"Bart's insider status ensures that we get the lowdown....[This book] has a far
more compelling story line than any of the summer films he dissects, and the characters are
far better developed."--Detroit Free Press

"Jonathon Tindle serves up this entertaining read with a cocky air that perfectly complements
the author's tone. His rapid tempo makes the text sound even cleverer than it is."--AudioFile

"[A] fascinating inside look at filmmaking that leaves one wondering how anything cohesive is
ever projected on the big screen."--Library Journal

"Bart brings a remarkably plugged-in perspective to the movie community's annual demolition
derby."--Entertainment Weekly

When movies cost hundreds of millions to make and market, the magnitude of the wagers is
astonishing. Vast riches rain down on those who gamble wisely, and careers are made and lost
in one weekend. But never is this box-office race more feverish than during the summer blockbuster
season, when the studios roll out their most expensive, effects-laden pictures in a feverish race to
win the box-office derby.

Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety, brings us a marvelously entertaining behind-the-scenes
portrait of moviemaking, spotlighting the summer of 1998. He takes us through the entire cycle of
would-be summer blockbusters, from script through casting and production and finally into release.
Interviewing dozens of the most powerful names in Hollywood, Bart gives an in-depth account of why
some succeeded and others failed.