Clint Eastwood: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)
Eastwood's success as an actor has long overshadowed his directing ability, but the latest entry in an academic press series that also spotlights arthouse icons Jean-Luc Godard and John Sayles validates his recognition as a genuine cinematic auteur. The 22 interviews, 7 of which appear in English for the first time, range from 1971, when Eastwood proudly touted his directing debut,Play Misty for Me, to 1998 and a conversation conducted while he prepared to shootTrue Crime, the twenty-third film he has directed. Inevitably, there is some repetition in the interviews; particularly good anecdotes resurface over the years. Since the interviews were made for publications including both daily newspapers and cineaste journals, the quality of questions varies. Throughout, however, the hallmarks of an Eastwood shoot are revealed: thorough preparation, emphasis on story, technical acumen, openness to input from crew members, and always coming in on-budget. Notoriously reserved about his personal life, Eastwood is forthcoming about his work, and his verbal unpretentiousness corresponds well to his straightforward filmmaking.Gordon Flagg--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.