The Film Buff Bookshelf

By Kat La Mantia | May 1 2023 | AdultsGeneralAllGiftPop CultureBlog

Dive deep into your on-screen faves with our books all about the movies! Whether you prefer genre flicks, big-budget blockbusters, or film d’auteur, movie lovers of all stripes will find something to love on this list. The Queer Film Guide and The Feminist Film Guide are great starting points for those looking to discover something new. Explore the minds of iconic directors with Quentin by Tarantino and Federico Fellini: The Book of Dreams, and throw the ultimate watch party with Cocktails of the Movies and Movies Quizpedia. Find our favorite silver screen selections below, and then head over to our Film and TV category to see even more.

 

More Books on Film and TV

Cinephile: A Card Game
Cinephile: A Card Game
Cory Everett, Steve Isaacs
9781984825575
A card game for film nerds, movie geeks, and cinephiles. One deck. 150 cards. Multiple ways to play.
$20.00 US
Aug 27, 2019
5-1/2 x 3-1/2
Game
150 Pages
Clarkson Potter
Film Buff
Film Buff
The Ultimate Movie Quiz
Smith Street Books
9781922754677
Think you know movies? This game of trivia will put your knowledge to the test with over 1000 questions.
$24.95 US
Oct 31, 2023
3-3/4 x 5-1/3
Other Formats
200 Pages
Smith Street Gift
The Museum of Wes Anderson
The Museum of Wes Anderson
His Movies and the Works That Inspired Them
Johan Chiaramonte, Camille Mathieu
9783791393414
Welcome to the Wes Anderson museum—a place packed with illustrations, ephemera, trivia, and insightful commentary, and as whimsical and visually arresting as the cult director’s films themselves.
$35.00 US
Nov 12, 2024
9 x 11
Hardcover
216 Pages
Prestel
Tarantino Town
Tarantino Town
His Movies and the Works That Inspired Them
Johan Chiaramonte, Camille Mathieu
9783791376288
From the creators of The Museum of Wes Anderson comes Tarantino Town, where dusty streets pulse with ’70s soundtracks, diners dish out “Big Kahuna Burgers,” and every corner brims with the swagger of one of cinema’s most daring and original visionaries.
$40.00 US
Oct 07, 2025
8-6/8 x 10-6/7
Hardcover
200 Pages
Prestel
Witches Run Amok
Witches Run Amok
The Oral History of Disney's Hocus Pocus
Shannon Carlin
9781368094665
Must-have gift for every Hocus Pocus fan—a perennial favorite to re-visit every Halloween! “I learned so much that I frankly never knew. Fans will go crazy (read as: amok, amok, amok) over this charming, informative, breezy, and oh-so-fun book.” —David Kirschner, creator/writer/producer of Hocus Pocus The oral history of Disney’s Hocus Pocus, one of the most beloved Halloween movies of all time
$26.99 US
Aug 13, 2024
6 x 9
Hardcover
304 Pages
Hyperion Avenue
Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline
Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline
Amy Ratcliffe, Anthony Breznican, Rebecca Theodore-Vachon
9780744081671
Become a master of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
$50.00 US
Oct 24, 2023
9-15/16 x 11-7/8
Hardcover
344 Pages
DK
Kind of a Big Deal
Kind of a Big Deal
How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the Most Iconic Comedy of the Twenty-First Century
Saul Austerlitz
9780593186848
From the author of Generation Friends, and featuring brand-new interviews with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, a new book about the film that changed comedy, Anchorman, published in advance of the film’s 20th anniversary in 2024.
$29.00 US
Aug 22, 2023
6 x 9
Hardcover
320 Pages
Dutton
Alien Film Franchise Encyclopedia
Alien Film Franchise Encyclopedia
Joe Fordham
9781803361208
The definitive volume on the Alien film universe, covering the Xenobiology, terraforming, synthetics, humans, corporations, military, judiciary, culture, science, spacecraft, hardware, and weapons of Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien: Resurrection, Prometheus, and Alien: Covenant from an in-world perspective.
$50.00 US
Sep 01, 2026
10 x 12-3/4
Hardcover
304 Pages
Titan Books
The Last Action Heroes
The Last Action Heroes
The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
Nick de Semlyen
9780593238806
The behind-the-scenes story of the action heroes who ruled 1980s and ’90s Hollywood and the beloved films that made them stars, including Die Hard, First Blood, The Terminator, and more.
$28.99 US
Jun 06, 2023
6-1/8 x 9-1/8
Hardcover
352 Pages
Crown
The Queer Film Guide
The Queer Film Guide
100 great movies that tell LGBTQIA+ stories
Kyle Turner
9781922754295
Enjoy your night in with these movies that tell queer stories.
$19.95 US
May 16, 2023
6-2/7 x 8-1/4
Hardcover
208 Pages
Smith Street Books
We See Each Other
We See Each Other
A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film
Tre'vell Anderson
9781368081733
A groundbreaking look at the history of transgender representation in TV and film, by an of-the-moment and in-demand culture reporter.
$26.99 US
May 09, 2023
6 x 9
Hardcover
240 Pages
Andscape Books
Filmlandia!
Filmlandia!
A Movie Lover's Guide to the Films and Television of Seattle, Portland, and the Great Northwest
David Schmader
9781632174253
From Twin Peaks to Twilight, from Practical Magic to Portlandia!, Filmlandia! highlights more than 200 film and television entertainments created and centered in Seattle, Portland, and the greater Pacific Northwest, extensively researched and curated by culture writer David Schmader.
$21.95 US
Apr 18, 2023
5-1/2 x 8-1/2
Paperback
160 Pages
Sasquatch Books
All About Me!
All About Me!
My Remarkable Life in Show Business
Mel Brooks
9780593159132
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now he shares his story for the first time in “a wonderful addition to a seminal career” (San Francisco Chronicle), “infused with nostalgia and his signature hilarity” (Parade).NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NEW YORK POST • “Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating . . . What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?”—Billy Crystal
$20.00 US
Nov 01, 2022
5-1/2 x 8-1/4
Paperback
480 Pages
Ballantine Books
Movies Quizpedia
Movies Quizpedia
The Ultimate Book of Trivia
Aisling Coughlan
9781922754004
Consider yourself a movie buff? This book will put your cinematic trivia to the test.
$12.95 US
Nov 01, 2022
5-1/3 x 7-7/8
Paperback
96 Pages
Smith Street Books
Your Favorite Scary Movie
Your Favorite Scary Movie
How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror
Ashley Cullins
9780593474709
The ultimate story of the Scream movie franchise, featuring interviews from more than eighty key players and an in-depth exploration of the creation and legacy of the films that revived a dying genre
$22.00 US
Aug 19, 2025
5-3/16 x 8
Paperback
352 Pages
Plume
Rocky Horror Show: The Official Coloring Book
Rocky Horror Show: The Official Coloring Book
Titan Books
9781835411353
Revel in over 50 years of outrageous fun as you color your way through the first official Rocky Horror Show coloring book featuring over 40 never-before-seen illustrations.
$14.99 US
Aug 12, 2025
9-7/8 x 9-7/8
Paperback
64 Pages
Titan Books
Tinseltown Tarot
Tinseltown Tarot
A Look into Your Future Through the Golden Age of Hollywood
50s Vintage Dame
9781922417794
Visit the glamorous past to peek into the future. 
$24.95 US
May 10, 2022
3 x 4-2/3
Other Formats
78 Pages
Smith Street Gift
The Feminist Film Guide
The Feminist Film Guide
100 Great Films to See (That Also Pass the Bechdel Test)
Mallory Andrews
9781922417664
Become a film buff and enjoy your night in with this guide to feminist approved films.
$19.95 US
Mar 22, 2022
6-1/3 x 8-1/4
Hardcover
208 Pages
Smith Street Books
Colorization
Colorization
One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World
Wil Haygood
9780525656876
This unprecedented history of Black cinema examines 100 years of Black movies—from Gone with the Wind to Blaxploitation films to Black Panther—using the struggles and triumphs of the artists, and the films themselves, as a prism to explore Black culture, civil rights, and racism in America. From the acclaimed author of The Butler and Showdown.
$30.00 US
Oct 19, 2021
6-1/4 x 9-1/4
Hardcover
464 Pages
Knopf
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
The Lost Photo Archive
9783791388083
Hired in 1976 by Francis Ford Coppola as the still photographer for his masterpiece Apocalypse Now, Chas Gerretsen’s private archive of hundreds of photographs propels readers immediately into the chaos and drama surrounding one of the most important movies ever made.   
$50.00 US
Oct 05, 2021
11-3/4 x 9-1/2
Hardcover
256 Pages
Prestel
The Film Book, New Edition
The Film Book, New Edition
A Complete Guide to the World of Movies
Ronald Bergan
9780744034592

Immerse yourself into the world of cinema and discover action-packed chases, epic journeys, and tear-jerking moments.Get the popcorn popping and keep the movies coming! From box office hits and cult classics to romcoms and thrillers, this is your go-to guide to movies, directors, genres, styles, and just about anything else cinema. This ultimate movie guide profiles more than 100 of the most significant films ever made and brings cinema to life in true blockbuster fashion.

$29.99 US
Mar 02, 2021
7-11/16 x 9-3/16
Hardcover
360 Pages
DK
Cocktails of the Movies
Cocktails of the Movies
An Illustrated Guide to Cinematic Mixology New Expanded Edition
Will Francis, Stacey Marsh
9783791387444
Now available in a new expanded and updated edition, Cocktails of the Movies serves up the 72 greatest cocktails to have featured on film.
$16.99 US
Feb 23, 2021
6 x 7-1/4
Hardcover
176 Pages
Prestel
The Movie Book
The Movie Book
Big Ideas Simply Explained
DK
9781465491008
Cataloging a range of genres with expert, authoritative text, this is the only film reference guide you will need.
$21.99 US
Feb 11, 2020
7-11/16 x 9-3/16
Paperback
352 Pages
DK
Federico Fellini: The Book of Dreams
Federico Fellini: The Book of Dreams
Federico Fellini
9788891826183
This is a new edition of the diary kept by Federico Fellini, in which the great director faithfully recorded his dreams and nightmares.
$115.00 US
Jan 28, 2020
9-7/16 x 13
Hardcover
584 Pages
Rizzoli
The Making of Star Wars
The Making of Star Wars
The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film
J. W. Rinzler
9780345494764
Coinciding with the big 30th-anniversary of the original Star Wars film, this is the must-have book for fans of the classic Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope. This is the first time ever that an official "Making of" book on the original film will be published.
$85.00 US
Apr 24, 2007
11-3/8 x 10-3/8
Hardcover
372 Pages
Random House Worlds
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