Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick Semylen - Review

Ah, the 1980s, the decade of big hair and even bigger egos. This book starts with Bill Murray punching out Chevy Chase and does not let up from there.

Nick de Semylen has done a fantastic job researching this book, a book that describes the back stories of some of the decades most famous comedy actors and performers. Names such as Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Chevy Chase, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd and more feature within its pages, and the book takes a closer look at how stardom affected them in different ways, from the struggle to make it big, to the even greater struggle of trying to stay relevant.

You will discover some great stories behind some of your favourite 1980s comedy movies, such as Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, The Jerk, Trading Places, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as well as some of the massive failures. The drugs, the fame, the infamy, the raucous partying, the girls, the highs and the lows of movie making during the eighties, it is a rollercoaster ride of success and failure and the fine line that separates them.

If you are a fan of movies and the comedy stars of the 1980s I cannot recommend this book highly enough.