Books on Film

[phelonious]

I'm looking for a few suggestions about books that have deepened your appreciation of film in general, or a certain aspect of fillm? Any must-reads?

[drc5145]

One book I always liked was Alfred Hitchcock and the making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello, which I read in my History of Film class. Pretty much detailing the story of making the movie, from idea conception to it's reception to today's times.

http://www.amazon.com/Alfred-Hitchcock-Making-Stephen-Rebello/dp/0312207859

[Pride]

I read 2001: Space Odyssey after watching the film and it helped alot in understanding the movie.

[Spice]

Film Theory and Criticism by Gerald Mast, Marshall Cohen and Leo Braudy. Not a cover to cover job, but fascinating throughout.

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Theory-Criticism-Introductory-Readings/dp/0195063988

[spacemonkey]

Heres one that you might find useful, I read it recently and found it to be incredibly informative:

Bambi vs. Godzilla - written by writer director David Mammet, the book is very informative but a bit bitter. Cant say I blame the book for having such a bitter take on Hollywood, its really the nature of the beast. On this book, Mammet uses a lot of references to films, unfortunately, most of the time, the references are from films that are really, really old, so maybe you wont get the references if you havent seen the films he's talking about. Still, its a great read, very intelligently written, you can tell Mammett knows exactly what his talking about.

Also, this one:

David Lynch: Catching the Big Fish - This book is written in Lynchs very own style. The chapters are written in short controlled burst, sometimes lasting one or two pages. But you will find they are very informative on the whole filmaking process, specially on Lynchs very own style of filmmaking. I guess it gives insight on making movies, but it gives more insight as to how Lynchs mind works. Some people might find Lynchs focus on Transcendental Meditation a bit detrimental to the book. To some it might sound as if Lynch is trying to sell you the idea of meditation, which if you ask me he is. But whatever, its what helps him through his creative process. Again, its a very personal book. Still, youll find he talks about everything, the editing, the sound mixing, the casting...and in between he'll give great little anecdotes about his experiences making all of his different films, which I thought was really the best part of the book. Also, how he explains all about getting better ideas for your films, how he dives deep into his subconscious to grasp them.

[Natty]

http://www.moviesnobs.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/1001-movies-you-must-see-before-you-die.jpg

It's just got some great recommendations and the criticism peices that go with each movie are well written, sometimes making you appreciate the film more.

[echo_bravo]

Rebels on the Backlot

Here is the synopsis from Amazon:

New York Times Hollywood correspondent Waxman has written a gritty, truthful study of six boundary-breaking young directors who revolutionized 1990s filmmaking and still represent a refreshing alternative to "cookie cutter scripts and cheap MTV imagery." Her full-blooded profiles introduce Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights), David Fincher (Fight Club), Steven Soderbergh (Traffic), David O. Russell (Three Kings) and Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich). Waxman shows these auteurs, who "wreaked havoc with traditional narrative form" and combined brutality with humor, as eccentric, frequently antisocial and hardheaded. Their stories make for compelling reading: Waxman dramatizes Russell's erratic, explosive nature in the book's most blistering episode, where the director loses his temper and has a fistfight with actor George Clooney on the set of Three Kings. Other chapters depict Tarantino's penchant for jettisoning close friends after achieving success and Soderbergh's unswerving loyalty to pals. These men possess a daring vision, which the author skillfully depicts, simultaneously offering an illuminating view of motion picture politics. Most of all, Waxman proffers assurance to artists with original voices that their ideas can reach the public if they maintain Fincher's attitude - "Take me or leave me. My way or the highway" - and possess a little luck.


Its a really cheap book (as far as cost). I highly recommend it. Gives a TON of insight on Fincher, PT Anderson, Spike Jonze and of course Tarantino. Definitely worth a read.

[Jamesadin]

Film Theory and Criticism by Gerald Mast, Marshall Cohen and Leo Braudy. Not a cover to cover job, but fascinating throughout.

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Theory-Criticism-Introductory-Readings/dp/0195063988

Agh. I had to read a lot of this for a film theories and aesthetics class. Did not enjoy it. But hey, that might just be me! Just not my thing I guess.

[CheerUpEmoKid]

David Lynch: Catching the Big Fish - This book is written in Lynchs very own style. The chapters are written in short controlled burst, sometimes lasting one or two pages. But you will find they are very informative on the whole filmaking process, specially on Lynchs very own style of filmmaking. I guess it gives insight on making movies, but it gives more insight as to how Lynchs mind works. Some people might find Lynchs focus on Transcendental Meditation a bit detrimental to the book. To some it might sound as if Lynch is trying to sell you the idea of meditation, which if you ask me he is. But whatever, its what helps him through his creative process. Again, its a very personal book. Still, youll find he talks about everything, the editing, the sound mixing, the casting...and in between he'll give great little anecdotes about his experiences making all of his different films, which I thought was really the best part of the book. Also, how he explains all about getting better ideas for your films, how he dives deep into his subconscious to grasp them.

Good suggestion. I was never a Lynch fan (I've liked his films, but never loved them or him as a director) until reading this book. It opened up so much about my understanding of the man and his films. Definitely worth a read.

I'm reading James Mottram's "The Sundance Kids: How The Mavericks Took Back Hollywood," and loving it. Never been a huge fan of non-fiction books, but this one is written in a really compelling way. I am definitely learning quite a bit about some of today's top American directors, and about the movies that helped them along their careers. Definitely a lot of stuff I'll be getting on Netflix in the near future.

[Monotreme]

A book I really enjoyed (and that was recommended to me by someone on these boards many years ago, I think it was ChemicalRomance if I'm not mistaken) is The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood:

http://www.rubyhightops.com/pic12/book-sundance-kids.jpg

It's a book that discusses the recent American independent film movement, discussing the greatest directors of the movement and their films - the book practically worships Steven Soderbergh but gives equal weight to Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Alexander Payne, David O. Russell, Paul Thomas Anderson, and the music video-turned-film directors such as Spike Jonze, David Fincher, Michel Gondry, and others. Basically, it's a book about everything that's been good about independent film in the last 20 years, and practically all of my favourite films from recent years fall into this category, so I immensely enjoyed it - the book describes the films and gives some background information and critical studies of them while also exploring the whole indie director-Hollywood relationship, the film studio specialty divisions, etc. In short: worth a read if you're into contemporary cinema.

[APzombie]

Making Movies by Sidney Lument is my favorite.