Alex Cox's Introduction to Film: A Director's Perspective

by Alex Cox

Emerging filmmakers need to know the basics of their art form: the language of the camera, and lenses, the different crew roles, the formats, the aspect ratios. They also need to know some bare-bones theory: what an auteur is, what montage is, what genres are. But, even more urgently, young filmmakers need answers to their questions-What lens was used? How did they do that effect? Who paid for that picture? How did they get it past the censor? Most important, Alex Cox believes that all filmmakers require serious grounding in film. You cannot be a great artist if you aren't versed in great art. And this doesn't just apply to the cinema. This book is for aspiring filmmakers, but also for students, and for people generally interested in grounding themselves in this particular art form-from a filmmaker's perspective. According to Coz, "I believe 100% that a reasonably educated and intelligent person in any country of the world should be able to have a conversation about Luis Bunuel, about Akira Kurosawa, about Stanley Kubrick, about Fellini or Bergman, and talk knowledgeably about at least one of their films. Read this book, watch the films, and you can!"

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

224 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Matthew Cutchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now been introduced to film. 👍🏼

[Jacob Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

An introduction which generally achieves what it set out to achieve of making you aware of various directors and cinematic movements. Cox has a very direct and simple way of explaining, I mean that as a compliment. Couple of bizarre choices to watch but in a way I like them because they're personal. You can tell what he gravitates to film for which is politics and history. Therfore, works best when he chats about his own films. Fair play to him for breaking down the roles of production on a film as well as nerdy information on aspect ratios. Glad it did go in to detail on lenses and a few technical details as I'm lacking in that department. I'm all theory unfortunately. Apparently according to I think it was either Kubrick or Welles you can learn all that in about an hour. Precisely the reason I keep putting it off. But one day I'll have to delve deeper.

Only thing I couldn't agree with was that documentaries shouldn't be scripted and not have music. I get his argument which is about objective realism, which he says is impossible anyway. Still, I was rewatching some Ken Burns last night and couldn't agree. No ones saying its a fictional narrative feature script with written dialogue but structure is needed otherwise it's aimless. We've already said this non biased thing is impossible so why bother? No music? What are we to do bore ourselves to death for the sake of art? Even with mockumentary/found footage types you just make the sound design the music if you have to. Also, I hate to say this but I found the understanding of auteur theory lacking. But I would cause I'm a fool blinded by purism. All in all, a positive introduction from Wirral legend Alex Cox that I'd recommend for starting out.

[Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Film criticism from the Director's perspective and I love his honesty

[John Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever seen Alex Cox's Moviedrome introductions, you'll know he's an intelligent, erudite speaker with a passion for films and this really comes across in this book. Occasionally, you (the reader) are prompted to put the book down and watch a specific film or a specific part of a film. Other similar books would just assume you're already familiar with the early works of Abbas Kiarostami and if not well see you in the chapter where we talk about Star Wars I guess. Being told what to look at and why means the whole thing feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation.