Michael Mann (Taschen Film) (Hardcover)

~ F X Feeney (Editor), (Editor)

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

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

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822831417
• ISBN-13: 978-3822831410
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #357,901 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A rock-solid analysis of a truly underappreciated filmmaker., October 16, 2006

By	K. Emroll (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Tribute to the directing career of Michael Mann!, April 28, 2009

By	Gift Cardholder "James Rosevear" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Beautifully presented coffee table book containing detailed information and photographs of Michael Mann's films.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Michael Mann and movie buffs alike!

4 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A LITTLE SYCOPHANTIC, June 11, 2007

By	Dr H.Alloy (Australia) - See all my reviews

Mann is a genuinely gifted director, and certainly a polarising one, those who think he's a genius and those who think he's an overrated pretentious artisan. That aside this book asserts he hasn't really made a terrible film which is ludicrous. 'Miami Vice' was one of last years absolute worst films, his 'Ali' bio was an amazing bore considering the subject matter. His last hit was the Tom Cruise starrer 'Collateral' which was seen as a moderate success considering it's star.

Mann has delivered some stunning cinema, it's his combinations of sound and vision that show a true original at work: 'Heat' is one of the best films of the 90's and his adaptation of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon' re-titled 'Manhunter' is vastly influential 80's thriller, far more viscerally in tune with the novel than the more faithful (and prosaic) Brett Ratner movie. 'Last of the Mohicans' is a rousing epic among others. Then there's his curio and perrenial "When will it be on DVD?" cult fave 'The Keep'- eye popping visuals, eerie soundtrack and plot incoherence, he managed to turn F.Paul Wilson's classic gothic horror adventure into a jumbled surreal mess.

This book is typical Taschen quality, with excellent photo's-pity it's so one eyed and toadying to it's subject.