Joe Eszterhas
Joe Eszterhas
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Joe Eszterhas' full name is Joseph Martin Szentesi Eszterházy, but he is commonly known as Joe Eszterhas.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on March 15, 1944, in Miskolc, Hungary, Joe Eszterhas passed away on June 5, 2023, at the age of 79.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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A Hungarian-American by birth, Eszterhas was a renowned screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and filmmaker. His prolific career spanned over four decades, during which he penned numerous Hollywood blockbusters and wrote bestselling novels.
Early Life and Background
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Eszterhas was born into a middle-class family in Hungary but fled to Austria with his parents at the age of 10 after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The experience would later influence his writing, particularly in his depiction of social and cultural upheaval. In the early 1960s, Eszterhas moved to the United States, where he began working as a journalist for various publications.
Major Accomplishments
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Eszterhas' breakthrough in Hollywood came with the success of Basic Instinct (1992), a film that grossed over $350 million worldwide and catapulted Sharon Stone to international stardom. He went on to pen several more successful screenplays, including Showgirls (1995), which became infamous for its box office failure and subsequent cult following.
Notable Works or Actions
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In addition to his work in Hollywood, Eszterhas was a prolific novelist. His debut novel, Kiss the Girls, was published in 1992 and became an international bestseller. He went on to write several more novels, exploring themes of crime, corruption, and social justice.
Impact and Legacy
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Eszterhas' impact on popular culture cannot be overstated. His films have been credited with influencing the direction of Hollywood's erotic thrillers in the 1990s. Moreover, his novel Kiss the Girls remains a classic example of modern crime fiction, exploring themes that resonate with contemporary audiences.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Eszterhas' legacy extends beyond his professional achievements. His outspoken views on politics and social issues have made him a polarizing figure in popular culture. Love him or hate him, Joe Eszterhas remains an iconic figure in the world of entertainment, remembered for his provocative ideas, unapologetic style, and unwavering commitment to telling stories that challenge societal norms.
Eszterhas' impact on Hollywood is still felt today, with many writers and filmmakers citing his work as an inspiration. His legacy serves as a reminder that great storytelling can transcend genres, pushing boundaries and challenging audiences in the process. As a testament to his enduring influence, Joe Eszterhas remains one of the most quoted and remembered figures in popular culture.
Quotes by Joe Eszterhas
Joe Eszterhas's insights on:
I think to put death on screen where it isn’t that turns it into comic book time and there I think by desensitizing an audience, you really do open the possibility that someone is going to kill .
I started making a point earlier that women’s cancer rates are skyrocketing, and we have some women movie stars, young women movie stars, who are smoking in many of their movies.
From what I’ve been able to determine, many of our big stars are addicted to tobacco. They want to smoke in movies for the same reason I smoked as I wrote, which is that they think their performance is going to be better.
Anyone I think who – that would go through a cancer ward and would see the result of what smoking does, would never, ever think of smoking is sexy again.
Meanwhile, politics is about getting a candidate in front of the public as a star, politics as rock’n’roll, politics as a movie.
And the inner dynamics of Hollywood are like politics. Say you give a script to a group of executives – they all sit around, afraid to voice an opinion, saying nothing, waiting to know what the consensus is. Just like focus groups, opinion polls or a cabinet.
Before I would view Rob Reiner as this really annoying pest. Every time he’d come on TV or talking about smoking, I found my blood pressure go up. I just met-really met Rob for the first time last week and told him how much I admire him. He’s done more than anyone else in the industry.
I have only one loyalty – to my writing. I never wanted to be the head of a studio or a producer.
I’ve seen Joe take on many battles, cancer being one of them, and the determination that he has, and he won’t stop, he’s not going to make one announcement and write one editorial and go away.