Over the course of the eight feature films he has directed since 1979, Michael Mann has shown himself, time and again, to be a rigorous, honest dramatist, a maker of solid worlds. So much so that in America, at least, he tends to be underrated. The most respectful of his critics often define him (a bit too simply) as a "realist." Certainly, whether the subject is thievery (The Jericho Mile, Thief, Heat), killers (Manhunter, Collateral), frontier life (The Last of the Mohicans), the nuanced struggle between the news media and corporate money (The Insider), or that of a celebrated athlete looking to find his life's meaning in a world of bigotry (Ali), Mann seeks authenticity above all. Whatever suspense, entertainment value, and emotional or philosophical insight his work may yield rises from a truthfully imagined, painstakingly observed set of human beings and their warring intentions. This book explores Mann's multifaceted oeuvre, including his most recent film, Miami Vice. Made with full access to Michael Mann's archives! The author: F.X. Feeney is a screenwriter and critic based in Los Angeles. His film credits include The Big Brass Ring, based on a story by Orson Welles, and Frankenstein Unbound, directed by Roger Corman, whilst his reviews have appeared in L.A. Weekly and other publications. F.X. is also the author of TASCHEN's Roman Polanski: The Complete Films. The editor: Paul Duncan has seen lots of films and read lots of comics and books. He wanted to share his enthusiasm for these subjects so he published magazines about comics (Ark) and crime fiction (Crime Time) before launching a series of small film guides (Pocket Essentials). He edits film books for TASCHEN and wroteAlfred Hitchcock: The Complete Films and Stanley Kubrick: The Complete Films.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
??Michael Mann is one of America's major filmmakers. The combination of Thief, Heat, and Collateral alone would get him to auteur heaven, and there's not a lot wrong with Manhunter or The Last of the Mohicans, either. TASCHEN has published Michael Mann, by F.X. Sweeney, and it's a very good analysis of Mann's films, especially notable for the stunning layout of the stills, as edited by Paul Duncan.? Director's Guild of America Quarterly, Beverly Hills
About the Author
F.X. Feeney is a screenwriter and critic based in Los Angeles. His film credits include The Big Brass Ring, based on a story by Orson Welles, and Frankenstein Unbound, directed by Roger Corman, whilst his reviews have appeared in L.A. Weekly and other publications. F.X. is also the author TASCHEN's Roman Polanski: The Complete Films.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A rock-solid analysis of a truly underappreciated filmmaker.,
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This review is from: Michael Mann (Taschen Film) (Hardcover)
Being an avid fan of Michael Mann's work, I had been waiting eagerly for this book to arrive ever since I first heard about it some months ago. Now that I have had a chance to digest it, I find it an excellent analysis of his work. This is - first and foremost - what the book sets out to do. It does include biographical information on Mann, but it is by no means a biography. F.X Feeney breaks down each of Mann's films from his earliest documentary ("17 Days Down the Line") up through "Collateral," and devotes generous space to Mann's two major television credits, "Miami Vice" and "Crime Story." For fans of film analysis (as opposed to criticism), this book should deliver in a big way.
The book includes dozens of gorgeous photos from all of the projects Feeney analyzes, a section on editor and Mann collaborator Dov Hoenig where Hoenig offer his insights into Mann and Mann's methods, a brief timeline on Mann, and a complete Mann filmography. The overall package is just as gorgeous as a Mann film, with a sleek slipcover featuring a still from "Heat." I did spot a few typos here and there, which I find slightly annoying in this day and age. The book does assume that the reader has a bit of working knowledge of each film under analysis, though it does an efficient job summarizing the plots prior to analysis. It is still very accessible for those less familiar with Mann or with his earlier works (such as "The Keep"), but bear in mind that this book is about film analysis, and as such, no plot detail avoids scrutiny. In other words, expect major spoilers. Personally, I love film analysis, film criticism, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. From that standpoint, I would have loved to find more of the latter one in the book, given the high level of talent that Mann attracts to his films. But that's hardly a strike against this book. As its presentation and content indicate, this book is very much like Mann's work: straightforward, no-nonsense, intelligent, and fascinating. By letting us into Mann's thought processes and meticulous methods, this book serves as a vindication of sorts for his work. Mann, in my opinion, is a vastly underrated and underappreciated filmmaker, and I hope that enough people will read this book to gain more insight into his films, and perhaps to see his films in a different light.
4.0 out of 5 stars
a pleasure,
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This review is from: Michael Mann (Taschen Film) (Hardcover)
As a fan, it was a pleasure to get some insight into the work. The photography behind the scenes was revealing, but the shortage of the gorgeous movie shots was also a disappointment. A very good, must read for anyone who has wondered, "What's with all the glass and water?" A great companion to my DVD collection.
4.0 out of 5 stars
An absolute must for fans of Michael Mann,
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This review is from: Michael Mann (Taschen Film) (Hardcover)
Michael Mann still remains one of my favourite writer /director / producers of film in the modern cinema. Mann probably has the deepenst most detailed character analysis of any given characters in any of his films and that is definitely not by accident. If there is one lesson any would-be filmmaker or film enthusiast can take away it is his level of obsession toward detail and integrity to his art. Taschen's offering on Michael Mann and his work is a wonderful overview of his body of work. There are stunningly gorgeous photographs throughout as well as key rundowns of each projects, some of the interesting points and ideas that the filmmaker had in mind when he did particular scenes in any of his films.
What I found particularly revealing were the photographs of Mann in the process of getting the film done. Adding that bit more blood to a scene, a detail here and there that makes the scene that much palpable. I also loved seeing copies of the markups of his directing scripts. Though some of us would kill or die to be allowed onto one of his sets just to watch and observe the man in action those are the kinds of insights that are vital to students of film studies and to die-hard fans of a director's works. The book is beautifully photographed and presented in a way that Taschen books is famous for. I have absolutely no complaint about the visuals. The only reason I did not give the book five stars is that I wanted even more in-depth information about Michael Mann's thought process when he is mapping out his films and in the post production and final assembly of his films. The book was made prior to the filming of "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp and so it is not included in this particular work. This is definitely understandable when you are writing about a very active filmmmaker / director who has multiple projects done at any given time. My hope is that Public Enemies will be included in later versions of this book.
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