The films of Luc Besson

Master of spectacle

Edited by Susan Hayward, Philip Powrie

Paperback - £17.99

Publication date:

28 February 2007

Length of book:

208 pages

Publisher

Manchester University Press

Dimensions:

234x156mm

ISBN-13: 9780719070280

This fascinating collection looks at the career and films of Luc Besson, one of the most acclaimed figures in international cinema. Contributions have been assembled from all over the world, and their different approaches reflect this geographical diversity. Films covered range from Besson’s first feature, La Dernier Combat, to the international blockbusters The Fifth Element and Joan of Arc. The essays range from looking at costume design to musical scores, and the final chapter offers a transcript of a previously unpublished interview with the man himself.

He is the only French director to have crossed over successfully during the 1990s into the blockbuster spectacular we associate with Hollywood cinema and yet this is only the second book in English on this major international director. The films of Luc Besson will make fascinating reading for anyone interested in the career and films of the ‘master of spectacle’.