J.W. Rinzler 1962-2021
Posted: 2021-08-07 04:03pm
Remembering Jonathan Rinzler, bestselling author of ‘Star Wars’ books
I had just ordered the Kazanjian book when I got the news.
J.W. Rinzler's books were meticulous in their detail, whether he was on set during the making of the film (like Revenge Of The Sith) or not. Best of all, he was given a free hand to write a warts-and-all account of the making of each film and did so -but without bogging down the historical record with tabloid gossip and nonsense. His matter-of-fact presentation of the facts in print and in interviews was a useful antidote to all the fatuous notions that have taken over the internet for over two decades, like the idea that George Lucas only surrounded himself with yes-men (25:31):
LINK
The fact that Rinzler had great integrity and didn't always paint the most flattering picture behind the scenes is the reason Disney deep-sixed his manuscript for the making of The Force Awakens. Which is too bad, because if the book was so much as a small fraction as interesting as Rinzler's previous works, it would have been much more entertaining than the movie itself.
And before I forget:
"FUCK CANCER!"
Rinzler, 58, attended Berkeley High School and went on to have a prodigious career as a bestselling author of cinematic history books about ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Indiana Jones’ and other blockbuster films.
Jonathan Rinzler, who wrote under the name J.W. Rinzler, died peacefully on July 28 at his home in Albion after an 11-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 58.
Jonathan was born Aug. 17, 1962, to parents Alan and Marilyn Rinzler and spent his formative years in Berkeley, attending Berkeley High School with brothers Peter and Ben. He began his undergraduate studies at the Parsons School of Design, where he studied painting, an interest he continued throughout his adult life. Rinzler graduated from New York University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in comparative literature.
Rinzler had a prodigious career as a bestselling author of cinematic history books about Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and other 20th century blockbuster films. He joined Lucasfilm in 2001 and became the executive editor of its publishing arm, Lucasbooks. Over 15 years, he authored an extensive body of Star Wars-related publications, including The Making of Star Wars (a New York Times bestseller), The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, The Making of Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Blueprints, and The Sounds of Star Wars.
The publication of The Making of Star Wars gained Rinzler widespread critical praise for establishing a new standard of meticulous archival research including in-depth interviews with key film cast and crew members. The London Times wrote: “For anyone who has the Force with them, this awesomely nerdy tome is a gift from heaven.” And from Film Review: “A book like this simply blows everything else out of the water.” All told, he wrote over 25 books, including three New York Times bestsellers and one London Times bestseller. In addition to his multiple books about the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, he wrote The Making of Aliens, The Making of Planet of the Apes, The Making of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and Howard Kazanjian: A Producer’s Life.
In addition to his nonfiction works, Rinzler wrote two novels, the No. 1 best-selling graphic novel The Star Wars, which he co-authored with artist Mike Mayhew, and his recent space history novel All Up, hailed by award-winning science fiction author Dr. Jacques Vallee as “an exceptional book that takes the reader beyond the usual descriptions of the challenges and achievements of the first Space Age, by describing the human reality behind the extraordinary efforts of intelligence and will that made it all possible.”
Rinzler is survived by his beloved wife, Genevieve Rinzler; daughters, Judith (a psychologist practicing in Fort Bragg, California) and Sarah (a student at Hastings Law School in San Francisco); and grandson, Henry. He is also survived by his parents, Alan and Marilyn, and siblings Ben, Peter, Ari and Daniel.
The family requests that any remembrances in Jonathan’s name be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
I had just ordered the Kazanjian book when I got the news.
J.W. Rinzler's books were meticulous in their detail, whether he was on set during the making of the film (like Revenge Of The Sith) or not. Best of all, he was given a free hand to write a warts-and-all account of the making of each film and did so -but without bogging down the historical record with tabloid gossip and nonsense. His matter-of-fact presentation of the facts in print and in interviews was a useful antidote to all the fatuous notions that have taken over the internet for over two decades, like the idea that George Lucas only surrounded himself with yes-men (25:31):
LINK
The fact that Rinzler had great integrity and didn't always paint the most flattering picture behind the scenes is the reason Disney deep-sixed his manuscript for the making of The Force Awakens. Which is too bad, because if the book was so much as a small fraction as interesting as Rinzler's previous works, it would have been much more entertaining than the movie itself.
And before I forget:
"FUCK CANCER!"