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"If you love films and care about filmmakers, you'll have a hard time putting this book down. These lively conversations reveal just how much one generation of filmmakers influences the next - and how a single movie can change the course of a young person's life and career."
-Leonard Maltin, author of Leanord Martin's Movie Guide -
"A great and provocative read. Elder begins with a simple question and leads a wide variety of filmmakers down all sorts of unexpected paths. Why do we respond so passionately, even irrationally, to the movies that change our lives? 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, Chicago Tribune
Author Archives: admin
Michael Polish on Once Upon A Time in America
“Whether a filmmaker or not, I can be a fan because it has so many symbols and situations that reflect life itself, growing up. Even growing up in the suburbs, you still have friendships the same way these kids have friendships.”
Chris Miller on Sleeper
“For me, Sleeper was a great balance between physical comedy—slapstick humor—and clever savvy social satire. At that point I’d never really seen a film that has really balanced both of those elements. It was kind of like—you know how Rubber Soul and Revolver are the best Beatles albums because they’re somewhere between ‘She Loves You’ and ‘I Am the Walrus’? They have elements of catchy pop songs, but with experimental stuff in them.”
Atom Egoyan on Persona
“I also think it just taught me so much about the admiration I had for the performers, and their ability to contain and to completely trust their director. It’s not designed to be completely digested at a conscious level; it can’t be. There are many sequences that may be taking place in the imagination or in the possible imagination of one of the characters. That’s going to change from one reading to another. That’s what makes the film exciting.”
Gurinder Chadha on It’s a Wonderful Life
“I defy anyone who is able to watch that film, and the end when the table is cleared, and everyone is coming in with the money—I just cannot believe there isn’t anyone with wet eyes at that point, or a big lump in their throat. I’ve seen it millions of times, and I’m just in floods of tears at that point.”