The Global Media Site for Entertainment.
Menu
For film fans of all genres out there, let me share with you my Top 10 of what I believe to be the best ‘Making Of’ books. I don’t know about you, but when I see a cinematographic highlight which particularly intrigues or impresses me, I always love to see and read more about it, delve deeper. And there are some books out there which are a beauty to look and read through, explaining so much more about the films themselves, and about their creators.
In my hometown Zurich there used to be a tiny shop in the old part of town, selling every book on film, filmmaking, and cinematography imaginable. I used to love spending hours in there. And I left a large part of my paycheck there as well.
Unfortunately, at some point this little gem closed and with it the chance to physically browse through book rarities focusing on the world of film.
I am a very visual and tactile person, so I’m finding it tough looking for what’s out there solely based on the internet.
In case some of you are a bit like me, I thought I’ll share 10 of my many favourite ‘Making Of’ books here with you. This includes books about directors, filmmaking, movie art, and specific behind the scenes reports.
If you have any favorites of your own, please do share them with us in the comments section of this article, wherever you’ve encountered it on social media!
So here goes:
When Tom Wolfe published The Bonfire of the Vanities, he managed to capture the zeitgeist of the go-go Big Money ‘80s in a way that no one else had. Of course, it didn’t take Hollywood very long to turn his bestseller into a film…and screw it up royally. Salamon’s tremendous access to Brian De Palma’s big-budget fiasco provides an insane fly-on-the-wall immediacy, showing us how even talented people with good intentions can completely whiff. There’s schadenfreude on every page.
The Dune companion book, which released the same day as the 2021 blockbuster film, is perfect for fans of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novels. Written by Dune executive producer Tanya Lapointe, with a forward by Denis Villeneuve, the 240-page book offers unparalleled insight into the making of the film. The pages include exclusive interviews with stars such as Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Oscar Isaac, in addition to details about the film’s costume design, sets and editing process.
The greatest book for any true cinephile, The Criterion Collection’s official design book is a showcase of some of the most influential films in history, from avantgarde experiments to big-budget blockbusters. In addition to a complete gallery of every Criterion cover since the collection’s first laserdisc in 1984, the 300-page book features supplemental art, never-before-seen sketches, and concept art.
A gorgeous exploration at the elaborate backdrops from your Hollywood favourites. Each painted backdrop a masterpiece onto its own, this is the definitive collection of the most astounding cinema landscapes. Including notes on The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Cleopatra and more.
Your favourite films deconstructed into minimal representations of their cinematic impact. This art book, designed by Matteo Civaschi includes art house wonders to blockbusters. From E.T. to Jurassic Park to Psycho see how this artist translates the screen to the page.
Wes Anderson doesn’t just make movies – he creates entire universes on the sets of his films. From the super saturated colours to the incredible costumes to the whimsical set decorations, every single detail is unique and intricately planned. The essence of a few of his beloved films — Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom – is captured in this New York Times bestselling overview.
The galaxy far, far away will seem a lot closer once you have this collection at home. Star Wars forever changed the way movies are made and that goes beyond just science fiction films. George Lucas brought incredible innovation to the entire film industry. These books showcase the complete artwork of Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who turned the ideas of Lucas into tangible imagery, ranging from C-3PO and R2-D2 to the Millennium Falcon to Darth Vader’s helmet. McQuarrie is undoubtedly the most influential artist in the history of Star Wars and these volumes showcase his conceptual paintings, costume designs, storyboards, matte paintings, posters, book covers, album covers and even Lucasfilm’s annual holiday cards. There are also rare unpublished interviews and titbits from McQuarrie’s colleagues on the art.
A richly illustrated journey through the extraordinary cinematic worlds of beloved filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.
For over four decades, Japanese artist and director Hayao Miyazaki has been enchanting audiences of all ages. His animated films, often featuring children navigating unfamiliar and challenging worlds, offer timeless explorations of youth and what it means to grow up. Celebrated and admired around the globe for his artistic vision, craftsmanship and deeply humanistic values, Miyazaki has influenced generations of artists. The universal appeal of his evocative natural settings and complex characters, many among them strong girls and young women, cuts across cultural boundaries.
This graphically compelling, diversely illustrated volume is a behind-the-scenes look at Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee’s most ambitious film to date, Life of Pi, an adaptation of Yann Martel’s international bestseller and Man Booker Prize-winning novel. The book includes a foreword by Martel and an introduction by Lee.
Based on the famous series of dialogues between Francois Truffaut and Alfred Hitchcock from the 1960s, the book moves chronologically through Hitchcock’s films to discuss his career, techniques, and effects he achieved. It changed the way Hitchcock was perceived, as a popular director of suspense films – such as Psycho and The Birds – and revealed to moviegoers and critics, the depth of Hitchcock’s perception and his mastery of the art form. As a result of the changed perceptions about Hitchcock, his masterpiece, Vertigo, hit the No 1 slot in Sight & Sound’s recent poll of filmmakers and critics, displacing Citizen Kane as the Best Film of all time.
Some of these books are out of print… like Criterion Designs, for example, which is a work of art craved by many film enthusiasts and now sells on the used book market for as much as 700 USD.
But others in this list are still easily available. Don’t miss out!
Zurich International Film Festival 2021 – The Highlights
The Extraordinary Cinema Culture of Zurich, Switzerland
Liam Klenk was born in Central Europe and has since lived on four continents. Liam has always been engaged in creative pursuits, ranging from photography and graphic design, to writing short stories and poetry, to working in theatre and shows. In 2016, Liam published his first book and memoir, 'Paralian'.
Read Full Profile
© 2021 TheatreArtLife. All rights reserved.
Thank you so much for reading, but you have now reached your free article limit for this month.
Our contributors are currently writing more articles for you to enjoy.
To keep reading, all you have to do is become a subscriber and then you can read unlimited articles anytime.
Your investment will help us continue to ignite connections across the globe in live entertainment and build this community for industry professionals.
