Ah, Christmas. The holidays – when you’re (hopefully) off work, the days blurring into one, interspersed with endless meals of turkey and chocolate and turkey again – are the perfect time to dig into a new book. And if it’s a movie-related book, then even better!
If you’re looking for a great gift for a loved one who is both a bookworm and a film fan, then look no further. Empire has compiled a list of the biggest, best, most fascinating, thought-provoking, insight-providing tomes for you to wrap up and pop under the tree. Have a read (pun not intended) below:
Children Of Dune – Folio Society
Complete your Frank Herbert Folio Society collection with their latest release – Children Of Dune, the third and final instalment in Herbert’s iconic sci-fi trilogy. This very special edition sees the novel illustrated by artist Hilary Clarcq, and beautifully bound in printed and blocked metallic cloth. The perfect addition to any Arrakis admirer’s bookshelf.
The Star Wars Encyclopaedia
A must-have for any fan of that far, far away galaxy, this in-depth, up-to-date guide includes over 2,000 entries on everything you need to know about from the plethora of Star Wars movies and TV shows, with facts on characters, creatures, locations, vehicles, technology and more. Plus, there’s a foreword from Ahsoka Tano herself, Rosario Dawson.
Ghibliverse: Studio Ghibli Beyond The Films
The latest book from the Ghibliotheque podcast hosts and Studio Ghibli experts Jake Cunningham and Michael Leader, Ghibliverse explores the world of the iconic, beloved animation studio beyond their classic cinematic outings, looking at their inspirations, stage shows, manga, forgotten small-screen series and more.
Everything Everywhere All At Once Screenplay Book
The twelfth in A24’s special edition series of screenplay books, this one, dedicated to Daniels’ Oscar-winning multiversal sci-fi-slash-romance-slash-action epic, is not to be missed. As well as the script for the film, it comes with extras including an introduction written by *the* Lilly Wachowski, an essay by philosopher Mary-Jane Rubenstein, handwritten scene annotations and more.
Box Office Poison: Hollywood’s Story In A Century Of Flops
Written by The Telegraph’s Tim Robey, Box Office Poison examines Hollywood history through an alternate lens. Instead of the biggest or best movies of all time, it focuses on the films that failed to set multiplexes alight – we’re talking David Lynch’s Dune, Speed 2, Cats, and more. Strap in!
The Last Action Heroes (Paperback)
Penned by Empire’s very own fearless leader and editor, Nick de Semlyen, this newly-updated edition of The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, And Feuds Of Hollywood’s Kings Of Carnage now comes in paperback form, and with extra bonus material. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the golden age of the action movie, charting stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey to big-screen herodom.
The De Palma Decade
From Carrie to Obsession, The Fury to Blow Out – throughout the 1970s and early 80s, director Brian De Palma shook up cinema with his succession of instantly iconic horrors and thrillers, packed with pioneering filmmaking techniques. In this book, author Laurent Bouzereau analyses the movies that made up De Palma’s peak period, including new interviews with the man himself, and his collaborators.
I Love Romcoms & I Am A Feminist
Romcoms might be some of the most beloved movies of all time, but it’s not always a genre that’s taken seriously. Author Corrina Antrobus aims to correct this, with a book celebrating 100 of the best romantic comedies, evaluating their feminist credentials and how they’ve represented and shifted narratives about romance, women’s bodies, politics and more. There’s discussions on When Harry Met Sally, 10 Things I Hate About You, Mamma Mia!, Clueless, to name a few. Spread the love!
Star Wars: The Living Force
Explore a new corner of the Star Wars timeline with this novel from John Jackson Miller. Set in the year before The Phantom Menace, it sees Yoda, Mace Windu and the Jedi Council figure out what to do about how the galaxy is shifting and changing from their secluded post on Coruscant, with pirate factions invading in their absence.
Cuisine On Screen
Ever seen a depiction of Japanese food on screen, even an animated one, and thought it looked good enough to eat? Then this new recipe collection from Sachiyo Harada is for you. Harada compiles 60 recipes from 30 cult movies – from Midnight Diner to My Neighbour Totoro – and tells you how to bring them to life, organised into dishes including dumplings, noodles, soups, rice, desserts and more. Anyone else’s mouth watering?
Sonny Boy
One of the greatest, most iconic actors of all time, Al Pacino opens up about his life, career, collaborations, struggles and personal relationships in this revealing memoir, providing incredible insight into his humble beginnings and groundbreaking success. Just when you thought you were out (out being, erm, done with your Christmas shopping), Pacino pulls you back in.
Marvel Studios Character Encyclopaedia
With the output of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now at 34 movies, 11 TV shows and counting, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remember who’s who, their history with other characters, what they’ve appeared in, and what their role could be in the MCU going forward. Enter the solution: this new encyclopaedia, featuring facts on more than 200 characters, including heroes, villains, aliens, spies, scientists and more. You’ll never have to watch a Marvel movie and think, ‘Wait, who is that guy?’ again.
The Last Dream
If you’ve got a Pedro Almodóvar fan in your life, this is *the* perfect gift for them. The Last Dream is a collection of 12 unpublished stories from the legendary filmmaker’s archives, written over the past 50 years. They include personal tales about the death of his mother, or the inspirations behind his work, as well as fictional yarns about vampires, Jesus and more. Plus the stunning, impeccably Almodóvar cover design will look great on display.
Dune: Exposures
Soak up the gorgeous, evocative visuals of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Dune Part Two with this luxurious book combining cinematographer Greig Fraser’s candid on-set photography with star Josh Brolin’s poetry and prose. Ideal for those who want to sink further into the sands of some of the most astonishing cinematic world-building of recent years.
Sergio Leone: By Himself
His work is some of the most influential in cinema history, he was one of *the* pioneers of the spaghetti Western genre – and he was extremely selective in whom he gave interviews to. In this new book, Christopher Frayling gathers those interviews, alongside essays and articles written by Leone, to create a comprehensive dissection of the Italian director’s iconic filmography from the mind of the man himself.
Icons of Cinema: Baz Luhrmann
With films like Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby and more, Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has proved himself as a director with flair, embracing opulence, drama, excess and emotion throughout his career, embracing every element of sound and vision to develop his signature style. Author Emily Maskell explores this in Icons Of Cinema, looking back through Luhrmann’s work to dig into the themes and techniques that make him tick.
Screen Deep: How Film And TV Can Solve Racism And Save The World
Film writer and Empire contributor Ellen E. Jones investigates the potential of on-screen storytelling to open our eyes to, and influence the ways in which we fight against, racism in all aspects of our lives – through examination of the filmmaking process, the impact of movies on popular culture in general, and more.
The Worlds of Wes Anderson
Few directors have such an identifiable visual style as to make them a cultural touchstone; part of modern-day vernacular for describing somewhere with a certain vibe. Wes Anderson is one of them, a filmmaker whose playful and eccentric approach to his world-building make him unique and beloved. Little White Lies’ Adam Woodward digs into Anderson’s process, looking into the influences and inspirations behind films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch.
MCU: The Reign Of Marvel Studios (Paperback)
Whether you’re a die-hard Marvel fan or less keen on stories of the superhero variety, this account of the most dominant studio in the world right now and their journey to getting there is a must-read for understanding today’s cinematic landscape. Written by renowned culture writers and MCU experts Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales and Gavin Edwards, this newly launched paperback version uses countless interviews with Marvel stars, producers, directors and more to produce the ultimate documentation of the comic book behemoth’s story.
The Art of Arcane – Elizabeth Vincentelli
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As Arcane Season 2 hits Netflix, this mega collection of illustrations and concept art from the League Of Legends series is sure to delight any animation fan, chronicling the visual journey of the popular show. Including the evolution of characters’ design, early art visualisations, building the world of Arcane, and more.