From the Atelier Tovar: Selected Writings of Guy Maddin [Paperback]

Guy Maddin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1552451313 | ISBN-13: 978-1552451311 | Publication Date: September 19, 1999 | Edition: 1

Guy Maddin is one of Canada's most celebrated and original filmmakers, the director of such delirious films as Tales from the Gimli Hospital, Careful, Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary, The Saddest Music in the World and My Winnipeg. Few know, however, that he is just as gifted a writer, and his resolutely purple prose, as eccentric and enchanting as his film work, is a true delight. From the Atelier Tovar gathers, in one volume, the best of Maddin's writing: his journalism (originally published in the Village Voice, Cinema Scope, Film Comment and points beyond), unpublished short stories and film treatments (including the riotous Child Without Qualities), and selections, both lurid and illuminating, from the filmmaker's personal journals. Here are Maddin's feverish musings on hockey, the Osmonds, divas of the Italian silent cinema, Bollywood, his own twisted biography, and much, much more. What emerges finally is both a fragrant potpourri and a treasure trove, a singular portrait of this very unique artist.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Maddin, meticulous forger of ready-decayed cinematic artifacts, is no day-tripper in the realms of literature.' -- The Village Voice

About the Author

Guy Maddin is the filmmaker behind Tales from the Gimli Hospital,Archangel, Careful, Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, The Saddest Music in the World, Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary and Brand upon the Brain! Maddin is also a writer (From the Atelier Tovar: Selected Writings) and teacher, and occupies the position of Distinguished Filmmaker in Residence at the University of Manitoba.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Coach House Books; 1 edition (September 19, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552451313
• ISBN-13: 978-1552451311
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,233,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treat for Guy Maddin fans, October 10, 2005

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Crashy88 "crashy88" (Level 2) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: From the Atelier Tovar: Selected Writings of Guy Maddin (Paperback)

This little book is great--a feast of short pieces from the pen of Canadian surrealist Guy Maddin. We have here film and DVD reviews, articles, screenplays for produced and unproduced short films, journal excerpts and miscellaneous bits, all as funny and eccentric as one would expect from the director of "Tales from the Gimli Hospital." (None of this duplicates the material in his "Cowards Bend the Knee" book, although there is some illuminating insight into the genesis of that project.) All of these pieces are fun in different ways (although some parts of the journal comically disheartening--even a famous director can't always get financing or, for that matter, get laid). Lots of pictures in this book, including film stills, production shots and storyboards, and nice design--"Anna" from "Heart of the World" peeking through a die-cut hole in the cover.

This book may be educational for the uninitiated (especially the reviews), but probably not the best introduction to Maddin's work (for which see "Kino Delirium"). But, for those who enjoy Maddin's films, this book is great fun all around.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Pleasure...a very rare and open selection of personal writings., May 24, 2010

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thedre (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Atelier Tovar: Selected Writings of Guy Maddin (Paperback)

I'm still reading this book, having finished the journals section, and Guy is so fascinating...Remember Kerouac's Big Sur, and all the misery and dislocation he had during that time, which is a nice way to say he was having delirium tremens, which is a nice way to say he was losing his mind due to alcoholism, but somehow at the same time he was writing all this down into a great book. Well, here with Guy's book of journals, journalism, personal photos and magazine writing, etc. Guy presents himself as one of us...either broke, lonely, heart on his sleeve, snooty, unctuous, loving, meticulous, sure of himself, lazy, more broke, insightful, horny, hetero with a fey side of bacon, and wonderfully revealing. You'll never get a presidential bio on this level. Don't miss the part about him and his female friend being kidnapped and hustled...and surviving by plying their captives with booze...
I keep wondering why Guy doesn't do a film of J.K. Huysmans' A Rebours.

5.0 out of 5 stars MADDIN AS ANODYNE., October 17, 2007

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R. C. Roesberg "enthusiastic enthusiast" (Northfield, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From the Atelier Tovar: Selected Writings of Guy Maddin (Paperback)

Maddin starts his autobiographical tour with a movie 'dream list' that announces his taste is far from the contemporary mainstream. Journal entries provide a multifaceted portrait of the filmmaker via indelible childhood memories, plentiful enthusiasms, and unstinting self-evaluation. His journalism and film treatments expand the picture. I keep picking up this collection for pleasurable re-reading, and jotting down movie and book titles he mentions. If you're weary from too many books by Hollywood insiders, this is the perfect anodyne.