Blake Edwards: Film Director as Multitalented Auteur

Blake Edwards was a film director who worked in radio, television, film, and theater for seven decades. This book explores his dramas, radio and television work, theatrical productions, one-man art shows, and unproduced screenplays, using contemporary film theory to analyze his works. It is a valuable resource for university courses in American cinema, genres, auteurs, and film criticism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 21 August 2023
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Blake Edwards, the renowned film director, emerges as a multifaceted auteur in Blake Edwards: Film Director as Multitalented Auteur, the first critical analysis dedicated to his dramatic works. Renowned for his successful comedies like the iconic The Pink Panther series with Peter Sellers, Edwards ventured into the realm of serious storytelling across radio, television, film, and theater for an astonishing seven decades. While his hit films like Breakfast at Tiffany's and 10 remain cherished classics, many of Edwards' dramatic creations have been overlooked or marginalized.

In this groundbreaking book, William Luhr and Peter Lehman, drawing on extensive original research, delve into the rich tapestry of Edwards' dramatic works, radio and television projects, theatrical productions, one-man art shows, and unproduced screenplays. Through in-depth chapters, they analyze non-comedic films such as Experiment in Terror, Days of Wine and Roses, and The Tamarind Seed, as well as the theatrical feature film Gunn and the made-for-television film Peter Gunn, the musical adaptation of Victor/Victoria, and lesser-known films written but not directed by Edwards, including Drive a Crooked Road.

Throughout the book, the authors employ contemporary film theory to examine auteur criticism of various works, while offering unique insights into Edwards' creative process. They explore how he employed composition, editing, sound, and visual motifs to shape his films and radio and television series, transcending genre boundaries. Blake Edwards: Film Director as Multitalented Auteur serves as an invaluable supplementary text for university courses in American cinema, genres, auteurs, and film criticism. It is a must-read for critics, scholars, and enthusiasts alike, who are eager to explore the profound impact of this influential film director on the world of cinema.

Weight: 442g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781119602040