course on how to navigate and survive low-budget independent movie making. The chapter, “Don Coscarelli’s Five-Minute Film School” is worth the price of the book alone. However, the book is peppered with pragmatic and inventive ways to make the most of limited time and resources.

The book is most assuredly the author’s story, but you may be surprised how much time he devotes throughout the book to honor his friends, family, and the actors and crew of his films. Coscarelli believes in film as a collaborative art and he is quick to praise those he worked with. There is real love and admiration for the late actor Angus Scrimm, and the chapters which feature their friendship are poignant and respectful.

Coscarelli’s mixture of sincerity, humor, blunt self-reflection, and an egalitarian mindset reveal a true love for making movies, the people who make them, and the people who help the people who make them. His style elevates this book into emotionally engaging and satisfying territory. True Indie has the rare misfit glee and personality of books like John Waters’ Shock Value and David F. Friedman’s A Youth in Babylon.

It has heart.

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Matthew H.

Excellent Read for Anyone Interested in Independent Film

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023

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Not much more to say than what's on the headline. Great book about a great director in his own words. My only gripe is that it's not longer!

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Pete Zolli

This book is a lot of fun

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018

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I haven't seen all of Mr. Coscarelli's films, but I'm a long-time Phantasm fan, and also enjoyed Bubba Ho-Tep and John Dies At The End. What I learned from reading this book is that the filmmaker is very much reflected in his films: Some things are clunky and clumsy, and some odd stylistic choices are made... But the whole thing is just brimming with CHUTZPAH and MOXIE and HEART. :)

As to the book, the writing reflects my comment above. And while maybe not great literature, it's perfectly good enough; breezy and engaging and informative. Recommended.

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Echo

really interesting background on Coscarellli's career.

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2021

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Don Coscarelli's films and I have had a decades-long relationship. I'm a suburban Southern California native, and caught "Phantasm" on KTLA 5 and "Kenny & Company" on HBO during the 1980s. These films (and all of Coscarelli's work) were the results of creativity and determination of a filmmaker not a lot older than I am, and a product of similar upbringing. It was a pleasure to read about his career, starting as a teenager and culminating in one of the most well-regarded independent filmmakers today.

It's recommended!

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Bortimer

Great for any movie lover!

Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2019

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Excellent read if you work in the business (or would just like an inside point of view). Also insightful and inspiring for indie filmmakers. Movie lovers in general should enjoy it, even if you’re not that familiar or a fan of Don Coscarelli’s films, it’s interesting and entertaining nonetheless. Highly recommend.