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IF YOU LOVE films, chances are, you’re going to appreciate literature about the movies. From biographies to coffee table books and memoirs (of both the authorised and unauthorised variety), there’s no better way to learn about your favourite productions and the luminaries behind them than by thumbing through a well-researched book on the subject.
Recently, in celebration of our film-themed print issue, we collated a reading list of new releases that are well worth adding to your library. Movie buffs, scroll on to see what we recommend reading.
The Last Dream
By Pedro AlmodĂłvar
This self-described âfragmentary autobiographyâ is a collection of 12 unpublished stories, written by idiosyncratic Spanish director Pedro AlmodĂłvar between the late â60s and the present. One entry is about a cult film director in search of painkillers during a bank holiday weekend, bringing to mind AlmodĂłvarâs 2019 film Pain and Glory. Stitched together with wildly inventive and mischievous prose, the book offers a glimpse into one of arthouse filmmakingâs truly original minds.
Penguin Books Australia; $35.
The Magic Eye: The Cinema of Stanley Kubrick
By Neil Hornick
Stanley Kubrick did not want you to read this book. In fact, he vehemently blocked its 1969 publication â even threatened legal action â as it delved into the flaws and criticisms of his films such as Spartacus and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Indeed, this book was the bane of the perfectionistâs existence. Finally, author Neil Hornick is publishing The Magic Eye â 25 years after the directorâs death, and half a century since writing it.
Sticking Place Books; $59.
How Directors Dress
By various authors
The most stylish people in Hollywood arenât necessarily in front of the camera. Published by indie film powerhouse A24, How Directors Dress delves into the âuniformsâ of Hollywoodâs great auteurs: Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, Spike Lee, Sofia Coppola, to name a few. With an introduction by author and menswear journalist Charlie Porter, the book explores how a directorâs signature look can tell us a lot about their lives, their films and
the eras in which they were made.
shop.a24films.com; $59.
Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen
By Jon M. Chu and Jeremy McCarter
In a new memoir, Wicked and Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu turns the lens on himself. Heartfelt and candid, Viewfinder chronicles his journey from working in his familyâs Chinese restaurant as a kid to directing some of the most culturally celebrated films of the last decade. Co-written with friend Jeremy McCarter, it tells the story of a first-generation immigrant who has the courage to pursue dreams and ambitions that lie beyond familial expectations.
Penguin Books Australia; $60.
Columbia Pictures: 100 Years of Cinema
By Chris Cotonou
Lawrence of Arabia, Ghostbusters, A Few Good Men, American Hustle â Columbia Pictures is behind some of the most iconic films in recent memory, so of course it would want to commemorate its centenary in style. Published by Assouline, the book chronicles the films, directors and Hollywood stars that have helped to define the studio, as well as the technological transitions that have brought filmmaking into the 21st century.
Assouline; $185.
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