The Art of the Matrix [Hardcover]

Spencer Lamm (Author), Andy Wachowski (Author), Larry Wachowski (Author), Steve Skroce (Author), Geof Darrow (Author), Phil Oosterhouse (Author)

Book Description

Series: Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook | Publication Date: December 11, 2000

The Art of The Matrix goes beyond the film. But you cannot be told what this book is...you have to see it for yourself! The most unusual one-of-a-kind giftbook of the season, and the first and only book licensed by the creators of this awesome film--this is the complete pre-production archive of artwork and conceptual drawings, along with the script and commentary in the artists' own voices, in a beautifully printed, large format book, four-color throughout--long awaited by Matrix fans worldwide. Grossing more than $400 million worldwide, ranked as one of the all-time top-selling home video releases with over 2,000,000 DVDs sold, and winner of four Academy Awards--Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing--The Matrix has proven to be nothing short of a phenomenon. The tale of Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a computer hacker forced to confront his special destiny in the salvation of mankind, challenged our perceptions of reality and expanded our expectations of what a movie could be. Spencer Lamm writes in his introduction: "This book was created to express some sense of the massive planning that went into the film. It showcases the bulk of the artwork, presenting a close approximation of what was shown to the studio...Combining all the art, the Wachowskis were able to walk people through the script [219 scenes] producing, essentially, a 400-page giant comic book. Initially a tool to sell the picture, it became a detailed map for production."

Exclusive to this volume are:
* The complete shooting script by writers/directors Larry & Andy Wachowski
* The complete B&W storyboards (700+) by Steve Skroce (Spider-Man, Wolverine)
* The complete color storyboards by Tani Kunitake (Armageddon, 12 Monkeys)
* The complete and intensely intricate conceptual illustrations by Geof Darrow (Hard Boiled, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot), presented in four double-sided gatefolds
* Introduction by Zach Staenberg, Oscar-winning Film Editor
* Afterword by William Gibson, author of Neuromancer, Mona Lisa Overdrive, and All Tomorrow's Parties
* 32-page color photo album of memorable stills and posters
* Commentary by all the artists about their work on the film, interviewed especially for this book
* Also: Thumbnail sketches by the Wachowski Brothers, deleted script excerpts, scene notes by Phil Oosterhouse (assistant to the Wachowski Brothers), three cut storyboard sequences, film credits.
* 488 pages (including 4 double-sided gatefolds and 32 page photo section). 8 38" x 10 78". Over 1000 illustrations. Complete storyboards and conceptual drawings, screenplay, more than 30 movie photos, posters, credits. Four-color printing throughout.

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself." --Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), from the shooting script of The Matrix

The Matrix motion picture artwork and photography copyright (c) 2000 Warner Bros. All rights reserved.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"The corner has been turned, where the impossible becomes possible," writes film editor Zach Staenberg in his introduction to the high-octane science fiction sensation that captured four Oscars less than a year ago. Illustrating the arduous production process, this hefty tribute showcases everything from Steve and Andy Wachowski's original stick figure sketches to the conceptual designs and dynamic, scene-by-scene storyboards (drawn and commented on by Geof Darrow, Steve Skroce and Tani Kunitake) that convinced Warner Bros. to green-light the project. Although some stunts, like Trinity's dive into a window from the top of a moving El train, were aborted because of safety and budgetary concerns, the movie closely mirrors the seamless narrative of the storyboards. In addition to the visuals, this comprehensive volume includes a final draft of the shooting script as well as scene notes and deleted script excerpts provided by Phil Oosterhouse, assistant to the Wachowski brothers. One cut that fans will find of particular interest occurs in the first scene. What was initially a segment addressing the consequences of leaving the Matrix and everyone in it is replaced by Trinity's thrilling introduction and narrow escape. The final pages will whet the appetites of Matrix enthusiasts further with an offering of several full-color promotional film shots and an enthusiastic afterword by renowned SF author William Gibson. As the first and only movie companion licensed by the Wachowski brothers, this pictorial feast is a must-have for SF fans and Matrix loyalists this gift-giving season.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-The Matrix, according to science-fiction author William Gibson, is "something very special: a big, muscular `effects' movie that's wildly generous with visual thrills,-and, most important of all, has a good heart." Substitute the word "book" for movie and you have a decent description of this title. It includes storyboards, both black and white and in color, with commentary by the artists; conceptual drawings; movie stills; information about cut scenes; scene notes; and the shooting script. The storyboards are essentially a graphic presentation of the movie. It is particularly fascinating to read the artists' own comments about their work. Fans of The Matrix and film-studies students will appreciate this glimpse into the preproduction process. The only disappointment is not hearing from the Wachowski brothers themselves, but they are apparently hard at work on the sequels. This is a large, beautifully designed book, with high-quality paper and sharp, striking pictures. It includes four gatefolds of marvelously detailed conceptual drawings. A browser's delight.-Susan Salpini, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 500 pages
• Publisher: Newmarket Press (December 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557044058
• ISBN-13: 978-1557044051
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #439,640 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book for the true Matrix Fan., August 21, 2001

By 

Keyser Soze - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of the Matrix (Hardcover)

This book is definitely a must-have for any matrix fan. This book goes in depth about each scene in the 1999 Blockbuster hit movie.

It includes mostly black and white illustrations and some colored ones of each and every scene. It's as if you're watching the movie in a book. Along with the illustrations are many commentaries to let you know what the Wachowski brothers were trying to accomplish. If this isn't enough, even the Wachowski brothers have commentaries in this book.

There are also illustrations in this book that are NOT in the movie. Commentaries will tell you why these scenes were omitted.

This book is pulling out all the stops to the movie, so why not add more? If illustrations and commentaries aren't enough for you, there's the ENTIRE script of the movie. It includes omitted dialogue.

Still not enough for you? Well then I'll go on. There's the full credit listing for this awesome movie. There's also a page for the Academy nominations and awards this movie has received...including the acceptance speeches. Okay okay, so these things aren't such a big deal, but I can only show you the door...you have to walk through it (Read on).

So you've decided to read more? Well, besides the illustrations, commentaries, unedited script, script commentaries, full cast and credits, awards page, there's 27 FULL PAGES of COLOR photos taken directly from the movie. There's the movie cover taking up a full page to start off with. Trinity, Neo, Morpheus and the Agents all have pages too. Let's not forget the Morpheus and Agent Smith fight scene, Tank, Cypher, Dozer, Apoc and Switch...they're in here too. There's the shootout scene, the rooftop scene and more all in this book. These are beautiful, high quality color photos taken from the movie and put into this book for your enjoyment. To see these pictures, go to the official site and go to the photo gallery. MORE THAN HALF all of those pictures are here.

And the last page is a note about the upcoming matrix sequels. There is nothing more left to tell you. I have told you what this book contains. True matrix fans will adore this book. It makes a great gift to any matrix devotee out there. So go ahead and get plugged into the Matrix and buy this book!

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful., February 25, 2001

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art of the Matrix (Hardcover)

Undoubtedly this is the most lavish publication of a screenplay in the brief history of published screenplays, and it's hard to imagine it being topped any time soon. The title makes the book's priorities clear, this is a book about the art behind the film, and how it was used to bring the Wachowski Brothers' vision to life. In reading the book, it's made abundantly clear that The Matrix was a film with a vision first, and then a script. And, like it or not, the storyboards did more to tell and sell the vision to the money men and get the movie made, than the script could ever have hoped to. This is a lesson that those in the screenwriting community would do well to file away in the back of their brains. Sometimes (albeit very, very rarely) the story in your head simply can't be fully communicated in screenplay form to those who count, you might have to look to simple storyboarding to tell/sell the whole story. It should be noted that in the case of The Matrix, these were high-end storyboards by professional comic book artists. From the Wachowski Brothers's stick figures, to 700 scene-by-scene storyboards, to conceptual art, it's all in here, including scenes that were never filmed for safety or budgetary reasons, as well as the shooting script and ten pages of script notes and deleted scenes from the script. The one major flaw is the absence of any commentary from the Wachowskis themselves. And naturally, there is a bit of filler near the end, but on the whole, the book's deisgn reflects the attention to detail and high quality of the film-and repeatedly reminds you that there are two more Matrixes to come. Thankfully, unlike "Making of" film books, the emphasis is on the storyboards and script, and thus the story, rather than the technical effects wizardry that makes it all happen onscreen. This makes it much more appealing to a general audience, rather than simply to those entranced by effects. Sadly, the book is quite expensive and there is no paperback edition in sight, so you might want to wait for next Christmas.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The title says it all., December 31, 2000

By 

"skincrawler" (Dayton, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of the Matrix (Hardcover)

The Art of the Matrix is exactly that, an ART book. The storyboards are incredibly detailed and look fantastic. The majority of the drawings are done in black and white but there are some in color and color picture stills from the movie as well. The artist comments are fun to read and provide some insight as to what they and the directors were thinking. The only thing this book lacked was an interview or essay done with the Wachowski's themselves. Other than that I'm completely happy with this book. If you're looking for more info on the production and visual effects check out the following magazines, Cinefex #79, and American Cinematographer April 1999.