{"product_id":"king-of-the-action-thriller-films-from-the-mind-of-alistair-maclean-9781476695334","title":"King of the Action Thriller: Films from the Mind of Alistair MacLean","description":"\u003cp\u003e The Scottish novelist Alistair MacLean didn't speak English until he was six, but he went on to become one of the world's best-selling authors (over 150 million copies sold) and Hollywood's highest-paid screenwriter. His films are the very portrait of action. \u003ci\u003eWhere Eagles Dare\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Guns of Navarone\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePuppet on a Chain\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFear Is the Key\u003c\/i\u003e set the template for \u003ci\u003eDie Hard\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eBourne\u003c\/i\u003e films, and \u003ci\u003eJohn Wick\u003c\/i\u003e. The cable car fight, speedboat pursuit, and car chase set a new high for action sequences. Movies were sold on his name alone. He achieved Hollywood's highest honor--his name above the title--because he appealed to a vast global audience. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This is the first book to explore Alistair MacLean's unique magic, detailing how 18 of his bestsellers were transformed into movies and mini-series. His movies starred Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Gregory Peck, Donald Sutherland, multiple Oscar nominees Richard Burton and Richard Harris, and two-time Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins. Moviemakers had such faith in MacLean's name as a marketing tool that they also handed leading roles to unknowns like George Maharis or Sven Bertil-Taube. This much-needed work of cinema history fills a gap in the scholarship, telling the full story of the man who dominated the action movie for two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrian Hannan\u003c\/b\u003e writes a regular column for \u003ci\u003eCinema Retro\u003c\/i\u003e magazine and gives lectures on film at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"McFarland \u0026 Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52103666762002,"sku":"9781476695334","price":43.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_21514b4d-2833-43cc-bf2f-4f39d925efde.jpg?v=1773152626","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/king-of-the-action-thriller-films-from-the-mind-of-alistair-maclean-9781476695334","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}