Book description
How a movie about minor league hockey became a box office hit-and an
international cult classic
Even thirty-odd years after Slap Shot's release, diehard
hockey fans can still recite scenes of dialogue by heart, making lines
like "putting on the foil" just common argot for the
devoted. Yet many may be surprised to learn that the true story behind
the making of the film is as captivating as the film itself. In
The Making of Slap Shot, veteran sports writer Jonathon
Jackson lets fans not only relive just how the film was made, but
brings to light surprising facts (i. e., Al Pacino was the first
choice for the role of Reggie Dunlop; almost every scene-even the
absurd and unbelievable ones-depicts a real life event). With access
to those involved in the making of the film, he brings to life some of
the magic behind the creation of memorable scenes and characters,
especially the Charleston Chiefs, one of the most popular fictional
sports teams in history.
- Based on interviews with over 50 cast members, production staff,
and anyone of note involved in the film's creation
Destined to be a collectible and keepsake (along with the jerseys,
bobbleheads, and other paraphernalia associated with the film), The
Making of Slapshot is a must for fans eager to learn even more
about their favorite film.
JONATHON JACKSON's journalism career began in his
hometown of Owen Sound, Ontario, where he was far too young to see
Slap Shot at the Roxy Theatre in the summer of 1977. Jackson
worked as a general assignment news and sports reporter at the Owen
Sound Sun Times daily newspaper for 16 years, and was part of a
three-man team that won a Western Ontario Newspaper Award for spot
news coverage of a deadly tainted water crisis in 2000. An article he
wrote about Owen Sound hockey legend Pat McReavy was cited as an
honorable mention in The Best American Sports Writing 2009.
Jackson's byline has appeared in many newspapers across Canada,
including the National Post, the Montreal Gazette, the
Ottawa Citizen, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton
Journal and the Hamilton Spectator. He is also a freelance
writer who has written about a variety of topics, including news,
sports, entertainment and history, for Maclean's magazine,
The Hockey News, OHA Blueline, and several other
publications. He lives in Owen Sound with his family.
