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The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 Kindle Edition
“Hollywood boldly went where it hadn’t gone before and Nashawaty chronicles the journeys.” —Los Angeles Times ("Books You Need To Read This Summer")
“Written with a fan’s enthusiasm . . . An important inflection point in Hollywood filmmaking.” —New York Times ("Nonfiction Books to Read This Summer")
In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of one another. E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior changed the careers of some of Hollywood's now biggest names—altering the art of movie-making to this day.
In The Future Was Now, Chris Nashawaty recounts the riotous genesis of these films, featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood luminaries and gadflies alike: Steven Spielberg, at the height of his powers, conceives E.T. as an unlikely family tale, and quietly takes over the troubled production of Poltergeist, a horror film he had been nurturing for years. Ridley Scott, fresh off the success of Alien, tries his hand at an odd Philip K. Dick story that becomes Blade Runner—a box office failure turned cult classic. Similar stories arise for films like Tron, Conan the Barbarian, and The Thing. Taken as a whole, these films show a precarious turning-point in Hollywood history, when baffled film executives finally began to understand the potential of high-concept films with a rabid fanbase, merchandising potential, and endless possible sequels.
Expertly researched, energetically told, and written with an unabashed love for the cinema, The Future Was Now is a chronicle of how the revolution sparked in a galaxy far, far away finally took root and changed Hollywood forever.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFlatiron Books
- Publication dateJuly 30, 2024
- File size2.2 MB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for
Chris Nashawaty’s
The Future Was Now
“Eight sci-fi adventures were released that summer, and Nashawaty expertly covers their behind-the-scenes conflicts and (not surprising) ego clashes. Hollywood boldly went where it hadn’t gone before and Nashawaty chronicles the journeys.” ―Los Angeles Times
“Written with a fan’s enthusiasm . . . An important inflection point in Hollywood filmmaking.” ―New York Times
“An absolute must read.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“An exemplary film history.” ―Kirkus(starred review)
“Entertaining. . . . The behind the scenes stories will make readers feel like they’ve stepped on a set.” ―Publishers Weekly
“The Future Was Now takes us back to what now seems like an inconceivable moment in movie history―a summer in which eight sci-fi classics (well, seven plus Conan the Barbarian!) were released in rapid succession. Chris Nashawaty’s book is a vital, smart and energizing look at the electrifying combination of forces that got those movies made. It should be read not just by movie lovers but by anyone in Hollywood with the power to say yes.” ―Mark Harris, author of Pictures at a Revolution and Mike Nichols
“Here's the spiritual sequel to Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: a clear-eyed chronicle about how the blips, bleeps, backstabbing and budget-blowing of a post-Star Wars Hollywood came to a head, and, for one fleeting, crazy summer, it seemed like the future of movies was as bright as the stars.” ―Sean Howe, New York Times bestselling author of Agents of Chaos and the Eisner Award-winning Marvel Comics
“A ripping narrative that takes you on a wild ride through the events, players, and surprising drama that culminate in a string of paradigm-shifting films. The Future Was Now is an indispensable resource for filmmakers and fans alike. This record of the big swings Hollywood used to take is the kind of history we need to see repeated. As Nashawaty illustrates time and again, show business collapses when it’s not personal and led by artists.” ―Eric Heisserer, Academy-award nominated writer of Arrival and creator of Netflix's Shadow & Bone
“I’ve been a major fan of Chris Nashawaty’s writing for 30 years now. So it’s a thrill to see him delve into the fascinating stories of these eight classics from 1982 with his typical intelligence, wit, and passion. This book is a must for all of us ‘80s kids, as well as anyone who wants to know what it was like to be one.” ―Dave Karger, Turner Classic Movies host and author of 50 Oscar Nights
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B09HPLC98K
- Publisher : Flatiron Books (July 30, 2024)
- Publication date : July 30, 2024
- Language : English
- File size : 2.2 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 282 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #328,932 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Chris Nashawaty is a veteran print and digital writer/editor, film critic, pop-culture savant, and author of three books about the movies...with a fourth in the works.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoy the book's readability and narrative style. They find it insightful into the making of some of the most well-known movies of all time. The narrative captures a moment in history and provides an inspiring glimpse into the film industry. Readers describe the book as a nostalgic trip for fans.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book. They find it well-written and enjoyable, providing insights into some of the best-known movies ever made.
"...I devoured it and enjoyed it thoroughly, but I’m left wondering how attractive it might seem to regular folks. This nerd found gold." Read more
"...Outstanding and 100% enjoyable book!!" Read more
"...What is revealing is how these benchmark films got made. It is also a wonderful nostalgia trip for the fan." Read more
"...Kahn started the summer along with a Spiellberg classic and others, good read, well organized with many INSIDER tips, insights from the Industry...." Read more
Customers enjoy the narrative style. They find it fascinating and nostalgic, capturing a moment in time in our culture with the perfect amount of drama. The book reads like a thriller and is a wonderful nostalgia trip for fans.
"...but for those of us who do, it is exactly as advertised: a dive into the summer of 1982 and the movies that made it special, for years..." Read more
"...The book is full of fascinating behind the scenes drama, but also captures a moment in time in our culture with the perfect amount of affection and..." Read more
"...It is also a wonderful nostalgia trip for the fan." Read more
"Inspiring Fast-Paced Film Industry Nostalgia!..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2024I loved the idea of this book as soon as I saw the previews, so bought it in advance, writing off the days in my calendar. Now, when I do that, it usually comes with a sense of disappointment (because of a self imposed sense of hype I cannot control), but in this particular case, I got exactly what I wanted.
I understand not everyone will feel as compelled to read it as I was, but for those of us who do, it is exactly as advertised: a dive into the summer of 1982 and the movies that made it special, for years afterward.
I devoured it and enjoyed it thoroughly, but I’m left wondering how attractive it might seem to regular folks.
This nerd found gold.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024I liked this book a lot and have seen all eight movies of summer,1982, at least once. I envisioned a five-star rating like I gave Caddyshack when I read the opening page of the book, Roy Batty's epic "tears in the rain" quote from Bladerunner which I used to preface one of my own poems upon retirement. This was an easy book to read for any fan of Sci-fi/fantasy but suffered a bit from trying to cover too much. Even the best of jugglers struggles to keep eight objects simultaneously in the air. However, Nashawaty is a facile writer who is privy to many of the Hollywood insiders who shaped these movies and makes a valiant effort to allow each of the films a share of the spotlight.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024I so enjoyed The Future Was Now. Highly recommend. As a casual movie fan, I knew next to nothing about the story of sci-fi’s rise in the early 80s. Nashawaty’s narrative reads like a thriller, and I found myself rooting for the characters (the producers, writers, directors, actors) who worked to one-up each other in their race to mainstream the once-fringe sci-fi genre. The book is full of fascinating behind the scenes drama, but also captures a moment in time in our culture with the perfect amount of affection and nostalgia. And, the way these stories are told keeps you on the edge of your seat. Sci-fi fans, movie buffs, and anyone who enjoys a good non-fiction thriller, will love this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024Former Entertainment Weekly film critic Chris Nashawaty launches the reader into a pro-level journalistic look back at the confluence of epic studios, writers, directors and actors who created such memorable success in sci-fi and parallel genres in the blockbuster season of 1982,
a retrospective that is still relevant and inspiring to screenwriters and viewers alike.
It's wonderful to stumble across a book like this that kept me glued to the page in an expert tapestry of interlocking destinies recounted with journalistic passion and clear coherent timelines.
Outstanding and 100% enjoyable book!!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2024Eight science fiction movies that are all viewed as ground breaking today (E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior) all came out in the Summer of 1982. I remember that year well. It was a science fiction extravaganza—but with so much competition and so many cutting-edge films, some of these greats had to initially fail.
That’s what this book is about. How did these eight films come to be and what happened when they were released? To accomplish that the author explores the directors’ film histories, so there is a lot of discussion of other great films as well. In fact, those films and the build up is almost the entire book. When the Summer of 1982 finally arrives, it felt like we just flew through the releases without taking the time to enjoy and really analyze them. That being said, I still really enjoyed this book and its discussion of a couple of dozen amazing films that culminated in 1982.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024I really enjoyed this book. I taught film “appreciation” at the University level for over thirty years. We always concentrated on the finished product. What is revealing is how these benchmark films got made. It is also a wonderful nostalgia trip for the fan.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024Highly recommend this one! Nashawaty writes about the release of 8 sci-fi films during the summer of 1982: Conan The Barbarian, E.T., Tron, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, The Thing, The Road Warrior, Blade Runner, and Poltergeist. If you love horror and sci-fi, definitely check it out. I read it in less than a week, and I learned a lot about these movies which made me want to watch them again.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2024Just didn't get that much insight from it. Maybe if you're deep in the industry and minutiae is interesting...