The Christmas holidays are approaching, and with them the time to slip presents under the tree. Here are 16 beautiful books on cinema that will delight all movie buffs.
Lovers of the 7th Art will be spoiled this year. Publishing houses have recently concocted sublime works for them. All that remains is to get them as gifts, or run out and buy them.
The Art and Soul of Dune – Part Two
Written by executive producer Tanya Lapointe, this exceptional work allows you to discover behind the scenes of the second part of “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve, based on the work of Frank Herbert. From creating the first creature and environment designs, to developing the costumes and visual effects, the exploration is simply sublime.
The art and soul of Dune – Second part, Hachette Héroes, 240 pages, 50 euros
50 years of the Cesar ceremony
In February 2025, the Césars will celebrate their 50th anniversary. This superbly illustrated book pays tribute to the French and international artists who came to participate in or preside over the ceremonies, more broadly to all those who have made French cinema over the last fifty years, but also to the spectators of the films and viewers of the broadcast ceremony. on Canal+.
50 years of the César ceremony, E/P/A, 240 pages, 40 euros
Columbia Pictures : 100 Years of Cinema
With its famous logo inspired by the Statue of Liberty, Columbia Pictures has been shining its light on the world of cinema for a century. A sumptuous work, “Columbia Pictures: 100 Years of Cinema” guides readers through the rich catalog of the legendary studio, which includes monuments such as “Gilda” (Charles Vidor, 1946), “As long as there will be men” , (Fred Zinnemann, 1953), “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (David Lean, 1957), “Lawrence of Arabia” (David Lean, 1962), “Easy Rider” (Dennis Hopper, 1969), “Taxi Driver” (Martin Scorsese, 1976) “Dracula” (Francis Ford Coppola 1992), or more recently “Panic Room” (David Fincher, 2002).
Columbia Pictures 100 : Years of Cinema, Assouline, 304 pages, 105 euros
Claude Lelouch, cinema is better than life
The fruit of more than twenty years of interviews with Jean Ollé-Laprune and Yves Alion, Claude Lelouch retraces in this book, film by film, his sixty-year career, since his first feature film, “Le Propre de l’homme” (The Proper of Man) ( 1960), until “Finally”, his 51st film released last November.
Claude Lelouch, cinema is better than life, Les Presses de la Cité, 65 euros
David Lynch, an outsider in Hollywood
While the director of the series “Twin Peaks” and the cult films “Elephant Man”, “Eraserhead”, “Blue Velvet”, “Lost Highway” and even “Mulholland Drive” sadly announced that his state of health would not allow him to more than going to a film set – while ensuring that he would not abandon directing – this book gives the opportunity to immerse yourself in his singular universe, deliberately disturbing and absolutely fascinating for all movie buffs. Explorer of the darkest areas of the human subconscious, of its desires and its fears, he has never been unanimously acclaimed in Hollywood but has never sought to seduce, remaining master of a demanding work which has forever marked the 7th Art.
David Lynch, un marginal à Hollywood, Huginn & Muninn, 240 pages, 39.95 euros
Deauville, 50 years of American Cinema
Notably, notable works were revealed such as “Little Odessa” by James Gray, “Pi” by Darren Aronofsky, “Being John Malkovich” by Spike Jonze, “Memento” by Christopher Nolan, “Little Miss Sunshine” by Valérie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, or even “Whiplash” by Damien Chazelle… Published on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Deauville festival – an event which each year highlights the diversity of American cinema, from major Hollywood productions to independent films – this book allows you to rediscover five decades of US films, and a host of anecdotes about the stars who came to set foot on the famous Stages.
Deauville, 50 years of American Cinema, Michel Lafon, 176 pages, 34.95 euros
Cult places of cinema and series
A guide specially concocted for fans of films (and series), this book delves into the mythical places of the greatest fictions. Precise maps, filming anecdotes… From skyscrapers, theaters of superhero fights, to deserts that look like the planet Mars, the journey is fascinating.
Cult places of cinema and series, Larousse, 224 pages, 28 euros
Fantasy Realms – From Middle Earth to Westeros
Fan of heroic fantasy? In this book, three experts decipher what has become a major part of pop culture by exploring the worlds of the greatest masterpieces of the genre, from “Lord of the Rings”, to “Game of Thrones”, including ” The Witcher” of which they reveal origins and secrets.
Fantastic Realms – From Middle Earth to Westeros, Larousse, 240 pages, 29.95 euros
The Shining
Designed by Oscar-winning director Lee Unkrich, an eternal fan of “The Shining”, this box set is, through its unprecedented completeness, the absolute reference on the masterpiece that revolutionized horror cinema. Splendid, the two volumes of this collection notably offer, after a foreword by Steven Spielberg, hundreds of previously unpublished photos taken during the production of the film, as well as photos from the Stanley Kubrick Archives and the private collections of members of the ‘team.
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Taschen, two volumes in box, 100 euros (available from December 12)
Studio Ghibli, the official guide to all the films
An essential guide to all the films born in the legendary Studio Ghibli, this updated edition will delight lovers of the creations of the temple of Japanese animation, to whom we owe in particular the masterpieces of director Hayao Miyazaki, including the cult “My Neighbor Totoro”, which appears on the cover.
Studio Ghibli, the official guide to all the films (Gründ), 208 pages, 24.95 euros
Tarantino Town
She amazed us with “The Imaginary Museum of Wes Anderson”, the Rockyrama team this time takes us to visit Quentin Tarantino’s imaginary city, for an incursion teeming with details into its secret geography. A maze of delicious alleys to wander from his modest video store in Los Angeles to the heights of Hollywood. Very original in its approach, “Tarantino Town” maps the filmmaker’s universe to better immerse yourself in everything that influenced his work.
Tarantino Town (Gründ), 208 pages, 39,95 euros
Tech Noir, The Art of James Cameron
This exceptional catalog lists the originals which were unveiled to the public during the major exhibition “The Art of James Cameron”, which was held at La Cinémathèque this year. James Cameron presented his sketches and paintings, from drawings made in his childhood to his more recent concept arts, including his poster paintings. A collection which allowed a fascinating dive into the heart of the abundant imagination of the master, to whom we owe “Terminator”, “Aliens”, “Abyss”, “Titanic”, and “Avatar”, and to discover that From a very young age, he has been inhabited by all the themes that run through his films.
Tech Noir, L’Art de James Cameron (Huginn & Muninn), 232 pages, 38 euros
Tim Burton, Itinerary of a Peculiar Child
From his first steps at Disney to his most recent feature films and his “Wednesday” series, this richly illustrated ultimate book retraces the extraordinary journey of Tim Burton, this “peculiar child” who revolutionized the aesthetics of the 7th art , with masterpieces that made him one of the greatest directors of all time.
Tim Burton, itinerary of Un Enfant Particulier (Huginn & Muninn), 192 pages, 39.95 euros
Timelines Marvel
From the Big Bang to the Eclipse and beyond, the entire Marvel universe (and Multiverse) is brought together in this veritable Bible for die-hard superhero fans, who will find the complete chronology of the events of the films and series .
Timelines Marvel (Hachette Heroes), 320 pages, 42 euros
A film can hide three others
For all movie buffs curious to broaden their knowledge, Louis Rossignol, the creator of the Intercut YouTube channel, offers in this book to weave links between well-known films and other more confidential ones. So fans of Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” will learn what the film owes to the space operas “Silent Running” and “Ikarie Xb-1”. Enough to expand your cinema culture off the beaten track.
A film can hide three others (Out of Collection), 224 pages, 24.95 euros
Wes Anderson La Totale
All of Wes Anderson’s films, shorts and feature films, from their genesis to their critical and public reception, are meticulously deciphered in this work. All lovers of the Texan filmmaker with such a unique touch, dreamers and nostalgic fans of vintage like him, many of them without a doubt, must own it. Posters, filming photos, preparatory material… Everything is a feast for the eyes. Testimonies from close collaborators allow us to better understand the personality of the perfectionist creator, with a colorful universe that is both funny and poetic without any other, to whom we owe in particular “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “On Board the Darjeeling Limited”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “La Vie Aquatique”, or even, an absolute gem of animation based on a classic by Roald Dahl, an author who haunts a large part of his filmography, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”.
Wes Anderson La Totale (E/P/A), 288 pages, 39.95 euros
