A Long Time Ago, in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away

My Fifty Years Editing Hollywood Hits - Star Wars, Carrie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mission: Impossible, and More

By: Paul Hirsch

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away is a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most influential films of the last 50 years by Paul Hirsch, a film editor who worked on more than 40 features.

Starting with his work on Carrie, Hirsch gives insight into the production process, touching upon casting, directing, cutting, and scoring. It’s a riveting look at the decisions that went into creating memorable and iconic scenes and offers fascinating portraits of filmmakers, stars, and composers.

Part film-school primer, part paean to legendary directors and professionals, the funny yet insightful writing will entertain and inform aficionados and casual moviegoers alike.

©2019 Paul Hirsch (P)2019 Blackstone Publishing

For a fellow Editor, this book is priceless

There’s not many books about film editing that are so entertaining and enlightening. As a fellow editor, this is priceless because we don’t get many opportunities to share our experiences, and to hear similar experiences from a great one with such amazing credits and talent, is so affirming and inspiring. This book made me smile a lot and made me think about some of my personal approaches to film editing and collaboration. Really great book!

Honesty with Humility & Gratefulness

For anyone interested in knowing how the film industry works, please listen to this. A simple memoir that feels down to earth, with many jokes to lighten a journey filled with many storms and broken paths.

Thank you for a wonderful memoir. It made me think deeply about many similar paths taken - or not - a long time ago.

If you like moviemaking, you’ll love this journey!

Well written and very interesting….it moves along at a pace that you’d expect from a great editor. Really enjoyed hearing about his career and interactions on movies.

An outstanding story and narration!

I really enjoyed this book. Here are just a few reasons why:
1. The author structured the book chronologically, which made it easier to follow.

2. The stories told are very personal and offer a lot of behind-the-scenes information “outsiders” rarely hear.

3. The author started out on film and witnesses/shared some of the finer points of digital filmmaking.

4. You get a much better sense of the importance of a film editor when reading thr book.

5. I especially like how Mr. Hirsch described his relationships and interactions with different directors, producers, and musicians.

6. And I can’t overlook the narration, which I thought was wonderful. Just enough of a New York feel, combined with a worldliness and sense of gratitude and love of life.

Fantastic perspective of an editor’s life!

Much respect to Paul Hirsch. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I appreciate his life’s work on the countless films he has been a part of. Also, great narration by Richard Ferrone.

Loving it, but would have cut the first part out

I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. be honest I have still one hour left on the book but I'm in a position now to make an enlightened review. The narration is good but the guy doing it sounds like an old taxi driver and it just doesn't seem to fit the part of a young guy in Hollywood learning the ropes. but he is a good narrator. it just is kind of weird. I really enjoy the discussion of editing certain movies but I feel like he would have done better to edit his own book by removing all the introductory material. because we really are not looking for that. I know it's interesting and it's almost like an autobiography but that's not what we want with this. we just want to know how he edited and got into certain films and help them out. I'd say 3/4 of all the books I listened to. I never finish because of so much fluff. also, here's my feeling about the accuracy of this book. this book just like Andre Agassi's book seems to go to the past and remember every conversation for the last 30 years when they took place and all the wording. does anyone else find that kind of crazy? someone has that great of a memory.? it's like really. unless you're riding a diary everyday. how would you remember all of this stuff? here's like a hundred conversations over 40 years and he can remember each one of them like he was standing there. I just don't buy it. sorry but I'm going to finish the book because it's got me now committed. if you're into film and editing, especially then check this out and you can go to YouTube and check out carbonpictures to see what you think of my edits

Very entertaining and enlightening.

This is an amazing story of an amazing career. The highlights gave me goosebumps and the low points made me very aware of the unbalanced nature of showbusiness. Thank you for sharing your story with the world.

Behind the scenes in the editing room

I like hearing about the politics and the practicalities of a film editor and was surprised at the allegiance to directors, but not so much to the editors that the author worked with. It felt like he never worked with the same Editor twice, but that may just be attributable to the fact that he worked with a lot of different editors and maybe it wasn’t even up to him. Light reading for the film Fan, I enjoyed it.

A must for anyone with passion for editing

This book for me was a game changer for me. Talk about an inside education. I was inspired and could not put it down. I was disappointed when was over. I'd love to meet Paul and I'm hoping if he does any lectures or appearances I'll hear about it. I searched him online with no avail. Really really loved it. I stumbled across it while searching audible for books about editing. I had not know Paul's name but his body of work is world famous. I know him now personally it feels. Can't thank him enough.

A wealth of information on the film industry throughout the years from the editor’s angle

Paul Hirsch dives directly into his work as a film editor over the years, featuring stories from when editing early Brian De Palma projects with Robert De Nero during the New Hollywood Renaissance of independent filmmaking back in early 70’s New York, to stories about working on Star Wars ranging from the Lucas Ranch in Marin County California, to working on set in London to breaking onto working on Hollywood sets as well. Hirsch fairly looks at the ups and downs which his success has given him. He remembers the flops just as much as his successful projects. He also explains the importance of a good director/editor relationship. This is an ever-changing industry, and Paul Hirsch does a real good job at putting a continuity to life as an editor which jumps form working on Steinbeck editing tables to Avid computer software. He has a great respect for the editing craft. I highly recommend this book for folks interested in filmmaking or film history.