DICK TRACY: THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE.

by mike-bonifer

Goes behind the scenes to chronicle the making of the blockbuster new film, "Dick Tracy," detailing the cast and crew, costumes, setting and light design, makeup, special effects, and the history of the comic strip

Genres: Film

112 pages, Board book

First published May 1, 1990

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charting the behind the scenes story of Warren Beatty’s 1991 film, this is goes into a bit of detail about Chester Gould and his famous creation before tracking the planning and making of the movie. Bonifer clearly likes his own style, pontificating at length in various places to no real end and the piece is clearly sanctioned by Disney - everyone who works on it is great and everything goes well. Beatty isn’t mentioned often (I would assume Bonifer never spoke with him) though he’s much adored, a true perfectionist who brings out the best in his collaborators (only Vittorio Storaro is allowed to say it got on his nerves). Storaro, production designer Richard Sylbert and costume designer Milena Canonero get the most attention (and talk glowingly of each other), with John Caglione and Doug Drexler getting the best coverage of the effects teams with their spectacular make-ups (I’d have preferred as much info about the miniatures and matte paintings). It’s worth a read because there are some gems - how they worked out the colour scheme, for one - even if they’re usually buried in a lot of gushing adulation. Of its time and much too sanitised for its own good, if you love the film it’d be worth a read but if you’re after film-making nuts and bolts, I’d look elsewhere.

[Jon Huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

All though the author’s style can be a little grandiose and obsequious, there’s a lot of fun and interesting info here. The fact that the movie (which feels woefully underrated to me) isn’t well documented helps the book feel like more than just a tie-in puff piece. Beatty’s refusal to talk too much about his decision making (not out of malice but in an apparent belief it takes away something from the process?) means we don’t get as much insight from him as we’d like. But if you enjoy the film you’ll probably enjoy this look behind the scenes, if you can overlook the dated design and the fact that so much of it is in black and white, despite the film’s bold use of color. Also, what they were thinking with the cover design/photo choice for the cover is anyone’s guess.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about the making of the Disney Movie, Dick Tracy. I bought it for the pictures of the color scheme that was one of the wow factors on that film. I think they won an oscar with the five color palette that was adheard to as if you were watching a Sunday comic.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting bits of information. I did enjoy how much it was about the simplicity of the films aesthetic.