In these vivid and revealing interviews, directors such as the Coen brothers, Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella and Neil Jordan recall the making of their 'first films'. Each chapter focuses on a celebrated debut - from Blood Simple to Muriel's Wedding, Clerks to Angel - and explores its production from the inside. Along the way, every aspect of the movie industry is explored - from first encounters with agents and moguls, to languishing in development hell, to confronting the dreaded 'test audience'. Lowenstein, himself a writer-director on the verge of his first feature, encourages his subjects to relive the pain and elation, the comedy and the tragedy, of their freshman efforts. For aspirant directors, these tales of sleepless nights and nail-biting days will enthral and terrify in equal measure. For everyone else, they offer a privileged glimpse of famous directors taking their first tentative steps.
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Amazon Review
Stephen Spielberg thought that the idea behind this book was "neat". He didn't have time to make a contribution, but then he's a very busy man. Thankfully, even without the participation of the director of Duel, Stephen Lowenstein managed to assemble an impressive roster of film-makers happy to discuss their earliest efforts. Lowenstein notes that he witnessed in every interview a real enthusiasm for the subject, saying that "my hunch was that the directors enjoyed talking about films that they weren't trying to sell". The interviews manage to capture the combination of freedom and fear which seems to characterise a first film: Gary Oldman speaks for many of the contributors when he describes the making of Nil By Mouth as "like saving things from a burning building".
Each of the directors interviewed attracted widespread acclaim for their debut film, and would never again come to a project with so little baggage. Lowenstein has chosen his subjects carefully, providing a survey of a refreshingly wide range of experiences. Pedro Almodovar attended film school and made short films before writing Pepi, Luci, Bom while working for a telephone company; the Coen brothers had never been on a film set before they began shooting Blood Simple; Oliver Stone came to directing relatively late, writing a number of hits including Midnight Express before he shot Salvador at the age of 40.
It is true that My First Movie covers some ground which has been dealt with in earlier interviews, often at the time of release of the films in question--for example, we read once again of Kevin Smith financing Clerks with credit cards. However, the book provides far more depth than magazine interviews would allow, and gathers in one place a great deal of material interesting to a wide cross-section of readers, about directors as diverse as Ken Loach, Ang Lee and Steve Buscemi. Lowenstein has a knack for asking interesting questions and eliciting fascinating responses, revealing a great deal about not only the stories behind these first films, but also the personalities of their makers. --John Oates
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Stephen Lowenstein's book caught my attention I when read the intriguing list of film directors he managed to interview. His choice is wide-ranging including "indie" filmmakers, British directors and even the odd established-star-turned-director, such as Steve Buscemi. As a moviemaker himself, he manages to ask questions that go beyond moviemaking technicalities and more towards the directors' emotional experiences. There are already enough cinema books on scriptwriting, financing, film vs DV, etc. These subjects all arise in the interviews with the directors. However, what moved me from the book's initial interview with the director of "Johnny Suede", was that so much raw self-disclosure emerged. Lowenstein states in his introduction that the interviews were probably more like therapy. He even asks questions like "How did you sleep while filming?" A true original! Trust is established which leads the interviewees to be very candid. The directors reveal their humanity, their love of their craft, their flaws and at times offer striking criticisms of their filmmaking choices and finished movies. In a strange way, this becomes very endearing and inspirational.
By Nicko
Format:Paperback
This is a great book for anyone interested in movies and for that matter even if they are not. A great incite into what it takes to get a film made.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting
6 April 2002
By yarden
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
It is all too rare an occurrance to actually find out anything about the PERSON who makes a movie. Most "behind-the-scenes" documentaries and interviews end up being thinly-disguised promotional trailers for movies. Luckily, filmmaker Stephen Lowenstein interviewed 20 filmmakers of various origin, style, and age to bring us this collection of interviews about the experience of making a first film.
Each interview is different, just as each filmmaker's first moviemaking experience was different. Every interview is illuminating and serves to broaden the reader's view of filmmaking, as well as increase appreciation for the sheer hard work and endurance required to get a movie to the point of completion.
I found myself riveted by each director's account of their first movies, of the experience of getting the film to the point of being made, to the casting, to the pre-production, to the first day of filming, to editing and then trying to find a place to screen the darn thing. It was very interesting to get to know each filmmaker, the places they were in the beginning stages of their careers, and the places their films took them to.
I appreciated reading interviews with filmmakers I greatly admire (the Coen brothers), to those I am familiar with and jealous of (Kevin Smith), and especially the interviews with female filmmakers such as Allison Anders and Mira Nair (since I myself am female). Some other interviews I particularly enjoyed: P.J. Hogan ("Muriel's Wedding"), James Mangold ("Heavy"), and Ang Lee ("Pushing Hands").
If you like this book, I highly recommend "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez, as it is a complete diary of the entire process of the making of his first feature film.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Collection of Stories
16 Oct 2001
By Thor Vader
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
"My First Movie" is a collection of interviews edited by Stephen Lowenstein with 20 of the independent world's most celebrated directors. Like any collection, some interviews are more informative than others. Nevertheless, I found this book to be entirely entertaining as I was brought into the world of other directors' first experiences.
Throughout all of the interviews, I found the same recurring theme of panic surface. I was particularly impressed with the interview with Ang Lee where he discusses his quick success out of NYU and then 7 years of drought, as well as James Mangold's rocket to stardom taken down by his snide remarks to Katzenberg.
This book is probably more properly titled "Self Help" book for anyone that wants to make a movie, as you realize that the directors featured in this book are really no different from anyone else. In a few cases (I'll refrain from telling you), I actually found myself saying, "Why WOULD anyone have ever let this person direct a film." Thus, the reader will be comforted to know that if he or she keeps pushing, eventually they will get their project made.
Overall, the book is a wonderfully delightful read. My recommendation is to read a chapter a day, and then watch the director's movie... this will maximize the pleasure and reading experience.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is edu-tainmen! (Or should that be 'enter-cation'?)
29 Dec 2002
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I'm only a hundred pages into 'My First Movie' (so my review is not exactly a complete one), but by what I've read so far, this is an educational and entertaining book of insights into the filmmaking world. I think that each separate interview had at least one pearl of wisdom that aspiring film-makers (both in the highest and lowest senses) can take from this book. And for those who aren't necessairily interested in a career in the movies, this book still has plenty of intrigue and gossip in it's pages to enjoy.
I got this as a Christmas present, and I hope that a sequel is in the works.
CIAO!
I got this as a Christmas present, and I hope that a sequel is in the works.
CIAO!
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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