The Extraordinary Image
Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and the Reimagining of Cinema
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
Welles. Hitchcock. Kubrick. These names appear on nearly every list of the all-time greatest filmmakers. But what makes these directors so great? Despite their very different themes and sensibilities, is there a common genius that unites them and elevates their work into the realm of the sublime? The Extraordinary Image takes readers on a fascinating journey through the lives and films of these three directors, identifying the qualities that made them cinematic visionaries. Reflecting on a lifetime of teaching and writing on these filmmakers, acclaimed film scholar Robert P. Kolker offers a deeply personal set of insights on three artists who have changed the way he understands movies. Spotlighting the many astonishing images and stories in films by Welles, Hitchcock, Kubrick, he also considers how they induce a state of amazement that transports and transforms the viewer. Kolker’s accessible prose invites readers to share in his own continued fascination and delight at these directors’ visual inventiveness, even as he lends his expertise to help us appreciate the key distinctions between the unique cinematic universes they each created. More than just a celebration of three cinematic geniuses, The Extraordinary Image is an exploration of how movies work, what they mean, and why they bring us so much pleasure.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Film scholar Kolker (The Cultures of American Film), whose work is often taught in film studies classrooms, devotes this disappointing study to an obscure analysis of his three favorite film directors: Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, and Alfred Hitchcock. The chief issue is that Kolker hasn't enough original insights to justify the book. Early on, Kolker relates a story of a meeting with Paul Schrader, best known as the screenwriter of Taxi Driver. When Kolker explained his project, Schrader responded that these subjects make up "a well-trod road." And he's right; Kolker himself admits that there is no shortage of biographies and monographs on his trio. His book is often repetitive and unclear, problems exacerbated by weak structure. In brief, this is a misfire. It's heartening to know that Kolker has revised several of his books several times over; this one could be something special with a second or third look by its undoubtedly enthusiastic and thoughtful author.
