Search results for ""author neil daniels""

J.J. Abrams is one of the most successful director-writer-producers working in Hollywood, and now that he is being offered the chance to visit a galaxy far, far away to direct the long-awaited Star Wars sequel, his reputation is set to shoot ever higher. Much like his hero Steven Spielberg, such has been Abrams' success that he has himself become something of a brand, especially since his popular revitalisation of Star Trek as producer of the 2009 blockbuster, as well as its 2013 sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness. However, in the early nineties Abrams began his career writing relatively average movie scripts, such as Regarding Henry and Forever Young, before moving into the world of TV with the college-based drama Felicity. It wasn't until the spy series Alias that his career truly launched. Since the early 2000s, Abrams has dominated genre-TV with the success of cult shows such as Lost and Fringe. At the same time, he found time for the big screen, directing Mission: Impossible III and his personal homage to Spielberg, Super 8 as well as producing the innovative monster movie Cloverfield. Then, not content with distinction in these two fields, 2013 saw the release of his first novel S. with Doug Dorst. While Abrams sceptics note that not everything he has been involved with has worked - after a number of his TV shows have been cancelled and some of his films have received mixed reviews - there's no question that Abrams is one of Hollywood's most powerful people. Set to dominate the world of SF for years to come, this is the first biography of the cult legend.

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Martin Freeman is one of Britain's best-loved actors. After being cast in bit parts and cameos - such as The Bill (his first onscreen role) and the beat-boxing Ricky C in Ali G Indahouse - he made his big break as Tim Canterbury in The Office. Freeman was later cast, among other roles, as the mundane character of Arthur Dent in the sci-fi movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and, labelled an 'everyday' bloke by journalists, began to run the risk of being stereotyped. However, in 2010 he completely turned his career around when he took on the role of Dr John Watson in the incredibly successful Sherlock. His biggest role followed as he portrayed Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy and, in recent years, Freeman has shown a dark edge to his thespian skills by portraying Richard III in the West End and Lester Nygaard in the critically acclaimed US drama series Fargo. An intensely private man, Freeman is in a long-term relationship with the actress Amanda Abbington, whom he met on the set of the 2000 Channel 4 TV movie Men Only and who played his on-screen partner in Sherlock. The Unexpected Adventures of Martin Freeman explores the rise to fame of this unassuming actor, how he has successfully managed to avoid the pitfalls of stardom, and how he has become one of the greatest actors of his generation. It is a must-read for any fan.

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Iron Maiden first appeared at the Reading Rock Festival in 1980 when Paul Di'Anno was fronting the band and Dennis Stratton was on guitar. They appeared second on the bill to UFO on the second night. Undoubtedly for Maiden's Steve Harris there was nothing but respect for the headliners with UFO's Pete Way being one of Harris's biggest bass guitar influences. Also on the bill that day were two future Iron Maiden members - Bruce Dickinson, then the lead singer with Samson, and guitarist Janick Gers of White Spirit, who were brought in as a replacement band. By 1982 when Maiden returned to Reading it was naturally as the headlining act on the Saturday evening. The band had gone through significant changes to the line-up, most notably with Bruce Dickinson now fronting them, which coincided with their rise in popularity. Incredibly it would be another twenty-three years before Maiden returned to Reading, by which time they were in their third decade and had become the undisputed giants of metal. Their longevity also stood out as most of the other major acts that performed over the three days had only appeared on the scene over the previous few years and none could boast a back catalogue quite like Maiden's. With a large collection of photos by Alan Perry and memorabilia from the gigs plus narrative from Iron Maiden biographer Neil Daniels, this book is a wonderful celebration of Maiden's unforgettable appearances at this British institution.

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