Iconic Filmmakers

The definitive reference for all Wes Anderson fans. Loaded with rich imagery and detailed analysis of his incredible films — including the classics The Grand Budapest Hotel, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom as well as Anderson's highly anticipated new release. The French Dispatch — this is the first book to feature all of Wes Anderson's movies in a single volume. Acclaimed film journalist Ian Nathan provides an intelligent and thoughtful examination of the work of one of contemporary film's greatest visionaries, charting the themes, visuals, and narratives that have come to define Anderson's work and contributed to his films an idiosyncratic character that's adored by his loyal fans. From Anderson's regular cast members — including Bill Murray and Owen Wilson — to his instantly recognisable aesthetic, recurring motifs and his scriptwriting processes, this in-depth collection will reveal how Wes Anderson became one of modern cinema's most esteemed and influential directors. Presented in a slipcase with 8-page gatefold section, this stunning package will delight all Wes Anderson devotees and movie lovers in general. Unauthorised and Unofficial.

Explore the works of one of Hollywood's most renowned filmmakers-the iconic Clint Eastwood.

This comprehensive and in-depth study delves into the life and works of the most famous director who has ever lived, Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is the medium’s defining artist—the embodiment of the Hollywood ideal: the commercial potential of film married to its creative possibilities. He’s widely popular, but he’s also a stylist, and far darker than he is given credit for. Often, it is this very darkness that speaks to us. But, it’s also his incredible knack for telling stories with lightness that speaks to millions, by mixing the extraordinary with the ordinary. His leading characters, even Indiana Jones, are marked by their vulnerability, their mistakes, and their yearning. It's the human touch. There are so many parts to Spielberg's story: the suburban background that supplied the films with a biographical streak; the collaborations (with George Lucas and the Movie Brats in general, with composer John Williams, producer Kathleen Kennedy, editor Michael Khan, stars Richard Dreyfus, Harrison Ford, and Tom Hanks, and mogul and mentor Sid Sheinberg). The myths that bloomed from the making of these films. The nightmare shoots and stubborn shark behind “Jaws.” The strange ambitions of “Close Encounters.” Dive bombing with 1941. Inventing “Indiana Jones.” Re-inventing the blockbuster with “Jurassic Park. Venturing into history’s darkest shadows with Schindler’s List. Transforming a genre with Saving Private Ryan.” The muscular, unpredictable, confrontational Spielberg of “Minority Report”, Munich, and Lincoln. And then there is his family. How his films, even late in his career, lionized, untouchable, went in search of approval from his parents. Just as he has craved the approval of his peers. That fateful Oscar took so long in coming... Defining, appreciating, contextualizing, and understanding the films of Spielberg is a tall order. Their simplicity is deceptive. You have to cut through the glow, the adoration, the simple joy that comes with their embrace, and get to the thrust of the filmmaking. Sourcing the inspirations, locating the critical nuance, the nurtured performance, and the recurrent theme—so many of his films have become timeless—this book celebrates all this and more.

This comprehensive and in-depth study delves into the life and works of one of modern films most celebrated, successful and intriguing auteurs, Christopher Nolan. How has Nolan become this leading director? Is he the new Kubrick? What do audiences get out of his games? Visually, he offers a steely science-fiction noir with the highlights of big stars and a magician's flourishes, whether he is tackling Victorian London or the far reaches of outer space. In narrative terms, his films twist and turn, provoking as many questions as they answer. This book will look to crack open the magic box of Nolan's twisting universe. As a character, he eludes easy answers. Veteran film author Ian Nathan's research will lean into deciphering his cryptic pronouncements and motivations alongside the history and making of his films. Examining both the making of and the inspiration behind his many, many hit films, from The Prestige (2006) to the hugely successful Batman films, through to his mind-bending science fiction works such as Inception (2014) and Tenet (2020). Filled with fascinating insights and illustrated throughout with cinematography from his visually stunning ouvre, this book offers a unique, important and unmissable insight into the mind of this most brilliant of directors.

Wes Anderson celebrates the work of one of the most revered cult filmmaker working in contemporary cinema.

Explore the profound impact and artistry of Martin Scorsese, one of America's greatest living directors.

Guillermo del Toro is a complete and intimate study of the life and work of one of modern cinema's most truly unique directors, whose distinct aesthetic and imagination are unmatched in contemporary film. Widely regarded as one of the most imaginative directors working in cinema today, Guillermo del Toro has built up a body of work that has enthralled movie fans with its dark beauty and edge-of-the-seat set pieces. In this book, acclaimed author Ian Nathan charts the progression of a career that has produced some of contemporary cinema's most revered scenes and idiosyncratic characters. This detailed examination looks at how the strands of del Toro's career have woven together to create one of modern cinema's most groundbreaking bodies of work. Delving deep into del Toro's psyche, the book starts by examining his beginnings in Mexico, the creative but isolated child surrounded by ornate Catholicism and monster magazines, filming stop motion battles between his toys on a Super-8 film camera. It follows him to film school, where we learn of his influences, from Kafka to Bunuel, and explores his 1993 debut Cronos, the independent horror debut which draws on the religious and occult themes which would recur throughout del Toro's work. It goes on to cover his development as a director with 1997's Mimic, his blockbuster success with the Hellboy films and goes on to study the films which have cemented his status as a legendary auteur, Oscar award winners Pan's Labrynth and The Shape of Water, as well as his sci-fi masterpiece Pacific Rim, as well as looking at his exciting upcoming projects Nightmare Alley and Pinocchio. An enlightening look into the mind of an auteur blessed with a singular creative vision, Guillermo del Toro analyses the processes, themes and narratives that have come to be recognised as distinctly del Toro, from practical effects to an obsession with folklore and paganism. It looks into the narrative techniques, stylistic flourishes and creative decisions which have made him a true master of modern cinema. Presented in a slipcase with 8-page gatefold section, with scores of illuminating photographs of the director at work on set as well as iconic stills from his films and examples of his influences, this stunning package will delight all Guillermo del Toro devotees and movie lovers in general.