Book Description

In terms of his impact on the motion picture and television industries, from a world box office perspective, it’s not only fair, but probably undeniable, to say that Jerry Bruckheimer is the most successful producer in the history of both mediums. One need merely look at Bruckheimer's resume to verify this statement. His successes include Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop II, Top Gun, Bad Boys and Bad Boys II, Crimson Tide, The Rock, Con Air, Armageddon, Enemy of the State, Remember the Titans, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and the National Treasure films, plus TV’s three CSI programs, Cold Case, and The Amazing Race. His films have either made, consolidated, or reinvented the images of Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Richard Gere, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Ben Affleck, Denzel Washington, Keira Knightley, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Bruckheimer’s films and television shows have not only influenced popular culture, but, in some cases, defined it. And although cinema is usually considered a director’s medium—and Bruckheimer is well known to be completely respectful of their visions on his productions—he has an indelible creative stamp that hearkens back to the days of such strong, hands-on pioneers as David O. Selznick, Darryl F. Zanuck, Sam Spiegel, and, for that matter, Walt Disney. Jerry Bruckheimer - When Lightning Strikes: Four Decades of Filmmaking commemorates the uber-producer's entire career thus far, from his early years in advertising, all the way through to his most recent blockbuster. The stories behind all of his films and television shows are revealed through informative text written by Bruckheimer's VP of Publicity, Michael Singer, who has worked beside the producer in deserts, on tropical islands, and at every conceivable filming location in between. The images that accompany the text tell their own story, of directors, actors, and writers coming together with Bruckheimer to create films, characters, and screenplays that have become iconic, beloved, and oft-quoted. It is a story that parallels the stories of many Bruckheimer films; after all, he is the ultimate working-class hero who has forged his own brand in "world made of steel."