Insomnia

by Robbie Robertson

First published 2021

Robbie Robertson's world collapses when his marriage falls apart after leaving the Band permanently. He finds refuge at Martin Scorsese's Mulholland Drive house, where the filmmaker has just finished directing The Last Waltz. The two men become inseparable companions during a wild period of Hollywood excess. They rarely leave the house, spending their days watching MGM films in Scorsese's private cinema while rumors swirl about cocaine and legendary parties. Robertson and Scorsese forge an intense creative bond during their two years together, emerging as unlikely collaborators when Scorsese moves on to direct Raging Bull with Robertson composing the soundtrack. This deeply personal account reveals the untold story of their friendship during the late 1970s, when both men decided to abandon restraint and explore the limits of their artistic partnership.

Genres: drama, art, friendship, addiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century, film

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: creative-partnership, found-family

Setting: Mulholland Drive, Hollywood

Period: 1970s

305 pages · Paperback · William Heinemann

Content warnings: addiction, drug-use

More by Robbie Robertson

Readers who liked Insomnia also liked

View on Siftivo