Directors Take Two - Softcover

Emery, Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1575001292 ISBN 13: 9781575001296

Publisher: TV Books, 2000

Synopsis

Profiles 13 of today's most acclaimed film directors, based on extensive interviews with them and with stars who have worked with them. After introductions to each director, the directors speak for themselves, taking readers on a tour of their careers and behind the scenes of landmark films. Directors profiled include Joel Schumacher ( St. Elmo's Fire ), Robert Zemeckis ( Back to the Future ), and Terry Gilliam ( Monty Python and the Holy Grail ). Includes b&w photos of directors. Emery is a writer and director. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

About this title

Reviews

Emery resumes where The Directors--Take One (1999) left off, presenting 13 additional longer versions of interviews originally done for the Encore cable series The Directors. Longer because each one-hour episode featured only about 25 minutes of each interview. After brief introductions, the interviews appear as monologues. William Friedkin remembers the "now famous chase sequence" in The French Connection: the only mention of it in the script was "the chase begins here," and Friedkin and producer Phil D'Antoni delayed dealing with it "because we couldn't figure out what the hell to do with it." Eventually, Friedkin hit on the idea of involving innocent bystanders in the danger of the chase, thereby achieving greater verisimilitude when, for instance, star Gene Hackman's car nearly hits a baby carriage. The resulting explosive action scene remains gripping after all these years and repeated viewings. Emery's profiles of important and successful directors is a fine resource for film fans wanting a little insight into directorial technique and motivation. Mike Tribby

In this second volume of interviews, Emery offers insights into the works of Rob Reiner, Robert Zemeckis, Terry Gilliam, and ten other prominent directors. Based on transcriptions from the Encore Movie Channel production The Directors (minus the interviewer's questions), the chapters present the directors speaking in a sort of choreographed monolog. They spin stories of how they got started and talk about their films, tackling subjects like television, the casting process, studios, the industry today, and what the future holds. Each chapter includes a filmography and list of awards. Although the book's style is a bit confusing, the end result is an intimate portrait of the kind of men and women who elect to direct film today. For all public libraries and film collections.
-Kelli N. Perkins, Herrick P.L., Holland, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: TV Books
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1575001292
• ISBN 13: 9781575001296
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384