Rating: 
Summary: Bought for the wrong reason...still worth it
Review: A friend recommended this book saying, "I'm not sure you want to learn about making movies, but this is a great project management book."Well...I could see his point, but I didn't feel the same way about the book. There's a thin thread throughout about the way Lumet conducts his movie project, most evident in the book's best chapter (7) entitled "Shooting the Movie: At Last!" The pieces of the puzzle all fall together at that point, and you get a true sense of everyone's responsibilities and how Lumet plans and uses these resources. So yeah, that's project management. But if you're going to buy this book, buy it because you're interested in how movies get made, starting right from how a script is chosen, through to the preview. From that perspective, it's a great book. Again, in the book's best chapter, you get a sense for just how draining - and unglamourous - it is to actually shoot the movie. Early pick-ups, lots of work with stand-ins to get the set (esp. lighting) right, multiple takes, late-night viewing of rushes. This is tough work, and Lumet describes it clear, concise language. And he pulls no punches as to where his frustrations lay in the process. Roger Ebert's cover blurb states "I am sometimes asked if there is one book a filmgoer could read to learn more about how movies are made and what to look for while watching them. This is the book." I'd say that's a very accurate summation of what you'll find here.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read
Review: A great read whether or not the subject matter interests you or not. I especially enjoyed his memories of the young Al Pacino and comments on the way audience expectations have changed.
Rating:
Summary: An engaging first-hand dissection of the director's craft
Review: Everyone who loves movies owes veteran director Sidney Lumet a debt of gratitude for "Making Movies," his lively and well-organized memoir-dissection of the filmmaker's craft. Even the longtime and astute moviegoer will reap a goldmine of insights into how directors (and the teams of actors, screenwriters, and others on whom they depend) actually move from a script to screening the finished film at the local mutiplex. It is an arduous process indeed, and an extremely uncertain one even under the best of circumstances. Because Lumet has such a substantial oeuvre of his own, spanning some forty years, to mine for anecdotes and insights, the reader senses immediately a surefootedness, clarity, and authenticity that not even the best critic or film school professor could possibly match. We come to understand that, like any old pro, Lumet has had his share of disappointments and tight spots, as well as triumphs -- such as "Network" and "The Verdict." (Somehow I'd always vaguely recalled the latter as a "brown movie" and now I realize why: Lumet and his team set out to drape every image in earth tones, completely eschewing pastels.) Readers seeking either Hollywood gossip or gassy theorizing should look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a master craftsman's first-hand tour of his art, this is the book is for you. END
Rating: 
Summary: Aptly titled, mostly
Review: Get this book if you want to know what a year-in-the-life of a powerhouse filmmaker is like. If you are a beginner with an indie, much of Lumet's experiences are not going to apply. They are simply going to make you want to work harder on your indie so that you can get where he got! However, Lumet does NOT deceive. He never promises you any how-to information. He simply calls his book "Making Movies", and that is exactly the subject matter to which he sticks. His honesty does not go unnoticed, although he maybe should have called the book, "Making MY Movies".
Rating:
Summary: A great book by a great filmaker.
Review: I was in a bookstore looking for a different title, and I saw the spine of the paperback version Making Movies. I thought it was some silly book, not worth buying, but I looked at it and on the cover I saw Roger Ebert's quote, along with some guy named Spielberg who loved it, and another wonderfull quote by some news magazine. I flipped through it and bought it. Then I read it in less than a day. I loved it. It's a perfect insight into a career that I want to get into. I've recomended it to friends and librarians everywhere - and I say this to anyone who is even remotely interested in movies - read this book! I wish more fimakers would spill the beans so openly and honestly as Lumet does. And by the way, I never did find that other book I was looking for.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to know about filmaking, this book is for you!
Review: I've always wanted to make movies and this is the perfect guidebook. Sidney Lumet shares his sucesses, mistakes and methods in this very well written book. Anyone who wants to work in the film industry should read this book to learn about all the creative outlets open to some one willing to learn. Mr. Lumet's book is the perfect gift to an aspiring director.
Rating:
Summary: Director's On The Line.
Review: I've read 'Making Movies' for my 'Visual Communication' class, in which we examined visual sources that ranged from pictorial representations to actual films. I must admit, however, that the book was a real joy to read, and Lumet a master to know closely. As the other reviewers have mentioned, Lumet's style makes it easy for everyone to understand and get a grasp of what it takes to shoot a movie, from reading a scenario, to bringing together a cast, from dealing with actors to trying to stay within the budget. The book's procession is designed in such a way, that your curiosity increases as you flip through the chapters. (You begin to wonder if the film's going to get ready in time.) Lumet, as the director of many films, should be considered as a real master in the film industry. He has worked with important actors such as Sean Connery frequently, and succeeded in putting together remarkable films, like 'Twelve Angry Men'. He tells the audience exactly how he's felt and what he's thought during the making of the movies. He expresses the stress he's had when the actors did not show up on time, when the weather conditions changed dramatically or when the production company announced to cut off a significant portion of the film budget. He also depicts his delight when he's got astonishing performance from his actors and actresses, when the cameraman managed to do a better job than he had even planned. His telling of these remarks are inspiring, indeed. 'Making Movies' is a great source, although not necessarily a technical source, for all people either working or interested in the film world. A wonderful book to both read and have in shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Honesty and a love of movies
Review: I've read other books about directing. But I didn't understand what a director did until I read this book. Written lucidly and intelligently, with a true love of a good film story, Lumet's book is a valuable inside account of making movies. There are stories about stars (though not gossip) and about incredible disasters. But mostly it's about going out there, day after day, and getting the best shots you can, the best sound, the best cut. Lumet lays it out step by step with absolute honesty (film-making can be boring!) but also with a great love, a love for a good film story. Lumet believes that the authorship of the film belongs to all the people who help make it-- the actors, the writer, the set designer, the cinematographer, etc.-- The proof is in the pudding: Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Network. He let's today's spoiled-child 'auteurs' know that humility pays dividends. All in all, an essential volume on the craft of directing.
Rating:
Summary: Honesty and a love of movies
Review: I've read other books about directing. But I didn't understand what a director did until I read this book. Written lucidly and intelligently, with a true love of a good film story, Lumet's book is a valuable inside account of making movies. There are stories about stars (though not gossip) and about incredible disasters. But mostly it's about going out there, day after day, and getting the best shots you can, the best sound, the best cut. Lumet lays it out step by step with absolute honesty (film-making can be boring!) but also with a great love, a love for a good film story. Lumet believes that the authorship of the film belongs to all the people who help make it-- the actors, the writer, the set designer, the cinematographer, etc.-- The proof is in the pudding: Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Network. He let's today's spoiled-child 'auteurs' know that humility pays dividends. All in all, an essential volume on the craft of directing.
Rating:
Summary: easy interesting valuable read.
Review: in a quick easy enjoyable read you learn a lot, and it's all logically processed so it all fits nicely into place. regardless he directed dog day afternoon, so how could you not read it?
|
