You might think that this “Movie Companion” is
for the most dedicated fans of the movie, but there is so much more to
this movie companion than a photo album of movie stills. I’ve never really
paid any
thought to how a movie is made; I just pick a movie, pay for my ticket, head into the cinema,
and enjoy the story that comes to life before my eyes. I've never
imagined the many people behind the cameras who have dedicated their time and poured their soul
into creating the intangible piece of art that is a motion picture.
The Twilight Saga
is the cumulative effort of months of work by
hundreds of people, from the talented Stephenie Meyer, who conceived the
idea, to the costume designers, to the audiences who enjoy the movie.
This movie companion gives us a detailed behind-the-scenes glimpse
into how a $700 million box office blockbuster movie is made. The
director,
David Spade emphasised how he wished to stay faithful to Stephanie
Meyer’s
imagery, whilst bringing more intense visual imagery and darker
undertones in
comparison to the previous two films.
There is so much thought behind each individual, minute-long
scene, and a valuable source of information in this book can be gained through
the behind-the-scenes images. I was surprised to find out how the wolves had
been brought to life, how the green screen was used rarely but effectively to
bring the forest to life, and how the filmmakers had constructed a life-sized
replica of the original Cullen house for the purposes of giving the scenes
authenticity.
My favourite parts of the book were the ones detailing the
costume creation and sets for the Quileute’s, Rosalie’s and Jasper’s
flashbacks. They were my favourite parts of the movie, and added history and
dimension to the film. Then there were the cast interviews. Most of the main cast
had a page-long interview each, and it’s interesting to learn of the people
behind the characters –the dedicated actors who wake up at 3am to do hair and
makeup – and the people who help them become their characters.
Now if only it came with posters I could stick up on my wall… ;)
Mark Cotta Vaz, The Twilight Saga Eclipse: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion,
Thanks to Hachette for my review copy.
Q: If you could be a part of a movie,which would be your dream role? (e.g. director, crew, make-up artist, scriptwriter, actress/actor...)
