<description>&lt;div&gt;For a goofy franchise that started with gangsters stealing DVD players and wound up with a Pontiac Fiero going into space, &lt;em&gt;The Fast and the Furious&lt;/em&gt; movies are a pretty fantastic lens through which to view the last quarter-century of Hollywood economics. From the DVD boom and bust to the internationalization and diversification of ticket-buyers to questions of propriety surrounding the digital resurrection of deceased actors to the desire for all-encompassing franchise-based “cinematic universes,” the series has ridden every economic wave buffeting the movie business since the original’s release in 2001. &lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; Author Barry Hertz does a wonderful job of weaving that story amidst the tangle of egos and artistic energy that makes up the &lt;em&gt;Fast &lt;/em&gt;series in his new book, &lt;em&gt;Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast &amp;amp; Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World&lt;/em&gt;. Full disclosure: I’m not a particularly big fan of the series, so I was a little skeptical when I agreed to check out Barry’s book. But even if you don’t really care about the &lt;em&gt;Fast and Furious&lt;/em&gt; movies, there’s more than enough behind-the-scenes drama and economic intrigue to keep you riveted. And it’s a must-buy stocking stuffer for anyone in your life who lives their life a quarter mile at a time.&lt;/div&gt; </description>

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

The Bulwark

A 'Fast and Furious' Guide to the Economics of Hollywood

NOV 21, 202539 MIN
The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

A 'Fast and Furious' Guide to the Economics of Hollywood

NOV 21, 202539 MIN

Description

<div>For a goofy franchise that started with gangsters stealing DVD players and wound up with a Pontiac Fiero going into space, <em>The Fast and the Furious</em> movies are a pretty fantastic lens through which to view the last quarter-century of Hollywood economics. From the DVD boom and bust to the internationalization and diversification of ticket-buyers to questions of propriety surrounding the digital resurrection of deceased actors to the desire for all-encompassing franchise-based “cinematic universes,” the series has ridden every economic wave buffeting the movie business since the original’s release in 2001. <br> <br> Author Barry Hertz does a wonderful job of weaving that story amidst the tangle of egos and artistic energy that makes up the <em>Fast </em>series in his new book, <em>Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast &amp; Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World</em>. Full disclosure: I’m not a particularly big fan of the series, so I was a little skeptical when I agreed to check out Barry’s book. But even if you don’t really care about the <em>Fast and Furious</em> movies, there’s more than enough behind-the-scenes drama and economic intrigue to keep you riveted. And it’s a must-buy stocking stuffer for anyone in your life who lives their life a quarter mile at a time.</div>