The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: Twenty Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers [Mass Market Paperback]

Joshua Horowitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2006

A revealing look at the influences and aspirations of today’s hottest filmmakers

A new era has dawned in Hollywood, with a wave of innovative filmmakers redefining the art of big-screen entertainment for modern audiences. Entertainment journalist Josh Horowitz provides an in-depth look at twenty directors on the leading edge through a series of candid interviews.

Horowitz covers a full range of styles and sensibilities—revealing both the points of agreement and the sharp distinctions among this eclectic group:

• Kevin Smith’s do-it-yourself aesthetics in Clerks and Chasing Amy
• Michel Gondry’s surreal dreamscapes in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Trey Parker’s love of fart jokes in South Park
• How Jon Favreau’s teenage obsession with Dungeons & Dragons helped make Swingers
• Todd Philips’ journey from documentary filmmaker to box-office success with Old School

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Entertainment writer and TV producer Horowitz encountered "diverse voices" when he asked 22 contemporary filmmakers about their aspirations, influences, contradictory methods and problem-solving approaches for this probing collection. For Monster, Patty Jenkins wanted to explore how a normal person could become "a feral animal." Acclaimed for Girlfight, Karyn Kusama believes "there's a way to take those kind of social realist dramas and do something lyrical with them." Discussion topics range from filmmaker fears to technological advances. Alone in his apartment, the reclusive Kerry Conran created a film on his Mac that was so innovative he soon found himself on a set directing Gwyneth Paltrow (in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow). Yet French-born Michel Gondry, lauded for the mental gymnastics of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, feels digital effects inhibit performance. Other subjects include Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men), Kevin Smith (Clerks) and Jon Favreau (Zathura). Childhood backgrounds are a constant theme, as are dreams. As Conran puts it, "We've finally come to a time in our history where you can create what you see in your imagination, what you dream." Photos. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

JOSH HOROWITZ is a writer and television producer. He has contributed to Us Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, and been a producer for Charlie Rose, CNBC, Fox News, and McEnroe.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452286816
• ISBN-13: 978-0452286818
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,934,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for film fans, February 15, 2006

By 

John A. Helmuth III "Big Head Jack" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: Twenty Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers (Mass Market Paperback)

If you have even a passing interest in film then this book is a must-have. I collect books on television and film and this one is as good as anything I've read in recent years.

An interesting mix of storytelling, humor, and info for wannabe filmmakers, the author of this book does a fine job of asking informed questions that both fans and students of film want to have answered. What made it really stand out, in my mind, was the selection of filmmakers interviewed. Specifically, it's a group of men and women just reaching the top of their craft. This isn't a book full of old timey Hollywood stories from Robert Evans or even Martin Scorsese - these are the people making films that people are talking about today, and will be talking about for the next fifty years.

I just finished reading it and then ordered another copy for my nephew in film school. A really fun book. Hope this helped.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review from Arizona Daily Star, March 23, 2006

By 

Phil Villarreal "Phil Villarreal, Arizona Dai... (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: Twenty Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers (Mass Market Paperback)

Budding filmmakers looking for inspiration should check out Josh Horowitz's interview anthology, "The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: 20 Conversations With the Next Generation of Filmmakers" (Plume, $15).

Horowitz, a writer and TV producer, takes a simple concept - sit down with some of cinema's emerging directorial greats - and elicits eloquent, investigative pieces that truly provide glimpses into some fascinating storytellers.

Interviewing the likes of Michel Gondry, Kevin Smith, Richard Kelly and Neil LaBute, Horowitz has each filmmaker explain his big break, work process and philosophy. He asks surprisingly blunt questions, querying the subjects about significant failures and insecurities.

The author isn't in search of an overwhelming zeitgeist. The interviewees emerge as disparate personalities, all after distinct goals. Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "X-Men 3"), for instance, proves to be a business-oriented company man who cares most about making money, while Smith ("Clerks," "Chasing Amy") seems to be content with catering to his small yet devoted audience with his uncompromising fare.

The book is an excellent specimen of entertainment journalism, and the thoughts, hopes and fears expressed by the directors in the book will make for just as interesting a read 10 years from now, when some will be giants while others will surely have faded into obscurity.

Phil Villarreal

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, February 18, 2006

By 

J. Hackman (Northern Kentucky, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: Twenty Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a really good book! My only complaint is that he had to cut some of the interviews down. The book is really well constructed and has a lot of interesting interviews which show you how hard it really is to get into the moviemaking industry. My favorite interviews were Richard Kelly and the Weitz twins. As an aspiring film maker, I recommend this to anyone who wants to go into the movie business or anyone who likes movies. It's really like getting a back stage pass into the lives of some of today's hottest directors.

Enjoy!