If you’re looking for a unique gift for the movie lover in your life, look no further than Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies.
No matter which classic movie is your favorite, from 1927’s Metropolis to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road and so, so many in between, there is definitely a map for everyone to enjoy. Retrace Dorothy’s steps as she traipses into and out of Oz, follow Marty McFly as he pops back through time from Twin Pines Mall to Twin Pines Ranch and back again, and wander the lands of Middle Earth just as your favorite hobbits, elves, and men did through the pages of Cinemaps.
About ‘Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies’
This beautifully illustrated atlas of beloved movies is an essential reference for cinephiles, fans of great films, and anyone who loves the art of mapmaking.
Acclaimed artist Andrew DeGraff has created beautiful hand-painted maps of all your favorite films, from King Kong and North by Northwest to The Princess Bride, Fargo, Pulp Fiction, even The Breakfast Club—with the routes of major characters charted in meticulous cartographic detail.
Follow Marty McFly through the Hill Valley of 1985, 1955, and 1985 once again as he races Back to the Future. Trail Jack Torrance as he navigates the corridors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. And join Indiana Jones on a globe-spanning journey from Nepal to Cairo to London on his quest for the famed Lost Ark. Each map is presented in an 11-by-14-inch format, with key details enlarged for closer inspection, and is accompanied by illuminating essays from film critic A. D. Jameson, who speaks to the unique geographies of each film.
‘Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies’ book review
As a lover of movies, this book was a lot of fun to look through, even more fun to take a close look at, and more fun yet to read. Mixed in with the incredibly detailed illustrations and maps, the book treats you to a wonderful reminder of why the films we love create such lasting memories and are waiting for us to return to experience the magic whenever we find the time to return.
Along with the maps and text, the book also offers insight into the storylines and may help you to look at your favorite movies very differently. In small captions to go with close ups of different map sections, the book’s author, A.D. Jameson, offers bits of interpretation you may have missed upon your repeat viewings of your favorite films. For example, in the Terminator 2: Judgement Day section, the writer makes a point to show that the first two Terminator movies end in factories, essentially “unmaking [them] at the spot that will eventually become [their] place of birth.”
Similarly, I found myself skipping off to Netflix to watch Jaws after reading the beginning of its section of the book. I had never noticed the symmetry of the opening sequence before, but after having it pointed out to me, I found new enjoyment in a film I’ve been watching all my life.
I don’t think I’ve experienced all that this book has to offer yet, as just looking at these maps isn’t even the beginning of what is contained in this book. There are tons of things that can spark discussions and debates and I can’t wait to share this book with all my fellow movie buffs.
Here’s what his Jurassic Park map looks like:
Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies is available now wherever books are sold. Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Indiebound, and make sure to add it on Goodreads, too.
And if you’re more of a classic book lover rather than a movie buff, be sure to check out Plotted: A Literary Atlas with illustrations and maps by the same artist.
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