Michael Mann

by F.X. Feeney (Editor), Paul Duncan (Editor)

Over the course of the eight feature films he has directed since 1971 (not to mention the several features he has made for television), Michael Mann has shown himself, time and again, to be a rigorous, honest dramatist, a maker of solid worlds. So much so that in America, at least, he tends to be underrated. The most respectful of his critics often define him (a bit too simply) as a "realist." Certainly, whether the subject is thievery (The Jericho Mile, Thief, Heat), killers (Manhunter, Collateral), frontier life (The Last of the Mohicans), the nuanced struggle between the news media and corporate money (The Insider), or that of a celebrated athlete looking to find his life’s meaning in a world of bigotry (Ali), Mann seeks authenticity above all. Whatever suspense, entertainment value, and emotional or philosophical insight his work may yield rises from a truthfully imagined, painstakingly observed set of human beings and their warring intentions. Made with full access to Michael Mann’s archives!

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Michael Mann is my favorite director this was an amazing find. Located quite by surprise at a major chain store in Santa Monica I picked this up without reservation. The reader learns about Mann's early career and how it shapes his films, his interests, and motivations. The large color photographs are stills from his features, some stills from his research, behind the scenes phots, etc. An excellent insight to the director at work. Wish I could find all the obscure films he's done to watch.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taschen presents Michael Mann's thought process in such clarity that you'd think they were the same person. Regardless whether you are a cinema aficionado or an average watcher of cinema, the writing style in this review is congruent with how Mann's train of thought, expectations from his crew (including the actors) and tireless effort in reaching his vision is manifest. Using high quality pictures and quotes from Mann's peers, Taschen covers over 4 decades of Mann's portfolio within 230 or so pages. Superb and dazzling review.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, loads of insights on how this cinema master works - its dense though be prepared to re-read a page a number of times, and it has tremendous production detail. A great book.