Featuring rare, outstanding additional content, Clint Eastwood: Icon is the definitive collection of film art and material representing Clint Eastwood’s legendary career as seen through the original iconic artwork. Clint Eastwood is a nameless vigilante, a vengeful detective, a bare-knuckle boxer, a Secret Service agent, and countless other definitive screen archetypes now embedded in our shared pop-culture consciousness. However you define him, Clint Eastwood has a powerful and extremely recognizable image that exists as something beyond the narratives of his films. Featuring a wealth of additional content, this new edition of Clint Eastwood: Icon presents an unprecedented collection of film art and rare material surrounding the legendary actor. This comprehensive trove gathers together poster art, lobby cards, standees, Italian Spaghetti Western Premier posters, studio ads, and esoteric film memorabilia from around the world. From his early roles as the nameless gunslinger in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Westerns, to the vigilante films of the 1970s and 1980s, through his directorial roles and latest releases, Clint Eastwood: Icon captures the powerful presence that turned Eastwood into the definitive American hero.
To launch our new line of LIFE books celebrating legendary figures in our world, who better than Clint Eastwood? He is an icon among icons, a titanic figure in movie history still going strong at age 82. The recent dustup over his "Halftime in America" ad during the Super Bowl only confirms how large Eastwood looms in the American imagination: He is a Will Rogers or John Wayne walking among us. Clinton Eastwood Jr. was born in San Francisco, and nothing about him might have presaged his future except for rugged good looks. Those alone were enough to get him a supporting role in the TV series "Rawhide" in 1959. LIFE magazine was a weekly chronicler of Hollywood at the time, and we have been on the Eastwood case ever since: the spaghetti westerns (A Fistful of Dollars, etc.); the Dirty Harry movies; the directorial efforts, beginning with Play Misty for Me and right up through Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and Gran Torino; even the sideline jobs-his love of jazz piano and his career as a composer; his nonpartisan mayoralty of his chosen California town, Carmel-by-the-Sea. LIFE has visited Eastwood at home and even played golf with him on his own course overlooking the Pacific, and this will be an up-close-and-personal look at a man who is, perhaps as much as any American, too often seen as mere symbol. LIFE's new book series, ICONS, will present the famous in a way that allows our readers to know these people-often in a way they had never known them before.
Famous for his masculine swagger and gritty roles, American cultural icon Clint Eastwood has virtually defined the archetype of the tough lawman. Beginning with his first on-screen appearance in the television series Rawhide (1959--1965) and solidified by his portrayal of the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy (1964--1966), he rocketed to stardom and soon became one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. The Philosophy of Clint Eastwood examines the philosophy and psychology behind this versatile and controversial figure, exploring his roles as actor, musician, and director. Led by editors Richard T. McClelland and Brian B. Clayton, the contributors to this timely volume discuss a variety of topics. They explore Eastwood's arresting critique and revision of the traditional western in films such as Unforgiven (1992), as well as his attitudes toward violence and the associated concept of masculinity from the Dirty Harry movies (starting in 1971) to Gran Torino (2008). The essays also chart a shift in Eastwood's thinking about the value of so-called rugged individualism, an element of many of his early films, already questioned in Play Misty for Me (1971) and decisively rejected in Million Dollar Baby (2004). Clint Eastwood has proven to be a dynamic actor, a perceptive and daring director, as well as an intriguing public figure. Examining subjects such as the role of civil morality and community in his work, his use of themes of self-reliance and religious awareness, and his cinematic sensibility, The Philosophy of Clint Eastwood will provide readers with a deeper sense of Eastwood as an artist and illuminate the philosophical conflicts and resolutions that drive his films.
Through extensive, exclusive interviews with Eastwood (and the friends and colleagues of a lifetime), Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel has penetrated a complex character who has always been understood too quickly, too superficially. Schickel pierces Eastwood's monumental reserve to reveal the anger and the shyness, the shrewdness and frankness, the humor and powerful will that have helped make him what he is today. of photos.
In American Rebel, bestselling author and acclaimed film historian Marc Eliot examines the ever-exciting, often-tumultuous arc of Clint Eastwood's life and career. As a Hollywood icon, Clint Eastwood--one of film's greatest living legends--represents some of the finest cinematic achievements in the history of American cinema. Eliot writes with unflinching candor about Eastwood's highs and lows, his artistic successes and failures, and the fascinating, complex relationship between his life and his craft. Eliot's prodigious research reveals how a college dropout and unambitious playboy rose to fame as Hollywood's "sexy rebel," eventually and against all odds becoming a star in the Academy pantheon as a multiple Oscar winner. Spanning decades, American Rebel covers the best of Eastwood's oeuvre, films that have fast become American classics: Fistful of Dollars, Dirty Harry, Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Gran Torino. Filled with remarkable insights into Eastwood's personal life and public work, American Rebel is highly entertaining and the most complete biography of one of Hollywood's truly respected and beloved stars–-an actor who, despite being the Man with No Name, has left his indelible mark on the world of motion pictures.
Clint Eastwood is a Hollywood icon, with five Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and numerous other accolades for his work as an actor, director, producer, and composer. Yet because he rose to fame in "spaghetti westerns" and Dirty Harry shoot-em-ups, few critics have ventured to explore Eastwood's philosophical, ethical, and artistic agenda as an intellectual filmmaker. Addressing this void, film scholar Sara Anson Vaux analyzes fifteen of Eastwood's best-known films from narrative, artistic, and thematic perspectives. She traces the nuanced development of Eastwood's unfolding moral vision over a forty-year continuum, showing how this vision has grown more sophisticated even as many of the motifs expressing it -- justice, confession, war and peace, the gathering, the search for a perfect world -- have remained the same.
"Authoritative . . . highly nuanced . . . gives the reader a palpable sense of Mr. Eastwood's career." --The New York Times From the moment The Man With No Name first fixed the screen with his murderous squint, from the first time audiences heard Dirty Harry Callahan growl "Make my day," Clint Eastwood has been an icon of American manhood in all its coolness and ferocity. But that icon is also an actor of surprising subtlety, a filmmaker of vast intelligence and originality--and an intensely private man who eludes the stereotypes with which his fans and critics try to label him. In this in-depth biography, the distinguished film critic Richard Schickel talks with Eastwood's family, friends, and colleagues--and, above all, with his notoriously reticent subject--to produce a portrait more astute and revealing than any we have ever had. Following Eastwood from his unstable childhood through his turbulent love affairs, assessing films from A Fistful of Dollars to the Oscar-winning The Unforgiven, and locating the subversive streak of rage and solitude that runs through all his work, Clint Eastwood is candid and endlessly fascinating, an unerring closeup of one of our brightest stars. "Exhilarating . . . substantial, insightful, and right." --Newsday
While the western was a staple of cinema for many decades, the form began to fade as its greatest star, John Wayne, made fewer films of distinction toward the end of his career. In the mid-1960s, the genre was redefined by a handful of directors, including Don Siegel and Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, who offered something edgier, bloodier, and more violent. Working with both directors was an actor who had made a name for himself on the small screen in the hit western Rawhide. While Clint Eastwood would also star in and direct a number of successes with contemporary settings, his work in westerns represents the most significant part of his film career. In The Clint Eastwood Westerns, James L. Neibaur takes a film-by-film look at each of the superstar’s signature works, from A Fistful of Dollars in 1964 to his modern-day classic Unforgiven, which earned him two Academy Awards, including best director. The author discusses in detail the production, impact, influences, and successes (both critical and commercial) of each film. In addition, Neibaur examines the continued success and influence of these works—how they redefined, challenged, and progressed the western genre. The book also features chapters that look at Eastwood’s other films in the context of his overall career. From the spaghetti westerns he made with Leone, including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,to his revisionist look at the Old West in Unforgiven, The Clint Eastwood Westerns shines a spotlight on some of the most thrilling films of the genre. For devotees of Eastwood—the actor or director—or simply fans of the western, this book is an entertaining look at one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars.
Discover the remarkable journey of Clint Eastwood, a towering figure in the world of film, in "Clint Eastwood: Unforgiven Legacy - Icon of American Cinema." This comprehensive biography delves into the life and career of Eastwood, tracing his evolution from a television actor to one of Hollywood's most revered and influential directors and actors. From his early days in the iconic TV series "Rawhide" to his rise as the quintessential "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, Clint Eastwood's career has been marked by a series of groundbreaking roles and directorial achievements. The book explores his transition from an on-screen legend to a behind-the-camera visionary, highlighting his ability to craft compelling narratives and memorable characters that resonate with audiences across generations. "Unforgiven Legacy" delves into the thematic richness of Eastwood's filmography, examining his recurring exploration of justice, morality, and the human condition. Through detailed analysis of classics such as "Dirty Harry," "Unforgiven," "Gran Torino," and "Million Dollar Baby," the book reveals Eastwood's nuanced approach to storytelling and his unflinching portrayal of complex, often flawed, protagonists. Eastwood's films are not just entertainment; they are powerful commentaries on society, ethics, and the American experience. This book also provides an in-depth look at Eastwood's directorial style, his innovative techniques, and his collaborations with some of the industry's finest talents. It covers his ability to seamlessly move between genres, from westerns and action thrillers to dramas and biopics, showcasing his versatility and mastery of the cinematic art form. Insights into his meticulous attention to detail, his preference for practical effects over CGI, and his knack for extracting authentic performances from his cast reveal the craftsmanship behind his enduring success. "Clint Eastwood: Unforgiven Legacy - Icon of American Cinema" does not shy away from the controversies and criticisms that have marked Eastwood's career. It offers a balanced perspective on the debates surrounding his films, political views, and personal life, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the man behind the legend. Through interviews, archival research, and critical analysis, the book paints a comprehensive portrait of Eastwood as both an artist and an individual. In addition to exploring his cinematic achievements, the book highlights Eastwood's contributions to the broader cultural and social landscape. His work as a composer, his political engagements, and his impact on the film industry as a producer and mentor to emerging filmmakers are thoroughly examined. Eastwood's legacy extends beyond his films, influencing a new generation of directors and actors who look to his career as a model of artistic integrity and perseverance. "Unforgiven Legacy" is richly illustrated with rare photographs, film stills, and behind-the-scenes images that bring Eastwood's storied career to life. These visuals, combined with compelling narrative and insightful commentary, make this book an essential addition to the library of any film enthusiast, student of cinema, or admirer of Clint Eastwood. Whether you are a longtime fan or discovering Clint Eastwood's work for the first time, "Clint Eastwood: Unforgiven Legacy - Icon of American Cinema" offers a captivating and thorough exploration of one of Hollywood's most enduring and influential figures. It celebrates Eastwood's indelible mark on American cinema and his legacy as a true icon of the silver screen.
