2024 the best movies of 70s review

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“A lively memoir . . . a first-hand work of cinema history . . . the testament of a pivotal figure in American moviemaking.” ―Martin Scorsese

The list of films Irwin Winkler has produced in his more-than-fifty-year career is extraordinary: Rocky, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, De-Lovely, The Right Stuff, Creed, and The Irishman. His films have been nominated for fifty-two Academy Awards, including five movies for Best Picture, and have won twelve.

In A Life in Movies, his charming and insightful memoir, Winkler tells the stories of his career through his many films as a producer and then as a writer and director, charting the changes in Hollywood over the past decades.

Winkler started in the famous William Morris mailroom and made his first film―starring Elvis―in the last days of the old studio system. Beginning in the late 1960s, and then for decades to come, he produced a string of provocative and influential films, making him one of the most critically lauded, prolific, and commercially successful producers of his era.

This is an engrossing and candid book, a beguiling exploration of what it means to be a producer, including purchasing rights, developing scripts, casting actors, managing directors, editing film, and winning awards. Filled with tales of legendary and beloved films, as well as some not-so-legendary and forgotten ones, A Life in Movies takes readers behind the scenes and into the history of Hollywood.

“Charming and anecdote packed . . . popcorn for movie nerds.” ―Newsweek

“A deftly written recollection of an eventful and happy life in a precarious and, frankly, insane business; a remarkably clear-eyed look behind the scenes of moviemaking.” ―Kevin Kline

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Press (May 7, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1419734520
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419734526
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.18 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Reviewer: Helveticus
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Great Read!
Review: And engaging, informative, and pure fun read the chronicles many of the best movies of the last 50 years. What makes this Hollywood memoir a cut above is Winkler’s keen eye and his humility. Could not put this book down!

Reviewer: Peter F Raleigh
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Pretty Interesting
Review: It was a very nice, insightful read. I am glad Mr. Winkler chose to write this. A few chapters were a bit superfluous, but it is really amazing to see how many films he was involved with. Would have been nice to learn more about his sons that followed in his steps. Overall, a good summary of an exceptional career, and a pleasure to read.

Reviewer: John T. Chance
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fun but could have been better
Review: Based on both this book and his filmography Irwin Winkler is obviously a man of great intelligence. And his book is lively and readable. But it mainly consists of his running through his film experiences picture by picture and generally via someanecdotes and old war stories. As is the case with many memoirs by people still active, he is nice to almost everyone he mentions (a few exceptions) presumably, at least in some cases, because he may be needing them for something in the future. In short, still a fun read but it could have been a lot deeper without sacrificing its liveliness.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very enjoyable but needs some fact checking
Review: Very enjoyable and entertaining but Winkler's memory is betrayed in minor ways by mistaken facts. For instance, including Bill Murray in a list of actors that emerged during the late 60's, early 70's like Pacino, Hoffman, and DeNiro. stating that Robert Duvall won the Oscar for The Great Santini (he didn't), and stating that the film "White Dawn" was shot in Antarctica with Eskimos as extras. ???

Reviewer: fongghoul
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Quick read... insightful into what a producer actually does
Review: Irwin Winkler is a name synonymous with movies for 5 or 6 decades. Fascinating peak into the world of movies. Anyone interested in movie anecdotes and a cursory look into the world of filmmakers should read this book. Very interesting and a fun read.

Reviewer: Reader/NY/LA
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Must Read For Hollywood Junkies
Review: Fascinating and detailed look at one of the great Hollywood survivors. Winkler came up at a time when it was virtually impossible to succeed with any kind of independent spirit. Suffice it say how tough a world the entertainment business was and continues to be, albeit with huge changes. A lot of people in Winkler's position could have coasted forever on the success of the Rocky franchise, but no; his body of work shows incredible taste. The passion for what he did and does, something lacking in many of his contemporaries, stands out in this lively account of what his world was like, which is really a reflection of who we are as well. Winkler took a lot of chances, not always striking gold, but he was never deterred. Granted, a grain of salt should be kept nearby, as some Hollywood stories are just as they sound, Hollywood stories. But, hey, we're talking about the movie business. And if anyone's recollection is on the mark, my money is on Winkler's.

Reviewer: Lucas
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very Enjoyable Book!
Review: Fabulous read. I’m a film producer with a few credits under my belt. The book has been inspiring, insightful, and very enjoyable!

Reviewer: JessT
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Not what you expect.
Review: Not what I expected. Generic.

Reviewer: Jean-Marie Benard
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: An ok book. It does review Irwin Winkler’s career, film by film, but unfortunately it doesn’t often go into the details of his job as a producer. How films get financed, how to put together a package, etc. For some strange reason, he only comes alive when he talks about the films he has directed. Half-interesting, half-disappointing.

Reviewer: raymond
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A lot of ‘how great I am’ but fascinating as to how movies are put together and the egos that are involved in movie making.

Reviewer: pmov
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: After reading this book, the overriding impression I get is that Irwin Winkler is a much better film producer than he is an author. This is a by-the-numbers, chronological run-through of behind-the-scenes stories of the making of a wide-range of well-known (and less well-known) movies. Winkler's inside scoop on so many key productions can't help but make this moderately interesting but the delivery is flat, there's no sense of personality or warmth and I found the endless name-dropping and pointless sidebars ultimately a little tiresome and self-aggrandising.

Reviewer: mr carlos mangani
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Very entertaining.

Reviewer: Nolly
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Excellent read I recommend it.