Best known for beautiful art books, Thames & Hudson this year expands its definition of visual culture with a big title that celebrates the moving image. And while Moments That Made the Movies, the first illustrated book from renowned film writer David Thomson, is out in October, BEA-goers can get a sneak preview at the publisher’s booth (1920) at BEA.
“Reading David is like being at dinner with a really opinionated, smart, fun film fan,” says Thames & Hudson publisher Will Balliett. He decided to collaborate with the New Republic critic—who also regularly contributes to the New York Times, the Guardian, and Film Comment, et al.—in hopes of finding a way to complement Thomson’s highly regarded history of film The Big Screen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Oct. 2012). Moments is a visual tour, winding through 70 films, each of which is portrayed through the lens of a specific instance—a moment—that defines the moviegoer’s experience. But unlike the author’s classic Biographical Dictionary of Film (Knopf), now in its fifth edition, Moments neither aims to be comprehensive nor suggests that the 70 movies in its pages represent the greatest moments in film. “In that way, it’s an elevated bar argument book,” says Balliett. “Everyone has their own idea of what should be featured.” While Thomson reflects on several undisputed classics (Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, The Godfather, among others), equal weight is given to such unexpected works as The Piano Teacher and Burn After Reading. Says Balliett: “His take on films is always surprising.”
It’s an approach that’s inspired a raffle for BEA visitors who stop by the Thames & Hudson booth: the winner will take home 10 DVDs of movies highlighted in Moments. The prize is a perfect companion to the book, says Balliett: “Reading it makes you want to go back and see all the films again.”
