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Jared Brown

Alan J. Pakula: His Films and His Life Hardcover – September 1, 2005

by Jared Brown (Author)

4.5 11 ratings

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"For me, Alan Pakula was one of the great American filmmakers, but if you look at his films, they look so simple. The camera is not doing back—flips and he's not afraid to hold a shot. You can argue that if you do your work really well, no one should notice."
—Todd Field, director of In the Bedroom

To Kill a Mockingbird. Klute. All the President's Men. Sophie's Choice. Presumed Innocent. Alan J. Pakula was the creative force behind these great films and dozens more. Here at last is the definitive biography of this film genius, based on interviews with more than 40 friends, including Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and Meryl Streep, and unrestricted access to Pakula's own family and archives. Born in the Bronx, destined to take over the family printing business, Pakula instead began writing and acting in plays as a teenager and moved to Hollywood in the 1950s. Artistically driven, boundlessly inventive, hugely influential, Pakula has left an enduring film legacy.

• Three-time Academy Award-winning water/director/producer

• Interviews with Harrison Ford, Laurne Bacall, Meryl Street, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Kevin Kline, Candice Bergen, Donald Sutherland, and over 30 other film celebrities

• More than 25 never-before-published photos of Pakula from his family

Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Back Stage Books
Publication date

September 1, 2005
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

0823087999
ISBN-13

978-0823087990
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jared Brown, former chair of the School of Theatre Arts at Illinois Wesleyan University, is the author of the highly acclaimed Zero Mostel: A Biography, The Fabulous Lunts, and Theatre in America During the Revolution, as well as numerous plays and essays. He lives in Bloomington, IL.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Stage Books; First Edition (September 1, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0823087999
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0823087990
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,240,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #525 in Movie Director Biographies
- #1,013 in Video Direction & Production (Books)
- #1,192 in Movie Direction & Production

Customer Reviews:
4.5 11 ratings

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Jared Brown

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Jared Brown is Professor Emeritus of Theatre from Western Illinois University and the former Director of the School of Theatre Arts at Illinois Wesleyan University. He has published six books, all of them carried by Amazon.com: The Fabulous Lunts, Zero Mostel: A Biography, The Theatre in America During the Revolution, Alan J. Pakula: His Films and His Life, and Mind the Gap and 2 Other Mysteries. He lives in Bloomington, Illinois.

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4.5 out of 5

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Word Smith

Behind a

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

A brilliant look at a brilliant filmmaker.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 1, 2012

Verified Purchase

NOT DONE YET BUT SO FAR THIS IS FULL OF THE LEGENDARY'S PRIVATE & PROFESSIONAL CAREER---LOVE THIS STUFF...
GLAD I GOT THIS BOOK--GREAT INSIGHTS
DELIVERY WAS PROMPT & PRODUCT WAS PERFECT
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 20, 2005

"Alan J. Pakula" by Jared Brown is among the best film bios I have ever read, for the way it is written and for inviting me into the world of Pakula on a whole new level.

It's not enough to say the book was thoroughly researched, though it was. Clearly, Brown had access that allowed him to explore Paluka's life at a particularly meaningful level. But it is also a highly engaging journey. A really fun read. I realized, as I read it, how iconographic are many scenes from Pakula's best films. Just mention the titles and these scenes pop out, full blown: the face of Meryl Streep's Sophie on that bed, suffused with the overwhelming pain of her past, Jane Fonda's low, droning voice in the most chilling seduction scene I can recall, Robert Redford making phone call after phone call, plodding toward a story that refuses to reveal itself. And how many scenes from "To Kill a Mockingbird" are burned into the brain? I mentioned this to my husband as I was reading and he remarked he had similar recollections of the same films. They are part of our movie-going psyche and had become the standard by which we subconsciously measure many films we have seen since.

Reading about how these scenes came about created a whole new dimension. A new phenomenon are the behind-the-scenes extra material that comes with many DVD's; this book takes you places such films just can't go,: the mental journey of the creator.

Had anyone asked before who made these films, I couldn't have answered. They just "were". Like the technique, the director had kept himself invisible. How gutsy. So this book was a double joy, not only taking me back to some of the best films Hollywood has produced (we have begun renting each of them to see again; they are astoundingly fresh) but providing a chance to meet a director who was not only supremely talented but such a fine person. Getting into his head and heart has been delightful. And seeing his process was magical. After seeing today's film techniques, the hand-held camera with all the distracting jumping about, how refreshing to discover and appreciate the thought and consideration that went into Pakula's films, the respect for the stories, the characters, the actors and above all, the audience, that he demonstrated. Each of the scenes referred to above are remarkable in their stillness but until I read this bio, I had not appreciated how much thought and insight and sheer talent went into creating that stillness. And the love and passion he brought to the films was obviously returned by those with whom he worked. These films told a story in a way we just don't see today. Maybe this biography will give current directors some pause to reconsider how to tell a story. For myself, I already loved his films. Having read this wonderful biography, now I know why and can enjoy them even more.

Among the best sections of the book are the two extensive chapters on the making of "All the President's Men". Brown must live a charmed life; his book has come out the same time as Deep Throat. So if all you are interested in is politics, these chapters alone are worth getting the book. I had just read Vanity Fair's Bernstein article on Deep Throat. Sequeing into these two chapters could not have been more perfect. Or addictive. I didn't want them to end.

This book is a truly absorbing read on a multitude of levels. I highly recommend it.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Giannina M

Brown's "Pakula"

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 5, 2006

As with all of Jared Brown's biographies, "Alan J. Pakula His Films and His Life" is beautifully written and researched. It's a fascinating book about a fascinating man, rich in details and characters, easy to read. Pakula's life is chronicled, and his movies examined. This alone makes the book memorable, but to have even more fun I suggest you watch the movies as you read about them. Brown goes into the movies' production, the stars and their association with Pakula. Some of the details are particular to a certain movie; to see their fruition in the actual movie is eye-opening. I highly recommend the book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

A.Rand

Wonderful

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 26, 2007

Brown has done Pakula proud. This is an important book for anyone interested in one of America's greatest filmmakers.

Helpful

Jared Brown

Not an authorized paperback

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 13, 2009

This book is NOT a paperback of the hardcover version. It's a "bound galley," meaning that it's a pre-publication version before the author had the opportunity to revise it. I (the author) subsequently revised and improved it significantly and can reliably inform you that the "paperback version" being advertised does not accurately reflect the hardcover version that was ultimately published. Do not buy it in the belief that you will receive an inexpensive of the hardcover.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Maurice R. West

Wonderful Insight into Underrated Director

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 14, 2009

Verified Purchase

This book is a wonderful tribute to a very special producer / director. I particularly enjoyed the excellent coverage of his early, lesser known films such as "The Sterile Cuckoo" and "Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing". Author Jared Brown has really captured the sympathy and compassion that Pakula showed in his direction, and obviously is a fan , as I am !

One person found this helpful

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