Audiobook Review: The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece

by Tom Hanks, narrated in audioform by Tom Hanks and many others (Compact Disc Hanks)

 

Oscar-winning actor, producer, director and author Tom Hanks released his first novel in 2023, and it was a terrific read. I greatly enjoyed listening to the audiobook-on-cd version of his first book, Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories, in 2017, so I had my fingers crossed that his first novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, would similarly come out in audiobook form. I was not disappointed — Tom Hanks is the primary narrator, but is joined by a large number of his entertainment industry friends, to create something that is just shy of a “full cast recording” of this novel.

 

Hanks’ decades of experience in the film industry lend a great deal of authenticity to this oversized tale of movie-making. The stage is set with opening sequences in the 1950s and 1970s, creating some of the background that will come into play in the bulk of the novel. And that bulk is set in the modern era (2020s — COVID-19 is referenced), as a crew and cast is assembled to film a stand-alone entry in a superhero franchise (think the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but under another name), helmed by legendary director Bill Johnson. 60% of this novel then tells of the experiences of a multitude of characters as they participate in the the filming in little Lone Butte, CA, a dusty flyspeck town in northern California. Every moment of this novel is filled with the little details that show how well Hanks knows his topic — central characters aren’t just the big-name actors, but also include associate producers, locals hired to drive or to appear in bit parts, the make-up designers, the stunt coordinators, the families of the cast members, and the security people whose jobs are to prevent overly enthusiastic fans from penetrating the safety bubble around the stars.

 

I loved The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, and plan to purchase the book-on-CD set. But it isn’t without its flaws. At 417 pages, it feels like it could have used a tighter editorial touch to bring it down to 350 pages. There’s really no “villain” in the story, or sense of over-arching “conflict” — characters that you think are going to be a problem for the central characters are dealt with fairly quickly. Moments that could show the the possibility of critical flaws are glossed over. And some of the film-industry jargon will certainly go over the heads of many readers. But, in the end, this is a loving look at a bunch of creative people combining their talents to make a piece of art that can be appreciated by the rest of the world…and their passion in doing the best job they possibly can is contagious.

 

If you love the film industry and would like a tale that really goes into the nuts and bolts of filmmaking, don’t mind a somewhat slower pace, and love listening to Tom Hanks’ voice, I strongly recommend the audiobook version of The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. If you’re not a big fan of audiobooks, then I recommend the print version — which includes three graphic novel segments, which are the inspiration for the plot of the movie being made. (Those graphic novels are available to listeners of the audiobook via a weblink.)

 

I was going to give this an “8” due to its slow pace and lack of dramatic conflict, but ultimately choose to give it a “9” because I grew to love all the characters and was very sorry to see the story end.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the short story collection Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks, which I also recommend as an audiobook read by Hanks himself.)

 

( Wikipedia page for Tom Hanks )

 

See Scott C.’s review of the audiobook version of Tom Hanks’ short story collection Uncommon Type in the June 2018 Staff Recommendations here on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

DVD Review: The Fabelmans

The Fabelmans

(DVD Fabelmans)

 

Quick disclaimer — I’ve been a fan of director Steven Spielberg’s films ever since his TV-movie Duel and summer blockbuster Jaws. I’ve enjoyed his mass appeal SF fare – Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., AI, etc., and have followed his career ever since the mid-1980s. This 2022 Oscar-nominated film, directed by Steven Spielberg himself, is the closest we’ll probably ever get to an autobiographical movie from that legendary director. Though fictionalized, most of the events that take place in The Fabelmans are based on actual events from Spielberg’s own life and early years before he broke into the film industry.

 

Young actor Gabriel LaBelle plays Sammy Fabelman, the analog for Spielberg, son of Burt and Mitzi Fabelman (Paul Dano and Michelle Williams), living in a small midwestern town. When a job opportunity uproots the family and drops them in Arizona, with almost no fellow Jewish families to associate with, Sammy’s obsession with making 8mm films intensifies. His father supports him but considers the films a mere hobby. His mother has more of a sense of how important filmmaking is to her son, but has relationship issues that get in the way of her being a strong source of support. And Sammy’s relationships at his new school are fraught with peril — he’s either bullied by anti-semitic sports stars or obsessed over by a girl who wants to convert him to Christianity.

 

But behind all of that is his love for film, and his increasing skill level at making a compulsively-viewable art form. When it is through his camera lens that Sammy uncovers a family secret, his need for the world of filmmaking to make sense of his own life and provide a medium for healing becomes even greater.

 

The performances in this little gem of a film are stellar. LaBelle as Sammy, Dano as father Burt, and Williams as mother Mitzi are all incredible. Excellent supporting work is turned in by Judd Hirsch as Uncle Boris, Keeley Karsten and Julia Butters as Sammy’s sisters Natalie and Reggie, Sam Reckner as jock Logan Hall, and David Lynch as legendary film director John Ford. The production design was terrific, recreating the feel of the 1950s and 1960s. John Williams created another winning film score. And as director, with The Fabelmans, Spielberg has brought forth another visually compelling story…all the more powerful for knowing that it was mostly true.

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try 5-25-77 for another semi-autobiographical film about growing up with an obsession about making movies; or any of the more instrospective and thought-provoking films directed by Steven Spielberg, including Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Lincoln, or more…)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

DVD Review: 5-25-77

5-25-77
(DVD 5-25-77)

My wife checked out this quirky biographical film, recognizing that she and I are both Star Wars fans, and May 25, 1977 was the opening date of the very first film, Star Wars (later renamed Star Wars IV: A New Hope). I hadn’t heard anything about this film, and no idea what to expect. In the end, I was very pleasantly surprised!

 

This film is a coming-of-age autobiography of filmmaker Pat Johnson, who grew up in a small town in Indiana, making 8mm sequels to many of his favorite movies, with the help of his friends and the support of his beleaguered mother. Absolutely enthralled by 2001: A Space Odyssey, it becomes Pat’s dream to meet and work with filmmaker and special effects artist Douglas Trumball. This movie looks at Pat’s journey, both as an aspiring filmmaker but also in the relationships he has with various people in his life, including his first serious girlfriend.

 

The opportunity to go to Hollywood and briefly meet Trumball, turns into an opportunity for Pat to see a rough cut preview of George Lucas’ upcoming movie Star Wars — an event that changes Pat’s life and inspires the rest of the events of 5-25-77.

 

John Francis Daley blew me away as Pat Johnson. He starred as a regular on Bones for several years, as “Sweets”, and he actually appears younger in 5-25-77 than he did for a half-dozen years on that series. Longtime character actor Austin Pendleton was great as Herb Lightman, as was Colleen Camp as Pat’s mother.

 

The style of film-making here was very stream-of-consciousness, and a lot of plot threads seem to evaporate or never get followed. There are tons of fast cuts and fantasy sequences, which may be off-putting to some viewers. But, in the end, I enjoyed this emotional journey. Anyone who’s ever dreamed to making movies will enjoy this. And Star Wars fans who’ve been there since opening day will definitely find something to appreciate in 5-25-77.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film )

 

See the Star Wars Reviews page here on BookGuide for staff recommendations related to the vast Star Wars publishing and film world!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!