A nice guide to help you make enjoyable movies
359337
The book is a very quick read. I read it in one sitting.  Simone Bartesaghi uses the 5 senses plus the elusive 6th sense (Literally and figurativly) to breakdown moviemaking which can help filmmakers understand and implement ways to tell a better story. He uses scenes from popular movies such as&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Close-Encounters-of-the-Third-Kind-Blu-ray/dp/B004HZY8OS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Blu-ray</a>] and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Alien/dp/B00498VS1E/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Alien</a>&nbsp;among others. I enjoyed the book but wish it delved a bit deeper. The information is quick and to the point, which I enjoyed. If you are new to filmmaking, or have made several movies, this book has some great advice to help you. It helps you get into a good thought process when creating your movie.

Review copy supplied by MWP
4330527
Stu demystifies some of the techniques used to make movies and does so in a straightforward (often funny) manner.  This book if full of valuable information, with plenty of references of additional resources to the extent you wish to pursue them.  Next steps for me:  making a short!
573801
At my house, we have a list of dozens of Christmas movies that we choose from for our holiday season viewing each year.  Yes, we watch classics like "Christmas in Connecticut," "White Christmas," "A Christmas Story," "A Christmas Carol," "Meet Me In St. Louis," and "It's a Wonderful Life."  But we also watch less well known, but equally enjoyable, Christmas movies like the 40s film noir "Lady In The Lake," the wartime drama "I'll Be Seeing You" (with Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten), the late Ingmar Bergman masterwork "Fanny and Alexander," the romantic comedy/drama "Remember the Night," the fine contemporary British film "Millions," the zany dark comedy "The Ref," and the 70s TV family story "The Homecoming" (the pilot for The Waltons series).

All of these, and many more, are featured in this excellent guide to holiday movies.  The films are organized into chapters focusing on comedies, kids' movies, grown-ups' movies, tearjerkers, crime and action stories, horror, bad Christmas movies, and the big classics; there's even a whole chapter on the various films of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."  The plot and cast of each film is described in detail, with assessments of how the particular movie fits into the holiday canon and "fun facts" about the film and the makers/actors.  (For example, did you know that the director/star of "Lady in the Lake," Robert Montgomery, was the father of "Bewitched" star Elizabeth Montgomery?)  At the end of the book, there's an appendix listing dozens of other movies with Christmas content.

This is a very useful guide to holiday movies that will give you great ideas for viewing beyond the major classics.  On top of that, it's just fun and interesting to read.  While the author didn't include all of my personal favorites among Christmas movies (for example, "Love Finds Andy Hardy," which is set at Christmastime, isn't featured), I didn't really expect that -- and he did write about many of my favorites.  As it is, this book gives a great overview of many holiday films that are worth watching.
4945901
I teach filmmaking to teenagers, so I am always on the lookout for new teaching tools and resources. This is an excellent introduction to film theory for young people who have developed an enthusiasm for movies but know nothing about film studies. Not only is the graphic approach fun, fast and easy to understand but Ross has essentially created a superb illustrated bibliography here for those wanting a jumping off place into more in-depth study. If I taught an undergraduate college course in film history or appreciation, this would be required readingI would also give it to advanced high school students.

My one beef with Ross's approach is that I find him to present a number of popular critical positions somewhat uncritically himself. There is a lot of pleasure and enrichment to be had in movies that may be, for one reason or another, "problematic," from within a certain context. For some students, this book might lead to pre-judgement of works they have not experienced first hand.

Overall, though, if taken for the many ways it is useful and enjoyable, an excellent guide.
4428265
With the amount of junk that Hollywood feeds us these days, you need a source to help you find the good stuff. This book helps in the search for quality. It simply and briefly lets you know why these films are worth seeing. I have found many films from years past that I would've never seen if I hadn't read about them here first. Just about every great film from the silent era to the present is in here. Hopefully, more people will start paying attention to the good films of the past. Once you start watching these films you'll notice just how bad most of the the current blockbuster studio releases are. If we keep paying to see bad movies, the studios will keep making them.
1208083
This book is more than just a book, it's a tool kit helping you start from scratch with nothing and create a good film, market it and enter into fests. There is more info on cheapmovietricks.net for more tips and tricks.
163554
Like its antecedent volume, Son of Guilty Pleasures profiles movies we are not "supposed" to like, films that are many times genre or exploitation fare or movies that have disappointed critics.  Well, no need for guilt here, as this book points out reasons these films should be savored.  Svehla doesn't gloss over the film's deficiencies, but he does champion their value with verve and imagination.  Many of the films profiled are the often derided 1950's SF or monster movies.  There's both fun tidbits and fresh insight into these celluloid time machines.  You won't go wrong buying this one.
3207998
Are you a fan of movies?  Not just any movies, but those cult classics, such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, or the low-budget movies that are showcased in Grindhouse?  If you are a movie fan at all, you should definitely take a look at a new book called The B List.  Edited by David Sterritt and John Anderson, this book consists of a series of short essays on various films, B movies in which the authors find some value and quality.  It's also a nice tour through the bottom level of film's history looking for some gems that almost nobody has seen.

The book is divided into a number of categories, from film noir to "neo-noir" to sci-fi classics and road movies and many more.  Thus, we get an eclectic mix of movie recommendations (the only one that's really not a recommendation is Roger Ebert's essay on Pink Flamingos, which he originally did not give a rating to and explains that he did not because "stars seem not to apply.  It should be considered not as a film but as a fact.  Or perhaps as an object.").  These are movies that, despite the fact that many have fallen by the wayside, the authors feel deserve recognition.

I've been a fan of Roger Ebert's for a long time, so it was a pleasure to see that he contributed five essays to the book.  However, the rest of the entries in the book are also very good.  As is usual with any book that has many contributors, some articles are better than others, but I can honestly say that there wasn't one that I found badly written.  All of the authors are noted film critics, and all of them have presented thoughtful treatises on the pictures on question.  Readers of The B List will find many ideas for movies to rent the next time they are at the video store.

However, you will have to do a lot of the research yourself.  It's almost criminal that a book like this rarely mentions, and only in passing if it does, whether a movie is out on DVD or not.  Many of the older movies might not be, and a notation would have been very helpful.  The authors are singing the praises of these movies; you would think they would want to make it easier for the reader to find them so they can revel in the juicy filmic goodness as well.  Sadly, you're on your own.

Despite this failing, The B List is an excellent collection of film commentary.  The love for these movies shines through in almost every essay, and the writers do a good job of intriguing you into doing that search.  So forget those big budget blockbusters for a moment, those "live-action" films that are more computer graphics than anything else.  Take a walk through the seedy underbelly of Hollywood, take a gander at films that bend the genre just a little bit, or are made so cheaply that the quality of the story has to take you through it.  Pick this book up, find something you might be interested in, and give it a try.  I think you'll be glad you did.

David Roy
1108782
Christopher Kenworthys statement to watch every Spielberg film before you use this book is good advice, but who hasn't already done so? Director extraordinaire Spielberg is a master and what better way is there to learn the art of directing than by dissecting and thoroughly understanding how the master executes his craft? The subtitle of this book is: The Visual Secrets of Action, Wonder, and Emotional Adventure and thats what youll find in this volume  how to successfully capture action, wonder and emotional adventure within your movies of your own stories. It is not easy to illustrate these three elements on film and youll discover how to do so by taking these one-by-one steps through some of films greatest classic movies. Learn by doing is an age-old way of understanding how artists have illustrated their vision and this book helps you bring out that wonder and emotional tone in scenes that otherwise would be dull and uneventful.  I especially enjoyed Chapter 2 Guiding the Eye: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial analysis and learned so much more about a film I thought I knew quite well. It made me watch the tale of the lost alien again and this time my viewing experience was heightened. I highly recommend this book for directors who are looking to find their directing A-game. You won't regret it, this is an amazingly powerful little volume of work.   Laurie Scheer, mediagoddess, Instructor UW-Madison Liberal Arts & Applied Studies and author of The Writers Advantage: A Toolkit for Mastering Your Genre (Michael Wiese Productions, 2014)
476340
The intro to A girl and a Gun provided a thorough and concise over view to the film noir genre... what makes a film "noir" and what can exclude one.  I was not very knowledgable on the finer points of film in general, especially noir, and I always felt a bit overwhelmed in video stores as far as making choices.  With Meyer's guide, I have been able to select films that suite my mood or company at the time, without the risk of renting a movie, then watching it and getting annoyed as I experience a good mood turn sour or a thoughtful mood becoming aggravated.
Meyer highlights the themes of each film so that the viewer can more fully appreciate some of the finer points of cinematography, symbolism or music without having to watch the movie 50 times over 5 years to "get it".  I think the review on La Femme Nikita is particularly good, as are the ones on The Man I Love and Le Samourai.  If you ever feel that there  is no guidance in the video store and you feel like a lost sheep as far as what to rent, grab this book, and grab some for your friends for their birthdays. As a Meyer fan, I also recommend his previous guide, The 100 Best Films to Rent That You Have Never Heard Of.  Both of these are great gifts!!
299811
After years of watching movies and perhaps having friends, family, and acquaintances tell you that you should write a screenplay or make a movie, you've decided that that's what you want to do with some of the months or years ahead. First, don't panic. Lots of people have had this epiphany before. It's a long journey, but the rewards can be rich if you remember that it's step by step, and not javelin leap by javelin leap. It takes time and much effort, and even more patience.

You'll need a few things before you even begin to direct. Obviously, you need a camera, a screenplay, some actors if necessary, and locations where you'll be allowed to shoot. But besides all that, you'll need some books too, some guides to show you how indie filmmaking is, and what you can do to make your experience an enlightening one, perhaps even more exciting than you might have imagined. That's where Phil Hall comes in.

You pick up a copy of his book, Independent Film Distribution, and prepare to read Phil's educated, calm prose that I'm confident will get you through any worries you might have. It might not solve them all, because an indie film production still has lots to be concerned about during it, but you'll look at how Phil sees independent film and not only perhaps see even more names you might have not recognized at first, but see how to market your dream film, see what it takes to shout at the world, "See my movie!"

Phil's greatest quality in his writing is that he's aware of the filmmakers like you who might read this book. To make an indie film is hard work, but to get people to see it is even more difficult, and he makes sure you know. He does not discourage, but rather guides you through what's out there, also covering what film festivals are all about, and the pros and cons of it.

But it's not only him! No, no. You'll be fortunate enough to read interviews with various, esteemed indie filmmakers, and quotes throughout the chapters from countless others who have been entrenched in indie filmmaking and other aspects of filmmaking and film distribution for years and can speak from where you might want to be one day.

This is where you go for all you'd want to learn. And Phil, being the understanding, considerate writer that he is, he includes a list of distributors in the back, for you to see who is in the business of getting indie films out there. Believe me, there are many books you could possibly have on your shelves about indie filmmaking, lots of authors talking up the history and perhaps also the distribution, but Independent Film Distribution needs to be one you keep close at hand and heart. You'll learn more than you ever thought possible, even if you know a whole lot already.
1851386
I've not made it all the way through this book, however, what I have read has been great. As an independent filmmaker, it seems that the term "independent film" means "crap." I don't want to make movies to express myself in some abstract way that people associate independent with. I want to make films that are entertaining and fun to watch. I enjoy watching movies and I want to deliver the same feeling to other people. This book has helped increase the production quality of our work to help get rid of some of the "independent" look.
2908028
I found this book to be very informative and well thought out with regards to content and general lay out .
In depth  reviews and many moments of amusement as the author, doesn't mince his words when giving his opinion and if you are just starting to realise that you've a deeper interest in movies and wish to explore / learn more about movies that are not  "Hollywood ", which offer far greater intrigue, excitement and often complete nonsense .  Then this is the book you should consider .
2257685
i thought this was great! i really liked the movie, and it talks about how the setting and prosthetic costumes were made and alot on the actors. each actor has their own full page picture of them and has a page biography included. i thought this is a really good movie guide.
2078469
I read this book, over a 2.5 hr flight. If you've grown up on quizzing, it's easy to understand the lure of such a compilation. Yet, if you like your movies, this will add color and depth to history of Indian cinema.
What I liked about the book, was the thought given to organizing the quiz book into various chapters. For example, I started with the section on "Indian Movies at the Oscars" (Chap 7), and then moved to the "General Movie Quiz" (Chap 9).
Many times the answer to the quiz questions, eluded me. But whichever be the case, it's a great walk down one's own memory lane, as you reminiscence, where you yourself were at the point the events happened.
By the end of the flight, I also ended up building a list of movies to watch (or re-watch).
3792187
Spielberg, Hitchcock, Truffaut, Tarantino, Coppola  there are some directors that resonate with just their last name.  You know, pretty much, their styles with story, visuals and structure.

Spielberg, out of those five, has been able to make films that are both wildly successful and artistically cutting edge at the same time.  He doesnt sacrifice story for visuals but enhances the story through visuals.

Christopher Kenworthy focuses on specific scenes in eight of Spielbergs films over 10 chapters (Amistad and Empire of the Sun get used twice).

As a screenwriter and filmmaker  I enjoyed this book on two different levels.  How Spielberg would use the visuals to tell the story he wants to tell (screenwriter level) and how he used camera and camera movement (or lack thereof) to accomplish that feat (filmmaker level).

For instance, Kenworthy highlights a scene in Jaws where Spielberg shot it to create, as Kenworthy says: Dynamic Dialogue.  (Not unlike the way that Blake Snyder talked about the Pope in the Pool idea of writing creative scenes with interesting visuals.)  As a writer, you can learn from the visuals on how to write a scene that has certain dialogue you want to get across, as a filmmaker you can see how simply Spielberg did it (and hopefully recreate it yourself).

As good as this book is, there are a couple of suggestions I would make in upcoming editions.  Suggestion one would be to put a time-stamp as to when the scene takes place so the reader can just quickly fast forward to that chapter or moment.  Another suggestion would be to also include other films not directed by Spielberg that also uses similar techniques  just to give the reader a different perspective.

Now Im looking forward to the Shoot like Hitchcock, Truffaut, Tarantino, etc. editions.

Call it a book on cinematography or call it a book on film study.  Whatever you want to call it, Christopher Kenworthys book will help you appreciate and understand what Spielberg brings to the screen.
1757076
Godawa offers a way of looking at the worldviews that underlie the movies, with specific examples.  He explains the various worldviews represented in different movies, clearly enough that you can apply what you learn to other movies as well.  He does this with depth and yet an engaging clarity that is really helpful to the reader.  Almost anyone will be a better, more involved movie watcher after reading Godawa's book.  It is good enough to bear reading again in a few years, and I plan to do so.