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Deep Focus film books

Ari

over 2 years ago

Me thinks one of the most promising film book series (at least of the “single film analysis” genre) to come along in a while. Got Jonathan Lethem’s They Live book as a gift over the holiday season and it’s a fun read. No surprise to anyone acquainted with Lethem’s work that he writes very well about film but he really does an excellent and very detailed scene-by-scene analysis of the film. They (Soft Skull Press) also recently published Christopher Sorrentino’s take on Death Wish. I guess the idea is to go “off-canon” but considering they have Lethal Weapon and The Sting as “coming soon” it might just be a mix of “guilty pleasures” and cult hits. But, still, if they have interesting writers, I’m game for more. Seems more akin to the 33 1/3 book series on music than the stuffier BFI books (which I also like).

Michael

over 2 years ago

Pretend I’m too lazy to Google this. Is there a link for these books? What are they exactly?

Matt Parks

over 2 years ago

The Letham one is intriguing to me. I guess the series is going to be specifically novelists writing about films?

Post-Kyo

over 2 years ago

cultographies is quite good too.

http://www.cultographies.com/

Ari

over 2 years ago

Seems so, Matt. Have you read Chronic City? Lethem can be hit or miss for me (with his last few being misses) but I thought that one was one of his best.

R. Citizen – I hadn’t heard of cultographies but looks good. Which ones can you recommend? Would love to read the Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.

Matt Parks

over 2 years ago

@ Ari—Yes, I think I’ve read most of his books, and I liked Chronic City. Some of the incidental stuff he’s written over the years about music and film I’ve really enjoyed as well.

Ari

over 2 years ago

I read somewhere that Lethem was also going to write a 33 1/3 book on Fear of Music which I look forward to since it’s one of my favorite albums.