First Works (1995)

Thanks to First Works, a two-tape compilation of candid interviews and early clips from 12 major writers and directors, you soon realize that moviemaking boils down to having an Arri camera and a whole lotta guts. Take Oliver Stone, who talks about entering NYU film school as a Vietnam vet, getting inspiration from a young prof named Marty Scorsese. Scorsese and his short It's Not Just You, Murray (shown in its entirety) appear here, as do Spike Lee, Ron Howard, and John Carpenter (who says he agreed to make Halloween from this pitch: ''A bunch of babysitters get killed by a crazy guy''). Sure, First Works' canned voiceovers and threadbare look couldn't be less glitzy, but it's must viewing for film geeks and aspiring auteurs alike.