Films and Friends: Starting and Maintaining a Movie Group [Paperback]

Maryanne Vandervelde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2004

The first guide to starting and maintaining a film group.

If you've ever wanted to be in a film club but didn't know how to get started, choose films, and keep discussions going, this is the book for you. Here, Maryanne Vandervelde offers advice on how to deal with problems that might arise, including unforeseen pitfalls, uncooperative discussants, and scheduling conflicts.

But it's the close friendships and fascinating discussions over the years that explain why her group is still going strong more than seven years after it was founded. She has compiled reflections on what they have learned, a breakdown of all the movies they've discussed, and suggestions for movie rentals, with accompanying issues and discussion topics to get the ball rolling.

Fun and informative, Films and Friends is a warm and entertaining guide full of everything you need to know about starting and maintaining a movie group.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The rich past of film clubs is evident in the famed film societies of William K. Everson and Rudolf Arnheim, countless college 16mm series, cineastes with their own basement movie theaters and such secret cinemas as Joe's Place, once at a hidden 42nd Street location. Unaware of this history, psychotherapist and human resources executive Vandervelde (The Changing Life of the Corporate Wife; Retirement for Two; etc.) claims knowledge of only 12 other film groups (including eight she helped start). In 1996, Vandervelde and her friends formed a movie discussion group patterned after a book club, and she offers tips and guidelines on how to run a similar club, with much emphasis on group dynamics and social interactions triggered by discussions: "Our members believe that the interpersonal aspects of a movie group are just as important as the film focus," she writes. She regales readers with tales of her group of 12 to 14; at first they gathered monthly at a theater on a Saturday, saw a film and then went to the host's house for an open discussion. Members brought food, and rotating hosts chose movies and provided coffee and dessert. After a few months, however, the group found no reason to attend the film together, so now everyone sees it at their leisure and then assembles for the discussion. Vandervelde spends about a third of the book on her club's brief, one-dimensional summaries of the 58 movies they saw in seven years. Despite the obvious-if solid-suggestions and film-related cartoons from the New Yorker's Cartoonbank.com, this is a fairly uninspired guide.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"What a clever, energizing concept! Movie groups can help promote the best in cinematic culture-- and the best in community connection."--Michael Medved, film critic, nationally syndicated talk show host, and author of Hollywood vs. America

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (January 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312320795
• ISBN-13: 978-0312320799
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,308,735 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Films Groups: Great Idea for Friends, January 29, 2004

By 

Susan D (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Films and Friends: Starting and Maintaining a Movie Group (Paperback)

This is a great book for starting a film group of friends. I truly believe that, especially for baby boomers, film groups are the coming new thing. What a great way to keep your mind active and at the same time have fun with friends! The book is short, very well writen and has lots of good ideas and clever chapters. I highly recommend it to everyone.

5.0 out of 5 stars Film Groups: The Next Big Wave, January 29, 2004

By 

Suzanne B. Ogden "SuzyQLLL" (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Films and Friends: Starting and Maintaining a Movie Group (Paperback)

What a great idea! After reading this book, I am definitely planning to start a movie group. I've talked it over with several friends and we think it would really be fun to get several couples together and try it. Even though we work, we all go to movies at once a month. This book makes it easy to start a group and gives lots of ideas of good movies.