Start to Finish

Praise

“A veritable master class in filmmaking.” —The New York Times Book Review

“An undeniably captivating read. . . . A seriously up close and personal book. . . . Lax has an innate understanding of how Allen works.” —The Buffalo News

“A highly personal portrait of Allen—we see his insecurities, his vulnerabilities, and his dogged pursuit of a good story, be it for comedy or for deep examination of human morality—and the narrative is ripe with anecdotes and quotes. But the real achievement is seeing in detail the arc of any creative process. . . . The intimate access makes the book.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“A clear and entertaining introduction to the moviemaking process. . . . The reader becomes immersed in the careful work that goes into [Allen’s] films. The book succeeds simultaneously as biographical snapshot, primer on filmmaking, and documentary of an artwork’s creation.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“Having written a first-rate biography of Woody Allen and then published a collection of interviews with the comedian-turned-filmmaker, Eric Lax now shares the experience of observing Woody at work. . . . From concept to filming to editing and polishing, this book offers a closeup look at the process of a true auteur, one of the rare American filmmakers who has complete control over his work.” —Leonard Maltin, leonardmaltin.com
 
“Quite simply, this is unprecedented access to the creative process and Lax is a kind, patient observer.” —PopMatters