"Making Movies" by Sidney Lumet

[Rutabaga]

I have been reading this memoir by director Sidney Lumet, which finally came up on my "holds" list at the Los Angeles Public Library.

Lumet directed a bunch of movies, both well-known and otherwise, and I have seen only some of them.  His first feature from was Twelve Angry Men (1957), and I was inspired to dig out my DVD copy of the film and watch it last night.  His last feature film was Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), which came out before his death from lymphoma in 2011.  I did not watch that one again, although I have an awards screener of it, because it is just a bit too dark and somewhat depraved for my taste.  

In between those two movies he helmed a number of others that I have not seen, such as Serpico (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976), Deathtrap (1982), The Verdict (1982), and many others.   Actually, looking at the list, I realize that I have seen Orient Express and Deathtrap.  

In any case, I have been finding it very interesting to read his philosophies about how to approach movie making, from selecting scripts to casting to running the show once photography starts.  Of course, living in Los Angeles it's hard to escape the influence of the entertainment industry, but even for people elsewhere I predict that they would find this book rewarding, especially when it touches on films they are familiar with.

R

[Cole Parker]

 

Twelve Angry Men is an absolutely great movie.  I didn't realize it was his first.  He got superb performances from his entire cast.  I think it was a much better film than any of the others listed.  Be very difficult to suprass that first one.

C

[Rutabaga]

Lumet had been doing some work in television in the 1950s but Twelve Angry Men was his first feature film.  

William Goldman's books Adventures in the Screen Trade and Which Lie Did I Tell? are also very entertaining reads.  Goldman was the screenwriter for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Princess Bride, which are two of my favorite movies, as well as Marathon Man and All the President's Men among many others.  

R

[Cole Parker]

All those are great.  I read a book about making The Princess Bride.  Andre the Giant was pictured as a wonderrul, kind and gentle man.  I love that moved, too.

[Jason Rimbaud]

Deathtrap was the only good movie with Christopher Reeves. Michael Caine was brilliant and as menacing as he was ten years earlier in Sleuth.  But where I really think he shines is in Sleuth 2007 (Remade with Michael playing Olivier's role and Jude Law playing Caine's character). Caine has been in so many comedies some forget that he is as fine as a dramatic actor as De Niro or Pacino. 

12 Angry Men was a great movie, had a horrible remake sometimes in the 2000's with Jack Lemon playing Fonda's part to varying degrees of success. 

 

J

[Cole Parker]

12 Angry Men was a pretty near perfect film.  And it was remarkable for a first feature film!  Of course, there were a lot of really good actors in it.

C