Includes filmography: pages 279-282.

"Gerry Johnston's childhood love of action movies led to him becoming involved in special effects in the 1960s. Often using little more than his wits, a toolbox and some electrical cable, he had to interpret and realise the director's vision, usually on a limited budget. As his career developed, he became Ireland's first dedicated special-effects director." "The arc of Gerry's career in the movies has mirrored that of the Irish film industry itself: he worked with David Lean on Ryan's Daughter in the earliest days of cinema in Ireland, and his effects have appeared in global hits such as Excalibur, Braveheart and Saving Private Ryan. In this memoir, he tells of his experiences working with some of the best-known stars of the modern era (from a trio of bonds - Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan - to a youthful Colin Farrell) and many of its most celebrated directors, including Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick and John Boorman. Packed full of anecdotes and insights into the film industry, this look at the little-known world of special effects will delight film fans everywhere."--Jacket

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