Kazan on Directing

by Elia Kazan

Elia Kazan was the twentieth century’s most celebrated director of both stage and screen, and this monumental, revelatory book shows us the master at work.  Kazan’s list of Broadway and Hollywood successes— A Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a Salesman, On the Waterfront , to name a few—is a testament to his profound impact on the art of directing. This remarkable book, drawn from his notebooks, letters, interviews, and autobiography, reveals Kazan’s how he uncovered the “spine,” or core, of each script; how he analyzed each piece in terms of his own experience; and how he determined the specifics of his production.  And in the final section, “The Pleasures of Directing”—written during Kazan’s final years—he becomes a wise old pro offering advice and insight for budding artists, writers, actors, and directors.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Theatre, Media Tie In, Writing, Ebooks, Plays

341 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2009

About the author

Credits of Turkish-born American stage and film director Elia Kazan include A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) of Tennessee Williams and the movies On the Waterfront (1954) and East of Eden (1955).

This award-winning theatrical producer, screenwriter, and novelist co-founded of the influential actors studio in New York in 1947. Kazan won Academy Award thrice, Tony Award five times, and Golden Globes four times and received numerous awards and nominations in other prestigious festivals as the Cannes film festival and the Venice film festival.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elia_Kazan

Reviews

[Abdullah H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me so long to read because I did not want it to end.
So I would go back and re-read passages, then continue, only to go back again.
The man is p u r e genius.
Congratulate me for graduating from this "film school."

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kazan's words on directing all ring genuine and true, and I think they should be read by anyone who is interested in stage and/or film directing. Even for the casual film fan, the insights he provides on Streetcar and On the Waterfront are entertaining to read. The highlight of the book is Kazan's recounting of his relationship with Tennessee Williams. Personally, Kazan's advice on directing reminded me of my own experiences, validating my reflections on what I consider to be my own mistakes and missteps.

In all, this is a very worthwhile volume from an unquestionably skilled director who made some very questionable decisions away from the camera. A word of warning: The afterword by Robert Cornfield is a very bizarre exoneration of Kazan's decision to name names. Cornfield goes so far as to excoriate Arthur Miller for writing the The Crucible, claiming Miller's critique of Kazan in the character of John Proctor needed Kazan's own expertise in order to be made effective.

[Caio Bogoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esperava bem mais. Para um livro sobre a visão do diretor sobre direção de teatro e cinema, tem muito pouco conteúdo sobre a visão do autor sobre o assunto. A maior parte do livro foca nas anotações de Kazan sobre as obras dirigidas, todas extraídas dos cadernos que ele mantinha enquanto estava preparando-se para dirigir algo.

Tendo lido outro livro sobre direção de atores, "Friendly Enemies: The Actor-Director Relationship", o que pode-se extrair de tudo isso é um costume de Kazan de imergir-se no conteúdo da obra e dissecá-la de um ponto ao outro, buscar a coluna vertebral e ver como ela se encaixa com sua própria experiência de vida. Kazan sempre buscava uma conexão entre si e a sua obra. Uma conexão íntima entre diretor e trabalho era necessária para haver algum sucesso. Lição extraída: explore a obra o máximo possível para encontrar seu núcleo, ajuste o resto do trabalho de acordo com ele se necessário e verifique sua relação pessoal com este núcleo.

Por outro lado, há pouquíssimo conteúdo sobre o ato de dirigir em si: coisas que ele fazia, técnicas, objetivos, qualidades buscadas... Apenas no final há capítulos breves sobre características de um diretor ideal e alguns detalhes da atuação do diretor dentro do mercado de cinema. Nada sobre a experiência pessoal de Elia Kazan, seus segredos. Quanto a isso, o livro foi bem decepcionante.

[Deborah Bodansky]

I was given this book by a good friend who knows my inclination towards play- and filmmaking, but didn't know much about Elia Kazan prior to reading except that he was a person who existed. As it turns out, he was a fascinating one, if also at times difficult and stubborn -- but, as he notes, these are qualities that make a good director. As I myself am going into a process of developing a show (a sketch revue, and on the writer side, but nonetheless), there were a lot of helpful and important insights here about the directing process. I enjoyed reading Kazan's own working-through of the material, his criticism and analysis of his own work (he was often his own harshest critic), and how his life circumstances, his changing views, and the political situation purposely influenced his work, in particular his testimonial before HUAC and the profound impact that would have on the rest of his career. In the end, I feel like I learned a great deal about the directing process, and about a driven, endlessly curious and vivacious individual who found it all out through experience.

[Ophelia Dimopoulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Δεν πρόκειται για αυτοβιογραφία, αλλά για σημειώσεις και γράμματα του για έργα που είχε σκηνοθετήσει στο θέατρο και τον κινηματογράφο. Αποκαλύπτει τον εαυτό του, χωρίς φόβο και πάθος. Ικανότατος δάσκαλος, σκηνοθέτης ηθοποιών πάνω από όλα (συνταρακτικές οι αναλυσεις, ψυχογράφημα των ηρώων στις σημειώσεις του για το “Λεωφορείο ο Πόθος”). Πανέξυπνος, χαρισματικός, διαβασμένος, αλλά και φίλερις και αριβίστας πάνω από όλα, Απόδειξη: το “κάρφωμα” συναδέλφων του στην Επιτροπή Αντιαμερικανικών Υποθέσεων του περιβόητου Μακάρθι, που δίχασε και διχάζει μέχρι τις μέρες μας, που δεν το αποκρύπτει αλλά το “ξεπερνά” με μαεστρία. Συναρπαστικό ανάγνωσμα για τον Καζάν...από τον ίδιο τον Καζάν! Απαραίτητο σε σπουδαστές και επαγγελματίες υποκριτικής, σκηνοθεσίας, αλλά και σε φιλότεχνους ή λάτρεις της τέχνης του Καζάν.

[Shervin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Organized as best they could, so it's a little bit of a patchwork job, but there's a lot of gold here to mine. You get an excellent insight into his artistic thought process, about how and why he works the way he does, which I believe is the single most pedagogically valuable thing you can get from a book like this. All rules are irrelevant if you don't understand the thinking behind them.

And now for my favourite insight in this whole book:

"The size of a film or play depends on the size of its theme. One can have all kinds of conflicts, but if the central thematic issue is a small one, or petty, the clashes will be of no significance." - Elia Kazan

Seemingly obvious, but often overlooked.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5 stars.

First, it's probably somewhat wrong to judge this so harshly as it was written for a different time. I don't mean it is filled with statements and sentiments that are no longer acceptable just that it references actors, plays and movies with a familiarity I don't have so that somewhat takes you out of it. Also, the preface/intros were way too long. I don't understand the point of those when they're written in a way to convince a reader to read the thing they're currently reading! If it's more context, or insight that's always great, but just rambling on is a complete mess.

[Timothy Roessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredible gift to anyone who wants to direct films or who cares about cinema. You get to see the nitty gritty details of Kazan's thinking in diaries, letters and journals, as well as more finished essays of how a director can work and live. This is by, of course, one of the towering directors of film and theatre in the 20th century. Genius. And worth reading and re-reading over a career.

[Joe Millye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elia Kazan's insights on directing are brilliant. He not only established himself as one of the leading film directors in the world, but he also was a noted director on the Broadway stage. If you're interested in directing for stage or screen (or are an entertainment industry aficionado), you will learn a great deal from this book by one of the industry's true masters.

[Khalid Alsulaimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب عن حياة إيليا كازان الإخراجيه أحد دعائم السينما الامريكيه، كازان له اسهامات في المسرح و التلفزيون الأمريكي و العالمي و كان أحد أسباب انفجار مارلون براندو و جيمس دين الإبداعيه الا ان آرائه السياسيه كان لها أبعاد سلبيه على المستوى الفني

[Nico Jacques · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elia Kazan takes us through his entire career -- play by play, film by film -- and offers priceless insight into his directing process and the hard lessons he's learned along the way. His passage at the end about what makes a great director lit my brain on fire.

[Quinn da Matta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kazan's career has always inspired me. Now, his life, has given me renewed motivation.

[Rosa Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a better way to learn from Kazan than watching his films and reading this book.

[John Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound Miami SunPost January 21, 2010

http://miamisunpost.com/themorgue/201... (p17)

Genius on Genius

Inside the Mind of Elia Kazan

John Hood

Many an old school movie insider might argue against even mentioning Elia Kazan, let alone proclaiming his genius. Yes, the man did direct such staples of American Cinema as On the Waterfront, East of Eden and A Streetcar Named Desire (not to mention the plays Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Death of a Salesman and the theatrical version of Streetcar as well). And yes, he one of the founders of the star-producing Actors Studio, training ground of such greats as Marlon Brando and James Dean, both of whom would find acclaim under Kazan’s direction. But to those many, Kazan was a rat, plain and simply. And no work of art can mitigate that fact.

Indeed it was Kazan’s naming of names for the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952 that cemented his place among a shortlist of turncoats who were willing to sacrifice their friends to save their own careers. Among the names named by Kazan was Zero Mostel, who wouldn’t be permitted to work in Hollywood again for almost a decade. Another was French director Jules Dassin, who, like many of that era, never did forgive his former friend.

But as Kazan on Directing (Vintage $17.95) makes perfectly clear: Kazan had an eye for story – and for genius. And whether he was making household names of the likes of Tennessee Williams or Arthur Miller while on Broadway, or Brando and Dean while in Hollywood, he produced genius too. And if one can overlook the HUAC incident, there is much to be appreciated.

Much of what is to be appreciated actually alludes to Kazan’s giving in to the rat squad, especially On the Waterfront. As everyone recalls, the film tells the story of one Terry Malloy (Brando), a punch-drunk longshoreman who ends up ratting out the mob. That Malloy was pushed way past shove before he finally broke the code would seem to echo what happened to Kazan. Same goes for the heavy price Malloy has to pay once he’s crossed that proverbial line.

In a letter to Brando included in this book, Kazan likens the character to the real-life Tony Mike DeVincenzo, a mafia soldier who testified before the Waterfront Crime Commission. But that’s the last and perhaps the least important element the director provides the inquiring actor, who’d asked Kazan to point out the differences between Streetcar’s Stanley Kowalski (by this time the two had completed both the play and the film) and Waterfront’s Terry Malloy. And as anyone who’s seen this classic motion picture will attest, it’s one of Brando’s absolute best turns.

Kazan though clams the credit should all go to Brando, who he called “a genius.” Critic John Lahr (who wrote the book’s Forward) and Martin Scorcese (who wrote the Preface) claims it was Kazan who was the primary factor behind the films’ magnificence. And that it’s Kazan who should be credited. In reading what’s culled here, it’s apparent that Kazan was being humble.

Prior to 1952, Kazan had directed such well-regarded pictures as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Boomerang!, Gentleman’s Agreement and Panic in the Streets (all of which are also given background here). His post HUAC career though – which would run from A Face in the Crowd to Splendor in the Grass, in addition to both Waterfront and Eden – would overshadow even those celluloid milestones.

These days, of course, with many a made man betraying his oath, cheese seems to be increasingly what’s for dinner. And no matter how many mobsters say they wanna kill Sammy the Bull for what he did to the Gambinos, the fact is ratting has become part of our culture. Was Kazan the first to flip the script? Of course not. But he was among the most visible. Still, there’s a reason why the work he did resonates with the world to this day, and that’s because it was genius directing genius. This behind-the-lens look at the thinkings of a cat who claimed three Oscars, five Tonys and four Golden Globes over the course of his life, pretty much sums it up nicely.

I suppose the moral of our story is this: no matter how much one may hate the man, it’s damn hard not to love his work.

[Abieffendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siapa suka film-film karya sutradara Martin Scorsese? Elia Kazan, adalah sutradara tersohor beberapa generasi sebelum Scorsese, seperti yang ia ungkapkan dalam foreword buku ini, melalui karyanya adalah inspirator utama Scorsese untuk menjadi seorang sutradara.

Mungkin mayoritas penonton generasi sekarang tidak mengenal siapa itu Elia Kazan. Karya-karya legendarisnya-- Streetcar Named Desire, Splendor in the Grass, East of Eden, On the waterfront-- kolaborasinya dengan aktor-aktor (yang kemudian besar) seperti Marlon Brando, James Dean, dan Montgomery Clift, memastikan namanya sebagai salah satu sutradara-besar pada masanya.

Buku ini sangat saya rekomendasikan terutama bagi orang-orang yang terpanggil jiwanya untuk menjadi seorang sutradara-film. Namun bisa juga bagi seniman dan budayawan.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wealth of information for the director, thespian, playwright, and anyone-and-everyone involved in theater and film.
Personal observations and insights abound within the pages of this work.
Finding what the director sees as the 'message' of the work and delivering that message via the natural innate character qualities of the actor is the fine-honed skill of a knowing director's eye, and this book will grant the reader with an overview of a man who spent his life doing just that.
I found this work of immense interest.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs and desires.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I do not want to be a film director. I read this book because of my admiration of Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller's plays. If you don't know all of his films, you'll need to do a little Googling to catch up. Overall, this is a look into the mind of one of theatre and cinema's greatest. After reading, you will see how a competitive, ambitious and creative mind works. He makes no apologies, and frankly who needs them. The honesty of his writing is the passion of a true artist. I'm glad I took the time to read the entire book because I'll never look at Streetcar Named Desire and the Death of a Salesman the same way again.

[Z Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially like the chapter about A Streetcar Named Desire (it's a must read for every young stage director). But I have to admit that expected something more about Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (the correspondence between Kazan and Williams was an interesting read, but I needed more insight into the process, into Kazan's thoughts about the play etc.). And too sad that Kazan didn't finish 'The Pleasure of Directing'. Anyway, what a joy it probably was for all these young aspiring actors, directors, playwrights attending the lectures Kazan gave at the Actors' Studio back then.

[Alexandra Richland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kazan is my favorite director. To receive a detailed look into his thought processes and techniques on my favorite plays and movies was invaluable. I highly recommend this book - as well as his autobiography, A Life, which is the best book I've ever read.

[Sean M Puckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, if rather meandering, look at Kazan's work through his own notes and journal entries. One could distill his thoughts about directing down into ten pages, but the rest of the book is still good supporting material.

[Jack Goodstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of Kazan's thoughts on directing for the stage and film arranged by individual projects--culled from notes, Journals, letters,etc.

Full review on Blogcritics.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good.
Eye opening in regards to Hollywood history as well as quality movie making, to say the least..

[CX Dillhunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

phenomenal, especially his "book" about 45 pages on directing, notes throughoout