LOS ANGELES -- Buying that perfect gift for a film buff can be a vexing task, so we went right to the heart of Hollywood to get tips on the creative ways in which some directors and stars might enchant a fellow movie lover this holiday season.
DAMIEN CHAZELLE: The "Whiplash" and "La La Land" director reached back to his own filmmaking roots and recommended a Bolex camera, like the kind he used to make movies on. "To me, that's about returning to the basics. You just put a camera on your shoulder, you go out on the street, there's no sound, you just film whatever you see," Chazelle said. "Yeah, you can do it on your phone now, but I love the analog, I love the old fashioned, rusty old cameras. Maybe no one else does but I'd give them that." can run around UDS $400 on eBay.
GUGU MBATHA-RAW: In honour of its 70th anniversary, the "Miss Sloane" star said she'd go with Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."
"For me, for Christmas, that's just the ultimate to be able to watch that movie. It's so uplifting. That would be my gift," she said. "It's so beautiful, it's such a classic and as I say, it's really an inspiring story about family. I think it's lovely." .
ALDEN EHRENREICH: He may only be 26 years old, but "Rules Don't Apply" star Alden Eherenreich, who has a passion for all things old Hollywood, said he'd buy George Stevens, Jr.'s" and its companion book "The Next Generation."
"It's all these filmmakers like Fred Zinneman and William Wyler and Billy Wilder going to AFI and lecturing to people in the 60s and 70s when they're at the end of their careers. But the students they're talking to are these sort of radical hippie young college students so the conversations are really, really interesting," Ehrenreich said. "It's insight into the way that people like George Cukor and John Ford work that is more contemporary than you usually get from those guys."
ROBERT ZEMECKIS: "I would definitely get them a library of classic cinema ... anything that the great American directors directed," said the "Allied" director. Among his favourites are Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Frank Capra and Stanley Kubrick. The TCM-curated might not be a bad first stop (from $6.99/month).
This image released by Turner Classic Movies shows FilmStruck, a new subscription streaming service for classic films, displayed on multiple devices. (Turner Classic Movies via AP)
LILY COLLINS: Collins, who also stars in "Rules Don't Apply," said she likes physical gifts that can double as art. "I have a collection of vintage film cameras and old film strips and old film reels in my apartment and I've given them as gifts if I find a really hard to find, rare one," she said.
FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016 file photo, Lily Collins arrives at the 20th annual Hollywood Film Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
LUCAS HEDGES: The "Manchester by the Sea" star said he'd gift some of his personal favourites, including ," as well as the John Carney musical " " and its retro 80s soundtrack (available on CD and Vinyl ).
PABLO LORRAIN: It might not be the easiest on the list, but the "Jackie" director said his ideal gift for someone would be to arrange a screening of a silent movie with a full orchestra. "I saw 'Metropolis' like that," he said. "It was awesome."
SIMON HELBERG: Helberg, who co-stars in "Florence Foster Jenkins," thinks that one can't go wrong with The Criterion Collection.
"I feel like if I could just sit there and clear a few months to watch all of their films, I'd be a much better off, much smarter, much more cultured person," Helberg said.
Criterion Collection films and box sets are available for individual purchase (new releases include Blu-ray editions of "Breathless," "Punch-Drunk Love" and "McCabe & Mrs. Miller"), or to stream on the subscription site (from $10.99/month ).
