What do you think?
Rate this book
Start to Finish: Woody Allen and the Art of Moviemaking
A cinephile's dream: the chance to follow legendary director Woody Allen throughout the creation of a film--from inception to premiere--and to enjoy his reflections on some of the finest artists in the history of cinema.
Eric Lax has been with Woody Allen almost every step of the way. He chronicled Allen's transformation from stand-up comedian to filmmaker in On Being Funny (1975). His international best seller, Woody Allen: A Biography (1991), was a portrait of a director hitting his stride. Conversations with Woody Allen comprised interviews that illustrated Allen's evolution from 1971 to 2008. Now, Lax invites us onto the set--and even further behind the scenes--of Allen's Irrational Man, which was released in 2015, and starred Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone. Revealing the intimate details of Allen's filmmaking process, Lax shows us the screenplay being shaped, the scenes being prepared, the actors, cinematographers, other crew members, the editors, all engaged in their work. We hear Allen's colleagues speak candidly about working with him, and Allen speaking with equal openness about his lifetime's work. An unprecedented revelation of one of the foremost filmmakers of our time, Start to Finish is sure to delight not only movie buffs and Allen fans, but everyone who has marveled at the seeming magic of the artistic process.
Eric Lax has been with Woody Allen almost every step of the way. He chronicled Allen's transformation from stand-up comedian to filmmaker in On Being Funny (1975). His international best seller, Woody Allen: A Biography (1991), was a portrait of a director hitting his stride. Conversations with Woody Allen comprised interviews that illustrated Allen's evolution from 1971 to 2008. Now, Lax invites us onto the set--and even further behind the scenes--of Allen's Irrational Man, which was released in 2015, and starred Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone. Revealing the intimate details of Allen's filmmaking process, Lax shows us the screenplay being shaped, the scenes being prepared, the actors, cinematographers, other crew members, the editors, all engaged in their work. We hear Allen's colleagues speak candidly about working with him, and Allen speaking with equal openness about his lifetime's work. An unprecedented revelation of one of the foremost filmmakers of our time, Start to Finish is sure to delight not only movie buffs and Allen fans, but everyone who has marveled at the seeming magic of the artistic process.
353 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2017
34 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 2, 2018
"Già mi immagino la gente che dice, 'Be', lo sai, è una cosetta da poco. Non è mica come Blue Jasmine. Quello sì che era un vero film."
Io amo Woody Allen. Io, parafrasando una sua battuta, lo amo, lo stramo, lo abramo.
Io sono di quelli - parzialissimi, lo so - cui saltano i nervi quando sentono parlare di film meno riusciti rispetto agli altri, di quantità a scapito della qualità. Anche se poi nel mio segretissimo intimo ho anch'io (assai flebili, infinitesimali) remore su un paio di sue cose (massimo tre), che non confesserei neanche sotto tortura.
Io guardo e riguardo serialmente i suoi film, mi fanno bene.
Io mi riconosco del tutto dentro alla sua ironia e sento di capirlo completamente e spontaneamente, lui, la sua poetica, la sua testa, il suo approccio alla vita.
Io trovo che nessuno come lui riesca a rendere reale, naturale e spontaneo un dialogo, anche nella più acuta assurdità.
Io credo che le attrici nei suoi film raggiungano la loro massima bellezza possibile, che non saranno mai più belle di come le mostra lui (Kate Blanchet, Charlotte Rampling, Mariel Hemingway, Kate Winslet, tanto per citarne alcune).
Io considero Manhattan il film della vita e quasi tutti gli altri suoi film puri capolavori - che sia di volta in volta di comicità, sensibilità, dolcezza, genialità, allegria, genuina bellezza, amore per la vita, paradosso, esistenzialismo, paura della morte, apoteosi del caso, rapporti umani, ecc., o tutto quanto questo insieme.
Io, infine, vedo tutta la sua produzione come un unico corpus fatto di infiniti rimandi e variazioni, integro e coeso, cui guardare sempre nella sua interezza, come per Truffaut o Fellini, che è una cosa solo dei grandissimi, tra i quali per mio sentire personale accorderò sempre a lui la mia più appassionata preferenza. Ed è per questo, insieme a tutto il resto, che torno a lui continuamente.
Eric Lax, ammiratore ma soprattutto amico di Allen e da Allen stimato (due cose per le quali venderei l'anima al diavolo), già autore di una bellissima biografia su di lui, ha avuto la possibilità di affiancarlo per un anno (questa è la terza) lungo tutta la lavorazione e realizzazione di The Irrational Man.
È uno sguardo dal di dentro sul mondo di Woody Allen, approfondito e intelligente, e di uno che tra l'altro lo conosce molto bene.
Per i fan più spudorati, non può che essere un libro interessante, in ogni singola riga e ogni singolo episodio raccontato, ma lo è davvero.
Particolarmente affascinanti sono poi le parti che riguardano il rapporto del regista con i fotografi dei suoi film e la fotografia nel cinema in generale, di questa professione pazzesca, degli strumenti fisici che usa e che sono assolutamente assurdi ai due estremi, primitivi o imponenti e supertecnologici, di questi signori che sono veri e propri manipolatori della luce, demiurghi, ricreatori di atmosfere per i quali nessun effetto luminoso, nessuna sorgente di illuminazione è impossibile da riprodurre.
Un libro che tocca moltissimi aspetti del Woody Allen uomo, regista e scrittore e che lo fa con sensibilità, intuizione e profonda conoscenza, con l'aggiuntiva ricchezza di offrire stralci di conversazioni e battute fulminanti in cui c'è davvero tutto lui e che sono una delizia nella delizia.
Per me, una vera appagante scorpacciata.
Io amo Woody Allen. Io, parafrasando una sua battuta, lo amo, lo stramo, lo abramo.
Io sono di quelli - parzialissimi, lo so - cui saltano i nervi quando sentono parlare di film meno riusciti rispetto agli altri, di quantità a scapito della qualità. Anche se poi nel mio segretissimo intimo ho anch'io (assai flebili, infinitesimali) remore su un paio di sue cose (massimo tre), che non confesserei neanche sotto tortura.
Io guardo e riguardo serialmente i suoi film, mi fanno bene.
Io mi riconosco del tutto dentro alla sua ironia e sento di capirlo completamente e spontaneamente, lui, la sua poetica, la sua testa, il suo approccio alla vita.
Io trovo che nessuno come lui riesca a rendere reale, naturale e spontaneo un dialogo, anche nella più acuta assurdità.
Io credo che le attrici nei suoi film raggiungano la loro massima bellezza possibile, che non saranno mai più belle di come le mostra lui (Kate Blanchet, Charlotte Rampling, Mariel Hemingway, Kate Winslet, tanto per citarne alcune).
Io considero Manhattan il film della vita e quasi tutti gli altri suoi film puri capolavori - che sia di volta in volta di comicità, sensibilità, dolcezza, genialità, allegria, genuina bellezza, amore per la vita, paradosso, esistenzialismo, paura della morte, apoteosi del caso, rapporti umani, ecc., o tutto quanto questo insieme.
Io, infine, vedo tutta la sua produzione come un unico corpus fatto di infiniti rimandi e variazioni, integro e coeso, cui guardare sempre nella sua interezza, come per Truffaut o Fellini, che è una cosa solo dei grandissimi, tra i quali per mio sentire personale accorderò sempre a lui la mia più appassionata preferenza. Ed è per questo, insieme a tutto il resto, che torno a lui continuamente.
Eric Lax, ammiratore ma soprattutto amico di Allen e da Allen stimato (due cose per le quali venderei l'anima al diavolo), già autore di una bellissima biografia su di lui, ha avuto la possibilità di affiancarlo per un anno (questa è la terza) lungo tutta la lavorazione e realizzazione di The Irrational Man.
È uno sguardo dal di dentro sul mondo di Woody Allen, approfondito e intelligente, e di uno che tra l'altro lo conosce molto bene.
Per i fan più spudorati, non può che essere un libro interessante, in ogni singola riga e ogni singolo episodio raccontato, ma lo è davvero.
Particolarmente affascinanti sono poi le parti che riguardano il rapporto del regista con i fotografi dei suoi film e la fotografia nel cinema in generale, di questa professione pazzesca, degli strumenti fisici che usa e che sono assolutamente assurdi ai due estremi, primitivi o imponenti e supertecnologici, di questi signori che sono veri e propri manipolatori della luce, demiurghi, ricreatori di atmosfere per i quali nessun effetto luminoso, nessuna sorgente di illuminazione è impossibile da riprodurre.
Un libro che tocca moltissimi aspetti del Woody Allen uomo, regista e scrittore e che lo fa con sensibilità, intuizione e profonda conoscenza, con l'aggiuntiva ricchezza di offrire stralci di conversazioni e battute fulminanti in cui c'è davvero tutto lui e che sono una delizia nella delizia.
Per me, una vera appagante scorpacciata.
October 17, 2017
Well, being the first to review this, let me try not to stumble. I'm running on about four solid hours sleep split between three days, a nice case of being verbally abused all day (no, not sweet Emma, don't worry readers), a massive migraine, and to make the migraine worse, life. So, the book then, shall we . . .
I bought Erix Lax's "Start to Finish" for two main reasons: the first being I love Woody Allen and the second being this book is a strong idea for not just a book on Allen but really any movie director you admire - in fact, since Mr. Lax has done his bit, let's get some other journalists out there writing books such as this and include them in some special, "Start to Finish" line of books. Sure, collected interviews and conversations make for great reads, too, but this concept here is simply perfect for cinephiles.
In this case, we follow Woody Allen as he writes, casts, shoots, edits, and then releases the movie, "Irrational Man". My own opinion on that particular film might be surprising (considering the critical response): with "Irrational Man", Mr. Allen has written and directed a solid, intriguing thriller ala Dostoevsky (again). What makes this movie different than his other crime movies is that there's an important theme that gets conveyed, and what, despite Woody's wishes, is what the movie is really about: the folly and danger in believing in morality. It's a moral tale trying to critique morality and does so very convincingly - or maybe that's just this fan, since as far to pessimism as Allen gets, I find that brand of thinking delusional but more accurate than optimism yet, not as rewarding and life-changing as simply doing away with morality like a true non-believer and no, this does not mean, by becoming amoral I grew a desire to work on Wall Street and remake "The Wolf of Wall Street", it simply means that, to me, morals are no different than the Catholic notion of sin, neither can be proved and both contribute to very judgemental people who like to lord their morals over you with, "it's immoral to eat meat", "well, sure, eating meat is exploitation of other animals, why take part, but why make others feel like they are less than you because you've ascended the realms to be such an ethics master?". Ethics is the religious domain of the so-called atheist (a true atheist would not believe in morals, either) or secularist who, in their blindness, equate hundreds of years of written thoughts on ethics to be somehow as true as two plus two equals four without those rigorous requirements for proof that these types thrive on.
Looks like this reviewer went on a bit of a tangent. So this is why you should buy this book: it covers everything from what Allen wants to see and what not to see in his images, ideas on how to be intuitive on the spot, information on how his movies are lit and staged scene-by-scene, how the actors and other crew respond to Allen's method of work, Allen's thoughts on his own failings and successes and what works for him in art and movies, and a lot of other stuff, including lines from the screenplay that both made it into the movie and did not and the reasons for their not being included, how Woody brings both his daughters and wife to live with him while he works on the project, Allen buzzing off to play clarinet or promote "Magic in the Moonlight", the Dylan Farrow drama that came back into the publics attention while Allen worked on this movie, Woody joking with actors and crew between takes, and plenty more. There's a long list of directors I would shoot and steal for them to be written but, for me at least, being a fan of nearly 30 years, Woody Allen was perfect for this concept and I couldn't have been more pleased, surprised, enlightened than I was reading "Start to Finish: Woody Allen and the Art of Moviemaking". By far the best book on Woody Allen as a filmmaker you're likely going to find, beating even Erix Lax's previous biography. More, please.
I bought Erix Lax's "Start to Finish" for two main reasons: the first being I love Woody Allen and the second being this book is a strong idea for not just a book on Allen but really any movie director you admire - in fact, since Mr. Lax has done his bit, let's get some other journalists out there writing books such as this and include them in some special, "Start to Finish" line of books. Sure, collected interviews and conversations make for great reads, too, but this concept here is simply perfect for cinephiles.
In this case, we follow Woody Allen as he writes, casts, shoots, edits, and then releases the movie, "Irrational Man". My own opinion on that particular film might be surprising (considering the critical response): with "Irrational Man", Mr. Allen has written and directed a solid, intriguing thriller ala Dostoevsky (again). What makes this movie different than his other crime movies is that there's an important theme that gets conveyed, and what, despite Woody's wishes, is what the movie is really about: the folly and danger in believing in morality. It's a moral tale trying to critique morality and does so very convincingly - or maybe that's just this fan, since as far to pessimism as Allen gets, I find that brand of thinking delusional but more accurate than optimism yet, not as rewarding and life-changing as simply doing away with morality like a true non-believer and no, this does not mean, by becoming amoral I grew a desire to work on Wall Street and remake "The Wolf of Wall Street", it simply means that, to me, morals are no different than the Catholic notion of sin, neither can be proved and both contribute to very judgemental people who like to lord their morals over you with, "it's immoral to eat meat", "well, sure, eating meat is exploitation of other animals, why take part, but why make others feel like they are less than you because you've ascended the realms to be such an ethics master?". Ethics is the religious domain of the so-called atheist (a true atheist would not believe in morals, either) or secularist who, in their blindness, equate hundreds of years of written thoughts on ethics to be somehow as true as two plus two equals four without those rigorous requirements for proof that these types thrive on.
Looks like this reviewer went on a bit of a tangent. So this is why you should buy this book: it covers everything from what Allen wants to see and what not to see in his images, ideas on how to be intuitive on the spot, information on how his movies are lit and staged scene-by-scene, how the actors and other crew respond to Allen's method of work, Allen's thoughts on his own failings and successes and what works for him in art and movies, and a lot of other stuff, including lines from the screenplay that both made it into the movie and did not and the reasons for their not being included, how Woody brings both his daughters and wife to live with him while he works on the project, Allen buzzing off to play clarinet or promote "Magic in the Moonlight", the Dylan Farrow drama that came back into the publics attention while Allen worked on this movie, Woody joking with actors and crew between takes, and plenty more. There's a long list of directors I would shoot and steal for them to be written but, for me at least, being a fan of nearly 30 years, Woody Allen was perfect for this concept and I couldn't have been more pleased, surprised, enlightened than I was reading "Start to Finish: Woody Allen and the Art of Moviemaking". By far the best book on Woody Allen as a filmmaker you're likely going to find, beating even Erix Lax's previous biography. More, please.
October 19, 2017
Lovers of Woody Allen’s wit and talent will be over-the-moon with this read. If you’ve ever wanted to get inside his head for the creative process details, here’s your ticket. Packed with commentary from Woody himself, via direct quotes, Eric Lax bats one outta the park.
January 10, 2019
Woody Allen is one of my favorite filmmakers so I naturally picked up this book - the 3rd book about him (I also have a book written by him, Side Effects). I think I have seen almost all of his films until now except the latest one Wonder Wheel (2017).
This book, written by his biographer Eric Lax, is capturing the essence of his filmmaking how he creates a quality (in addition to entertainment, of course): authenticity (cliché but true).
The brilliance of this book is that literally the author is following every aspect of the filmmaking process from 'start to finish' - script, money, cast, cinematographer, locations, production design, costumes, shoot (the most volume of this book, 186 pages out of total 336 pages), edit, music, color correction, (sound) mix, and end - and how Allen (the author consistently calls Woody in this book, probably based on his closeness of him) has served his role to tell a story.
Yes, when I said his film has a 'quality' it does not mean that he is trying to create authenticity in his films. He is trying to create great stories and that leads to authenticity.
This book, written by his biographer Eric Lax, is capturing the essence of his filmmaking how he creates a quality (in addition to entertainment, of course): authenticity (cliché but true).
The brilliance of this book is that literally the author is following every aspect of the filmmaking process from 'start to finish' - script, money, cast, cinematographer, locations, production design, costumes, shoot (the most volume of this book, 186 pages out of total 336 pages), edit, music, color correction, (sound) mix, and end - and how Allen (the author consistently calls Woody in this book, probably based on his closeness of him) has served his role to tell a story.
Yes, when I said his film has a 'quality' it does not mean that he is trying to create authenticity in his films. He is trying to create great stories and that leads to authenticity.
April 4, 2019
A great book that gets under the film making style of Woody Allen, from idea to script, to filming and editing. Eric Lax has been following Woody Allen for years and is acknowledged as an expert on his work having direct access to him. This work gives a thorough breakdown of 2015's Irrational Man, explaining how Woody keeps control of a project that is delivered in a year before he moves to his next project. Fascinating.
October 30, 2017
I loved following the actual process of making an Allen film. This process reveals so much more about Allen himself. A must read for Allen fans and film buffs.
November 20, 2017
Fascinating
November 30, 2017
Insightful and Enjoyable. A must for Woodman fans.
December 27, 2017
An insightful look at the making of a minor Allen film. Lax covers most aspects of filmmaking. If you're a Woody fan, you'll find this a fascinating page-turner.
December 1, 2017
Close look at the making of “Irrational Man” by Woody Allen.
Jamie Blackley, p.172: “I was waiting for a cue and Emma had switched the lines around, so I was waiting for a line that was never going to come. I panicked and just said my dialog. Woody came over afterward and said, ‘What, did you have a stroke?’ It was great.”
Woody Allen re: Joaquin Phoenix, p.182: “He’s such an unusual actor. He’s just got a great natural gift and he speaks in his own rhythm and has his own timing and his own nuances and idiosyncrasies. And the trick, I think, is going to be to go with him rather than force him to do exactly what I hear. By going with him I mean just correct him when there’s really a fatal error that hurts the story or looks terrible. But that doesn’t happen. He’s just a great natural actor. So it’s different. These two kids I’m directing, Emma and Jamie, it’s simple. I say, ‘a little more of this,’ ‘a little less of this,’ ‘a little faster,’ and they do it. They’re in the realm vocally and emotionally that I recognize. But Joaquin is his own eccentric, unique character, and I think the way to get the most out of him, because he’s been brilliant in so many pictures, is to go instinctively with what he wants to do and forget getting scenes that sound like I want them to sound.”
Woody Allen re: Emma Stone p. 190: “Emma is an actress of limitless ability. Great range, great beauty, great intelligence. I really think think she can do anything and do it brilliantly. Her only drawback is, if you listen closely, she sounds like Sylvester Pussycat.”
Cinematographer Darius Khondji re: lighting a scene with three actors, p. 228: “Joaquin has two specific lights for his face. One is a top light on his head, like a sculpture, like a Roman emperor’s. He has a great face. Top light is incredibly beautiful for him-at a certain height. If you go too high it’s a different story. But if you light it low he becomes like a god. And the other light is a half light, to show the duality of his character. Now, when you have Emma on one side of him and Parker [Posey] on the other it becomes difficult. Emma needs a very specific light; she has to be lit evenly and very softly and very plainly from slightly higher. The light on Emma has to be very pure. You cannot have a rear-view light or other bits and pieces of light that normally are there in nature. Nature is made of bounced light and the top light of the sky. If you want to make her extremely beautiful you have to come at her with a pure light on her face. Parker is pure light too, a very simple, glamorous light. So you have three people and a different light for each.”
Woody Allen re: the future of movies, p. 333: “I’m having trouble accepting that those things are becoming in a sense more important than movies. The voice of reality says, ‘Let me tell you, movies are slowly fading away and what people talk about at the water cooler and what they look forward to are no longer the weekly Jean-Luc Godard movie, or the Martin Scorsese movie. What they’re really looking forward to are the Homelands and The Sopranos because those things have reached a level of artistic importance comparable to movies.’ But they’re all seen on laptops and phones, so you wonder, ‘Do I really need Darius Khondji to be lighting these things?’ If you see it on a big screen, it’s magical. But if you’re seeing it on a television set, or worse than a television set, on your iPhone—it hasn’t captured my imagination, but it has captured the public’s. Apparently the shows are good and meaningful and adult and well written, whereas movies with few exceptions, are corporate enterprises conceived in venality. They’re trying to make it an audience-friendly, likable comedy or thriller, and they’ll do anything to get that. The pictures have no individuality, there’s a corporate look to the photography and the whole film.”
Jamie Blackley, p.172: “I was waiting for a cue and Emma had switched the lines around, so I was waiting for a line that was never going to come. I panicked and just said my dialog. Woody came over afterward and said, ‘What, did you have a stroke?’ It was great.”
Woody Allen re: Joaquin Phoenix, p.182: “He’s such an unusual actor. He’s just got a great natural gift and he speaks in his own rhythm and has his own timing and his own nuances and idiosyncrasies. And the trick, I think, is going to be to go with him rather than force him to do exactly what I hear. By going with him I mean just correct him when there’s really a fatal error that hurts the story or looks terrible. But that doesn’t happen. He’s just a great natural actor. So it’s different. These two kids I’m directing, Emma and Jamie, it’s simple. I say, ‘a little more of this,’ ‘a little less of this,’ ‘a little faster,’ and they do it. They’re in the realm vocally and emotionally that I recognize. But Joaquin is his own eccentric, unique character, and I think the way to get the most out of him, because he’s been brilliant in so many pictures, is to go instinctively with what he wants to do and forget getting scenes that sound like I want them to sound.”
Woody Allen re: Emma Stone p. 190: “Emma is an actress of limitless ability. Great range, great beauty, great intelligence. I really think think she can do anything and do it brilliantly. Her only drawback is, if you listen closely, she sounds like Sylvester Pussycat.”
Cinematographer Darius Khondji re: lighting a scene with three actors, p. 228: “Joaquin has two specific lights for his face. One is a top light on his head, like a sculpture, like a Roman emperor’s. He has a great face. Top light is incredibly beautiful for him-at a certain height. If you go too high it’s a different story. But if you light it low he becomes like a god. And the other light is a half light, to show the duality of his character. Now, when you have Emma on one side of him and Parker [Posey] on the other it becomes difficult. Emma needs a very specific light; she has to be lit evenly and very softly and very plainly from slightly higher. The light on Emma has to be very pure. You cannot have a rear-view light or other bits and pieces of light that normally are there in nature. Nature is made of bounced light and the top light of the sky. If you want to make her extremely beautiful you have to come at her with a pure light on her face. Parker is pure light too, a very simple, glamorous light. So you have three people and a different light for each.”
Woody Allen re: the future of movies, p. 333: “I’m having trouble accepting that those things are becoming in a sense more important than movies. The voice of reality says, ‘Let me tell you, movies are slowly fading away and what people talk about at the water cooler and what they look forward to are no longer the weekly Jean-Luc Godard movie, or the Martin Scorsese movie. What they’re really looking forward to are the Homelands and The Sopranos because those things have reached a level of artistic importance comparable to movies.’ But they’re all seen on laptops and phones, so you wonder, ‘Do I really need Darius Khondji to be lighting these things?’ If you see it on a big screen, it’s magical. But if you’re seeing it on a television set, or worse than a television set, on your iPhone—it hasn’t captured my imagination, but it has captured the public’s. Apparently the shows are good and meaningful and adult and well written, whereas movies with few exceptions, are corporate enterprises conceived in venality. They’re trying to make it an audience-friendly, likable comedy or thriller, and they’ll do anything to get that. The pictures have no individuality, there’s a corporate look to the photography and the whole film.”
April 2, 2018
Through the late 70s and into the 90s, I saw every Woody Allen movie either the day or the weekend that it opened and read every piece of literature about him that I could get my hands on. "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan" still rank among my favorite films of all time.
As Allen's personal life made its way into the headlines, and while the quality of his films sometimes deteriorated, I backed off a bit. But, about a month ago, I happened to watch "An Irrational Man", an Allen film that I quite enjoyed. Coincidentally, about a week later, I saw "Start to Finish" in the store and, after reading the jacket, realized it was Lax's intimate account about how the movie was made, literally from start (concept and writing stage) to finish (final editing).
Had this book been written about "Annie Hall" or "Manhattan", two highly inventive films I've practically memorized, I probably would have enjoyed it more. Lax does an excellent job not only telling his story, but he also harkens back to many, if not all, of Allen's previous projects to put this one into the proper historical and cinematic perspective. His interviews with Allen himself as well as the back stories behind the creativity are where this book shines. Where it gets bogged down for someone like me, who is not a film maker, is when he goes into great detail describing how scenes are lit as well as some other highly repetitious descriptions about blocking and other fairly mundane matters. Admittedly, I did enjoy the chapters on editing, music selection, and even sound editing and color correcting. Also, I think "Start to Finish" would serve as the perfect textbook for any film student, regardless of age.
As Allen's personal life made its way into the headlines, and while the quality of his films sometimes deteriorated, I backed off a bit. But, about a month ago, I happened to watch "An Irrational Man", an Allen film that I quite enjoyed. Coincidentally, about a week later, I saw "Start to Finish" in the store and, after reading the jacket, realized it was Lax's intimate account about how the movie was made, literally from start (concept and writing stage) to finish (final editing).
Had this book been written about "Annie Hall" or "Manhattan", two highly inventive films I've practically memorized, I probably would have enjoyed it more. Lax does an excellent job not only telling his story, but he also harkens back to many, if not all, of Allen's previous projects to put this one into the proper historical and cinematic perspective. His interviews with Allen himself as well as the back stories behind the creativity are where this book shines. Where it gets bogged down for someone like me, who is not a film maker, is when he goes into great detail describing how scenes are lit as well as some other highly repetitious descriptions about blocking and other fairly mundane matters. Admittedly, I did enjoy the chapters on editing, music selection, and even sound editing and color correcting. Also, I think "Start to Finish" would serve as the perfect textbook for any film student, regardless of age.
April 24, 2020
Star to Finish: Woody Allen and the Art of Moviemaking is an in depth study of how Woody Allen makes movies. After a brief biography and a touch on the range of his works, Lax delves into the day by day process of making Irrational Man, Allen's 2015 film starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey and Jamie Blackley. I have not seen the film, but I am a huge fan of Woody's and enjoyed the study of his process. Lax puts the reader at Woody's side throughout the process.
Years ago when Woody Allen was embroiled in an ugly breakup with Mia Farrow I found myself being quiet on the subject. I had even read Mia Farrow's biography and had my doubts about Woody and the indistression of falling for Mia's daughter. Though all were adults, it isn't something regular people do and it lent credibility to the idea he was a pervert. However, as the years have gone past and Woody has continued to produce great art and live what appears to be a moral life, I find myself caring less. Great artists are frequently strange characters whose life choices are out of the mainstream. Lax spends a chapter on this and I find myself agreeing with him. Woody Allen is a genius, one of the all time great auteurs. Personal life aside, I love his films and enjoyed learning more about how they are made. If you are a student of film, this should be required reading. If you are a Woody Allen fan, you'll enjoy this book. Check it out.
Years ago when Woody Allen was embroiled in an ugly breakup with Mia Farrow I found myself being quiet on the subject. I had even read Mia Farrow's biography and had my doubts about Woody and the indistression of falling for Mia's daughter. Though all were adults, it isn't something regular people do and it lent credibility to the idea he was a pervert. However, as the years have gone past and Woody has continued to produce great art and live what appears to be a moral life, I find myself caring less. Great artists are frequently strange characters whose life choices are out of the mainstream. Lax spends a chapter on this and I find myself agreeing with him. Woody Allen is a genius, one of the all time great auteurs. Personal life aside, I love his films and enjoyed learning more about how they are made. If you are a student of film, this should be required reading. If you are a Woody Allen fan, you'll enjoy this book. Check it out.
March 26, 2018
An actual start to finish with longtime Woody Allen chronicler Eric Lax on the entire creation of THE BOSTON STORY, which was finally titled IRRATIONAL MAN. It goes from idea to script and casting and shooting and editing and music appropriation to final color correction and sound enhancement.
A movie is not a simple thing to produce and Allen's films are low budget in today's money terms. Any day he goes over, the money comes out his pocket. The process seems painstaking and the fun for him is in creating the script and seeing it in his head. But as it progresses into flesh and blood reality his pessimism sprouts through the his idea that Life is never what will imagine it will be ... unpredictable and full of changes. The staff he works with are steadfast regulars that can move and flow with him and reach the goals needed. He produces a film a year and you learn he needs to do this to feel alive and occupied.
In between the technical aspects, author Lax adds in some great stories and info from Woody Allen on his past and his movies and other actors he worked with in his long career.Most interesting is a section regarding his problems with Mia Farrow and the accusations against him by his adopted daughter. Reading this seemingly researched portion added new insight.
A movie is not a simple thing to produce and Allen's films are low budget in today's money terms. Any day he goes over, the money comes out his pocket. The process seems painstaking and the fun for him is in creating the script and seeing it in his head. But as it progresses into flesh and blood reality his pessimism sprouts through the his idea that Life is never what will imagine it will be ... unpredictable and full of changes. The staff he works with are steadfast regulars that can move and flow with him and reach the goals needed. He produces a film a year and you learn he needs to do this to feel alive and occupied.
In between the technical aspects, author Lax adds in some great stories and info from Woody Allen on his past and his movies and other actors he worked with in his long career.Most interesting is a section regarding his problems with Mia Farrow and the accusations against him by his adopted daughter. Reading this seemingly researched portion added new insight.
May 7, 2018
Eric Lax, Woody Allen's buddy-biographer, painstakingly details the famously disciplined filmmaker's process, from conception through to final mix. It's as good a primer on the nuts and bolts of moviemaking as Sidney Lumet's 'Making Movies.' Woody-philes, though, aside from some insiders' knowledge on the family scandal, might find it as old hat as the crumpled canvas cap crowning the subject's head.
January 7, 2018
An interesting read about Woody Allen´s creative process for making a movie. The process becomes quite clear, but some repititions become a bit annoying.
Made me want to revisit classical Bergman and Trouffout movies, and Woody´s films as well.
Made me want to revisit classical Bergman and Trouffout movies, and Woody´s films as well.
March 18, 2019
I loved everything about this book. It bogs down a little bit during the production phase. It's gets a little repetitive, but that is exactly what filming is like.
February 24, 2025
Anche eBook
Want to read
November 2, 2025New York Public Library
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews