Escape from Film School

This hilarious book gives us a sharp-eyed view of the screenwriter's lot from the halls of academia through the studio system, by brilliant writer who's seen it all.

This is a very funny book. Walter explores Hollywood's absurd side and kept me laughing.

"Escape from Film School" is a refreshingly funny and original novel even down to the unique way Walter conveys time shifts. Just when you think - aha! - you know what's coming next, the plot curves in the opposite direction. Walter has a sort of Byronian wit coupled with Keatsian attention to detail. His language jargon changes as smoothly as the decades do, giving the novel a time-encapsulated realistic edge. The plot progresses forward at an exceedingly fast rate - you simply cannot put the book down. However, what I love best is the strength of Walter's women characters. They positively beam with purpose and charisma sharply contrasting the male lead, Stuart. Poor Stuart's only aim is to please. And who could forget that coat rack - its Freudian implications and the way it keeps popping up in the weirdest places is haunting, but I'll leave that for the readers. If someone were smart, they'd buy the rights to this book and make it into a movie!

Richard has written a very witty look at Hollywood and takes on the myth of "making it" in the business! And it doesn't surprise me some chump from NY thinks the premier screenwriting teacher is "out of the loop." Sorry, Mr. Field. The book is right on!

Escape From Film School is as compelling a read as the Guber/Peters non fiction title about how they took Sony for a ride, and as funny as a Neil Simon play. I loved it because it never judges the situation, it "merely" keeps telling a friggin funny story about two fascinating worlds, the film school scene, and the culture in L.A.and it's people,which, spanning three decades,the read flies by as quickly as life. If you want something that's funny, swift,snappy and "names names" , read it. I liked it better than Tom Wolfes current title. I just love the fiction/faction combination. I completely dug it.