Harvard, Hollywood, Hitmen, and Holy Men

By: Paul W. Williams

Narrated by: Marlin May

The movie director Paul Williams is a real-life Forrest Gump. Williams' experiences form a unique and wild constellation of encounters with star power, political power, and spiritual power, crafting a life cycle that led to fame, fortune, integrity, and anonymity.

A member of the inner circle of the "Movie Brats" who led the charge of American New Wave cinema in the 1970s, Williams' idiosyncrasies make him a darling of the era. His stories about his pals Scorsese, Voight, Christie, DePalma, Coppola, Dreyfuss, Spielberg, De Niro, and Lucas shed new light on a world bursting with creativity and possibility. He helps Terrence Malick make his first film, tries to adjust to the tyranny of the fabulously wealthy, and turns down the offer to direct the smash hits Animal House and Stepford Wives. He also turns down a partnership with a new Parisian restaurant called The Hard Rock Cafe, and turns down Lorne Michaels' offer to help him create Saturday Night Live.

With amazing honesty, Williams recounts the unexpected details of making his own seminal cult classics like Out of It (1969), The Revolutionary (1970), and Dealing (1972). He also discusses his adventures with Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver in Algiers, Fidel Castro in Havana, Huey P. Newton in Oakland, and Pope John Paul II in Vatican City.

The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2023 Paul W. Williams (P)2023 Redwood Audiobooks