The Art and Craft of Motion Pictures

This volume can rightfully be called "a film school in a single book." Investigating and analyzing the elements and concepts of motion picture creation, this book looks closely at 25 films that represent a wide range of styles and subjects. Although most motion picture viewers have seen numerous movies in their lifetime, few in the general public have a firm and deep understanding of how motion pictures are created, or a grasp of the intricacies of cinematic storytelling and content. By presenting 25 films, American and international, Hollywood and independent, this book educates and enlightens readers about the details of the motion picture creation process. Some readers will have viewed certain films in the volume, but many will be introduced to major cinematic works within the canon of great and essential films for the very first time. Topics explored include animation, period films, editing, directorial style, and non-linear cinematic structure. Readers will learn about the origin of the jump cut in Breathless, time and space in Hiroshima Mon Amour, and the editing in Orson Welles's essay film F is for Fake. The Art and Craft of Motion Pictures: 25 Movies to Make You Film Literate will educate the novice and avid moviegoer alike about the inner workings of this dynamic, popular, and culturally significant art form.

VINCENT LoBRUTTO is a faculty member for the Department of Film, Video and Animation at the School of Visual Arts. He has been a film production coordinator as well as a free-lance film editor. Among his publications are Selected Takes: Film Editors on Editing (Praeger, 1990) and By Design: Interviews with Film Production Designers (Praeger, 1992). LoBrutto is currently writing his fourth book for Praeger based on interviews with feature film cinematographers.

Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 Editing Choreography in an Autobiographical Film: All That Jazz Chapter 2 The Ultimate Period Film: Barry Lyndon Chapter 3 The Origin of the Creative Jump Cut: Breathless Chapter 4 Surrealism David Lynch Style: Eraserhead Chapter 5 Nonfiction, Diary, Essay Filmmaking, and Editing as a Magician's Tool: F for Fake Chapter 6 Remakes: The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Flight of the Phoenix (2004) Chapter 7 The Documentary as an Investigative Tool: Gimme Shelter Chapter 8 Time and Space: Hiroshima Mon Amour Chapter 9 Fantasy as Reality: King Kong (1933) Chapter 10 Destruction of the Well-Made Hollywood Movie: The Last Movie Chapter 11 The Adult Film as Art Film: The Lickerish Quartet Chapter 12 Birth of the Independent Cinema: Little Fugitive Chapter 13 Parallel Storytelling, Character Connections: Magnolia Chapter 14 Mental State as Narrative: Memento Chapter 15 Teamwork On and Off the Screen: Our Daily Bread Chapter 16 Tempo, Content, and Directorial Style: Pickpocket Chapter 17 Nonlinear Structure: Pulp Fiction Chapter 18 The Camera as Instigator: Seconds Chapter 19 The Graphic Novel Comes Cinematically Alive: Sin City Chapter 20 The Perfect Silent Film: Sunrise Chapter 21 Tatami Camera Style: Tokyo Story Chapter 22 The Tall Tale: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Chapter 23 The Essential Road Movie: Two-Lane Blacktop Chapter 24 The 45 Minute and 56 Second Shot: Wavelength Chapter 25 Stranger in a Strange Land: Exploring the Possibilities of the Detective Film: Witness Glossary Bibliography Index