The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film

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The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film

4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 · rating details · 559 ratings · 57 reviews

The Conversations is a treasure, essential for any lover or student of film, and a rare, intimate glimpse into the worlds of two accomplished artists who share a great passion for film and storytelling, and whose knowledge and love of the crafts of writing and film shine through.

It was on the set of the movie adaptation of his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patie...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published October 5th 2004 by Knopf (first published January 1st 2002)

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Oct 09, 2012 Andrew Griffith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed it, and makes me want to re-see most of the movies mentioned as well as some that I haven’t seen (e.g., Orson Welles, A Touch of Evil, that Murch re-edited according to Welles’ wishes). Some favourite quotes:

"I can think of no higher tribute to a film than … that you sense simultaneously that it’s crystalline and organic at the same time. Too crystalline and its lifeless, too organic and it’s spineless.

….

There’s that wonderful line of Rilke’s, “The point of life is to fail at grea...more Really enjoyed it, and makes me want to re-see most of the movies mentioned as well as some that I haven’t seen (e.g., Orson Welles, A Touch of Evil, that Murch re-edited according to Welles’ wishes). Some favourite quotes:

"I can think of no higher tribute to a film than … that you sense simultaneously that it’s crystalline and organic at the same time. Too crystalline and its lifeless, too organic and it’s spineless.

….

There’s that wonderful line of Rilke’s, “The point of life is to fail at greater and greater things.” Recognizing that all our achievements are doomed, in one sense – the earth will be consumed by the sun in a billion years or so – but in another sense the purpose of our journey is to go farther each time. …. I think we’re always failing, in Rilke’s sense – we know there’s more potential that we haven’t realized. But because we’re trying, we develop more and more talent, or muscles, or strategies to improve, each time.

…

When something is successful, everything that went into it, both the good and the bad, tends to get bundled up as the recipe for how to make a success. It becomes very difficult to separate out what was true and what was untrue, what was good and what was bad, what was superficial and what was profound.

….

The distortions of failure, of course, are the opposite: instead of having everything unjustly accepted, everything is rejected. Or that’s the risk, at any rate. Truly great lessons can be learned from work that fails, but failure is stamped on the product and there’s a tendency to think everything you did was wrong, and you vow not to go there again. You have to resist this impulse, just as you have to resist the syrupy entanglements of success. These are, almost, religious issues. What the world thinks is a success, what it rewards, has sometimes very little to do with the essential content of the work and how it relates to the author and his own development."

Helpful in my trying to develop some non-linear and more creative ways to tell stories and engage, as well as good reflections in themselves.

Not to mention a renewed appreciation for the importance of sound in movies, (less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Thaisa Frank rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two disclaimers: First, I'm recommending this book as a writer and not as a film editor or screenwriter. Second: I thoroughly resonated to this book because it mirrors the way I write and revise.

Having made these disclaimers, this is a book that I am recommeding to all my students. If you aren't a writer who works in a linear manner (and even if you are) this book, in which a film editor explains the way he works, is like listening in on the silent conversations writers often have with themselv...more Two disclaimers: First, I'm recommending this book as a writer and not as a film editor or screenwriter. Second: I thoroughly resonated to this book because it mirrors the way I write and revise.

Having made these disclaimers, this is a book that I am recommeding to all my students. If you aren't a writer who works in a linear manner (and even if you are) this book, in which a film editor explains the way he works, is like listening in on the silent conversations writers often have with themselves when they work. The only thing that's different is that Murch is excited and exuberant. Many writers think they should have organized things from the beginning and berate themselves for having to wade through chaos.

Writers are a little like weavers, working on the wrong side of the cloth. They have to look on the other side to see what the reader will see. Walter Murch, a film editor, has the advantage of looking at the "other" side of the cloth for the first time. But at the stage he sees the film, the "other" side is chaotic without obvious highlights--full of jewels in the midst of a lot of detritus. As you read this, you realize that it's Murch who has created the final version because he assembles the jewels into a coherent necklace. He even makes things into jewels that aren't obvious and discards some that are. (Just as you discard the sentences you're in love with.)

He is generous when talking about his techniques and so is Ondaatje. Hence it really is an audible rendition of writers' silent conversations.

Without question this is a book that will be fascinating to many people--whether they are in the arts or not. It's really a visible discussion of a creative process that is usually hidden and silent, whether you compose, sculpt, paint, write, invent, or find a spin on Goeddel's theorem.

Without being a polemic, it debunks the notion that a creative work has to start as a coherent whole. (At times, of course, the whol does come all at one. But so much of the time the creative process is a switchback trail.)

Murch talks about many films, ranging from The English Patient to Rear Window to Apocalypse Now. It's fascinating to see the journey from the first shoot to the final film. Ondaatje often compares his own process to Murch's, weaving in a writer's perspective. Nonetheless, this should appeal to everyone interested in films, conversations, and the alchemy of the creative process.

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Nov 18, 2012 Nick rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is just a fantastic book about film editing from one of the professions masters. Murch is not only a great editor but he edited amazing films including The Conversation and Apocalypse Now (amazing, of course, in no small part, thanks to Murch's contributions.) Hearing the behind-the-scenes stories on these films and others is really fantastic but what makes this book so much more than the typical film history book is that Murch connects filmmaking to so many different disciplines--painting,...more

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Jan 06, 2008 Chris Parkhurst rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all video/film editors.

Fascinating, poetic, philosophical look at the Art of Film Editing.

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Dec 17, 2012 Jeff Szpirglas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: movie-books

This probably ranks up there with Hitchcock/Truffaut in terms of the level of back-and-forth discourse between Ondaatje and Murch. Both men draw on their own experiences as writer and editor and do much to unpack our understanding of how films function as complex works of art that depend on rhythm and pacing for our understanding. Ondaatje's entry point is "The English Patient," which means he dwells on his experiences with the movie, but for my money, it's Murch's pedigree of Lucas and Coppola...more

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May 28, 2011 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Any one interested in film or writing

Shelves: non-fiction

Fascinating discussions focussing on film and sound editing between author/poet Michael Ondaatje and film editor/sound editor/director/writer/translator Walter Murch who worked on Godfather Parts 1-3, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now with Francis Ford Coppola;The English Patient with Anthony Minghella; restoration of Orson Wells' A Touch of Evil based on Wells'notes; Return to Oz which Murch co-wrote and directed, etc. The conversations provide insight into the considerations, craft and subt...more

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Aug 03, 2008 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an amazing book. Granted, you do need to be a little bit of a film geek--and maybe a literature geek--to enjoy it to some extent. But, as someone who has been really intrigued by the art of editing film, this book provides incredible insight into the philosophy and practices of the remarkable Walter Murch.

Murch has edited the Godfather series, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now redux, The English Patient, The Talented Mister Ripley, and many others. This book offers some color on how a p...more This was an amazing book. Granted, you do need to be a little bit of a film geek--and maybe a literature geek--to enjoy it to some extent. But, as someone who has been really intrigued by the art of editing film, this book provides incredible insight into the philosophy and practices of the remarkable Walter Murch.

Murch has edited the Godfather series, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now redux, The English Patient, The Talented Mister Ripley, and many others. This book offers some color on how a particular scene came together in a film to how Murch, who also acted as sound designer on many of these films, recorded the perfect wind in a desert to create a sound effect. And, there is another interesting level to the conversations transcribed in this book because Michael Ondaatje, the author of The English Patient, guides the discussion. There are wonderful moments where Murch and Ondaatje trade their secrets on how they approach their art.

After finishing this book, I do tend to think that Walter Murch is a rare breed of editor these days. He's a Renaissance man with a wide variety of interests that help inform how he cuts a film. He conducts a lot of his own research about a film project to figure out what his take on things will be. For example, he goes into magnificent detail on how he came to help shape a pivotal scene in The English Patient through his reading of the characteristics of Nazi soldiers and through his use of removing sound. I'm already teetering on the edge of giving too much away for those who might not have seen this movie, but my point is that film audiences benefit immensely from Walter Murch's inquisitive mind.

What is interesting is that in the book Murch often comments on the fact that the one area that he hasn't studied much is film history. To be honest, I think that this has contributed to his success in many ways. The way he infuses his other interests results in a unique creativity and also has encouraged him to try methods to arrive at a certain result that others thought would never work.(less)

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May 04, 2012 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is one of the main reasons I became an editor/sound designer. More than just a technical discussion, it goes into the anecdotes and philosophies behind filmmaking and postproduction.

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Jan 28, 2008 Steev Hise rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: filmmakers

Recommended to Steev by: fate

Shelves: filmmaking

I found this book in a free box in front of my house, but i would have paid lots for it if i came across it in a store. It was quite water-damaged, which is sort of a shame because not only is it full of wise and interesting words but it's really well-designed and appointed with numerous photos and frame grabs from the numerous incredible films that Murch has worked on, illustrating the concepts being talked about.

Basically, anyone who makes films, especially editors, should read this book. It'...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Clinton added it

Essential reading on filmmaking. Murch is perhaps a genius, definitely a pleasure to listen to. Along with Thelma Schoonmaker, the only editors you're likely to have heard of!

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Feb 12, 2008 Gerald rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: filmmakers

I don't usually like Q&A-style interviews, but this book is a notable exception because it's more like eavesdropping on a private conversation between two very savvy colleagues. Murch has some original and intriguing things to say about the ways he approaches his art (like theorizing that movie music reinforces an existing emotion--rather than inspiring one). Here's looking forward to his next book--the one in which he posits his notational scheme for cinema. It sounds like a crackpot idea,...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Two geniuses discussing a very cool topic. Essential reading to those who want to take their editing to the next level, or explore Murch's unique style.

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Oct 15, 2012 Jacob Mcconnell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is an essential for any film or video editor who wants a peek into the workflow of one of the most seasoned, knowledgeable, and articulate professionals alive today. Inspiring, and good if you want to get some ideas for sequences that just aren't working for you.

Great read.

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Mar 22, 2007 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-techy

Film/sound editor extraordinaire Walter Murch supplies the stories, acclaimed author Michael Ondaatje asks the questions in this fine book chock-full of behind-the-scenes knowledge and technique. Murch already shared ideas that are now part and parcel of the art of film editing in his book 'In the Blink of an Eye,' but this book gets more personal and delves into the relationships WM shared with other LA luminaries of the late 60s/early 70s like Coppola and Lucas. It's fascinating to learn more...more

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Dec 21, 2012 David marked it as to-read

En castellano "El arte del montaje: Una conversación entre Walter Murch y Michael Ondaatje". No disponible en Amazon.

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Aug 11, 2011 Benedict Reid rated it 5 of 5 stars

The best book about the art of film editing ever written. Worth reading for anyone involved in the TV/film industry.

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Mar 18, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve become enamored with two books from my Film Form class, this is one of them. The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film has been inspiring and thought-provoking every time I pick it up. It’s made the monotonous train rides to NY much more enjoyable. Even though its title suggests that it’s written for editors and filmmakers, I think anyone that’s interested in film (beyond the casual viewer) or artists of any medium would get something out of this book. Murch has a fascinat...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Ben Lainhart rated it 5 of 5 stars

An intelligent, wide-ranging, and engaging series of conversations between film editor Walter Murch and writer Michael Ondaatje. I need to go back and re-read with a highlighter and notebook.

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Jul 08, 2008 Jamil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jamil by: Steve Erickson, somewhere, talking about influences on Zeroville

Shelves: kino-eye

Fascinating. The record of four conversations between the author, Michael Ondaatje and the subject, Walter Murch, film editor, sound mixer, director, renaissance man, on an endless stream of topics related directly and tangentially to the art of editing film. From Orson Welles ("For my style, for my vision of the cinema, editing is not simply one aspect: it's the aspect. The notion of 'directing' a film is the invention of critics like you..") to Rilke ("The point of life is to fail at greater a...more

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Jul 29, 2012 James McCormick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Walter Murch is a god. There are editors--then there is Walter Murch.

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Jan 17, 2013 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Soo Good!!

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Jan 15, 2013 Melissa added it

Shelves: bookclub

june 2005 book club

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Sep 15, 2007 André Vridstoft rated it 5 of 5 stars

Walter Murch is my hero when it comes to editing. He is so talented, and so reflected upon his choices in editing. In this interview - or rather, conversation, his brilliance and talent really shows. His not just an editor - he lives, breathes, and really understands films, how they work, what they can achieve and how they best tell the important point of life.

It's a very fascinating conversation. Both on films and other things as well... definately worth a read.

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Jul 18, 2007 laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: film buffs, writers

Shelves: justread

I am less interested in Murch's relationships other LA filmmakers of the late 60s/early 70s (e.g. Coppola and Lucas), and more interested in a how a story can be edited to different effect. To the extent the book discussed editing, I liked it. He discusses sound in a way that I had never thought about it. The book made me want to see a number of movies over again and see if I could tell anything about their editing.

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Nov 09, 2010 Suju rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fascinating conversation between two creative individuals with wide-ranging interests and tastes. While there are passages that could be construed as "advice" to a filmmaker, it's much more of a free form dialogue with worthwhile insights along the way, as well as some behind-the-scenes tidbits about the making of "The Conversation," "The English Patient," "Apocalypse Now," and "The Godfather" movies.

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Feb 26, 2011 Judi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Walter Murch is an interesting, insightful, well read, well rounded guy who draws from unexpected resources. I think even though this book is on the surface about editing films, he's so interesting and has such unique views on life, human behavior and emotion that I think the book just might hold the interest of even those who are not involved or interested in the film industry.

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Dec 19, 2007 Fred rated it 3 of 5 stars

gave up on this one because i just hadn't seen enough of the movies walter murch edited to get as much out of it as i could. still, i salute any book that turns a spotlight on the interesting and under-written-about profession of film editing. a good companion piece for this book might be the movie modern romance in which albert brooks plays an editor.

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Nov 14, 2008 Benedict rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cinema

Easily one of the best theory books I've read, its interview style makes it very easy to understand their concepts about sound, editing and other extremely interesting topics. The fact that Walter Murch is "the man" when it comes to talking about these topics makes it even easier to accept what is beng hypothesised.

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Mar 10, 2009 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

These conversation with Walter Murch delve into the art of film editing. It is fascinating to get such a master's point of view. Murch grants us behind the scenes access to his art, and it is presented in such an accessible way that you don't have to be in the industry to enjoy it.

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Nov 02, 2008 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: editors and sound designers

If you are interested in editing and sound, this is the book for you.

If you are interested in film (like I am) than you should start to get the flavor by about page 250. I think it'd be hard to get through this if you're not a professional editor or a sound engineer.

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About Michael Ondaatje

He was born to a Burgher family of Dutch-Tamil-Sinhalese-Portuguese origin. He moved to England with his mother in 1954. After relocating to Canada in 1962, Ondaatje became a Canadian citizen. Ondaatje studied for a time at Bishops College School and Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec, but moved to Toronto and received his BA from the University of Toronto and his MA from Queen's Universit...more

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