THINKING IN PICTURES: The Making of the Movie Matewan

by John Sayles ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1987

A unique and valuable report on filmmaking from Sayles, talented director of Return of the Secaucus Seven; Baby, It's You; and other low-budget, accomplished movies. Sayles' new film, Matewan, about a violent coal miners' strike in West Va. during the 1920's, is scheduled for September release; here, Sayles writes of the creation of that film from start to finish, covering conception, writing the screenplay, shooting, and editing. Virtually a handbook of filmmaking, Sayles' insights are quick, precise, neatly told: on ""Character""--""In pure generic films, character is often a matter of physical appearance or physical business""; on ""Editing""--""Matewan is built around tension and release, around confrontations that threaten or spill over into violence."" Appended with the shooting script of Matewan, this work is one of the most penetrative books to date on the practice of filmmaking.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION