Cinema Speculation
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Cinema Speculation
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Narrated by:
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Edoardo Ballerini
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Quentin Tarantino
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Written by:
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Quentin Tarantino
About this listen
Instant New York Times bestseller
The long-awaited first work of nonfiction from the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: a deliriously entertaining, wickedly intelligent cinema book as unique and creative as anything by Quentin Tarantino.
In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive. For years he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films. Now, with Cinema Speculation, the time has come, and the results are everything his passionate fans—and all movie lovers—could have hoped for. Organized around key American films from the 1970s, all of which he first saw as a young moviegoer at the time, this book is as intellectually rigorous and insightful as it is rollicking and entertaining. At once film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history, it is all written in the singular voice recognizable immediately as QT’s and with the rare perspective about cinema possible only from one of the greatest practitioners of the artform ever.
The audiobook is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, and features Quentin Tarantino reading the first and last chapters. A perfect listen for all fans!
©2022 Quentin Tarantino (P)2022 HarperCollins PublishersYou may also enjoy...
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What listeners say about Cinema Speculation
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A johns
- 2023-01-02
I loved it!
I have always valued Quentin Tarantino's storytelling and attention to detail when producing any form of content. In this book, I love how he talks about his childhood and how the content he watched in cinemas while growing up has shaped his film style. I thought I knew a lot about cinema, but compared to Quentin Tarantino, I don't know a damn thing😅. I look forward to the next Quentin Tarantino novel.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan K Hillyer
- 2022-11-17
5 stars despite…
I’ll give this five stars despite Quentin not reading the whole thing. Don’t know why he won’t commit. He did the same thing with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Jennifer Jason Lee does a fine job, as does Edoardo Ballerini; but we’re paying to hear QT!!
That being said the books great; especially when QT admits he loved Rocky and was a big fan of early Sly!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alan Draven
- 2022-12-19
QT's First Nonfiction Book
Quentin Tarantino is a man who needs no introduction. An accomplished director, screenwriter, sometimes actor, and you can now add novelist and author to that list. In June 2021, he published the novelization of his masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and it met my high expectations, proving to be a well-written, insightful novel expanding on the film and giving us an alternate ending to boot. I couldn’t wait for QT’s next book and to my great delight, I didn’t have to wait long: on November 1st, 2022, he gave us the second of his two-book deal with Harper, this time a much-anticipated work of nonfiction.
Cinema Speculation is a unique tome that delves deep into the movies that helped shape Tarantino’s love of film. It focusses mainly on what he considers the greatest decade of filmmaking, the 1970s, and discusses many of his moviegoing experiences as a kid with his mom, going to see double bills, travelling long distances just to catch a showing of a film, and shares his thoughts on why the films he selected to talk about are so important in the grand scheme of things. He goes to great lengths, explaining in detail why movies like Taxi Driver, Rolling Thunder, Rocky, and Dirty Harry, among many others, are still relevant today. He shares some of the conversations he’s had with John Milius, Brian De Palma, Martin Scorsese, John Flynn, Paul Schrader, and many more legendary Hollywood filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers. Tarantino’s passion for film knows no bounds. If you’re a fan of his and have seen even just a handful of interviews with him, you know how passionate he is about the craft and storytelling—it’s like a religion to him. This book illustrates that times ten! QT is a wealth of knowledge and it’s easy to see that if he hadn’t made it as a director/screenwriter, he would’ve assuredly landed a career as a movie critic or film historian.
Cinema Speculation reads like an exhaustive collection of movie reviews and essays, by way of being part film history, part personal history. Sure, he sometimes comes off as elitist in his harsh views, but the man knows his stuff and can defend any of his opinions brilliantly. The only downside with the audiobook is that we only get Quentin narrating the first and last chapters. This is such a missed opportunity of having him read the entire book. The narrator, Edoardo Ballerini, does a terrific job, but once you start with QT, it’s a hard act to follow and Ballerini can never rise to Tarantino’s level—no one could. Still, don’t let that detract you from picking up the audiobook; it’s one of the very best books on film I’ve ever read/heard. It’s like signing up for a masterclass with Quentin Tarantino. What could be better if you’re a film fan or Tarantino aficionado? I hope QT’s on a roll here and treats us to another book—fiction or nonfiction—very soon. As his filmmaking career winds down, it’d be pretty awesome to have him put out novels and books every other year. He’s as good a writer as he is a filmmaker.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Louis Alexandre Jean
- 2023-12-11
It’s basically a collection of reviews of Tarantino early cinematic influences
If you are a cinema nerd, you will love this book.
Every chapter analyzes and reviews, one specific movie or a small group of related movies.
The selection of movies dissected in this book are the earliest influences of Quentin Tarantino, childhood to teenage years.
I found it very interesting, it made me want to rewatch some 70s Classics, and discover some that I have missed .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David T
- 2022-11-28
I really enjoyed this book.
I really really enjoyed this book. Great knowledge and insight from one of my favorite writer directors. The production of the audio book is also great!
I cannot recommend this enough.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shawn Bergen
- 2023-01-12
Great listen
This book is full of the kind of Tarantinoisms I was hoping for. Interesting insights from a passionate and intelligent filmmaker. The primary narrator handles all but the first and last chapter and does a job of communicating Tarantino’s enthusiasm for the subject matter.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eduardo Henrique de A. Silva
- 2023-04-28
What a gem!
If you are a film lover, this is for you!
To get a piece of the mind of Quentin, part narrated by himself, is priceless!
Very interesting!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alex Chapman
- 2022-11-24
Good But Disappointing
the reason it is disappointing is the fact that Quentin Tarantino only reads the first and last chapter out of like 20 chapters so if you're looking for Quentin Tarantino to read the whole book don't buy this book I wish I could return it genuinely feel like I was clickbaited but it's well written because it's Quentin Tarantino and he writes the best but I was extremely disappointed that he didn't want to make the effort to read the whole book
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike
- 2022-11-01
Quentin Tarantino is the most unbelievable master of his craft
I love books like this because I went blind later in life and I used to love movies and so they give me insight into movies that I might never be able to see you again . I definitely related best to the movies that I had had the chats to see that Quintin talked about so I think for anybody reading this book they should go back and listen to or watch all the movies beforehand that are talked about this book and then read this book. that being said some of the side bars and addict dots are truly inspiring and it makes me wish I could go back and be in the film industry. if Quentin Tarantino does not make movies anymore he should write books about movies also he should be teaching a masters class to all inspiring film students because he truly is a movie genius
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shannon Baldsing
- 2022-11-02
Just the first chapter...
is narrated by Tarantino. Q's bravado is lost in the reading by the other narrator.
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1 person found this helpful