---
product_id: 17661468
title: "Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind"
brand: "gavin edwards"
price: "200 kr"
currency: DKK
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.dk/products/17661468-last-night-at-the-viper-room-river-phoenix-and-hollywood
store_origin: DK
region: Denmark
---

# Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind

**Brand:** gavin edwards
**Price:** 200 kr
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind by gavin edwards
- **How much does it cost?** 200 kr with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.dk](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/17661468-last-night-at-the-viper-room-river-phoenix-and-hollywood)

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- gavin edwards enthusiasts

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- Trusted gavin edwards brand quality
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## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JqIt6LYwL.jpg)
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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐ 







  
  
    More of a collection of pop culture trivia than a biography
  

*by E***R on Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2017*

This biography started out strong, but lost its way about midway through the book, when the focus shifts from River Phoenix to other cultural personalities that happened to be famous at the same time as him. The author frequently inserts anecdotes about other celebrities that River had met at one point in his life. Oftentimes the chapters begin this way (paraphrasing); River will move somewhere or begin work on another movie, and then at the same time, John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers will enter rehab, Brad Pitt will make his big break into film, Johnny Depp will buy the Viper Room club, and so on. I think I understand what the author was trying to do, to set the scene and context for River's rise to stardom (part of the subtitle is "...and the Hollywood He Left Behind"), but it doesn't quite work. It only serves to derail the narrative away from River, and makes for an overall disjointed read.The strongest and most fleshed-out part of the book is the beginning, which deals with River's childhood. I enjoyed reading about his parents and siblings--it's a credit to all of the Phoenix siblings that they were able to be successful, despite their chaotic childhood and their parents' using them as the family breadwinners. I would've loved to have heard more from River's brother and sisters in their own words, in the form of quotes, but maybe they were unwilling to speak to the author. If only the author could've kept the momentum going through River's short adult life, without cluttering up the narrative with interviews, quotes, and side stories about personalities that didn't have much, if anything, to do with River.Also, there was a fairly big error that stuck out to me. The author says that Rosie O'Donnell starred in "Hocus Pocus," when in fact the actress is Kathy Najimy. Rosie O'Donnell was originally offered the role, but she turned it down. Nevertheless, this should've been flagged by an editor.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    So beautifully heartbreaking
  

*by A***N on Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2017*

I didn't really know anything about River Phoenix. He died in '93 and I wasn't even born until the end of '94. But I just got around to watching Stand by Me for the first time a couple nights ago. And i was instantly in love with his acting. I went on to purchase Running on Empty, Dogfight, and Thing called Love. And he is just such an amazing on screen presence.It really sucks that he never got a proper childhood. And instead had to carry the weight of his entire family on his back. I can't even begin to imagine what that must've been like for him.This book broke my heart and left me completely speechless. But the worst part of the book for me, was when they talked about his impact. The idea that people could ever fully forget about River is heartbreaking on so many levels. He had so much to offer to the world and he barely got a chance. I will never forget you River.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Compelling and poignant look at a short, but pivotal era that's passed us by
  

*by E***B on Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2016*

This was a compelling and poignant look at a very specific epoch of time that has truly passed us by - talking about this era to a 20-year-old would be like trying to describe a cloud. And as the years go by (or have already gone) River Phoenix is just another guy - like Montgomery Clift was to me, a star I know from a few movies, but not in any real way (the better comparison is Natalie Wood, who died in 1982. My father was, not upset exactly, but affected. She was a star he grew up with and it was shocking to him - but to me she was some ancient crone...when of course she was only 42.)Gavin Edwards does a pretty good job of placing Phoenix in the context of this moviemaking era when today's stars got their start - Johnny Depp, Leonardo, Brad Pitt and others have a few appearances - Depp especially, since it's his club where Phoenix died. It's also an era where these movies would never be made today - or they'd be made for direct-to-Netflix. It was a very narrow window between the corporate chaff of the 1980s and the franchise culture that started in 1999. Just like grunge music, when it ended, it was almost like it was never here at all.That's not true of course - Pitt, Depp, Leo, those are the male superstars of the era. But they've transcended any of their humble beginnings. I'm not sure there's comparable stars today - it seems like we're told right from the start "this person will be huge" and then movies are built to match. They don't make their bones in little films that nobody watches but gain them reputation. Drugs are of course still a big problem - Cory Monteith was on his way, not as a superstar maybe, but certainly a solid actor.Or maybe that's all rose-colored glasses...dunno.If the book had a flaw it was the focus on River's biography. It's certainly compelling, but because it is SO unique and bizarre it doesn't really relate to anybody else. If the book had more focus on Joaquin Phoenix it might have had more meaning to me. It's interesting, but I was more compelled when the focus was on Phoenix in Hollywood.It's a good book for those of a certain age who remember this era and remember that moment of shock that "wait, River Phoenix died? He's my age!" The 1990s were the last great era of America - those who survived it must look back and wonder if it can ever be that good again.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind
- DARK BLOOD - MOVIE [DVD] [2012]

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*Product available on Desertcart Denmark*
*Store origin: DK*
*Last updated: 2026-02-05*