New Books in Film Scott Feinberg, “The Hollywood Reporter’s 100 Greatest Film Books of All Time” (2023)
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Jan 3, 2026 In this engaging discussion, Scott Feinberg, executive editor of Awards at The Hollywood Reporter, shares insights from his newly released list of the 100 greatest film books. He explains the diverse jury of 322 film insiders and the inspirations behind key selections. Highlights include the enduring impact of 'Hitchcock/Truffaut' and the fascinating inclusion of scandalous titles like 'Hollywood Babylon.' Feinberg also touches on what’s missing from the list, aims for reader engagement, and teases an upcoming Hollywood event featuring authors from the list.
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A Broad, Community-Driven Film Canon
- Scott Feinberg built the list to reflect a wide film community, not just academics or critics.
- He wanted a syllabus-like list to inspire readers to explore books they haven't read.
How A List Sparked A Lifelong Collection
- Scott compares his film-book collecting to Leonard Maltin's and jokes Maltin 'has him beat.'
- He used the AFI 100 films list as a young catalyst for obsessive film study.
Diversity Beats Universal Consensus
- A single top-100 list will never satisfy everyone; divergent ballots are a feature, not a flaw.
- Feinberg embraced genre and era diversity to maximize the list's reach and usefulness.