MOVIES FOR A DESERT ISLE: Forty Well-Known Film-Lovers in Search of Their Favorite Movie

by Ellen Oumanono ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 16, 1986

Forty people try to pick one movie they'd take with them to a desert isle. In the process, they angst over the difficulty of choosing and spend a lot of time telling us about their lives and work and the funny business they are in. Among the big names giving us their two-cents-worth: Robert Altman, Roger Corman, Akira Kurosawa, Geraldine Page, Budd Schulberg, Martin Sheen and Andrew Sarris. The choices they make are varied, but the tame names keep turning up regularly--Hawks, Ford, Bunuel, the Marx Brothers, Renoir, Welles, Wilder, Kurosawa and Bergman. Some plug their own films, but Schulberg admits to being sick of seeing On the Waterfront. Their affection for their favorite films is quite winning, and we find out besides who and what influenced them, how they got started, and then share some of their travails. They are grateful to those with whom they've worked and from whom they've learned the great and small lessons of the business. Harry Dean Stanton admires Martin Sheen, who, in turn, admires George C. Scott, and had Scott had his say he would probably mention another reenter, thus drawing the thread of artistic influence ever further back in time. Movie lovers will eat it all up. Easy to take, informative and, at times, scintillating, it is serious without being too demanding. All in all, a good gimmick that works.

Pub Date: Feb. 16, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1986

Categories: NONFICTION