Hardcover Spotlight: "Johnny Depp: A Retrospective" by Steven Daly

Few actors have the versatility, talent, career longevity and clout that Johnny Depp possesses. Whether starring in an Indie effort, such as Ed Wood, or the highly profitable Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Depp continues to amaze and delight viewers by taking on a variety of characters who somehow connect with audiences. Of course, not all of Depp's films have been hits, but the actor has managed to avoid much of the blame for his failed endeavors and continues to bounce back from those forgettable films, such as The Tourist, with critically acclaimed projects, like Rango.

Johnny Depp's movie career, from A Nightmare on Elm Street to the recently released The Lone Ranger are the focus of the new coffee table book Johnny Depp: A Retrospective (Insight Editions) by Steven Daly. The nearly 300 page effort includes countless full color photographs and features a synopsis and critique, as well as background information on each film. In addition, the successful working relationship between Depp and director Tim Burton (the duo has teamed eight times) is examined in detail. Furthermore, the actor's personal relationships, including those with Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, are also detailed in respect to their impact on Depp while filming various projects.

One of Depp's early roles, as the titular Edward Scissorhands, captured my attention and I have been a fan ever since. His best efforts, in my opinion, are Finding Neverland, Sweeney Todd, Secret Window and the aforementioned Edward Scissorhands. The roles that Johnny Depp tackled in those films range from a childlike writer, a maniacal barber seeking revenge, a mentally ill writer and a naive outcast. Of course, most (all?) of the characters that Depp portrays are a bit.....,well, different and are further explored by Steven Daly throughout the book.

Johnny Depp: A Retrospective is an easy and fascinating read that also doubles as a scrapbook of the past three decades. The films are mainly presented in chronological order and readers are able to see the aging process firsthand. Although Depp does not look 50 years of age, he has clearly matured from the fresh, baby faced youngster in Cry Baby to the pale, middle aged vampire in Dark Shadows. One of the most interesting aspects of this effort are the comments made by Depp's friends and co-stars, some of whom relay opinions about the actor's psyche in relation to his early life and what may be lurking underneath his usually calm and friendly demeanor. Those comments made me like Johnny Depp even more because they add another layer of mystery to the movie icon who chooses to embrace the outcasts that many of his fans appear to identify with and keeps them coming back for more.