The Constant Viewer III: Excerpts from an Imaginary Cinema Diary

This is the final volume of a three-volume series that spans the history of cinema as seen through the eyes of a single movie-goer. This volume begins in the late 1970s, when big (and modest) budget hits like "Star Wars," "Close Encounters," and "Animal House" dominated at the box office—but independent-minded filmmakers also flourished, from Robert Altman to George Romero. By the end, with "Pacific Rim" and "The Heat," the diarist comments on more than 225 films, displaying his usual broad tastes and deep enthusiasms.


As with volumes one and three, this second volume of "The Constant Viewer" is not so much a history of film as it is a living record of movie-going. With each diary entry, the Constant Viewer presents his immediate impressions as he goes to the movies, an act he finds irresistible and deeply personal. Incorporating experiences from his own life and the world around him, the diarist provides a compelling document of the pleasures of movie-viewing.


To help you join the Constant Viewer in his cinematic journey, all the movies in volume two are available on DVD or as streaming video. And to make it easier to find individual films in the diary, you'll find an alphabetical list of movies and topics that link to the entry itself; simply tap on the title.