A rare and highly unusual conceptual artist book titled Film by Norman Hathaway (2010).

Created by a respected designer and art director, this minimalist publication offers a unique approach to cinema analysis. Instead of images or traditional essays, the book presents films through curated lists of keywords, tropes, and narrative fragments.

Each page functions as a “textual portrait” of a film — reducing complex cinematic works to their essential visual, emotional, and cultural components.

Examples of elements found throughout the book include:

• “Detective”, “Private detective”, “Surprise ending”
• “Housing project”, “Blacks versus Italians”
• “Apartment”, “Loss of wife”, “Buttered butt”

These fragments subtly reference iconic and sometimes controversial cinema, allowing the reader to reconstruct meaning and narrative through association.

This is not a traditional book, but a conceptual exploration of:

• film language
• cinematic clichés and tropes
• narrative structure
• visual culture

📌 Scarce and rarely seen on the market — especially in complete hardcover form.

A compelling piece for collectors of artist books, graphic design, and film theory.

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Condition: Very Good

• light signs of handling on the white outer cover (minor scuffing and faint marks)
• gentle edge wear and slight corner bumping
• interior pages are clean, bright, and well-preserved
• binding is tight and fully intact

📷 Please review all photos for condition details.