A new book looks to chart the career of Sam Firstenberg, the man behind the eclectic slate of projects that stretches from ‘Revenge of the Ninja‘ to ‘Breakdance 2: Electric Boogaloo’…
Impact has long championed the work of director Sam Firstenberg. He has helmed a number of ‘Impact-Approved’ classic American martial arts and action movies including Revenge of the Ninja, Ninja 3: The Domination, American Ninja 1 and 2, Avenging Force, American Samurai, Riverbend as well as the pastel-coloured pop’lock fantasy of Breakdance 2: Electric Boogaloo.
In those movies he helped launch the careers of Sho Kosugi, Michael Dudikoff (helming the Dude‘s 2 best movies – the aforementioned Avenging Force and American Ninja), Mark Dacascos (in American Samurai) and saw Steve James as an African American solider who makes a stand against racism in a small town in Americain the controversial but thought provoking Riverbend. Firstenberg also worked with Nu Image, directing Cyborg Cop 1 & 2, Blood Warriors for them, as well as Delta Force 3 for Cannon starring Mike Norris, Eric Douglas and Nick Cassavettes.
Now Marco Siedelman the author of The Untold, In-Depth, Outrageously True Story of Shapiro Glickenhaus Entertainment, is hard at work on a new book about Sam and his work entitled ‘Sam Firstenberg: Stories from the Trenches‘. The book will examine the life and work of Firstenberg from his childhood, to his work as an assistant director through his work as in-house director for Cannon and his later work. The book features Firstenberg’s own recollections about a career working with ninjas, breakdancers, cyborgs and his memories of those names he worked with over the eyars… Michael Dudikoff, Eric Roberts, John Rhys Davis, Hulk Hogan, Nick Cassavettes, Steve James, Sho Kosugi, Lucinda Dickey, Steve James, and of course Menahem Golan.
The book will feature many exclusive photos from Firstenberg’s collection from behind-the-scenes on set to candid moments off set, and features an incredible piece of cover artwork by Ralf Krause that captures the spirit of Firstenberg’s career and the glory days of epic movie posters and VHS covers! There’s a Kickstarter campaign for the book’s production which offers some very cool rewards including copies of Siedelman’s earlier book, so head on over and show your support.
