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 Lumet = Genius
As a filmmaker, I've read several books on writing, directing, and production, but this by far has been my favorite. I devoured it in a few days. What makes it so great is the way Lumet straightforwardly carries you through the entire filmmaking process, highlighting the roles of the many key players and aspects involved, and colors it with his own priceless anecdotes.
The only thing that would make this book a better read would be being familiar with all of Lumet's great films so that every reference means that much more. I have seen most of his classics (12 Angry Men, Network, Dog Day Afternoon), but there are a few that are now in my Netflix queue.
Incredible book.
If you're an aspiring director, definitely read this.
If you're a cinefile who's just curious about the filmmaking process, this will be a joy for you as well.
Delightful.
As has been abundantly stated by other reviewers, this is an interesting book for both movie lovers & movie makers. It is eminently readable, in a flowing, non-technical style that is surprisingly effective at delivering practical information about Lumet's filmmaking choices & philosophy through the decades of a legendary career.
Many how-to manuals seem to put the cart before the horse. Refreshingly, rather than providing instruction in equipment-driven decision making [here's how you use this particular lens, camera, fill light, etc.], Lumet talks about his story-telling goals then how he worked with his team to identify the proper technology to achieve them, resulting in such stylistically varied successes as the hyper-real video & dialog quality of "Dog Day Afternoon" & the Rembrandt-esque look of "The Verdict".
This book has a fly-on-the-wall quality that almost makes you feel like you are participating in a long dinner conversation where the filmmaker discusses his day, reliving his experiences, revisiting his ideas & choices, evaluating whether they worked or not, even racking on the unprofessional Teamster who made him late to rehearsal, then pillaged the craft services cart.
Something that hasn't been stated by other reviewers is how remarkably humble the author comes off. Far from validating the "auteur" status that many would grant him, Lumet appears to have a sincere appreciation for the complex team effort that results in a major motion picture, rather than an inflated perception of the supremacy of the director's role. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the filmmaking process & manages to share that knowledge clearly & concisely. He has profound respect for the contributions of the players who typically get nothing but abuse: the studio execs, writers, post-production, the stars.
Lumet even seems honestly enraptured by the emergent qualities that blossom from a group effort where "everyone is making the same movie", & he takes his responsibilities for vision, coordination & budgeting very seriously.
This guy just comes off as the consummate professional & his book is a joy to read.
No greater insite into the mind of a great director...
Sidney Lumet is a tremendous director who has worked with some of Hollywood's finest. In this book, Making Movies, Mr. Lumet allows the reader into his mind and method answering any question one might ever think to ask. He is candid, honest, and inspiring -never once leaving the ground to fabricate or falsify the reality and responsibility of making a movie. It is as though he were passing his knowledge on to a family member. If you are thinking about becoming a director, actor, writer, or producer I recommend this book to you; read into the traditions of Mr. Sidney Lumet.
Great for thos studying film!
This book was fantastic, and I recommend this to all ppl intersted in films, especially students. It really brings a reality check to it all and makes you love filmmaking even more! Just great!
Fun, and Still Informative
I got this book as a gift for my younger sister, a film major. It goes through the process of making a movie from rehearsal to release, with a lot of anecdotes and examples for flavor. It's a fun read; more of a memoir than a how-to manual.
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