About
the Book:
Critical discussions about cinematic influence.
The movie that inspired filmmakers to
direct is like a spiritual light-bulb that went on right before their
eyes. The Film That Changed My Life captures that first
encounter with the film that inspired them to direct movies.
"Rebel Without a Cause"
inspired John Woo to comb his hair and talk like James Dean. For
Richard Linklater, "something was simmering in me, but "Raging
Bull" brought it to a boil." "Apocalypse Now"
inspired Danny Boyle to make larger-than-life films. A single line
from "The Wizard of Oz" — "Who could ever have
thought a good little girl like you could destroy all my beautiful
wickedness?" — had a direct impact on John Waters. "That
line inspired my life," Waters says. "I sometimes say it to
myself before I go to sleep, like a prayer."
This book is written for a wide
audience – promoting the discovery and love of film. In The Film
That Changed My Life, directors as diverse as George Romero,
Peter Bogdanovich, Michel Gondry, and Kevin Smith examine classic
movies that inspired them to tell stories. Spanning several
generations – from newcomers to Oscar Award-winning veterans –
here are 30 inspired and inspiring discussions of classic films that
shaped the careers of today's directors and, in turn, cinema history:
1.) Edgar Wright on An American
Werewolf in London
2.) Rian Johnson on Annie Hall
3.) Danny Boyle on Apocalypse Now
4.) Bill Condon on Bonnie and Clyde
5.) Richard Kelly on Brazil
6.) Peter Bogdanovich on Citizen Kane
7.) John Dahl on A Clockwork Orange
8.) Henry Jaglom on 8½
9.) Brian Herzlinger on E.T.: The
Extra-Terrestrial
10.) Alex Gibney on The Exterminating
Angel
11.) Kimberly Peirce on The Godfather
12.) Steve James on Harlan County
U.S.A.
13.) Austin Chick on Kings of the Road
14.) Guy Maddin on L’âge d’or
15.) Michel Gondry on Le voyage en
ballon
16.) Michael Polish on Once Upon a
Time in America
17.) Arthur Hiller on Open City
18.) Pete Docter on Paper Moon
19.) Atom Egoyan on Persona
20.) Gurinder Chadha on Purab aur
Pachhim and It’s a Wonderful Life
21.) Richard Linklater on Raging Bull
22.) Jay Duplass on Raising Arizona
23.) John Woo on Rebel Without a Cause
and Mean Streets
24.) John Landis on The 7th Voyage of
Sinbad
25.) Kevin Smith on Slacker
26.) Chris Miller on Sleeper
27.) Neil LaBute on The Soft Skin
28.) George A. Romero on The Tales of
Hoffmann
29.) Frank Oz on Touch of Evil
30.) John Waters on The Wizard of Oz
What people say:
"If
you love films, and care about filmmakers, you’ll have a hard time
putting this book down once you dive in." — Leonard
Maltin, author and film critic
"Elder
has done us all a favor: Read this book, then go to your video store
or to Netflix and see for yourself why these movies made the cut."
— Lawrence Grobel,
author
"A great and provocative read.
The wonderful thing about being a critic or a lifelong movie lover is
that life changes all the time in relation to the spells being cast
on the screen. Elder's book honors that alchemic relationship many
times over. It's addictive." — Michael Phillips,
film critic
About the Author:
Robert K. Elder is an American journalist and teacher. He
has contributed to publications such as the Chicago Tribune, Los
Angeles Times, New York Times, and Salon.com. A Montana native and
graduate of the University of Oregon, he lives and writes in Chicago.