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New book by the co-producer of "Zulu Dawn"
Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Devotees of "Zulu Dawn" might be interested in a new book by one of its producers, Nathaniel (Nate) Kohn, currently an associate professor at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The book is called "Pursuing Hollywood: Seduction, Obsession, Dread" and is published by AltaMira Press in the US. Though it has behind-the-scenes stills from ZD on both the front and back covers, it is not (as I had first thought) entirely about the production of the film. But there is an interesting (ironically titled) prologue called "Hail the Conquering Hero" which gives a vivid snapshot of the decidedly dubious way in which the film was partly financed (namely, exchanging American currency for a suitcase full of used Rands in the back room of an Indian restaurant in Jo'burg, in order to have sufficient ready cash to pay the Zulu extras). The back-cover blurb carries extravagant endorsements by people like American film critic Roger Ebert and South African film historian Keyan Tomiselli (University of Natal), so it might be worth seeking out.
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It is a pity it wasn't devoted solely to 'Zulu Dawn', as you know I'm definitely an avid fan of the film.

A book in the style of your own 'Zulu' would have been fantastic. Behind-the-scenes/On set photographs, as well as the actors, posters, etc.

Such a book about 'Zulu Dawn' will have to go on to my wish list along with my other for a possible remake (or is it reimagined?) about the battle at Isandlwana.

I remember I built up my hopes when I heard of the book 'Zulu Dawn', before I realised it was the novel.

Any idea if someone may attempt such a project ?Wink

Coll
Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
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I doubt it, Coll - certainly not me! It's hard enough to find a market for books about successful films, let alone flops...
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Thanks for the heads up Sheldon on the book. I'm going to see if I can get it here. Just an fyi, Prof Kohn has an interesting article on screenplays
in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media (June 22 1999).
He notes that authors of screenplays "disappear" into the works they help write since they are just one of many of the "creative collective" involved in making a movie. And he cites William Burroughs: " A writer writes a novel the way he wants it and there it is...But with a filmscript you have someone looking over your shoulder and saying "Well, the studio doesn't
like that, we don't want that." And you may come back from lunch to find someone else's idea right in he middle of your film script. As they say in Hollywood, good filmscripts are not written, they are re-written".
Writin' a screenplay anybody? Coll? Sheldon? You'll have competition today in the authorship!
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Working on it Rich ! Wink

I wouldn't care who took control of any script I wrote based on Isandlwana, as long as it was made and well made at that !

A quality film about Isandlwana ? Hooray ! Very Happy

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Coll me boy my crystal ball says the film will result in a windfall of millions of pounds!!!!!!!!....I see Mr. Caine ringing you up...."Chin-chin good work
there old boy".... make sure you get a lawyer or is it a "barrister" who does those things?????...Wink....
donno


Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 8
Location: Lincolnshire
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I'm new to the forum Can I just say first that Zulu Making of an Epic was FANTASTIC I was gob smacked at the research
I have a story to tell about the making of the film. My Aunt Edna lives in South Africa. She's in her 90s now but she still tells me about how she was invited to the party they had when the movie was finished . I can't remember where it was. Durban? Anyway I think Nigel Green had a drink problem and he drunkenly groped my poor aunt. She was outraged and threatened to have her husband onto him. She's a bit of a snob and said to Green "How dare you. Do you know my husband won the Military Cross and will thrash you!!" I don't what Green's answer was.
When Aunt Edna saw Green's death in the paper she said "Oh, i see that dreadful man is dead"
Does anyone know more about this party?

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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Hi Donno,

Many thanks for your compliments on the book - glad you enjoyed it. That's a great story about Nigel Green - maybe I could include it in a second edition, if there is one? I'm sure there were a lot of parties during the three-month location shoot. I did hear a story about one at one of the hotels (presumably the Mont-Aux-Sources), which ended with furniture being thrown down the hill outside, but I was never able to corroborate it so I left it out of the book!

Sheldon
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donno


Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 8
Location: Lincolnshire
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Hi mate
All I know it was a party to celebrate the finishing of the movie I'm sure it was in Durban
I will write to dear Aunt and tell her to give me more infomation

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New book by the co-producer of "Zulu Dawn"
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