ReFocus: The Films of Elaine May
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas editor Dean Brandum editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Edinburgh University Press
Published:5th Jul '19
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Spanning from obscurity to notoriety, the films of director, screenwriter, actor and comic Elaine May have recently experienced a long-overdue renaissance. Although she made only four films — A New Leaf (1971), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Mikey and Nicky (1976) and Ishtar (1987) — and never reached the level of acclaim of her frequent collaborator Mike Nichols, May’s work is as enigmatic, sophisticated and unceasingly fascinating as her own complicated, reluctant star persona. This collection focuses both on the films she has directed, and also emphasises her work with other high profile collaborators such as John Cassavetes, Warren Beatty and Otto Preminger.
In this compact but authoritative volume, Heller-Nicholas and Brandum have collected an excellent group of essays covering the entire breadth of May’s career. -- G. A. Foster * Choice *
It’s welcome to see a compendium looking to resituate May from the fringes of contemporary American cinema. Between the collection of smart, meaty pieces and their dazzling array of footnotes, we now have something to begin ‘passing the ball’ to future authors who can continue the May renaissance. -- Ian Mantgani * Sight & Sound *
Academicising elusive Elaine May and her unruly improvs risks landing one in an imaginary Nichols-May routine, but this lively collection fearlessly takes the plunge. Watching the resourceful, mainly Australian contributors confirm or contradict one another as much as any of May’s mutually entangled duos is only part of the fun. -- Jonathan Rosenbaum, author of Cinematic Encounters
ISBN: 9781474440189
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 532g
264 pages