Hollywood Frame by Frame: The Unseen Silver Screen in Contact Sheets, 1951-1997

by Karina Longworth

There is a voyeuristic thrill in contact sheets, the direct prints used by photographers of the pre-digital age to edit their work. You look directly through the photographer s eyes as each photo gets closer to that perfect shot. And yet, it s often the photos not chosen that best capture the true spirit of their subjects and the life they lead after the director yells cut. This was never truer than in the classic Hollywood era, where behind-the-scenes photos were carefully vetted for marketing purposes and unapproved shots were never expected to be seen again. Hollywood Frame by Frame presents hundreds of never-before-published photos from the sets of some of the greatest films of the twentieth century. Hollywood s biggest stars are caught with their guard down behind the scenes of movie classics from Some Like It Hot and Breakfast at Tiffany's to Taxi Driver and The Silence of the Lambs. A treasure trove for any fan of Hollywood s Golden Age, this rare glimpse of the unseen silver screen will intrigue even movie buffs who think they ve seen everything.

First book of movie contact sheets, features never-before-seen photos of screen legends at work, including Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Robert De Niro, and Alfred Hitchcock
Provides insight into the art of moviemaking, the science of movie marketing, and the nature of stardom


Karina Longworth is an author, film critic, and journalist based in Los Angeles and Paris. She has contributed to numerous publications, including the Guardian, LA Weekly, Village Voice, Slate,and many more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, History, Photography, Media Tie In, Art

208 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2014

About the author

Karina Longworth is an American film critic, film blogger, radio personality, author,and journalist based in Los Angeles. She is one of the founders of the film culture blog Cinematical and formerly edited both Cinematical and the film blog SpoutBlog and, while living in New York, was heard regularly on the Public Radio International show The Takeaway.[6] She is currently Film Editor and critic at LA Weekly.

Reviews

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

While researching for her podcast ("You Must Remember This"), Longworth pores over rare archival materials -- print and photo -- from "Hollywood's first century." Here she takes the time to share with us a page or two of contact sheets, with judicious and insightful commentary on the significance of the photos she's found. The James Dean photos from the set of "Giant" (featured on the cover) are amazing. Equally breathtaking: Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift laughing while taking a break from shooting posed photos on the set of "A Place in the Sun," and the distinct personality radiated by Madonna in Danceteria for "Desperately Seeking Susan." These photos are the kind of semi-posed, semi-spontaneous, personality-driven shots that digital photography and social media have made ubiquitous; when real film was in cameras, each shot had to be planned a little more.

One caveat: make sure you have a magnifying glass! Eschenbach Illuminated Magnifiers should have teamed up with the publisher to make this available as a gift set.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Currently trying to read books of my backlog - I got this one years ago when I was obsessed listening to the podcast You Must Remember This hosted by Longworth. It is... just a coffetable book to be honest, but an interesting one nonetheless.

[Neon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading and looking through these contact sheets of some of my favourite movies. It was both sad and refeshing to see Brandon Lee in some of the outtakes and it's going onto the coffee table in my studio.

[Afonso Lucas]

Bought it almost a year ago and decided to fully go through it’s texts and images. The photography shown is wonderful and the various personalities and film stars are interesting as expected. The thousand little stories that accompany them though are far more valuable. A picture is worth a thousand words but with proper context it’s worth ten times as much.

[Jenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally worth it for the interesting tidbits about each movie, but sadly the photos are mostly so tiny that you can't really see much.
However, you should DEFINITELY listen to Karina Longworth's podcast "You Must Remember This" which is full of all the best juicy stories about Hollywood scandals. You're welcome.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has always been fascinated with Hollywood's history, I enjoyed this almost voyeuristic peek into behind-the-scenes of a number of classic films through contact sheets--something I never knew about before this book.

Of course, Longworth, as a film critic and historian, can't help but dish a little extra tea along the way as she describes the images. Somehow, in print form, without the addition of her precise, clipped consonants I am familiar with as a follower of her "You Must Remember This" podcast, it maintains her elegance at a slightly softened level. I was touched reading snippets about John Cazale and Montgomery Clift in particular, though others didn't get off quite so easy. Marilyn Monroe, who appears in several of the contact sheets, was caught at possibly the most tumultuous time in her life (and career) and Longworth does not mince words about how this impacted the behind-the-scenes dynamic on those films. Film buffs will delight at these images, capturing moments in time that may have been lost to history had it not been for some nimble preservationists and film historians. Sadly, for a business all about presenting images, Hollywood has notoriously been negligent until relatively recently with perserving its own history, so this kind of peek feels a little bit like a privilege, indeed.

[Madelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's so sad how much of film history we've lost– from contact sheets routinely being disposed of, to fires eating up celluloid, to 90% of films being made before 1929 just disappearing. a silent staple like metropolis (!!) was only (mostly) restored in 2008! film preservation is so integral to the art of film surviving.

i loved seeing the little marks from the still photographer in their work to choose which shot to use for promotional opportunities. i also loved learning that pacino was only shot from a certain angle in glengarry glen ross in order to get his "good side" lol!

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hollywood Frame by Frame: The Unseen Silver Screen in Contact Sheets, 1951-1997”

Wonderful exquisite view of contact sheets and the collection of photographs that enshrine the personality of these classic actors.
Great book!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learnt more about the culture of Contact sheets and film photography than I was expecting - it was intriguing! I certainly have a lot more films added to my watchlist...

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing array of contact sheets from some memorable Hollywood films. Stunning and great secret history of classic Hollywood.

[valplanta · Rating 5 out of 5]

necesito esto en físico. esos negativos necesitan estar en mi poder. son hermosos aunque no estén en su formato original.

[Cameron K]

Hardcover, Barnes and Noble sale
Thanks dad!

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLLYWOOD FRAME BY FRAME: THE UNSEEN SILVER SCREEN IN CONTACT SHEETS, 1951-1997 is a fascinating view of a changing era in American motion picture history. As technology and the way movies were made evolved so did the ways in which movies were documented and publicized. At the same time, the culture that created the movies was evolving, too. This remarkable book documents all of this in page after page of contact sheets of photographs taken as now classic movies were made-- along with selected enlargements.

The explanations added for each section are revealing and engrossing. The book is great fun, as well as an eye-opener. I felt as if I was peeking through a keyhole, watching Elizabeth Taylor, Robert De Niro, James Dean, and the others caught off guard -- not to speak of the great directors, who were not always at their most friendly or calm as the camera clicked. I also have a new respect for the craft of the still photographer during the days of classic Hollywood.

Recommended for anyone who loves movies.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Works great as a coffee table book and includes some amazing publicity photos from early Hollywood classics. It's a starting point to check out the longer stories on Karina's amazing podcast You Must Remember This.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book idea and fresh approach to Hollywood history telling. Longworth is knowledgeable and has interesting perspective. The only downside is that the contact pics can be small so using a magnifying glass is helpful.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great extended ad for Longworth's fantastic, fascinating podcast, You Must Remember This. But also, as a standalone, this features some great summary-writing around cult-films, classics, and icons of Hollywood. And the contact sheet photos are candid, quirky, revealing. Very good.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollywood history is a tricky thing, but Longworth's approach to it is amazing, and this book is incredible. I'm so proud to own it!

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Journeys in Darkness and Light

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked this book, or care about film history at all, you should check out Karina Longworth's podcast You Must Remember This, which is absolutely phenomenal (and short!)

[Sally Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, but still hard to look at with those tiny pictures.