It’s been a busy book year from film lovers, with a great selection of titles highlighting the works of beloved directors and franchises. Take a look at the list we’ve compiled, and you’re sure to find something to put under the tree for the moviegoer in your life.
The Stanley Kubkrick Archives (Taschen)
The James Bond Archives (Taschen)
Nobody does books like Taschen. Their hardcover titles are gorgeous and glossy, and dive deep into the histories and stories of whatever subject they’re detailing.
This year saw the reissue of The Stanley Kubrick Archives, originally published in 2005, first as a larger coffee table title, and later in the publisher’s more budget friendly, smaller format, which I’ve owned for years. While the latter remains available, the coffee table style is 100% the way to go, as it maximizes space while making the images shine and copy significantly easier to read. The first half of The Stanley Kubrick Archives collects stills from Kubrick’s films, telling their story visually, while the second goes behind the scenes, including recollections from collaborators and archival comments from the director himself.
You can order The Stanley Kubrick Archives here.
Published this year by Taschen and called by GQ “The only Bond book you’ll ever need,” The James Bond Archives: No Time To Die Edition is a massive (8 pounds!) and lavishly illustrated history to the franchise’s history, beginning with 1962’s Dr. No and concluding with the most recent Bond film, No Time To Die from 2021. With “more than 1,000 images and an oral history featuring 150 cast and crew members, this updated edition will delight fans of the most successful film franchise in cinema history.”
You can order The James Bond Archives: No Time To Die Edition here.
Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller – Jada Yuan (Insight Editions)
Unless you’ve already purchased your 4K copy of Oppenheimer, you may be out of luck putting Christopher Nolan’s epic and unlikely summer blockbuster under the tree this year. However, for anyone who found the film compelling and visually stunning, this behind the scenes book written by Jada Yuan, who grew up in Los Alamos, the sight of the Manhattan Project, is a must have. As per the log line, “Unleashing Oppenheimer traces the creation of Nolan’s latest film from script to screen through exclusive interviews with the director and his cast and crew, plus electrifying visuals from the film including on-set photos, concept art, research materials, and storyboards.”
You can order Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller here.
Dune Part One: The Photography – Chiabella James (Insight Editions)
Perhaps the biggest bummer of 2023 for a fair number of moviegoers was the delay of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part Two. Originally schedueled for November 3, 2023, the sequel to 2021’s Dune Part One wound up postponed until March 1, 2024 because of the actor’s strike in Hollywood. However, fans aren’t without their taste of Arrakis and the Atreides, thanks to the release of Insight Editions’ Dune Part One: The Photography. This hardcover collection of stills from the first film is an absolutely stunning page-turner. Photographer Chiabella James does a wonderful job capturing moments from the film and behind the scenes, both intimate and awe-inspiring, giving us yet another way to appreciate the world that Villeneuve and company brought to the big screen. It’s enough to tide Dune fans over until March.
You can order Dune Part One: The Photography here.
A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune – An Oral History – Max Evry (1984 Publishing)
While not nearly as renowned as Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film, David Lynch’s initially reviled 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel has grown significantly in stature over forty years. Much of that comes from the ambition and still unique visual style of the incomparable Lynch that remains interesting, even when the film feels incomprehensble. Max Evry’s gorgeous oral history of the first adaptation of Dune to make it to the screen is worth reading, not just for sci-fi fans or Lynch aficionados, but also for anyone interested in the art of filmmaking and the trials and tribulations that come with it. Kudos to the author for even getting Lynch himself, who hates talking about Dune, to share a few thoughts on the film.
You can order A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune – An Oral History here.
David Lynch: A Retrospective – Ian Nathan (Palazzo)
Speaking of David Lynch, he’s the subject of a new hardcover from author Ian Nathan, who has previously written books on Quentin Tarantino, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson and Ridley Scott. David Lynch: A Retrosprective traces the author’s enigmatic career with the help of stills and behind the scenes imagery. What it lacks in real new insights, David Lynch: A Retrospective makes up for with its lovely layout and accessible writing from author Nathan. Rabid Lynch fans probably already know most of what’s in this book, but for newcomers to his oeuvre, David Lynch: A Retrospective is a solid place to start.
You can order David Lynch: A Retrospective here.
Spielberg: The First Ten Years – Laurent Bouzereau (Insight Editions)
It’s hard to imagine that Steven Spielberg managed to change the face of cinema in just 10 years, but that’s exactly what he did, thanks to just four films (he made a few more in that span of time, mind you). Documentarian Lauren Bouzereau’s new hardcover on the director uncovers the stories behind some of Spielberg’s greatest achievements, and includes lots of ephemera alongside the expected behind the scenes images and film stills. Envelopes, mini-posters, and more line the pages, along side exclusive interviews and recollections from Spielberg himself. For fans and cinephiles alike, Spielberg: The First Ten Years is essential reading.
You can order Spielberg: The First Ten Years here.
