Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Today is the Day!



"Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain."
-- The Wizard of Oz, 1939

I am proud to announce that my book debuts today! Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction (!t Books/Harper Collins, 2010) covers the evolving story of art direction from the silents to present day. Hundreds of images and renderings of every film style and genre -- many seen here for the first time -- are featured along with dozens of interviews with some of the cinema's top production designers, art directors and set decorators and written with the cooperation of the venerable Art Directors Guild.

My personal favorite sections are the behind the scenes stories along with Manhattan on Film, Italy on Film and the films from the forties and sixties. And of course Gone With the Wind, period sagas, fantasy films and the Big White Sets of the thirties. And the films of Nancy Meyers, my favorite designing director. It's all here from Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times and Ben Hur to Sunset Boulevard, North By Northwest and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House to Citizen Kane, The Graduate, Chinatown and  The Age of Innocence to Titanic, Pride and Prejudice, Somethings Gotta Give and Avatar. You get the picture.

You can see more of the book at my website or get a sneak peak at the Art Directors Guild site. The book is available at a bookstore near you (if there are still standing!), Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc. or if you would like to personalize a copy, you can email and purchase directly through me.

It's been a long and winding journey down the yellow brick road and I hope you enjoy it!



Photo Credits: Gosford Park/USA Films, MGM/Photofest/!t Books/Harper Collins

7 comments:

  1. Congratulations Cathy! My copy is on order and I can't wait to read it. I'm reminded of what I heard Maurice Sendak say about when his first books came out, "On publication day you could hear a pin drop." I hope you can hear the applause coming from many miles away.

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  2. Thanks Christian and I know you are aware of the drill! All very surreal! Appreciate your support and looking forward to your next tome!

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  3. Congratulations! This is a wonderful thing andI wish you enormous success and countless copies sold!
    Must be a dream come true!
    xx
    Victoria

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  4. Thank you so much Victoria. Its all very surreal and glad its out!

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  5. I worked on a project once for the Film Society of Lincoln Center called Design in Film, it never reached fruition, your book is needed. Congratulations.
    X David, NYC

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  6. I feel your pain on projects like this! Hope you enjoy.

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  7. I'm excited to hear your book is out. Can't wait to read it. Congratulations, Cathy!! :)

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