Best Discoveries in Reading 2024: Books on Movies
I’ve always thought it difficult to write about a medium that requires a component beyond writing, like music, dance, art, or film. I admire those who can do it. I try to do it and can attest to the challenges and frustrations. Here are some of the writers I encountered in 2024 who wrote about cinema well. (Books are listed in the order I read them.)
The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story (2023) Sam Wasson
The Path to Paradise is part Coppola biography, part examination of Zoetrope Studios, part immersion into Apocalypse Now, part dreamscape, part madness. It's all wonderful. If you have any interest in cinema, it's a must-read.
The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir (2012) William Friedkin
A tremendous memoir covering Friedkin's entire film career beginning with low-budget documentaries, going on through his huge successes (The French Connection, The Exorcist), the superb but woefully neglected Sorcerer, the misfires, and even Friedkin directing opera. I can’t imagine any movie lover who won’t appreciate this book.
A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune - An Oral History (2023) Max Evry
A Masterpiece in Disarray explores many of the reasons David Lynch's Dune was literally in disarray, and I am convinced that it still would've been in that state if money and time had been no object. That isn't necessarily the fault of Lynch or Dino De Laurentiis, but I believe (especially after reading this book) that failure was inevitable. Yet I came away with a very enlightened idea of what (at least at the time, and maybe also now) you can and can't do when you want to shoot a film in Mexico. The book is frequently fascinating, but (1) it contains an enormous amount of repetition and (2) too much detail for a casual fan like me. But if you love the movie, this is a book you'll want to keep forever.
Film Noir Portraits (2022) Tony Nourmand (ed.), Paul Duncan (contributor)
Okay, this coffee table book has very little text, but I'm including it anyway. Black-and-white photography is an art (and hopefully not a lost one) that can move you in so many ways, and the work on display here is jaw-droppingly fantastic. This is a stunning book no film noir fan will want to be without.
Shooting Midnight Cowboy: Art, Sex, Loneliness, Liberation, and the Making of a Dark Classic (2021) Glenn Frankel
Midnight Cowboy is not one of my favorite films, but I recognize how groundbreaking it was in 1969 and how it continues to influence films today. I read Shooting Midnight Cowboy primarily because Glenn Frankel’s writing is so good. Many writers can conduct good research and bring together the surviving players who make any creative project come alive, but Frankel is one of the few who can orchestrate those parts into a superb and powerful narrative. I am in awe. I’ve read all of Frankel’s books on film, and they’re all stellar.
Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances (2024) John DiLeo
Lowest Common Denominator: The Amateurish Writings of a Failed Film Critic (2024) David John Koenig
Full disclosure: Dave (aka a Fiend on Film) is a friend of mine, and I contributed a blurb for the book, but even if I hadn’t, I’d still recommend it. Why? Because Koenig is passionate about film. It comes across on every page, every review. He loves this stuff. What kinds of films does he review? Everything! Yet he often focuses on horror, crime movies, underground and independent cinema, film noir, ninja movies, biker pictures, blaxploitation, and more. If those categories interest you, you’ll lose yourself in this book. If they don’t interest you, you should still pick it up to see what you’re missing. Long live the Fiend on Film!
Films for All Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies (2024) Abby Olcese
Noir City Annual No. 15 (2023) Eddie Muller, publisher; Vince Keenan, editor
If you haven’t read these annuals, taken from the best writing from the Noir City eMagazine during the year, you owe it to yourself to buy a copy but don’t wait around. They sell out quickly. Even if you contribute to the Film Noir Foundation and receive the digital version three times a year, these are collectible. You can find the most recent issue (which includes an article by yours truly) here.
Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties: The Collapse of the Studio System, the Thrill of Cinerama, and the Invasion of the Ultimate Body Snatcher — Television (2023) Foster Hirsch
(I placed this book on last year’s list even though I hadn’t finished it. Now my choice is legit.) Years ago, I spoke with Foster Hirsch and asked what he was working on. He said, “It’s a book about an entire decade of movies. I hope I finish it!” He did, and this is it. Hirsch has seen an astounding number of films and taught them at Brooklyn College for over 60 years. His depth of knowledge is tremendous. Some critics have mentioned that the book is not objective, and while that may be true, I highly respect Hirsch and believe he’s earned the right to share his opinions, even if they differ from mine.
In Search of The Third Man (1999) Charles Drazin
I read most of this excellent treatment of Carol Reed’s classic in preparation for my guest appearance on The Great Movies discussion of The Third Man (1949) for Noirvember.
The comments are open, so let me know what film books you enjoyed in 2024.