Taking Off is one of the most intricately honed, exhilaratingly edited works in all of cinema. Not only does the editing hold the film’s plot together seamlessly—with an astonishing array of characters, an easy-to-follow story arc, and a unique intimacy—it also blends in footage from an earlier film Forman had jettisoned, featuring auditions by female musical performers (including, among others, a riveting number by Carly Simon and a beautiful ballad by a young Kathy Bates). The editing really shines in these sequences.

Submitted by Michael Meade, Guest Specialist, Visitor Engagement