THE AGE OF MOVIES: THE SELECTED WRITINGS OF PAULINE KAEL


Back in the 1970s, I read Pauline Kael’s movie reviews because they were unique. Here was a critic who really loved movies even if her tastes were a little quirky. Now the Library of America has brought out The Age of Movies, 800 pages of Pauline Kael’s reviews and articles, many of which I hadn’t read before. There’s a wonderful article in this book on Cary Grant, “The Man from Dream City.” The infamous (and wrong-headed) review of The Deer Hunter is included, too. If you’re a fan of movies and smart, sophisticated movie reviews, you’ll want a copy of The Age of Movies. Deb wrote she’s working on her holiday gift lists. I can think of a lot of friends and relatives who’d like to see a copy of Pauline Kael’s selected writings under their tree. GRADE: A

32 thoughts on “THE AGE OF MOVIES: THE SELECTED WRITINGS OF PAULINE KAEL

    1. george Post author

      Pauline Kael invented American movie criticism, Patti. Before Pauline, we had mere reviewers. Pauline Kael tried to make sense of cinema. And, I think she did it brilliantly.

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  1. Jeff Meyerson

    I read Frank Rich’s review of the two books and his thoughts on Kael in last Sunday’s NY Times. I also read several of her books (KISS KISS BANG BANG, I LOST IT AT THE MOVIES, GOING STEADY, DEEPER INTO MOVIES, plus the infamous CITIZEN KANE book)30 years ago so I was already interested in this one.

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    1. george Post author

      THE AGE OF MOVIES has reviews from all Kael’s books as well as some uncollected pieces from various magazines, Jeff. For Kael fans, this is a must-buy!

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  2. Deb

    Yes, another one for the Christmas wish list. (And I just put Brian Kellow’s biography on-hold at the library, but there are many others before me.) When I was a wee slip of a girl in the 1970s, I had a subscription to the New Yorker (although I’d never been to New York) and loved her reviews, even if I didn’t always understand them. One thing that surprised me was, after she retired, Kael gave an interview where she claimed she very rarely saw any movie a second time.

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    1. george Post author

      People like Kael and Ebert who saw a dozen movies a week might find it hard to watch movies a second time, Deb. I’ll have more candidates for your holiday gift list in the next couple weeks.

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  3. Stan Burns

    I read the Citizen Kane book years ago. I’m not sure I agree with some of her conclusions, but it certainly was a good read.

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    1. george Post author

      Pauline Kael could be infuriating, Stan. And she could be drop-dead right on. Kael never strived for a consistent vision of cinema. She just reveled in the feelings she experienced in the moment.

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    1. george Post author

      The Library of America’s strategy of publishing books for the book-loving audience and not just academic editions is smart, Rick. Lovecraft, Philip K. Dick, and now Pauline Kael. Great reading!

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    1. george Post author

      Thanks for the link, Jeff. If anyone out there hasn’t read the Ebert essay, you’re missing a terrific remembrance of Pauline Kael.

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  4. Deb

    Library of America’s editions of the works of Dashiell Hammett and Dawn Powell (a writer who I feel deserves to be better known) are excellent.

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    1. george Post author

      And the Library of America collections of Raymond Chandler, Deb! I’m a big fan of both Hammett and Dawn Powell so you won’t be surprised to know I own (and have read) those LOA volumes! Highly recommended!

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  5. Jeff Meyerson

    I think the LoA is doing a very good job. I’ve read most of the Henry James short stories through their collections, and they’ve also collected his travel writing and literary criticism, among many other excellent works (Hammett & Chandler among them). I also read through their three volume collected edition of Eugene O’Neill’s plays.

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    1. george Post author

      I own about 90% of the Library of America volumes, Jeff. In my youth, I’d be a completest and buy all of them. But now, I only buy the volumes I intend to read. For example, I skipped the two volumes of American Sermons, Manny Farber, Gertrude Stein, and John Greenleaf Whittier.

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    1. george Post author

      I love the idea of the Library of America and I try to support their efforts by buying most of their books, Jeff. I love their format and their mostly reasonable prices.

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  6. Cap'n Bob

    I don’t know what she said about THE DEER HUNTER, but if she didn’t like it I’m in agreement. Now I’ll see what Ebert had to say about her. Thanks for the link.

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    1. george Post author

      Pauline Kael’s opinions on THE DEER HUNTER are complex and controversial, Bob. I thought it was a nutty movie when I first saw it.

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  7. Todd Mason

    “Pauline Kael invented American movie criticism, Patti. Before Pauline, we had mere reviewers. Pauline Kael tried to make sense of cinema.”

    George, you know better than this. Even if John Simon hadn’t been active as soon as she was, there was their mutual example of James Agee.

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    1. george Post author

      I love Pauline Kael’s quirkiness even if I don’t agree with many of her movie opinions, Todd. Kael was unique and I treasure her for originality.

      Reply

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