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Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies
This beautifully illustrated atlas of beloved movies is an essential reference for cinephiles, fans of great films, and anyone who loves the art of mapmaking.
Acclaimed artist Andrew DeGraff has created beautiful hand-painted maps of all your favorite films, from King Kong and North by Northwest to The Princess Bride , Fargo , Pulp Fiction , even The Breakfast Club —with the routes of major characters charted in meticulous cartographic detail. Follow Marty McFly through the Hill Valley of 1985, 1955, and 1985 once again as he races Back to the Future . Trail Jack Torrance as he navigates the corridors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining . And join Indiana Jones on a globe-spanning journey from Nepal to Cairo to London on his quest for the famed Lost Ark. Each map is presented in an 9-by-12-inch format, with key details enlarged for closer inspection, and is accompanied by illuminating essays from film critic A. D. Jameson, who speaks to the unique geographies of each film.
Acclaimed artist Andrew DeGraff has created beautiful hand-painted maps of all your favorite films, from King Kong and North by Northwest to The Princess Bride , Fargo , Pulp Fiction , even The Breakfast Club —with the routes of major characters charted in meticulous cartographic detail. Follow Marty McFly through the Hill Valley of 1985, 1955, and 1985 once again as he races Back to the Future . Trail Jack Torrance as he navigates the corridors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining . And join Indiana Jones on a globe-spanning journey from Nepal to Cairo to London on his quest for the famed Lost Ark. Each map is presented in an 9-by-12-inch format, with key details enlarged for closer inspection, and is accompanied by illuminating essays from film critic A. D. Jameson, who speaks to the unique geographies of each film.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2017
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1143 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 17, 2023
If you enjoy popular movies and pop culture there is a pretty good chance that you will enjoy this book. The “map” author explains that he likes maps and movies and thought he would combine the two things in one book. A very good idea at the least. He has another author who contributed most of the text and I especially liked that part.
As for the maps, many GR reviewers had the same trouble I had. The art work is too small to figure out. An art gallery showing poster sized maps with a little text would have been much better. As it is, characters in the 35 movies chosen and their movements are represented by different colored stripes sort of like the classic London Tube map. For some movies with simple character movements this works pretty well. I especially liked the map for Ghostbusters which was humorously detailed but understandable. For some of the movies with complex movements such as those with time travel figuring out what was going on was more difficult. They could be just a jumble of stripes and attempts at 3D. The chapter titles are represented with what I think is supposed to be movie film. Very, very difficult to read unless it was a short one word title like Fargo.
The writing provides good concise information and information on geographic location although I questioned some of that information as maybe too subjective and even questionable. I have seen a majority but not all of the films discussed. The text is sometimes enlightening and always fun to think about. The movies I haven’t seen such as Clueless are so imbedded in popular culture that everything made sense.
The maps are interesting to look at. I’d give that part of the book 3 1/2. The text I’d give a 4. I like that the authors chose primarily pop classics and not the arty farty selections of something like the Academy of Motion Picture…. I shudder to think what those maps would look like.
As for the maps, many GR reviewers had the same trouble I had. The art work is too small to figure out. An art gallery showing poster sized maps with a little text would have been much better. As it is, characters in the 35 movies chosen and their movements are represented by different colored stripes sort of like the classic London Tube map. For some movies with simple character movements this works pretty well. I especially liked the map for Ghostbusters which was humorously detailed but understandable. For some of the movies with complex movements such as those with time travel figuring out what was going on was more difficult. They could be just a jumble of stripes and attempts at 3D. The chapter titles are represented with what I think is supposed to be movie film. Very, very difficult to read unless it was a short one word title like Fargo.
The writing provides good concise information and information on geographic location although I questioned some of that information as maybe too subjective and even questionable. I have seen a majority but not all of the films discussed. The text is sometimes enlightening and always fun to think about. The movies I haven’t seen such as Clueless are so imbedded in popular culture that everything made sense.
The maps are interesting to look at. I’d give that part of the book 3 1/2. The text I’d give a 4. I like that the authors chose primarily pop classics and not the arty farty selections of something like the Academy of Motion Picture…. I shudder to think what those maps would look like.
December 3, 2018
I received this book for free from the publisher (Quirk Books) in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book. The idea behind it is so fun! The book consists of maps from 35 different movie worlds. Some of the movies featured include, Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Clueless, and Guardians of the Galaxy. The maps are also not your typical flat ones. They are more three dimensional and are reminiscent of bus/subway maps because of the characters’ paths that run throughout them.
Artistically, each map is stunning, You can tell so much work was put into each one. There is so much detail in each map. It’s really amazing.
The essays that accompanied each map were incredibly insightful in its analysis. The essays don’t necessarily correlate to the map; they just talk about the film in general. I also really liked the writing style of the essays. They were easy to read, concise, and flowed nicely.
My one issue with this book is the size of the maps. Even though they take up a whole page, the maps are still too small to fully appreciate. Some parts are made bigger which helps, but it’s still not enough to gain the entire experience. You would need a magnifying glass to see all the little details. In person, the maps would be glorious, but in the book they fall a bit flat.
Together, the essays and the maps create a beautiful coffee table book that will make you want to re-watch the movies featured.
I really liked this book. The idea behind it is so fun! The book consists of maps from 35 different movie worlds. Some of the movies featured include, Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Clueless, and Guardians of the Galaxy. The maps are also not your typical flat ones. They are more three dimensional and are reminiscent of bus/subway maps because of the characters’ paths that run throughout them.
Artistically, each map is stunning, You can tell so much work was put into each one. There is so much detail in each map. It’s really amazing.
The essays that accompanied each map were incredibly insightful in its analysis. The essays don’t necessarily correlate to the map; they just talk about the film in general. I also really liked the writing style of the essays. They were easy to read, concise, and flowed nicely.
My one issue with this book is the size of the maps. Even though they take up a whole page, the maps are still too small to fully appreciate. Some parts are made bigger which helps, but it’s still not enough to gain the entire experience. You would need a magnifying glass to see all the little details. In person, the maps would be glorious, but in the book they fall a bit flat.
Together, the essays and the maps create a beautiful coffee table book that will make you want to re-watch the movies featured.
January 27, 2018
A terrific amount of work has gone into each of the 35 maps in this book. I was impressed. I did, however, find many of the maps a little hard to follow, partially because of the colours of the background+structures. Also, it was hard sometimes to figure out where a main character started out in a movie as I couldn't always remember enough of the plot; I wanted some sort of notation reminiscent of the "You are here" dot found in shopping mall maps to show me the character's opening position. So, 3.5 stars for the maps. I enjoyed each accompanying essay on aspects of the movie, even those for movies I'd never seen. So 3.5 stars for those. And 4 stars for the thick paper used the hardcover; it felt good turning the stiff pages, even though the book was large and a little heavy. Total: 3.5 stars for the book.
September 2, 2018
The maps: Done by Andrew DeGraff, they are messy and and virtually impossible to follow, especially if one hasn't seen the movie. Fascinating concept but the execution could have been better. I don't know how, I am not an artist, but I'd start with a big "Start Here arrow" on the map and then an "End" signification. 2 stars for the artwork.
The text: Interesting movie trivia observations by A.D. Jameson:
King Kong (1933) - "Kong grows larger throughout the picture-as he needs to, because the tragedy demands it." I've gotta keep an eye out in other "monster" movies to see if other "things" get bigger as the film progresses: we have to be more terrified, minute-by-minute, so it makes sense.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)-Auntie Em will "never get to Oz." As the story goes, L.Frank Baum took the country's name from a filing cabinet labeled 'O-Z'. Never thought about it that way!
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)-"The empty grave at the end...isn't empty. It's full of slaves," as the film is set in 1962. That's a new take for me on the empty grave. I've seen this movie many times but never saw the social message.
Alien-(1979)-When I first saw the movie during its opening run, I didn't note/see that humans made the alien. Jameson seems to think that was evident in the first film: what did I miss?
The Shining-(1980)-The mountain road covered in snow was really in Montana. But the Overlook Hotel itself? That's a revelation: I'll leave that up to you. 4 stars for the fascinating text accompanying each map.
Overall, 3 stars. It's worth it for new trivia about classic movies we love.
The text: Interesting movie trivia observations by A.D. Jameson:
King Kong (1933) - "Kong grows larger throughout the picture-as he needs to, because the tragedy demands it." I've gotta keep an eye out in other "monster" movies to see if other "things" get bigger as the film progresses: we have to be more terrified, minute-by-minute, so it makes sense.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)-Auntie Em will "never get to Oz." As the story goes, L.Frank Baum took the country's name from a filing cabinet labeled 'O-Z'. Never thought about it that way!
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)-"The empty grave at the end...isn't empty. It's full of slaves," as the film is set in 1962. That's a new take for me on the empty grave. I've seen this movie many times but never saw the social message.
Alien-(1979)-When I first saw the movie during its opening run, I didn't note/see that humans made the alien. Jameson seems to think that was evident in the first film: what did I miss?
The Shining-(1980)-The mountain road covered in snow was really in Montana. But the Overlook Hotel itself? That's a revelation: I'll leave that up to you. 4 stars for the fascinating text accompanying each map.
Overall, 3 stars. It's worth it for new trivia about classic movies we love.
September 6, 2017
I received a free review copy of this book via the Amazon Vine program.
I love maps and movies, so I thought this would be right up my alley. But it’s just not what I expected. I wasn’t familiar with Andrew DeGraff, and if you already are that may make a huge difference in your reaction to the work.
These aren’t maps in the usual sense. What Andrew DeGraff has done for each selected movie is to place his painted illustrations of the locations on the page and then draw colored lines within each location and from each location to the others to show the paths each major character follows in the movie’s plot. Sadly, it reminded me a little bit of those Family Circus cartoons that showed little Billy’s paths.
I could have overcome my lack of interest in this route map approach if I’d liked the artwork, but I don’t. The colors are muddy and indistinct. It can be hard to even figure out what’s going on in an illustration because of the colors used. If you’re considering buying this book, please check out the artwork first to be sure this will work for you.
A. D. Jameson’s essays accompanying each film are fine, but I really wanted to see a synergy between the maps and the text and since I didn’t like the maps that was never going to happen.
At the time of my writing this review, the product description doesn’t list all the movies covered in the book. Here they are:
Metropolis
King Kong
The Wizard of Oz
North By Northwest
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Jaws
Star Wars: A New Hope
Alien
The Shining
The Empire Strikes Back
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Return of the Jedi
Ghostbusters
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The Breakfast Club
Back to the Future
Labyrinth
Predator
The Princess Bride
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Edward Scissorhands
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Silence of the Lambs
Jurassic Park
Pulp Fiction
Clueless
Fargo
Rushmore
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Shaun of the Dead
Star Trek
Guardians of the Galaxy
Mad Max: Fury Road
I love maps and movies, so I thought this would be right up my alley. But it’s just not what I expected. I wasn’t familiar with Andrew DeGraff, and if you already are that may make a huge difference in your reaction to the work.
These aren’t maps in the usual sense. What Andrew DeGraff has done for each selected movie is to place his painted illustrations of the locations on the page and then draw colored lines within each location and from each location to the others to show the paths each major character follows in the movie’s plot. Sadly, it reminded me a little bit of those Family Circus cartoons that showed little Billy’s paths.
I could have overcome my lack of interest in this route map approach if I’d liked the artwork, but I don’t. The colors are muddy and indistinct. It can be hard to even figure out what’s going on in an illustration because of the colors used. If you’re considering buying this book, please check out the artwork first to be sure this will work for you.
A. D. Jameson’s essays accompanying each film are fine, but I really wanted to see a synergy between the maps and the text and since I didn’t like the maps that was never going to happen.
At the time of my writing this review, the product description doesn’t list all the movies covered in the book. Here they are:
Metropolis
King Kong
The Wizard of Oz
North By Northwest
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Jaws
Star Wars: A New Hope
Alien
The Shining
The Empire Strikes Back
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Return of the Jedi
Ghostbusters
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The Breakfast Club
Back to the Future
Labyrinth
Predator
The Princess Bride
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Edward Scissorhands
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Silence of the Lambs
Jurassic Park
Pulp Fiction
Clueless
Fargo
Rushmore
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Shaun of the Dead
Star Trek
Guardians of the Galaxy
Mad Max: Fury Road
August 3, 2020
Mehr als gerne entschwindet der Mensch in erfundene Welten, in fantastische Realitäten. Und am besten gelingt dies, wenn eine Umgebung erschaffen wird, die logisch und erfassbar scheint. Kein Wunder also, gibt es zu vielen Filmen nicht nur Begleitmaterial, sondern Atlanten (wie etwa bei „The Lord Of The Rings“) und unzählige Fanarbeiten und Websites. Mit den „Cinemaps“ bietet der Grafiker und Illustrator Andrew DeGraff darum bestes Nerd-Material: Komplette Filme auf eine Zeichnung destilliert, mit herrlichen Details und grosser Fertigkeit.
Komplette Kritik jetzt bei ARTNOIR.
Das Buch wurde von Randomhouse zu Reviewzwecken zur Verfügung gestellt.
Komplette Kritik jetzt bei ARTNOIR.
Das Buch wurde von Randomhouse zu Reviewzwecken zur Verfügung gestellt.
Read
November 29, 2020I got this book for Christmas last year (a great gift—i love movies, I love maps) and made it my mission to watch the films from *Cinemaps* that I hadn’t yet seen. The book itself was a bit uneven, I thought—loved some of these maps, and didn’t care as much about some of the others—but the experience of watching a film and then reading the essay and enjoying the illustrations was a joy.
Some of the films I am super glad I watched thanks to this book:
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Edward Scissorhands (extra complex feelings given JD’s destructive life choices)
Terminator 2
The Silence of the Lambs (this movie is wild and wow so 90s)
Shaun of the Dead
The movie I never care to see again and kinda regret watching:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (turns out my dad was right to make us watch the other indy movies and pass on this one)
Favorite map from the book: Fargo
Some of the films I am super glad I watched thanks to this book:
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Edward Scissorhands (extra complex feelings given JD’s destructive life choices)
Terminator 2
The Silence of the Lambs (this movie is wild and wow so 90s)
Shaun of the Dead
The movie I never care to see again and kinda regret watching:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (turns out my dad was right to make us watch the other indy movies and pass on this one)
Favorite map from the book: Fargo
June 19, 2020
Brilliant. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I had so much fun with this book. The artistry is incredible, and the essays were clever and insightful.
I found that the best way to read it was to go to the movies I know by heart and find the depiction of the first scene. So you have to know what that is. Then you can easily track the characters on the map scene by scene.
Some of the colors on the maps didn’t match up exactly with the colors on the key, so once I figured out the character it was supposed to be, sometimes I tracked the lines on the map by character instead of by story point. Drew does a great job of making either approach a good option. Some of the maps are just pretty to marvel at, like the LOTR one and the Jurassic Park one. And some are so innovative, like Back to the Future.
I’m really in awe of Drew’s talent. You have to be a movie fanatic, I think, to really appreciate this book. I hope he does a sequel with more movies I know and love.
I found that the best way to read it was to go to the movies I know by heart and find the depiction of the first scene. So you have to know what that is. Then you can easily track the characters on the map scene by scene.
Some of the colors on the maps didn’t match up exactly with the colors on the key, so once I figured out the character it was supposed to be, sometimes I tracked the lines on the map by character instead of by story point. Drew does a great job of making either approach a good option. Some of the maps are just pretty to marvel at, like the LOTR one and the Jurassic Park one. And some are so innovative, like Back to the Future.
I’m really in awe of Drew’s talent. You have to be a movie fanatic, I think, to really appreciate this book. I hope he does a sequel with more movies I know and love.
January 27, 2018
legitimately, my only complaint is that it's not bigger. were the pages presented as something like a 24x18 massive thing you have to lay out on your kitchen table, the book would be perfect. i love the closeup details, but i really wish these images were double their size to really glory at the detail all in one go.
as it is, the maps are fascinating and easy to lose one's self within, and the essays complement everything quite well, reminding you exactly why you love these films so much -- and maybe giving you a couple reasons more in the process.
as it is, the maps are fascinating and easy to lose one's self within, and the essays complement everything quite well, reminding you exactly why you love these films so much -- and maybe giving you a couple reasons more in the process.
July 10, 2019
Highly detailed! Super neat! Maps! I wonder how much the originals of these maps go for. Not that I could afford it, just curious is all.
May 27, 2021
This was fun! I was thinking it must have been quiteeee the undertaking to make that map of The Labyrinth - sheesh!
But I love maps and I love movies, so I liked this a lot.
But I love maps and I love movies, so I liked this a lot.
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars
June 2, 2025
unos mapas increíbles y unos textos preciosos
viva el cine y la cultura geek
viva el cine y la cultura geek
February 6, 2019
Ist es ein Vogel? Ist es ein Flugzeug? Nein, es ist CINEMAPS und es ist fast so unglaublich wie Superman selbst.
Als ich dieses Buch sah und einen Blick hineinwerfen durfte, blieb mir fast der Atem weg. Denn schon von außen ist dieser ganz besondere Atlas eine Augenweide der allerhöchsten Güte. Das Cover ziert einen Mix aus allen Filmen, die man Buch entdecken kann und beweist schon hier, das Andrew DeGraff sehr viel Wert, selbst auf kleinste Details gelegt hatte.
Der Blick ins Buch sorgte schließlich dafür, das ich vor Schnappatmung nicht mehr wusste, was ich mir zuerst ansehen sollte. Denn natürlich konnte ich das Buch nicht sofort lesen, sondern musste mich erst an den umwerfenden Karten ergötzen. Dieser dauerte schon einmal, da ich bereits gesehene Filme erst einmal verglich. Hier entwichen mir dann vermehrt „WOW´s“ da die Zeichnungen und eingetragenen Wege wirklich zu den Filmen passten und sogar Himmelsrichtungen beachteten. Wie beim Cover bestaunte ich auch hier die Liebe zum Detail, da ich Filme bereits an ihren Bildern erkannte, ohne auch nur den Titel zu erlesen. Trotzdem waren die Titel stets das Zweite, was ich mir ansah, da sie nicht nur auf Englisch waren, sondern auch einen sehr krassen Schreibstil hatten, welche das Lesen einzelner Titel schon einmal zu einem Ratespiel werden ließ. Sollte es doch einmal nicht klappen, gibt es zu jedem Film ein seitliches Register in dem der deutsche Titel, sein Regisseur und sein Veröffentlichungsjahr steht. Hier wäre noch zu erwähnen, das der Atlas nach dem Veröffentlichungsjahr sortiert wurde und man 35 Filme im Zeitraum von 1927 bis 2015 bestaunen und erlesen darf.
METROPOLIS (1927)
KING KONG UND DIE WEIßE FRAU (1933)
DER ZAUBERER VON OZ (1939)
DER UNSICHTBARE DRITTE (1959)
ZWEI GLORREICHE HALUNKEN (1966)
DIE RITTER DER KOKOSNUSS (1975)
DER WEIßE HAI (1975)
KRIEG DER STERNE (1977)
ALIEN (1979)
SHINING (1980)
DAS IMPERIUM SCHLÄGT ZURÜCK (1980)
JÄGER DES VERLORENEN SCHATZES (1981)
STAR TREK II: ZORN DES KAHN (1982)
DIE RÜCKKEHR DER JEDI-RITTER (1983)
GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
INDIANA JONES UND DER TEMPEL DES TODES (1984)
BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)
ZURÜCK IN DIE ZUKUNFT (1985)
DIE REISE INS LABYRINTH (1986)
PREDATOR (1987)
DIE BRAUT DES PRINZEN (1987)
INDIANA JONES UND DER LETZTE KREUZZUG (1989)
EDWARD MIT DEN SCHERENHÄNDEN (1990)
TERMINATOR 2 (1991)
DAS SCHWEIGEN DER LÄMMER (1991)
JURRASSIC PARK (1993)
PULP FICTION (1994)
CLUELESS (1995)
FARGO (1996)
RUSHMORE (1998)
DER HERR DER RINGE (2001-2003)
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)
STAR TREK (2009)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Und zu erlesen gab es eine ganze Menge. Zu jedem Film wurde ausführlich berichtet, wobei es sich nicht allein um den fertigen Film drehte, sondern auch was während des Drehs geschah. Gerade bei den älteren Filmen hielt ich immer wieder überraschend inne, da hier gerade im Bereich Special-Effects noch nicht alle zu viel möglich war und es bei Szenen wirklich gefährlich für die Schauspieler werden konnte. Auch wenn mich viele Texte hellauf begeistern konnten, musste ich feststellen, das A.D. Jameson gerne einmal vom Film abwich. Gerade wenn der Film mit einem anderen verglichen wurde, blieb der Schreiber der Essays gerne beim Vergleichsfilm. Auch bei Regisseuren ließ sich Jameson gerne ablenken und erzählte, welche Meisterwerke derjenige noch geschaffen hatte. Ich selbst, wollte allerdings nur Informationen zu dem Film, dessen wunderschöne Karten ich gerade vor mir liegen hatte. So machte sich schließlich doch ein wenig Enttäuschung breit. Aber wirklich nur wenig denn die anderen Fakten waren wirklich mehr als interessant.
S. 69 Der Todesstern aus „Die Rückkehr der Jedi-Ritter“
Neben den Karten und den Erzählungen zum Film bot das Buch noch eine kleine Attraktion und das waren die Wege, welche die Schauspieler im Film nahmen. Richtig gelesen, man konnte nicht nur die Szenarien der Filme begutachten, sondern auch den Lieblingscharakter bei seinem Abenteuer verfolgen. Dies ermöglichte ein Farbregister und dem Index, welches jedem Darsteller eine Farbe zuwies. Jetzt hieß es nur noch die Pfeilwege des Charakters suchen und schon konnte der Spaß beginnen. Wer übrigens meinte, dass die Erstellung der Welten schon aufwendig war, der dürfte jetzt noch einmal schlucken. Denn tatsächlich hat man für jede Figur versucht, ihren Weg im Film nachzubilden. Ich habe sogar Filme mit dem Buch zusammen geschaut und kann sagen, das viele Zeichnungen wirklich sehr exakt gezeichnet wurden.
Hat sich der Aufwand gelohnt? Aber hallo, denn so etwas Unglaubliches hätte ich nicht für möglich gehalten. Eine klasse Arbeit.
Mein Fazit
Für Filmfans ist dieses Buch ein Werk, das sie einmal in die Hand genommen haben sollten. Auch wenn die Texte etwas Film-spezifischer hätte sein können, machten die Karten mit ihren unglaublichen Details dies wieder wett. Ich hoffe zudem das es noch einen zweiten Band geben wird, im welchem weitere grossartige Filme gezeigt werden. Genug Material soll es nach eigenen Angaben des Künstlers ja geben.
Als ich dieses Buch sah und einen Blick hineinwerfen durfte, blieb mir fast der Atem weg. Denn schon von außen ist dieser ganz besondere Atlas eine Augenweide der allerhöchsten Güte. Das Cover ziert einen Mix aus allen Filmen, die man Buch entdecken kann und beweist schon hier, das Andrew DeGraff sehr viel Wert, selbst auf kleinste Details gelegt hatte.
Der Blick ins Buch sorgte schließlich dafür, das ich vor Schnappatmung nicht mehr wusste, was ich mir zuerst ansehen sollte. Denn natürlich konnte ich das Buch nicht sofort lesen, sondern musste mich erst an den umwerfenden Karten ergötzen. Dieser dauerte schon einmal, da ich bereits gesehene Filme erst einmal verglich. Hier entwichen mir dann vermehrt „WOW´s“ da die Zeichnungen und eingetragenen Wege wirklich zu den Filmen passten und sogar Himmelsrichtungen beachteten. Wie beim Cover bestaunte ich auch hier die Liebe zum Detail, da ich Filme bereits an ihren Bildern erkannte, ohne auch nur den Titel zu erlesen. Trotzdem waren die Titel stets das Zweite, was ich mir ansah, da sie nicht nur auf Englisch waren, sondern auch einen sehr krassen Schreibstil hatten, welche das Lesen einzelner Titel schon einmal zu einem Ratespiel werden ließ. Sollte es doch einmal nicht klappen, gibt es zu jedem Film ein seitliches Register in dem der deutsche Titel, sein Regisseur und sein Veröffentlichungsjahr steht. Hier wäre noch zu erwähnen, das der Atlas nach dem Veröffentlichungsjahr sortiert wurde und man 35 Filme im Zeitraum von 1927 bis 2015 bestaunen und erlesen darf.
METROPOLIS (1927)
KING KONG UND DIE WEIßE FRAU (1933)
DER ZAUBERER VON OZ (1939)
DER UNSICHTBARE DRITTE (1959)
ZWEI GLORREICHE HALUNKEN (1966)
DIE RITTER DER KOKOSNUSS (1975)
DER WEIßE HAI (1975)
KRIEG DER STERNE (1977)
ALIEN (1979)
SHINING (1980)
DAS IMPERIUM SCHLÄGT ZURÜCK (1980)
JÄGER DES VERLORENEN SCHATZES (1981)
STAR TREK II: ZORN DES KAHN (1982)
DIE RÜCKKEHR DER JEDI-RITTER (1983)
GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
INDIANA JONES UND DER TEMPEL DES TODES (1984)
BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)
ZURÜCK IN DIE ZUKUNFT (1985)
DIE REISE INS LABYRINTH (1986)
PREDATOR (1987)
DIE BRAUT DES PRINZEN (1987)
INDIANA JONES UND DER LETZTE KREUZZUG (1989)
EDWARD MIT DEN SCHERENHÄNDEN (1990)
TERMINATOR 2 (1991)
DAS SCHWEIGEN DER LÄMMER (1991)
JURRASSIC PARK (1993)
PULP FICTION (1994)
CLUELESS (1995)
FARGO (1996)
RUSHMORE (1998)
DER HERR DER RINGE (2001-2003)
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)
STAR TREK (2009)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Und zu erlesen gab es eine ganze Menge. Zu jedem Film wurde ausführlich berichtet, wobei es sich nicht allein um den fertigen Film drehte, sondern auch was während des Drehs geschah. Gerade bei den älteren Filmen hielt ich immer wieder überraschend inne, da hier gerade im Bereich Special-Effects noch nicht alle zu viel möglich war und es bei Szenen wirklich gefährlich für die Schauspieler werden konnte. Auch wenn mich viele Texte hellauf begeistern konnten, musste ich feststellen, das A.D. Jameson gerne einmal vom Film abwich. Gerade wenn der Film mit einem anderen verglichen wurde, blieb der Schreiber der Essays gerne beim Vergleichsfilm. Auch bei Regisseuren ließ sich Jameson gerne ablenken und erzählte, welche Meisterwerke derjenige noch geschaffen hatte. Ich selbst, wollte allerdings nur Informationen zu dem Film, dessen wunderschöne Karten ich gerade vor mir liegen hatte. So machte sich schließlich doch ein wenig Enttäuschung breit. Aber wirklich nur wenig denn die anderen Fakten waren wirklich mehr als interessant.
S. 69 Der Todesstern aus „Die Rückkehr der Jedi-Ritter“
Neben den Karten und den Erzählungen zum Film bot das Buch noch eine kleine Attraktion und das waren die Wege, welche die Schauspieler im Film nahmen. Richtig gelesen, man konnte nicht nur die Szenarien der Filme begutachten, sondern auch den Lieblingscharakter bei seinem Abenteuer verfolgen. Dies ermöglichte ein Farbregister und dem Index, welches jedem Darsteller eine Farbe zuwies. Jetzt hieß es nur noch die Pfeilwege des Charakters suchen und schon konnte der Spaß beginnen. Wer übrigens meinte, dass die Erstellung der Welten schon aufwendig war, der dürfte jetzt noch einmal schlucken. Denn tatsächlich hat man für jede Figur versucht, ihren Weg im Film nachzubilden. Ich habe sogar Filme mit dem Buch zusammen geschaut und kann sagen, das viele Zeichnungen wirklich sehr exakt gezeichnet wurden.
Hat sich der Aufwand gelohnt? Aber hallo, denn so etwas Unglaubliches hätte ich nicht für möglich gehalten. Eine klasse Arbeit.
Mein Fazit
Für Filmfans ist dieses Buch ein Werk, das sie einmal in die Hand genommen haben sollten. Auch wenn die Texte etwas Film-spezifischer hätte sein können, machten die Karten mit ihren unglaublichen Details dies wieder wett. Ich hoffe zudem das es noch einen zweiten Band geben wird, im welchem weitere grossartige Filme gezeigt werden. Genug Material soll es nach eigenen Angaben des Künstlers ja geben.
August 15, 2020
Loved the idea of making maps based on movies. This is a great coffee table book, to enjoy over and over again.
August 3, 2018
I live this and recommend it to anyone who loves films. Anyone.
The art work is amazing and he captures the story of each film on a map. You can see it laid out in colorful lines illustrating the journey of all the main characters.
Clueless.
Labyrinth.
Jaws.
Star Wars.
Breakfast Club.
Fargo.
Edward Scissorhands.....
sigh.
The art work is amazing and he captures the story of each film on a map. You can see it laid out in colorful lines illustrating the journey of all the main characters.
Clueless.
Labyrinth.
Jaws.
Star Wars.
Breakfast Club.
Fargo.
Edward Scissorhands.....
sigh.
March 9, 2018
Got it for the maps, but enjoyed the movie articles even more.
Some of the maps are done in odd murky colors that make them tricky to navigate. Even though it's a large sized book, it would have been better if the maps unfolded to an increased size for better viewing.
The adjoining articles are insightful and thought-provoking.
[finished reading on January 31, 2018]
Some of the maps are done in odd murky colors that make them tricky to navigate. Even though it's a large sized book, it would have been better if the maps unfolded to an increased size for better viewing.
The adjoining articles are insightful and thought-provoking.
[finished reading on January 31, 2018]
October 31, 2017
Read our full review on Hypable!
As a lover of movies, this book was a lot of fun to look through, even more fun to take a close look at, and more fun yet to read. Mixed in with the incredibly detailed illustrations and maps, the book treats you to a wonderful reminder of why the films we love create such lasting memories and are waiting for us to return to experience the magic whenever we find the time to return.
Along with the maps and text, the book also offers insight into the storylines and may help you to look at your favorite movies very differently. In small captions to go with close ups of different map sections, the book’s author, A.D. Jameson, offers bits of interpretation you may have missed upon your repeat viewings of your favorite films. For example, in the Terminator 2: Judgement Day section, the writer makes a point to show that the first two Terminator movies end in factories, essentially “unmaking [them] at the spot that will eventually become [their] place of birth.”
Similarly, I found myself skipping off to Netflix to watch Jaws after reading the beginning of its section of the book. I had never noticed the symmetry of the opening sequence before, but after having it pointed out to me, I found new enjoyment in a film I’ve been watching all my life.
As a lover of movies, this book was a lot of fun to look through, even more fun to take a close look at, and more fun yet to read. Mixed in with the incredibly detailed illustrations and maps, the book treats you to a wonderful reminder of why the films we love create such lasting memories and are waiting for us to return to experience the magic whenever we find the time to return.
Along with the maps and text, the book also offers insight into the storylines and may help you to look at your favorite movies very differently. In small captions to go with close ups of different map sections, the book’s author, A.D. Jameson, offers bits of interpretation you may have missed upon your repeat viewings of your favorite films. For example, in the Terminator 2: Judgement Day section, the writer makes a point to show that the first two Terminator movies end in factories, essentially “unmaking [them] at the spot that will eventually become [their] place of birth.”
Similarly, I found myself skipping off to Netflix to watch Jaws after reading the beginning of its section of the book. I had never noticed the symmetry of the opening sequence before, but after having it pointed out to me, I found new enjoyment in a film I’ve been watching all my life.
April 28, 2022
What I liked: The artistry of the maps themselves. The color, and the art was, in most cases, extremely well done. Vivid art, with eye catching color and style. This book offered a lot more text, not only about the movies, but also about how he created each map and what he focused on in terms of what was shown. The variety of movies was excellent. From Jaws, to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies, to Lord of the Rings, the Princess Bride and many others, it was a distinct and interesting choice of films.
What I did not like: As with his other book on literary maps, these cinematic maps actually provided very little information. On most maps, be they of buildings, countries, planets, etc things are labeled. The houses, the cities, the villages, the rooms. On these maps nothing whatsoever was labeled, all they contained were visual images of the scenes from the film they were meant to portray, and lines denoting all the paths the characters traveled. Take the Lord of the Rings map for example. It showed all the places in Middle Earth that were visited in the three films, but not one was actually labeled. Sam with all the other maps, no specific detail was provided on any of them. Another thing that really bothered me were the titles. Each map had a title, but, I would say, 95% were in a script that was completely unreadable. It was really very frustrating to not be able to read through the book, come across a new map, and know immediately what it was by the title. You had to begin reading before you realized what map you were supposed to be looking at.
People who are not completely and totally familiar with these movies, who picked up this book out of an interest in film, would find, in my view, a lot of information lacking. More detail in the maps, and more readable text should have been used.
What I did not like: As with his other book on literary maps, these cinematic maps actually provided very little information. On most maps, be they of buildings, countries, planets, etc things are labeled. The houses, the cities, the villages, the rooms. On these maps nothing whatsoever was labeled, all they contained were visual images of the scenes from the film they were meant to portray, and lines denoting all the paths the characters traveled. Take the Lord of the Rings map for example. It showed all the places in Middle Earth that were visited in the three films, but not one was actually labeled. Sam with all the other maps, no specific detail was provided on any of them. Another thing that really bothered me were the titles. Each map had a title, but, I would say, 95% were in a script that was completely unreadable. It was really very frustrating to not be able to read through the book, come across a new map, and know immediately what it was by the title. You had to begin reading before you realized what map you were supposed to be looking at.
People who are not completely and totally familiar with these movies, who picked up this book out of an interest in film, would find, in my view, a lot of information lacking. More detail in the maps, and more readable text should have been used.
July 27, 2018
These are not the kind of maps that you can navigate from; but they are marvelously intricate illustrations that flow from the plotlines of 35 different popular movies and show how the characters interact with each other and with different spaces and times. The addition of film commentary text makes this a fun collection to relive some favorite motion pictures in book format, imagining and recalling them without watching them again. Really clever and beautiful work.
May 26, 2018
The essays (written by A.D. Jameson) which accompany each map brought this down for me. I didn't care much for them (the only exception is the Labyrinth entry) and eventually found myself skimming less and less of them preferring to pour over Degraff's five star worthy maps. If the essays had been of similar nature, but written by Degraff I may have thought differently. If they'd entirely been about the way locations influence each film (some of which gets commented upon) and been about the creation of the maps (which get touched upon in one or two sidenotes per map), I certainly would have felt differently.
January 8, 2023
I was familiar with 30 of the 35 films that were graphically represented. I loved the concept, and was delighted as some of my favorite films were in the stack. Some of the movies covered I skipped as I didn't want the spoilers, such as Fargo, other times I just didn't want to read about Star Wars.
January 23, 2020
As noted by other commentators here, the maps are too small in this format (and often the colours are too dull) to appreciate. Blown up to full?(er) size on the wall and these would be incredible. To quote one of the movies featured here: “they belong in a museum!” Perhaps part of the reason of the book was to inspire some readers to seek out/purchase the larger art works (or even online, where they look better: http://www.andrewdegraff.com/moviemaps ). I still got a kick out of many of them, especially the Star Wars ones (although there��s a glaring error in one of them). Partly why I picked up this book is the selection of 35 films – a solid 20 of them sit within my own personal 50 fave films of all time. The original Star Wars trilogy. The original Indiana Jones trilogy. Jaws. Jurassic Park. Princess Bride. T2. Lord of the Rings. Pulp Fiction. (Could have done with an extra John McTiernan film and an extra George Miller film though). But this artist obviously came of movie age at the same time as me. I borrowed the book (Indro library) for the art/concept/films chosen, but I consumed the book because of the essays – which I enjoyed MORE than the artwork. Not really reviews, not really plot summaries, but interesting (oft existential) takes on these films and these characters, I really appreciated them.
8/10
8/10
October 9, 2019
“Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies” by Andrew DeGraff (Goodreads Author), A.D. Jameson
I almost didn’t get this book, but once I started it gradually got better and better. I really ‘got’ where the two authors are coming from and their love for films. Very insightful.
The maps are crisp, I only wished they indicated the starting point. The chapter titles are almost impossible to read
“In the end, ‘Jaws’ is a ghost story, told round a fire.” (p39)
“Ghosts are residue, spooky bits of the past that stick around, outlive their welcome.” (p71)
“’Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ is - ‘spatially’ – Spielberg’s version of ‘Doctor Who’s’ TARDIS (p76)
“In ‘Back to the Future’ Biff Tannen, a bully based on none other than Donald John Trump.” (p82)
[https://www.thedailybeast.com/back-to...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics...
1. Collins, Ben (October 21, 2015). "'Back to the Future' Writer: Biff Tannen Is Based on Donald Trump". Archived from the original on May 8, 2017..
2. ^ Stuart, Tessa (October 21, 2015). "'Back to the Future' Writer: Biff Is Donald Trump". Rolling Stone. ]
“Mad Max: Fury Road – Darth Vader by way of Skeletor” (p156)
I almost didn’t get this book, but once I started it gradually got better and better. I really ‘got’ where the two authors are coming from and their love for films. Very insightful.
The maps are crisp, I only wished they indicated the starting point. The chapter titles are almost impossible to read
“In the end, ‘Jaws’ is a ghost story, told round a fire.” (p39)
“Ghosts are residue, spooky bits of the past that stick around, outlive their welcome.” (p71)
“’Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ is - ‘spatially’ – Spielberg’s version of ‘Doctor Who’s’ TARDIS (p76)
“In ‘Back to the Future’ Biff Tannen, a bully based on none other than Donald John Trump.” (p82)
[https://www.thedailybeast.com/back-to...
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics...
1. Collins, Ben (October 21, 2015). "'Back to the Future' Writer: Biff Tannen Is Based on Donald Trump". Archived from the original on May 8, 2017..
2. ^ Stuart, Tessa (October 21, 2015). "'Back to the Future' Writer: Biff Is Donald Trump". Rolling Stone. ]
“Mad Max: Fury Road – Darth Vader by way of Skeletor” (p156)
November 24, 2017
I won this book through @goodreads giveaway.
This book is not what I expected to be. When I read the book includes maps, I was visualizing maps in literal sense. I love the cover of the book, so I was thinking this will be the style of illustrations inside. Was I wrong. The maps don't really look like maps. Those are drawings from a part of the location from the movie and added to it are lines that show the path the main character took in the movie.
I was expecting colorful images, like on the cover, but in fact the pictures rather lack color. I wouldn't call it Atlas. It is far from it. It is not that I dislike the art in the book, it is just not my style. Plus, as I said, I was just expecting different kind of art.
There are 35 maps and essays about movies.
F.ex. Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Pulp Fiction or Back to the Future.
I liked the idea of the book and the essays are good. I wish I liked the art more.
Maybe it will speak to other people though. Check inside the book, before you buy it, to make sure it is something your alley.
This book is not what I expected to be. When I read the book includes maps, I was visualizing maps in literal sense. I love the cover of the book, so I was thinking this will be the style of illustrations inside. Was I wrong. The maps don't really look like maps. Those are drawings from a part of the location from the movie and added to it are lines that show the path the main character took in the movie.
I was expecting colorful images, like on the cover, but in fact the pictures rather lack color. I wouldn't call it Atlas. It is far from it. It is not that I dislike the art in the book, it is just not my style. Plus, as I said, I was just expecting different kind of art.
There are 35 maps and essays about movies.
F.ex. Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Pulp Fiction or Back to the Future.
I liked the idea of the book and the essays are good. I wish I liked the art more.
Maybe it will speak to other people though. Check inside the book, before you buy it, to make sure it is something your alley.
October 12, 2018
This should have been right in my wheelhouse - I loved the old Family Circus map comics that seemed to have inspire these, and I've seen 31 of the 35 movies that are mapped here. And the maps are interesting, in general. Some are amazing, but a number of the choices seem to be oddly chosen - a map of the Breakfast Club doesn't really illuminate much of anything about the movie. Others, like Labyrinth of the Star Wars trilogy, perfectly embody the goal.
And the other weird thing about the book is the choice of having film criticism included as accompaniment to the maps. Some of the criticism is interesting and adds to my understanding of the films, but some are basically just recaps, and some posit theories that really don't make sense to me. I ended up spending more time reading the criticism than examining the maps, which seems to me to be a disservice to the maps.
As a coffee table book that you peruse off and on and focus on the maps, this is a worthwhile read. But it seems to be at odds with its own goal in its presentation.
And the other weird thing about the book is the choice of having film criticism included as accompaniment to the maps. Some of the criticism is interesting and adds to my understanding of the films, but some are basically just recaps, and some posit theories that really don't make sense to me. I ended up spending more time reading the criticism than examining the maps, which seems to me to be a disservice to the maps.
As a coffee table book that you peruse off and on and focus on the maps, this is a worthwhile read. But it seems to be at odds with its own goal in its presentation.
February 22, 2024
I enjoy books about maps, their history, etc. and books of unusual types of maps. This one was definitely a good one. Andrew DeGraff drew maps of 35 great movies (which I presume he chose himself) and A. D. Jameson wrote a brief essay on each of them to accompany the maps. The maps are schematics of the movie with different colored lines representing the paths of all the major characters. I have to admit it is quite difficult to follow them in detail, but the general artistry of them makes them superb. I have seen or know almost all the movies (have to admit I have never made it through Pulp Fiction!) and I think that helps immensely in enjoying these. A beautiful book, and the essays all provide excellent perspectives on the films. They range from the early classic Metropolis to the first of the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Fun!
June 9, 2018
I really enjoyed Plotted, but I liked this even more. The concept is the same -- create a unique maps of the settings of popular movies (and how the characters move through those settings through the course of the movie). I think the difference was that I was much more familiar with the movies selected that I was with the books selected (the books were mostly classics, and I just never felt the urge to read most of them). But these movies were movies from my teen years, as well as fan favorites, so there was just more common ground there. The movie critiques that accompanied the maps were EXCELLENTLY written. One nitpicky complaint -- I didn't like the ribbony font for the movie titles; it was really hard to read.
January 18, 2022
Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies by Andrew DeGraff brought me mixed feelings. I adore cinema so this book that paired deep analysis and isometric maps instantly caught my attention. However, I found myself more disappointed than not most of the time. The deep analysis comes across more like a surface level recap and review of the film's overarching themes rather than something that causes a more thought provoking recollection of our own viewing of the material. The maps, which should compliment this analysis, are difficult to decipher at times with poor colour schemes making certain areas hard to see while the scaled down maps don't do justice to the detail. In my opinion, Cinemaps would have been more digestible either being entirely an isometric map book to allow for full page visuals OR having an additional downloadable digital package that contains zoomable versions of the maps for more detailed viewing.
TL;DR: Pretty maps, small, but manageable; underwhelming analysis.
TL;DR: Pretty maps, small, but manageable; underwhelming analysis.
March 9, 2018
Andrew DeGraff takes the leap from mapping books to movies in his latest work. The maps are interesting to reflect on, but I'm not sure that the maps succeed as either works of art or distillations of their movie sources. I often found DeGraff's accompanying essays to be more interesting in their broad reassessment of many modern popular films. The maps themselves are oddly the antithesis of their source material: Star Wars, with its' characters' star-spanning journeys, looks oddly condensed and small when reduced to a single page, while The Shining, with its claustrophobic hallways and empty rooms, made me marvel on the size of that labyrinthine garden maze. It was interesting to peruse.
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