Johnny Depp-People In The News
by Kara Higgins

Review by Andrea

I am a DeppFan for almost three years now and I have read most of the available biographies and all of the interviews on this site. I bought this book because I expected some more information about the change in Johnny's life since he met the woman of his life and raised a family, for the other biographies end before this period. I had no information about the book as I purchased it. When I eventually held it in my hands I was awfully disappointed at first sight because of its scope, only 78 pages, but I thought let me give it a shot anyway.

Now after reading it I know I was wrong expecting more than the first impression made me anticipate.

The book deals with Johnny's life and career from childhood days to ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO. After the childhood description the autor checks off film after film and event after event in personal life. In addition to the text there are boxes with short information about people mentioned in the text such as Jack Kerouac (one of his favourite authors), Iggy Pop (one of his musical heroes), Tim Burton and Jim Jarmush (two of his favourite directors), Nicolas Cage, James Dean, Winona Rider, Kate Moss and Vanessa Paradis. The 33 black and white photos have only newspaper quality.

Reading a well written biography is a real pleasure for me when Johnny's films and personality are conveyed with the magic and charm that make him and his films so unique and enchanting. But here the author only numbers fact after fact. There is hardly any background information that would reflect the wonderful personality behind the facts.

The magic of wonderful movies such as EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, ARIZONA DREAM, DEAD MAN and many others goes down in the line of emotionless enumerated facts. The reader gets the impression that Johnny Depp is mainly interesting first as an actor who likes to play odd roles and has nevertheless gained some success with a few box office hitting movies and second because of the love affairs and scandals in his personal life. Hardly mentioned are the little things that happen to people who meet him professionally or in everyday life that convey his disarming charm and the complexity and depth of a unique personality.

To make things worse, there are some significant mistakes in the text. E.g. in the description of BEFORE NIGHT FALLS the autor speaks of the role of a cross-dressing lieutenant. Johnny played two roles in this film, one of a lieutenant and one of a transvestite (short but breathtaking performance!). Or in the never released movie THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE his costar Jean Rochefort is named Jean Rausberg . And the birth of Johnny's son Jack is postponed from April until June 2002!!

The book is merely a superficial survey of Johnny's life and acting work and in my opinion not worth reading for any fan.

It may be useful only for those who want to get a shallow impression on an actor in the news as the title suggests. It does in no case do justice neither to the actor nor to the person Johnny Depp.

Those who really want to know more about Johnny should better read one of the recommended biographies or the interviews on this site, which give a better impression of his personality than any biography ever could (special recommendation: STUDIO 2000 + THE REST).

Contents:

Foreword

Introduction-Hollywood Rebel

Chapter 1- Wild Child

Chapter 2- A Change In Plans

Chapter 3- Finding His Niche

Chapter 4- Hard Times

Chapter 5- Finding Happiness

Chapter 6- Back On Top

Appendix (timeline, for further reading, references, works consulted, index)

Johnny Depp-People In The News

by Kara Higgins

Lucent Books 2004

ISBN 1-59018-538-2

78 pages + 9 pages appendix

33 pictures black and white, newspaper quality

bound issue 6.3 x 9.06 inches (16 x 23 cm)

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