Playing with Fire: The Making of 'Firestarter'

Playing With Fire: The Making Of 'Firestarter' (2017)

*** (out of 4)

Fans of FIRESTARTER will certainly enjoy this 52-minute documentary that takes a look at the production of the movie. Director Mark L. Lester kicks things off talking about getting the rights to the book as well as the original draft of the screenplay. From here we go into the casting of the picture and we learn how George C. Scott was a late addition and how the producer had to talk Universal into his one-million dollar salary. From here actors Freddie Jones and Drew Snyder join as do stuntman Dick Warlock and Tangerine Dream member Johannes Schmoelling.

There's plenty to enjoy here and especially if you're a fan of the picture. I honestly thought all of the interviews probably would have been better had they been their own featurette. On a whole I wouldn't say this was put together as well as some of Shout Factory!'s other releases. Still, there's a lot of good bits of information that is given out and especially by Lester who tells some wonderful stories and especially about the pre-production.