The Making of C S Forester's Horatio Hornblower

by Tom McGregor

Book Overview

Horatio Hornblower, young midshipman and gallant hero of C. S. Forester's epic novels, arrives as a raw recruit in Nelson's navy, but is destined to rise through the ranks. Amidst a wealth of bloody sea battles, he proves himself courageous in danger and resilient intimes of trouble. The Making of C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower is a fascinating account of howForester's much--loved fictional hero was brought to the screen to create one of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061073571
• ISBN13: 9780061073571
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

A great companion to the movies!

I love this book. Aside from the tons of great pictures of the cast, it gives a lot of background on all the characters - including the boat that they used to for filming. There are brief synopsis' on all the movies as well as a brief rundown of the characters we meet in each movie.Wonderful interviews, beautiful pictures, and indepth characterization from the actor's perspective.This is a great book for any Hornblower fan!

Hornblower at your fingertips

If you are a Hornblower fan you must have this book! First, the photographs are amazing including captures from the hit A & M mini series to back stage candids, technical details and beautiful portraits of the stars. Second, the written commentary if fantastic. The writer goes into details of the complexities of filming in a foreign place, supplying food, costumes, transportation and everything else. It also talks about the Grand Turk, the ship they filmed the mini series on. It was interesting to read about how the crew from the film had to work with the crew that actually operated the ship, the movie sailing cast and the makeup and wardrobe people, all on what seems to be a pretty small ship. This book is very well done, and really should be owned by any true Horatio Hornblower fan.

Behind-the-Scenes Glimpse of the Hornblower Movies!

If you enjoyed the adventures of Horatio Hornblower shown on television in April, you'll love this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of the four movies. The author includes chapters on the location shoots in the Ukraine and Portugal, construction of the "Grand Turk" (one of the ships used in filming), interviews with the principal cast members, and synopses of each movie. Throughout is wonderful information on the genesis of the project, the complexities of shooting in multiple locations, historical accuracy, special effects, casting, and adapting the Forester books into screenplays. McGregor writes in a relaxed conversational style that is very readable. The chapter on filming in the Ukraine and the difficulties encountered there by cast and crew is most interesting. The book contains numerous photographs and illustrations in full color. The Making of Horatio Hornblower is a must-have book if you loved the movies or own the videos. I highly recommend it.

Sparkling behind-the-scenes tales from an TV epic

For anyone who loved A & E's "Horatio Hornblower" four-movie series, this is the book for you. With tons of color photos and the dry wit of British writer MacGregor, this is an information-packed volume that takes you behind the scenes, telling you exactly how they filmed all those realistic-looking ship battles. There are interviews with each of the major stars (particularly good ones with up-and-coming Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd, who fits perfectly into the role of young Hornblower, and the wonderful Robert Lindsay, unforgettable as gruff-but-kindly Captain Pellew). Anyone who is a fan of the Hornblower novels, as I am, must have been a little fearful of what TV would do to our beloved hero -- but this mini-series of epic movies did both Horatio and C.S. Forester proud. I imagine C.S. is sitting on his cloud somewhere, smiling because a whole new generation is now going to discover Horatio Hornblower. Three cheers for A & E -- and definitely read this book!