Customer Reviews

Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Open the first page and listen: you can hear the heartbeat of the world's greatest city pumping with a rythem determined and powerful.

'Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York by James Sanders is a rare introspective on the filmmaking world of New York City as much as it is of New York City itself. Darting from time period to time period the reader travels not only to the location of many film locations, but through the careful selection of the photographs chosen, the reader is in many cases brought directly to the social causes/events that were part of the filmmakers reasoning in making a particular film. So, not only does the photographs tell a historical story of New York over the past decades, but it tells of the social changes and issues occuring at the time. Adding in commentary by some of New York's more notable filmakers like Woody Allen and Marty Scorsese adds breath to the pounding heartbeat that is Town. As a person working in the trades of film and publishing, I found James Sander's 'Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York' to be wonderfully presented, informative, and outright fun to read and review! Well done Mr. Sanders.

This handsomely produced volume traces forty years of film-making in New York City with a rich variety of photographs and anecdotes. There are lots of behind-the-scenes photos, plus essays and epigrams from directors, actors, producers, and other film professionals. Though the organization is chronological, the materials are organized by theme: "Chases," "Central Park," "Backlit Streets," etc. It's eminently browsable and consistently entertaining.

At the same time, serious film buffs will find the book light on analysis and somewhat haphazard in organization. The filmography, for instance, does not include casts. Its publication marks the 40th anniversary of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting -- the City agency renowned for its ability to cut through red tape and otherwise ease filmmakers' lives -- and, not incidentally, the launch of a wildly successful new program of tax and promotional incentives. So the book is, in a sense, a print infomercial. But the presentation is so engaging and the "product" so fascinating that it's an infomercial you'll gladly stay up late to see.

This is a great book for NYC & Film Lovers!! Images are beautiful and it's so great to see all these amazing projects together in one compilation. I love NYC, it just makes you wanna grab a camera and start filming. Highly recommended!!

This book is a gem! If you a New Yorker, a movie enthusiast this is the perfect gift for yourself or your friends. Stunning images of New York from the some of the most incredible films ever made. I like to look at it and read over the various anecdotes on rainy afternoons and my friends worldwide have told me it was their best (and belated) Christmas gift ever.

Almost an infomercial on filmmaking in New York City, this book suceeds because it is filed not with the details of movie making, but with scenes from the movies made in New York.

The book was published as part of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting. This organization, set up by Mayor John Lindsay to streamline movie production in the city. Here for the first time was an organization with the authority and power to handle the interface between the city and the movie maker. Before this separate permits had to be obtained from dozens of different departments, i.e. each police precinct where the movie would be shot, and 'about ninety different kinds of inspectors' would show up at shoots and threaten to shut down production unless they were compensated, i.e. bribed.

As can be seen in this book the number of movies made in the city since has skyrocketed as the city made filming easier. And here we see the results in more than 250 stills from many, many memorable movies who had an uncredited additional actor - the city itself.

Wonderful book for a stroll down New York memory movie lane. This book takes you through the generations of movies filmed in NY and conjures up some great memories. A great gift or just fun to own yourself!

I gave the book as a gift at Christmas. The "5" I gave it is based on the receivers accolades about the book. It appeared to be a woderful gift.

I am very pleased with this purchase. It is a great coffee table book, and also a great gift!

Really nice coffee table book. Gave this as a gift to a New Yorker living out-of-state and she loves looking back through the memories and familiar places.