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Clint Eastwood: The Iconic Filmmaker and his Work - Unofficial and Unauthorised
Clint Eastwood is Hollywood’s elder statesman and its conscience. He is the standard by which other films and filmmakers are judged. He represents both classical Hollywood and an entirely modern, uncompromising and unfussy directorial presence.
There are those who adore him as a cowboy, a superstar, the rugged, unyielding yet introspective face of American machismo. There are those who read him as a great American auteur fashioning uncompromising, fascinating, intellectual films about his country, about life, about whatever the hell takes his fancy.
No single figure in all of Hollywood, operates so freely outside of the strictures of commercial pressure. And yet, or perhaps that is because, he makes hit after hit.
Separation of actor and director is almost impossible. They are intimately related, cross pollinating, but he has become in the latter half of his career to be view as one of the great American artists. While drawing connections from his wider work as an actor, and those who have influenced him, it is his identity as a director that this book will celebrate.
This is not a career — it is a landscape.
There are those who adore him as a cowboy, a superstar, the rugged, unyielding yet introspective face of American machismo. There are those who read him as a great American auteur fashioning uncompromising, fascinating, intellectual films about his country, about life, about whatever the hell takes his fancy.
No single figure in all of Hollywood, operates so freely outside of the strictures of commercial pressure. And yet, or perhaps that is because, he makes hit after hit.
Separation of actor and director is almost impossible. They are intimately related, cross pollinating, but he has become in the latter half of his career to be view as one of the great American artists. While drawing connections from his wider work as an actor, and those who have influenced him, it is his identity as a director that this book will celebrate.
This is not a career — it is a landscape.
- GenresMedia Tie In
176 pages, Hardcover
Published September 12, 2023
3 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Ian Nathan
27 books110 followersIan Nathan is the popular, London-based author of Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth, The Coen Brothers: The Filmmakers and their Films, Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and many other books, many of which have really long titles.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 5, 2023
I picked up this book because I didn't know much about Clint Eastwood other than I liked his movies and I knew he was a figure who is much admired. I just wanted to know more about him.
Description:
Clint Eastwood is Hollywood’s elder statesman and its conscience. He is the standard by which other films and filmmakers are judged. He represents both classical Hollywood and an entirely modern, uncompromising and unfussy directorial presence.
There are those who adore him as a cowboy, a superstar, the rugged, unyielding yet introspective face of American machismo. There are those who read him as a great American auteur fashioning uncompromising, fascinating, intellectual films about his country, about life, about whatever the hell takes his fancy.
No single figure in all of Hollywood, operates so freely outside of the strictures of commercial pressure. And yet, or perhaps that is because, he makes hit after hit.
Separation of actor and director is almost impossible. They are intimately related, cross pollinating, but he has become in the latter half of his career to be view as one of the great American artists. While drawing connections from his wider work as an actor, and those who have influenced him, it is his identity as a director that this book will celebrate.
This is not a career — it is a landscape.
My Thoughts:
This book provided a huge array of information about Clint Eastwood the man, the actor, the director, the musician, and the statesman. I see now why the man is so respected and it certainly increased my respect for him. I really like how he sticks to his beliefs and doesn't succumb to the commercialism of Hollywood. The photographs in the book are awesome. It covered every movie Eastwood acted in as well as everything he directed and gave background information on each of them. I was surprised that many times the movies have used Eastwood's own musical scores as background music. Such a talented man! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Eastwood and his career.
Thanks to White Lion Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on September 12, 2023.
Description:
Clint Eastwood is Hollywood’s elder statesman and its conscience. He is the standard by which other films and filmmakers are judged. He represents both classical Hollywood and an entirely modern, uncompromising and unfussy directorial presence.
There are those who adore him as a cowboy, a superstar, the rugged, unyielding yet introspective face of American machismo. There are those who read him as a great American auteur fashioning uncompromising, fascinating, intellectual films about his country, about life, about whatever the hell takes his fancy.
No single figure in all of Hollywood, operates so freely outside of the strictures of commercial pressure. And yet, or perhaps that is because, he makes hit after hit.
Separation of actor and director is almost impossible. They are intimately related, cross pollinating, but he has become in the latter half of his career to be view as one of the great American artists. While drawing connections from his wider work as an actor, and those who have influenced him, it is his identity as a director that this book will celebrate.
This is not a career — it is a landscape.
My Thoughts:
This book provided a huge array of information about Clint Eastwood the man, the actor, the director, the musician, and the statesman. I see now why the man is so respected and it certainly increased my respect for him. I really like how he sticks to his beliefs and doesn't succumb to the commercialism of Hollywood. The photographs in the book are awesome. It covered every movie Eastwood acted in as well as everything he directed and gave background information on each of them. I was surprised that many times the movies have used Eastwood's own musical scores as background music. Such a talented man! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Eastwood and his career.
Thanks to White Lion Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on September 12, 2023.
June 3, 2023
This isn’t a biography of Clint Eastwood. Rather, it is his filmography of his career in movies as actor and director; often doing both roles on the same film.
Littered with stills from his motion pictures it is a book to delight any fan of Clint Eastwood or aficionado of Hollywood and the studio system.
It doesn’t perhaps tell how films are made so much as how Eastwood makes his films. Often screenplays sit on desks, unmade but once they come into Clint’s orbit he sees a way and gets thing done.
For someone who has followed this actor’s career; from Spaghetti Westerns to the slopes of the Eiger. From Dirty Harry to Heartbreak Ridge I loved this journey through this wonderful book. I often saw these movies in cinemas and looked forward to each new release.
I love Where Eagles Dare and Kelly’s Heroes and rank Eastwood as one of my favourite actors and reason enough to sit down and watch a movie if he is in it or directed it.
This was brought home to me in The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven where my opinion is reflects in the praise of full-time critics.
What this book demonstrates however is it is a career that never ends and brought to my attention film titles I didn’t even know he was associated with.
A tour de force and a perfect gift for a film buff.
Littered with stills from his motion pictures it is a book to delight any fan of Clint Eastwood or aficionado of Hollywood and the studio system.
It doesn’t perhaps tell how films are made so much as how Eastwood makes his films. Often screenplays sit on desks, unmade but once they come into Clint’s orbit he sees a way and gets thing done.
For someone who has followed this actor’s career; from Spaghetti Westerns to the slopes of the Eiger. From Dirty Harry to Heartbreak Ridge I loved this journey through this wonderful book. I often saw these movies in cinemas and looked forward to each new release.
I love Where Eagles Dare and Kelly’s Heroes and rank Eastwood as one of my favourite actors and reason enough to sit down and watch a movie if he is in it or directed it.
This was brought home to me in The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven where my opinion is reflects in the praise of full-time critics.
What this book demonstrates however is it is a career that never ends and brought to my attention film titles I didn’t even know he was associated with.
A tour de force and a perfect gift for a film buff.
October 28, 2023
First off, this is the perfect Christmas present for the old squinty eyed grizzled taciturn grouchy male relative in your life, who is bound to love Clint Eastwood. This is an extremely lovingly produced book and it comes in a cool slipcase and looks a treat. There are lots of big pix of Clint looking sour and disgusted, all old geezers will love this.
Many thoughts run through your mind when you read through the amazing long and brilliant film career of Clint. At the age of 84 he directed American Sniper (2014) and that became his biggest hit. Now he’s 93 and there’s a new movie in production. It will be number 47. Like Bob Dylan he will not stop and is proving that ancient guys can still do more than just complain. Like Bob Dylan he can say
I go right to the edge, I go right to the end
I go right where all things lost are made good again
I sing the songs of experience like William Blake
I have no apologies to make
I drive fast cars, and I eat fast foods
I'm a man of contradictions, I'm a man of many moods
I contain multitudes
Clint directs movies at a furious pace, he brings them in under schedule and under budget, he knows what the crowd likes (badass cops, weird Western epics, real life stories) and some of those are great (Unforgiven, Mystic River, A Perfect World) and some are boring and predictable (The Rookie, Absolute Power, Blood Work) but then he throws in eccentric unexpected stuff too (High Plains Drifter, Honkytonk Man, Bird, Letters from Iwo Jima). Sometimes his more eccentric movies are total flops. He just moves onto the next thing.
The only film director I can compare with Clint is Woody Allen who also cranks ‘em out and is officially ancient but still cranking (latest movie directed at age 88). But Woody has only made one decent movie (Blue Jasmine) since the 1990s; he likes to make pretty tourist movies like To Rome with Love and Midnight in Paris which his regular fans seem to lap up but would have to agree that the soup is reheated, and it’s always parsnip, the range is very narrow. So there’s no comparison.
If there is a thread running through many, maybe most, of Clint’s movies (the good ones that is) it would be scrutinised masculinity – the male heroes are often not heroic, their values shown to be dubious at best, their actions questionable. In Unforgiven there is this bit of dialogue
Bystander: You just shot an unarmed man!
William Munny : Well he shoulda armed hisself.
This assessment of nearly 60 years of movies is solid, very readable, with no fancypants film critic-speak. When Ian Nathan thinks a movie is a dud he will say so. He perhaps doesn’t spend enough time discussing the controversial ones, such as American Sniper, but this is not a long book and there are so damn many movies to cover, so he races on.
Recommended for all Clint fans. You don’t have to be old and grumpy.
Many thoughts run through your mind when you read through the amazing long and brilliant film career of Clint. At the age of 84 he directed American Sniper (2014) and that became his biggest hit. Now he’s 93 and there’s a new movie in production. It will be number 47. Like Bob Dylan he will not stop and is proving that ancient guys can still do more than just complain. Like Bob Dylan he can say
I go right to the edge, I go right to the end
I go right where all things lost are made good again
I sing the songs of experience like William Blake
I have no apologies to make
I drive fast cars, and I eat fast foods
I'm a man of contradictions, I'm a man of many moods
I contain multitudes
Clint directs movies at a furious pace, he brings them in under schedule and under budget, he knows what the crowd likes (badass cops, weird Western epics, real life stories) and some of those are great (Unforgiven, Mystic River, A Perfect World) and some are boring and predictable (The Rookie, Absolute Power, Blood Work) but then he throws in eccentric unexpected stuff too (High Plains Drifter, Honkytonk Man, Bird, Letters from Iwo Jima). Sometimes his more eccentric movies are total flops. He just moves onto the next thing.
The only film director I can compare with Clint is Woody Allen who also cranks ‘em out and is officially ancient but still cranking (latest movie directed at age 88). But Woody has only made one decent movie (Blue Jasmine) since the 1990s; he likes to make pretty tourist movies like To Rome with Love and Midnight in Paris which his regular fans seem to lap up but would have to agree that the soup is reheated, and it’s always parsnip, the range is very narrow. So there’s no comparison.
If there is a thread running through many, maybe most, of Clint’s movies (the good ones that is) it would be scrutinised masculinity – the male heroes are often not heroic, their values shown to be dubious at best, their actions questionable. In Unforgiven there is this bit of dialogue
Bystander: You just shot an unarmed man!
William Munny : Well he shoulda armed hisself.
This assessment of nearly 60 years of movies is solid, very readable, with no fancypants film critic-speak. When Ian Nathan thinks a movie is a dud he will say so. He perhaps doesn’t spend enough time discussing the controversial ones, such as American Sniper, but this is not a long book and there are so damn many movies to cover, so he races on.
Recommended for all Clint fans. You don’t have to be old and grumpy.
July 19, 2023
Clint Eastwood: The Iconic Filmmaker and his Work, by Ian Nathan, is another of Nathan's Iconic Filmmakers series of books. As the title says, this is about his career as a filmmaker (usually considered the same thing as the director) not as an actor, though he has been in many of these films.
Thankfully this focuses on his artistic output, which is substantial and very good, and not his politics (though he did do a movie about a horrible person presented as a hero, but the movie was good and, frankly, far more fictional than the subject or his family want to admit). That is one of the strengths of this series of books, each has a focus on the art and stays on track.
It is fascinating to learn or, in some cases, be reminded of the little things that have gone into Eastwood's directorial career. How he views filmmaking itself, his style on set, the anecdotes that bring out aspects of his personality that might be unexpected.
While it is certainly interesting to learn so much, a big part of the appeal is nostalgia. I remember when he was just a guy from westerns. Then when I saw Play Misty for Me in the theater when I was young, I had a hard time reconciling the cowboy from TV and film with the radio DJ. I'm not sure I realized at the time that he directed it, but he seemed to always do things that resonated with the public, so before long he became someone to watch (as actor and/or director) even if the genre wasn't your favorite. You knew you were going to get a quality film, and if you love film (as opposed to enjoying the entertainment alone, which is perfectly fine) a good film of any genre is worth watching.
I would recommend this to any reader from an Eastwood fan to a film buff broadly speaking. It is good for both information and a trip down memory lane.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Thankfully this focuses on his artistic output, which is substantial and very good, and not his politics (though he did do a movie about a horrible person presented as a hero, but the movie was good and, frankly, far more fictional than the subject or his family want to admit). That is one of the strengths of this series of books, each has a focus on the art and stays on track.
It is fascinating to learn or, in some cases, be reminded of the little things that have gone into Eastwood's directorial career. How he views filmmaking itself, his style on set, the anecdotes that bring out aspects of his personality that might be unexpected.
While it is certainly interesting to learn so much, a big part of the appeal is nostalgia. I remember when he was just a guy from westerns. Then when I saw Play Misty for Me in the theater when I was young, I had a hard time reconciling the cowboy from TV and film with the radio DJ. I'm not sure I realized at the time that he directed it, but he seemed to always do things that resonated with the public, so before long he became someone to watch (as actor and/or director) even if the genre wasn't your favorite. You knew you were going to get a quality film, and if you love film (as opposed to enjoying the entertainment alone, which is perfectly fine) a good film of any genre is worth watching.
I would recommend this to any reader from an Eastwood fan to a film buff broadly speaking. It is good for both information and a trip down memory lane.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
October 23, 2024
When I selected “Clint Eastwood: The Iconic Filmmaker And His Work” I identified him primarily with Spaghetti Westerns and as Dirty Harry, both genres from which I frequently quote. I knew he was a director and had seen Grand Torino, but on these pages I encountered a more varied individual and career.
This book consists of pictures from films and production sets and text in roughly equal proportion. Across the bottom of the pages is a timeline of Eastwood’s films with identification of Clint’s role as actor, producer or director. Eastwood’s career is followed from early days on “Rawhide” though his nonagenarian productions. Some are iconic, including the aforementioned series, some successful, such as “Letters From Iwo Jima” while others disappointing, “Flags of Our Fathers’ for an example. Profits are reported for each film.
I was impressed by the extent Eastwood demands, and actors engage in, preparation for their roles, citing Hillary Swank taking four months of lessons from a boxing champion for “Million Dollar Baby” and Forest Whitaker accurately fingering the saxophone in “Bird”.
This is an easy book to read, continuously or in segments. I now have a broader appreciation for Clint Eastwood and his work. Now to go watch some of those movies.
I did get a free copy of this book through the Amazon Vine Program.
This book consists of pictures from films and production sets and text in roughly equal proportion. Across the bottom of the pages is a timeline of Eastwood’s films with identification of Clint’s role as actor, producer or director. Eastwood’s career is followed from early days on “Rawhide” though his nonagenarian productions. Some are iconic, including the aforementioned series, some successful, such as “Letters From Iwo Jima” while others disappointing, “Flags of Our Fathers’ for an example. Profits are reported for each film.
I was impressed by the extent Eastwood demands, and actors engage in, preparation for their roles, citing Hillary Swank taking four months of lessons from a boxing champion for “Million Dollar Baby” and Forest Whitaker accurately fingering the saxophone in “Bird”.
This is an easy book to read, continuously or in segments. I now have a broader appreciation for Clint Eastwood and his work. Now to go watch some of those movies.
I did get a free copy of this book through the Amazon Vine Program.
July 2, 2023
This is pretty much what one would expect from a short (< 200 page) coffee table book summarizing Clint Eastwood's pantheon level career, with a focus on his directorial efforts. Along with the summary, Ian Nathan chose three films for a slightly more in depth treatment: The Outlaw Josey Wales; Unforgiven; and Million Dollar Baby. The author does a good job with reviewing Eastwood's biography and oeuvre (lots of well chosen anecdotes) considering only about 50% of the available real estate is devoted to text. The rest of the material consists of evocative photographs that may be reason enough for some to acquire this book.
I don't normally read these sorts of books all the way through (as I did for this review), rather I enjoy dipping in and out of them and conjuring memories of the movies they describe, or reminding myself that there are films I need to see. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this review of Eastwood's illustrious career. Oddly, I didn't catch any mention of Clint Eastwood's film scores; he is one of the few directors who actually. has scored many of his own movies.
Thanks to netgalley for sending me an egalley of this book. I read it on an ipad, but this is probably best enjoyed in print form.
I don't normally read these sorts of books all the way through (as I did for this review), rather I enjoy dipping in and out of them and conjuring memories of the movies they describe, or reminding myself that there are films I need to see. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this review of Eastwood's illustrious career. Oddly, I didn't catch any mention of Clint Eastwood's film scores; he is one of the few directors who actually. has scored many of his own movies.
Thanks to netgalley for sending me an egalley of this book. I read it on an ipad, but this is probably best enjoyed in print form.
November 20, 2023
A wonderful book that goes through this man's life of films in front of the camera and then behind. You see his beginnings with T.V. and then when he had the opportunity to go to Italy and make those westerns he took a chance and those really helped him in acting but also directing. You get to see how he moved along from one set like the Westerns to playing a cop in San Francisco as Dirty Harry, each character though he made his own. Throughout all of that, he later was able to make some jazz movies about Thelonious Monk which I thought was good, but he was able to take something he was passionate about and was at a point to make the movie himself regardless of Hollywood. Later he would come back to Westerns when they said they were dead and make them profitable again and each one told a story. All of his movies tell a story which is why you can’t go wrong when you watch one. I found this to be a wonderful book and worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com
July 27, 2023
Who doesn’t love Clint Eastwood? This book isn’t about his private life, it’s a fabulous celebration of Clint’s movies!
Anyone who has ever watched a Clint Eastwood creation will appreciate the skill and lifetime of commitment to acting and making movies.
The famous gravel-voice is instantly recognisable in the westerns and masterpieces that have been created! Dirty Harry has been watched more than once in our house and I’m sure that fans will love this book and continue to watch the movies for years to come!
Thanks to Quarto Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book about a Hollywood legend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Anyone who has ever watched a Clint Eastwood creation will appreciate the skill and lifetime of commitment to acting and making movies.
The famous gravel-voice is instantly recognisable in the westerns and masterpieces that have been created! Dirty Harry has been watched more than once in our house and I’m sure that fans will love this book and continue to watch the movies for years to come!
Thanks to Quarto Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book about a Hollywood legend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 15, 2024
I’ve got quit a lot for Ian’s books with more on my wish list , this one is not the best of his , it is a great read but it totally ignores several films (Thunderbolt and lightfoot , where eagles dare , paint your wagon (apart from one brief mention )) and city heat) barely mentions Kelly’s Heroes but uses more pages than necessary on several movies , Ian has written this one as I would have , with a touch of self indulgence , spending more pages than might have been necessary on his favourites and ignoring those (I assume) he doesn’t like , would still highly recommend it for anyone’s collection.
August 17, 2023
Wow there was so much I didn’t know about Clint Eastwood. The author did a great job. Now I want to go watch all the movies.
I met Mr. Eastwood years ago, when my son was 2. He sang my son the ABC song. He’s a kind, dedicated, hardworking gentleman with a gruff exterior. Im a fan and this book made me even more of one!
I met Mr. Eastwood years ago, when my son was 2. He sang my son the ABC song. He’s a kind, dedicated, hardworking gentleman with a gruff exterior. Im a fan and this book made me even more of one!
January 4, 2024
BOOK REVIEW: CLINT EASTWOOD The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work
Unofficial and Unauthorized
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Ian Nathan @iannathanwriter
Publisher: White Lion Publishing @whitelionpublishing
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC
I decided to read at this book because like most I think Clint Eastwood is fascinating plus I have met him many times. I have met him in Carmel, Reno and in the little town where I live when he was married and his then in-laws ran a coffee and little bakery shop. This was a shop I went to often to read and meet friends. It was always a blast when he would show up.
This is not a book about Clint Eastwood the man but a book about Clint Eastwood the actor, the director and the producer. What an amazing career this man has had. This books delves into how he views acting in films, his style and how he being a films maker brings out a different personality then acting or producing. All of his work tells a story his passion for what his be been doing for such a long time. This is a wonderful book and I am very glad I was able to read it.
Unofficial and Unauthorized
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Ian Nathan @iannathanwriter
Publisher: White Lion Publishing @whitelionpublishing
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC
I decided to read at this book because like most I think Clint Eastwood is fascinating plus I have met him many times. I have met him in Carmel, Reno and in the little town where I live when he was married and his then in-laws ran a coffee and little bakery shop. This was a shop I went to often to read and meet friends. It was always a blast when he would show up.
This is not a book about Clint Eastwood the man but a book about Clint Eastwood the actor, the director and the producer. What an amazing career this man has had. This books delves into how he views acting in films, his style and how he being a films maker brings out a different personality then acting or producing. All of his work tells a story his passion for what his be been doing for such a long time. This is a wonderful book and I am very glad I was able to read it.
August 26, 2023
A fantastic coffee table book that looks at the great actor that is Clint Eastwood. From his early life, the films he starred in and directed. Full of information plus coloured and black and white photographs.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
September 19, 2023
Excellent trip through Eastwood’s extensive filmography with particular emphasis on his directing career. The judgements are precise and fair and the feel for the man true and admiring.
May 30, 2024
Maravilloso recorrido por una de las leyendas del séptimo arte. Absolutamente recomendable.
August 26, 2023
A useful guide to Clint Eastwood's film career behind the camera, rather than in front of it (even though he also stars in several of the films discussed in this coffee table tome). At only a couple of hundred pages, don't expect an in-depth dissection of his work, although Nathan does go into more detail when discussing "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby".
While I didn't learn a huge amount of new information about Clint Eastwood, this was a great reminder of his life's work, and had me revisiting some of his films.
While I didn't learn a huge amount of new information about Clint Eastwood, this was a great reminder of his life's work, and had me revisiting some of his films.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews