Former NY Times film critic, and now book reviewer, Janet Maslin, has placed Pictures at a Revolution, Mark Harris account of the production and cultural/industry impact of five Best Picture nominees in the late 1960s, on her year-end top 10 list.
I received this book for Father's Day and quickly devoured it. I remember commenting on it over at Peter's blog, in a post that mentioned Harris, but I'm surprised to find no thread on it here.
When I went over to Good Reads to enter my thoughts on the book, I came across multiple reader reviews that were lukewarm, at least one of which said the book was full of "gossip." Umm, no: Calling the prinicipals involved with the films and getting their stories is not "gossip," it's reporting, and Harris does a fine job of it in Pictures at a Revolution.
I hope Maslin's recommendation will spur some of you to pick up the book. Even if you think you don't care about the films under discussion in the book, give it a try. You might be surprised at how quickly you find yourself absorbed by the book.
Here's Maslin's original review of the book.