Introducing Benedict Cumberbatch, Transition Completed: Films, Fame, Fans

On November 3, 2014, the second of my two performance biographies, Benedict Cumberbatch, Transition Completed: Films, Fame, Fans was published by MX Publishing, who, a little more than a year earlier, published the first book, Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition. Either book can be read as a stand-alone volume, but there are some differences.

For the newer book, I analyzed many of Benedict Cumberbatch's recent films--the research for the performance, the performance, the premieres and reviews, and the significance of this film in the actor's body of work. Transition Completed therefore has chapters about Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and August: Osage County and 12 Years a Slave (in the same chapter). Because Mr. Cumberbatch has often starred in indies, I included long sections about Little Favour and Burlesque Fairytales. I'm thrilled and grateful to writer/director Susan Luciani for providing photos and a discussion of the actor's work on Burlesque Fairytales. Of course, I had to write a chapter about Sherlock's season three and the way that Sherlock Holmes has become the sexiest consulting detective ever. Radio and theatre aren't left out: Mr. Cumberbatch's work on Cabin Pressure and the Rumpole of the Bailey series are among the works discussed in one chapter, as are recent and upcoming performances on stage. Then there are the voice roles, interviews, and work as a presenter, as well as appearances at premieres and awards, and the many, many accolades bestowed upon the talented actor in the past year alone. Transition Completed details the most recent part of Benedict Cumberbatch's journey from popular actor to international star--it is much more focused on the perks and perils of celebrity than was the previous book.

Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition covers a much longer time span, from brief discussions of his early roles while he was still in school through mid-2013. Both books feature the actor's work in the theatre, in radio, on television, and on film. For this book I talked with two of Mr. Cumberbatch's early directors, viewed or listened to recordings of Mr. Cumberbatch's stage work in the past decade, and studied every document available regarding his work at the National Theatre. Some fans of the book have said the depth of research makes it seem like a thesis or dissertation--and I take that as a compliment. I tried very hard to uncover every source possible for me to review to write a performance biography, which may be a different type of biography than is usually found on the market. Instead of a tell-all, this book in particular (although it is true of both) documents Mr. Cumberbatch's growth as an actor and his increasing excellence in each medium. Because I continue to write so much about Benedict Cumberbatch--reviews (many in the past few years for PopMatters, others in my other blog--Books, Films, and Me), academic conference papers, journal articles, and books--I've started this new blog just to share my thoughts on this actor's recent work. I'll also comment on my journey as an unofficial biographer and a university professor who integrates examples from Sherlock, The Hobbit, Little Favour, War Horse, Third Star, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy into film and other humanities courses. So, welcome to Blogging about Benedict and Benedict Cumberbatch, Transition Completed. I hope that readers will enjoy them or at least find some insights worthwhile.