Rating: 
Summary: Kazan's sharp and sometimes irreverent take on his career
Review: If you've read this far you may already know about Kazan's career as a filmmaker and Broadway director. But he is probably best known for his actions before the House Un-American Activities committee in the 1950s. Kazan named names. This had made him an enigma to the dominant Hollywood culture. Today, he is recognized as an important filmmaker in the history of movies, but his political views have made his life somewhat bumpy in his chosen profession. Kazan proves to be erudite and witty and humorous and surprising. He openly hates some of his own movies, though reviewers consider them classics. He does love his version of a STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which he also directed on Broadway. He speaks with some regret that he didn't also direct the movie version of DEATH OF A SALESMAN (another Broadway play he debuted). That is just a small bit, but I would recommend the book to anyone interested in the politics of communism in the 1950s and its aftermath, or any film fan that likes to dissect film directors and their work. I am interested in both subjects and found Kazan illuminating on both.
Rating:
Summary: Kazan's sharp and sometimes irreverent take on his career
Review: If you've read this far you may already know about Kazan's career as a filmmaker and Broadway director. But he is probably best known for his actions before the House Un-American Activities committee in the 1950s. Kazan named names. This had made him an enigma to the dominant Hollywood culture. Today, he is recognized as an important filmmaker in the history of movies, but his political views have made his life somewhat bumpy in his chosen profession. Kazan proves to be erudite and witty and humorous and surprising. He openly hates some of his own movies, though reviewers consider them classics. He does love his version of a STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which he also directed on Broadway. He speaks with some regret that he didn't also direct the movie version of DEATH OF A SALESMAN (another Broadway play he debuted). That is just a small bit, but I would recommend the book to anyone interested in the politics of communism in the 1950s and its aftermath, or any film fan that likes to dissect film directors and their work. I am interested in both subjects and found Kazan illuminating on both.
Rating: 
Summary: For all students and fans of Elia Kazan films
Review: Illustrated with 72 photographs and 19 original movie posters, Kazan: The Master Director And His Films is based on hundreds of hours of interview during the 1970s with master film maker Elia Kazan by Jeff Young who also drew upon his considerable experience and expertise as a writer, producer, and director, and former studio head for three major film companies. This impressive professional biography and analysis features a summary of each of Kazan's film plots and a discussion of 18 of the director's films in his own words. Of special interest is Jeff Young's commentary on Kazan's final film "The Last Tycoon". Kazan: The Master Director And His Films is well commended and highly recommended reading for all students and fans of Elia Kazan films.
Rating:
Summary: A wise and insightful journey through the art of film making
Review: KAZAN is a must-read book even for those whose interest in film is casual, because along with its depth of film knowledge it also illuminates much human activity with insight and wisdom. I'm sorry to have read it in a single sitting because the unique pleasure of reading it for the first time is now denied me. It is a baedeker for actors, writers, directors, dramatists and even critics. The fuss about Kazan's Academy Award is an irrelevance in the face of his knowledge, acuity and insight as revealed in this book. (We are entitled to criticize Wagner's opinions - but to ignore his music is only damaging to ourselves.) It is easy to see, after reading Kazan, why American movies have so utterly dominated world cinema. This is a deeply interesting and worthwhile book for the general reader as well as the specialist.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read
Review: This is quite simply fascinating... It should be required reading for anyone interested in Kazan's work... Jeff Young has done us all a great service in providing this unique examination of the art of one of the greatest directors of all time.
| 
