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Bonkbuster
''Bonkbuster'' (a play on "blockbuster" and the verb " to bonk") is a term coined in 1989 by British writer Sue Limb to describe a subgenre of commercial romance novels in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as their subsequent miniseries adaptations. They have also been referred to as sex 'n' shopping or shopping and fucking novels (S&F). Genre history Although the term has been used generally to describe " bodice-rippers" such as '' Forever Amber'' (1944) by Kathleen Winsor, as well as '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1966) and the novels of Jacqueline Susann and Harold Robbins, it is specifically associated with the novels of Judith Krantz, Jackie Collins, Shirley Conran, and Jilly Cooper, known for their glamorous, financially independent female protagonists and salacious storylines. Many of these novels were adapted in the 1980s into glossy, big-budget miniseries, reminiscent of primetime soaps of the time, such as ''Dallas'', ''Knots Landing'' and ''Dynasty''. Examples * ''Scruples'' (197 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shirley Conran
Shirley Conran OBE (née Pearce; born 21 September 1932) is a British novelist and journalist. Early life Born in 1932, she attended St. Paul's Girls School, London, and then a finishing school in Switzerland which later provided some inspiration for the fictional school ''L'Hirondelle' in her novel ''Lace''. Her father was an alcoholic and her home life was difficult, causing Conran to leave home at 19. She worked as an artist's model, and then trained as a sculptor at Southern College of Art, Portsmouth (now part of Southampton University), and as a painter at Chelsea Polytechnic (now part of University of the Arts, London). Career Following the breakdown of her first marriage, Conran turned to writing in order to support her children. She wrote for the Daily Mail and in 1968 became women's editor and launched Femail, the newspaper's first dedicated women's section. Conran later became women's editor for The Observer magazine, and wrote columns for '' Vanity Fair.'' Her in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossings (miniseries)
''Crossings'' is a 1986 American TV miniseries based on the bonkbuster novel by Danielle Steel. Cast *Cheryl Ladd as Liane Devilliers *Lee Horsley as Nick Burnham *Christopher Plummer as Armand Devilliers *Jane Seymour as Hillary Burnham * Garrick Dowhen as Philip Markham *Stewart Granger as George Hackett *Joan Fontaine as Alexandra Markham *Joanna Pacuła as Marissa Freilich *Horst Buchholz as Martin Goertz *Zach Galligan as Robert Devilliers *Jan Rubes as Isaac Zimmerman *Carl Steven as Johnny Burn References External links *Reviewat ''New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...' * 1986 television films 1986 films Films based on works by Danielle Steel Films directed by Karen Arthur {{US-tv-film-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lace (miniseries)
''Lace'' is an American television two-part miniseries, based on the 1982 bonkbuster novel of the same name by author Shirley Conran. The series aired on ABC on February 26–27, 1984. The plot concerns the search by sex symbol Lili (Phoebe Cates) for her natural mother, who surrendered her for adoption as a newborn. ''Lace'' was one of the highest-rated television movies of the 1983–84 television season. Lili's line "Incidentally, which one of you bitches is my mother?", addressed to her three maternal candidates — Pagan Trelawney ( Brooke Adams), Judy Hale (Bess Armstrong) and Maxine Pascal ( Arielle Dombasle) — was named the best line in television history by ''TV Guide'' in its 1993 issue celebrating 40 years of television. Plot The story opens circa 1980 at an abandoned chateau in the Swiss Alps, once a prestigious boarding school, L'Hirondelle. Internationally famous film siren, Lili, travels from there to a private meeting with the elderly Hortense Boutin, whom Lili ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Daisy (novel)
''Princess Daisy'' is a 1980 bonkbuster novel by American author Judith Krantz. Plot summary The novel tells the story of Princess Marguerite "Daisy" Valensky. She is the daughter of Prince Alexander "Stash" Valensky, a wealthy Russian-born polo player and former playboy, and his wife Francesca Vernon, a beautiful and talented American actress. Stash and Francesca, madly in love, are thrilled by her pregnancy and the news that she is carrying twins. However, a problem during delivery denies one of the twin girls, named Danielle, enough oxygen, and she is born brain-damaged, while Daisy is healthy. Francesca suffers from acute post-partum depression and enters a fugue state for several weeks. Stash, who has a fear and disgust of illness and abnormality after a childhood spent watching his mother slowly waste away from tuberculosis, is unable to accept or love Danielle. When Francesca recovers from her depression, he lies to her, telling her that the second-born twin died soon after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jackie Collins
Jacqueline Jill Collins (4 October 1937 – 19 September 2015) was an English romance novelist and actress. She moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and spent most of her career there. She wrote 32 novels, all of which appeared on ''The New York Times'' bestsellers list. Her books have sold more than 500 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. Eight of her novels have been adapted for the screen, either as films or television miniseries. She was the younger sister of Dame Joan Collins. Early life Collins was born in 1937, in Hampstead, London, the younger daughter of Elsa (née Bessant) Collins (died 1962) and Joseph William Collins (died 1988), a theatrical agent whose clients later included Dame Shirley Bassey, the Beatles, and Sir Tom Jones. Collins's South African-born father was Jewish, and her British mother was Anglican. A middle child, Collins had an elder sister, Joan Collins (actress and author), and a younger brother, Bill (who became a property agent). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Judith Krantz
Judith Krantz (née Tarcher; January 9, 1928 – June 22, 2019) was a magazine writer and fashion editor who turned to fiction as she approached the age of 50. Her first novel ''Scruples'' (1978) quickly became a ''The New York Times Best Seller list, New York Times'' best-seller and went on to be a worldwide publishing success, translated into 50 languages. ''Scruples'', which describes the glamorous and affluent world of high fashion in Beverly Hills, California, helped define a new supercharged sub-genre of the romance novel - the bonkbuster or "sex-and-shopping" novel. She also fundamentally changed the publishing industry by becoming one of the first celebrity authors through her extensive touring and promotion - "a superstar of fiction". Her later books included ''Princess Daisy (novel), Princess Daisy'' (1980), ''Till We Meet Again (novel), Till We Meet Again'' (1988), ''Dazzle'' (1990) and ''Spring Collection'' (1996). Her autobiography, ''Sex and Shopping: The Confessions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scruples (novel)
''Scruples'' is a 1978 bonkbuster novel by Judith Krantz. A direct sequel, ''Scruples Two'', was published in 1992. The novel details the life story of protagonist Wilhelmina Hunnewell Winthrop ("Billy"), as she evolves from the overweight "poor relation" in an aristocratic Boston Brahmin family to become a thin, stylish woman who is left a vast fortune by the death of her much older first husband and who founds an upscale Beverly Hills boutique called "Scruples". Plot Born the only child of a distinguished scientist, who is a member of the venerable Winthrop family but must work for a living, Wilhelmina is nicknamed "Honey", a diminutive of her middle name. In her infancy, her mother dies and she is raised by her distant father and a housekeeper. She grows up isolated from her extended family and, with the help of the housekeeper, turns to food for comfort. Around the time she graduates from high school, she is left $10,000 by a maiden aunt, who begs her to spend it fooli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scruples (miniseries)
''Scruples'' is a 1980 American television mini-series, based on the 1978 novel by Judith Krantz. It was produced by Warner Bros. Television and starred Lindsay Wagner. ''Scruples'' included the final screen appearance of Gene Tierney. Plot Wilhelmina Hunnewell Winthrop is a plain young woman, and a "poor relative" of the Winthrops, a wealthy Boston family. After she graduates from high school, she is given a sum of money by an aunt and goes to live in Paris with family friends. There, she undergoes a transformation of both body and soul, first losing weight, then gaining Parisian style under the guidance of Liliane, the elegant Frenchwoman who is her hostess. She is also introduced to Edouard, Liliane's nephew, who gives her the nickname "Billy." It is her first intimate love affair, but when the aristocratic but impecunious Edouard discovers that Billy is just a poor relative of the Winthrop family, he shows his true colors and ends the relationship. Billy returns to America ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sins (miniseries)
''Sins'' is a 1986 CBS television miniseries starring Joan Collins. An adaptation of the 1982 bonkbuster novel of the same name by Judith Gould, it is the story of a woman who survives the horrors of the Nazi occupation of France and endures a succession of challenges as she rises in the world of fashion. Produced by New World Television, Collins also served as executive producer with her then-husband Peter Holm, and the miniseries contained 85 costume changes for her role (a record for a single production). Carly Simon co-wrote and performed the theme song, "It's Hard to be Tender." Plot Helene Junot is a successful businesswoman and a leading name in the world of fashion. In 1980s New York, she attends a reception for the launch of her new magazine, ''Woman Of Today'', which could make or break her publishing company. Meanwhile, several people from Helene's past are conspiring to destroy her. In France during World War II, 13-year-old Helene is raped and brutalized at the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mistral's Daughter
''Mistral's Daughter'' is a 1984 American television miniseries, adapted from Judith Krantz's 1982 bonkbuster novel of the same name. Plot summary In 1925, Jewish artist’s model Maggy Lunel (Stefanie Powers) arrives in Paris and overcomes her shyness by posing nude for struggling artist Julien Mistral (Stacy Keach). She enrages the reigning artist model queen Kiki (Annie Jouzier) by replacing her as Montmartre's newest sensation. Paintings of her become an overnight success, and Mistral signs a contract with art dealer Adrien Avigdor (Ian Richardson). His business is arranged by wealthy American heiress Kate Browning (Lee Remick), who is in love with him. At an art gallery, Mistral sells a portrait of Maggy that he promised to her, prompting Maggy to leave him. Through good friend Paula Deslandes (Stéphane Audran) she is set up with banker Perry Kilkullen (Timothy Dalton). Meanwhile, Mistral realizes he has lost his muse and moves to Provence with Kate, where he finds new inspi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossings (Steel Novel)
''Crossings'' is a 1982 bonkbuster novel that was written by American Danielle Steel. It is Steel's 13th novel. It was adapted into a six-part miniseries of the same name in 1986. Plot The ship '' Normandie'' makes a voyage from Washington, D.C. to France despite an impending war. Aboard the ship is American Liane de Villiers, the young wife of an old ambassador to France. List of characters *Liane Crockett de Villiers – A daughter of a world shipping enterprise, Crockett Shippings, who marries Armand after his wife's death *Armand de Villiers – Ambassador of France to the US, having returned to France, who works for the Vichy Regime of German-occupied France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ... *Odile de Villiers – Wife of Armand who dies early *Nicholas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sue Limb
Sue Limb (born 1946, Hitchin, Hertfordshire) is a British writer and broadcaster. Biography Limb was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. She studied Elizabethan literature, Elizabethan lyric poetry at Newnham College, Cambridge and then trained in education. While her first published book was a biography of the Antarctic explorer Captain Lawrence Oates co-authored with Patrick Cordingley, later works are predominantly novels – many of them for young adults – and comedies for radio and television, often with a literary or historical setting. Limb's debut novel ''Up the Garden Path'' was adapted as a BBC Radio 4 British sitcom, sitcom, and subsequently made the transition to ITV Network, ITV television. For Radio 4, she has written a number of comedy series (which pay unusual attention to music and sound-effects): ''The Wordsmiths at Gorsemere'' (a pastiche of the poet William Wordsworth and his circle at Grasmere (village), Grasmere, two series), ''The Sit Crom'' (set in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
