Casting By
Casting By places the spotlight on one of filmmaking's unsung heroes - the casting director - and takes us on a journey through 50 years of Hollywood history from an entirely new perspective.
Pioneers like Marion Dougherty and Lynn Stalmaster were iconoclasts whose exquisite taste and gut instincts helped to put the final nail in the coffin of the old studio system and usher in the 'New Hollywood' with movies like Midnight Cowboy, The Graduate, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Bonnie and Clyde. In the process they launching the careers of James Dean, Robert Duvall, Warren Beatty, Gene Hackman, Glenn Close, John Travolta, Jeff Bridges, Bette Midler and countless other iconic actors.
In this illuminating documentary, directors and actors including Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, Diane Lane, Jon Voight, Bette Midler and John Travolta share stories and memories from their early careers, all interwoven with rarely seen clips as well as scenes from classics like The Sting, Goodfellas, Annie Hall, The Great Escape and West Side Story.
"CRITIC'S PICK! Delightful! - The Village Voice
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Comments (5)
I love documentaries like this one, that give background on a certain aspect of movie making. Now I know what Lynn Stalmaster looks like, after seeing his name on so many shows. And I completely disagree with the director who thinks that casting mavens don't deserve a title or an Oscar. ...Read more
I love documentaries like this one, that give background on a certain aspect of movie making. Now I know what Lynn Stalmaster looks like, after seeing his name on so many shows. And I completely disagree with the director who thinks that casting mavens don't deserve a title or an Oscar. Marion Dougherty deserved recognition for her years of spot-on casting, it was petty of the Academy not to give her an Oscar for her work.
Read lessIf you are at all interested in movies, acting, recent Hollywood history, this is the film to see. The interview with Jon Voight was particularly moving.
A really interesting look at profession of casting. It is fun study the film history and see interviews with dozens of the biggest actors in Hollywood but beyond that it was really surprising to learn about the politics and drama that happened behind the scenes and within the industry. These ...Read more
A really interesting look at profession of casting. It is fun study the film history and see interviews with dozens of the biggest actors in Hollywood but beyond that it was really surprising to learn about the politics and drama that happened behind the scenes and within the industry. These important people had to fight to get credit for their work and they unrecognized by the Academy to this day. Casting can totally make or break a film...they should be honored for their achievements!
Read lessIf you've ever wondered how actors are chosen for roles, and how once unknown actors like Robert De Niro, Diane Lane, Clint Eastwood and other giants of film were discovered (and what qualities they had that caught the casting agent's eye), watch this film. Not only is it a fascinating window ...Read more
If you've ever wondered how actors are chosen for roles, and how once unknown actors like Robert De Niro, Diane Lane, Clint Eastwood and other giants of film were discovered (and what qualities they had that caught the casting agent's eye), watch this film. Not only is it a fascinating window into the preproduction world, it also reveals the crucial yet heretofore unknown role that female casting agents played in in a male-dominated era, and how these women initiated the careers of many great actors.
Read lessVery well done all the way around: the interviews were short and to the point and, unlike a lot of documentaries, were going in a certain direction and had a kind of cohesion instead of being mere fragments. The film is an real insight into film history, particularly at the point where the ...Read more
Very well done all the way around: the interviews were short and to the point and, unlike a lot of documentaries, were going in a certain direction and had a kind of cohesion instead of being mere fragments. The film is an real insight into film history, particularly at the point where the studio system disintegrated and then, by the end, reformed into corporate mediocrity, the money machine it is today -- all flash bang and no substance. It is also an insight into the way in which women work together and in which male-driven institutions refuse to see their accomplishments. I wish Marion Dougherty were around today to cast for Netflix and HBO and all of the places where substance can sometimes leak out. Good for film history, women's history. Very watchable.
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