Rayford Publishing

“'Second Takes' is a first-rate discourse on the enduring gems of world cinema and the directors who made them by a writer who packs a great deal of insight and information into short, supple essays. Naser Mojtahed is deeply familiar with the scholars and critics who preceded him, benefitting for example from those who led to the reappraisal of so many of the American films. But the essays are all his own, fresh and personal and a delight to any lover of film.” —Molly Haskell, celebrated film critic for The Village Voice, Vogue, and New York magazine; and author of "From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies", "Holding My Own in No Man's Land: Women and Men and Films and Feminists", "Love and Other Infectious Diseases: A Memoir", "Frankly, My Dear: 'Gone with the Wind' Revisited", "Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies", "My Brother My Sister: A Story of Transformation", and "Stephen Spielberg: A Life in Films".

"Mojtahed centers these incisive yet inviting considerations of fifty great films from around the world—spanning the first century of cinema—around a seemingly simple idea: an exploration of “the way film can generate an immediate emotional response that directly originates from the interaction of a scene’s various visual elements.” In practice, of course, there is nothing simple about that, and Mojtahed’s essays on the work of filmmakers such as John Ford, Douglas Sirk, Nicholas Ray, Anthony Mann, Michelangelo Antonioni, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Kenji Mizoguchi, Jean Renoir, and Roberto Rossellini dig into, in informed but accessible prose, the many ways themes are communicated and emotions stirred onscreen—from Vincent Minnelli’s mise-en-scène in Some Came Running to Ernst Lubitsch’s playful exploration of the “fluid and almost indistinguishable border between role-playing and real life.” As a critic, Mojtahed writes for film-loving readers rather than fellow critics. His essays celebrate and illuminate these films, welcoming readers into their worlds. A breezy introduction surveys the history of film criticism, from Cahiers du Cinéma and Andrew Sarris’s auteurism to the 21st-century tendency to emphasize a movie’s social content. But the pieces on individual films are refreshingly unconcerned with critical trends or academic debates—instead, they offer clear-eyed and persuasive looks at the films themselves, the directors’ choices and intentions, and their enduring impact. Readers discovering global cinema and the best of old Hollywood will find much here to entice deeper immersion, while auteurists will appreciate deep dives into Luis Buñuel (seven films) and Yasujirō Ozu (five). "Mojtahed writes with perceptive sensitivity about how directors’ attitudes and techniques evolve over time, highlighting recurring themes—unfulfilled desires, societal change, and the human struggle to accept that life always goes on. His sense of joyous discovery enlivens each essay, modeling an open-hearted, broad-minded approach to engaging with narrative art.

"Second Takes" samples a broad spectrum of movies from the classic period of filmmaking, highlighting outstanding artists who have created the hallmarks of the medium. A collection of fifty essays, employing traditional values in film criticism to create fresh takes on classics from the United States, France, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Mexico. Readers will discover how interactions of visual elements with components such as sound effects, music, color, dialogue, and editing create a dynamism that shapes our response to films. Detailed examinations of movies reveal how this synergy of diverse elements leads to a thematic cohesion or a recurring motif that audiences may relate to emotionally and/or intellectually. While we can often explain the impact of mise-en-scène or camera movement, the unconscious emotional response to what we see on the screen guides our intellectual reading of a moment in movies. Film aficionados will learn how to apply the essays’ blending of theoretical concepts with practical guidelines to any film of interest. Among the classics, "Second Takes" includes several essays on important films that are overlooked or seldom discussed, such as “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928). Written by author and movie fanatic Naser Mojtahed, Second Takes is a circa 350 page guide to a wide selection of classic movies from the mid twentieth century. Containing films from American, Japanese, French, German, Danish and Italy, this non-fiction guide builds itself around standalone essays penned by the author which lift the lid on what makes each film unique. The essays also highlight the specific examples, from directorship to script writing and scene-setting, which make each film, in Mojtahed's opinion, a silver screen masterpiece. To name just a few, readers coming to this guide can expect to see essays on "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928), "An Affair to Remember" (19657) and, a personal favourite, the Italian produced "The Leopard" (1963). While each essay can be read in isolation, there is a lot to be gleamed from reading the whole book, or select essays from different countries. Doing this will help readers build their understanding of the similarities and differences between different countries and director styles. Second Takes is also fortunate to have an attractive and attention-grabbing cover design, which suits the intention and theme of this book perfectly as a blend of reviewing old classics with a new and fresh perspective. It is clear that Mojtahed comes to this title with a wealth of personal experience as a movie critic. He started reviewing movies in the 1970s, a love for film which he has carried with him ever since, enhanced by his migration to America in the late 1990s. Sometimes the extensive knowledge comes at a cost, and it would be fair to say that the heavy analysis within in each essay might deter entry-level film critics or those with only a passing interest in twentieth century film. That said, for those with a strong desire to learn more about a specific film, or genre of film, the detail of Mojtahed's essays make it a valuable work that could be referenced in academic studies. For instance, I personally loved reading the detail on "The Leopard", as this happens to be one of my favourite films in world cinema. “Second Takes” is a very thorough guide, perfect for readers who love jumping into the detail of the silver screen to understand what makes these classics celebrated works of art. —Alice Bennett

"Second Takes" proves to be a remarkable collection of film reviews, representing a deeply personal, intellectually rigorous journey through some of cinema’s most celebrated works. Its organization is well thought out and comprehensive because it spans several cinematic traditions, including westerns, French New Wave, Danish art cinema, and Italian neorealism. Additionally, Mojtahed’s choice of including two Douglas Sirk films and three John Ford films clearly shows that the author grasps a deep understanding that repeatedly engaging with a singular director’s works can give way to more depth in comprehending their work. The author’s further commitment to exploring a filmmaker’s full scope of films is demonstrated by including seven Luis Benuel films, which span several periods and cultural contexts. Mojtahed has a solid grasp on how he approaches film analysis. He chooses to focus on how a film’s visual elements can generate an emotional response in the audience. Examples of this would be how Douglas Sirk utilized back projection in "Written on the Wind" and how Nicholas Ray used mirror imagery in "In a Lonely Place." These represent technical decisions that serve the deeper thematic meaning behind them. Mojtahed’s approach to composing the articles proves equally easy to read and elegant, which is no easy feat. When he discusses Michelangelo Antonioni’s trilogy, this plainly demonstrates a worldly understanding of how artists, including filmmakers, often explore recurring themes across many different works. His thorough analysis of "Blow-Up" proves among the most insightful of the essays because it examines how Thomas’s fake world reflects a disconnect of modern society from real, lived experience. Historical context throughout the collection enriches the reviews. For example, the author’s mention of how the Cahiers du Cinéma critics revolutionized film criticism by introducing auteur theory stands as an essential background for understanding contemporary film evaluation. In addition, examining how the Sight and Sound polls changed with the decades offers the reader worthwhile insight into shifting critical priorities and cultural values alike. The author’s sheer selection of a vast variety of films reveals an impressive range and depth. Each review clearly shows how Motjahed has the ability to find fresh perspectives on well-studied works, all the while maintaining a scholarly tone. His discussion about Italian neorealism, particularly the correction of misconceptions about Visconti’s "Ossessione," shows his commitment to both historical accuracy and nuanced understanding. "Second Takes" succeeds as a scholarly resource and a passionate advocacy for cinema as a serious, relevant, evolving art form. That Motjahed can balance technical analysis with emotional response and historical context with personal reflection renders a unique work that will reward film enthusiasts and scholars alike. "Second Takes" stands tall as a living testament to the enduring power of film criticism to illuminate the depths of the cinematic art form.