In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition

Murch's insights into film editing, both analog and digital, are valuable, and I would recommend picking up the book from the library or sitting down and reading it at your local bookstore - it really is that short, but it's not a keeper.

I bought this book hoping to get some real-world tips to editing - what makes a good cut and what doesn't, pacing, etc., etc., etc., but I came away with just one - cut when you blink. Murch's "blink theory" is interesting, but there's much more to editing than just that. I was looking for more from one of the best editors in the business.

Murch does discuss some of his own experiences while editing movies such as "Apocalypse Now" and "The English Patient", but doesn't really delve into the cutting itself and why he chose certain shots or cut a scene a certain way. The book also discusses the history of digital editing and its future but seems to focus on the attitudes of older directors and editors alike who seem to be afraid of change and insist, like Stephen Spielberg who bought up every Motorola editing system and hired enough technicians who can fix the ancient editors so that he will never have to fire up that computer, that "the old way" is better than the new one.

Murch seems to be in the middle of the debate. It is interesting to hear what he has to say, but it still seems to me to be rehashing the old joke about the grandparents who are unable to set the VCR. For those brought up on digital editing, it is only natural to sit down and touch a keyboard than experience what Murch believes is all important - standing up and touching the film itself.

If you're looking for a little bit of editing theory, a little bit of editing history, a little bit of personal experience, this book delivers, but if you're looking for a more in-depth discussion of editing in the 21st century, I recommend buying any Robert Rodriguez DVD, whether you like the movie or not, and listening to the commentary. Rodriguez not only gives tips on making a movie as a whole, but also how to film to edit, and how to cut scenes - all digitally.


Murch masterfully edits film as the rest of us dream dreams.   July 7, 1998
Jack Landman (San Antonio, TX USA)
44 out of 48 found this review helpful

One of the greatest image and aural montagists of our time is Walter Murch. What makes films like Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, or Julia great, just to name a few of Mr. Murch's masterpieces, is often the mostly invisible flow of time and mood. In this book Murch takes us inside the metaphysics of editing film and sound in a most understandable way. Any lover of film will appreciate the different sensibility and perspective than that we usually get from actors and directors. Any would be film editor better read this book to have any chance of rising above mediocrity.


Depends what you are looking for...   April 22, 2001
Thor Vadir (Beverly Hills, CA United States)
31 out of 35 found this review helpful

This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, but had very little advice on actual editing. It is very worth reading, if for nothing else, to hear the author's words (he is a god of editing). Nevertheless, I really wanted more on his ideas behind making cuts instead of abstract thoughts. His three pearls are: 1) Stand up when editing, 2) When a person blinks it is because they got the concept and are making a "mental cut", and that we are going to move into a time of digital editing, but must remember our past. There... I saved you the 10 dollars. Buy it to enjoy it, but don't expect it to teach more than I just revealed...


A great look at Film Editing   October 30, 2000
Thomas Stamper (Orlando, FL)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

Murch delivers a short, but insightful analysis of film editing. The just of the title refers to Murch's theory that an eye blink is the equivalent of an edit. He found that when an audience is riveted they will seldom blink. His further studies led him to believe that an audience will generally blink when a film cut should be made. Whether true or not, it was truly thought provoking.

I also found his analysis of non-linear editing quite insightful. He goes a good way to explain the positive and the negative of editing on a computer versus the old cut and paste method. The computer oriented method offers quicker editing and fixing. When you physically cut film it cannot be undone without a lengthy ordeal. On a computer, you can quickly restore any changes.

Murch, though, feels that the necessity of rolling through raw footage on a movieola sometimes led to better shot selection during his re-edits. When editors digitize what they initially like, they limit themselves to the other takes that might make more sense after a rough cut is made. Interesting.

These are just some of the many jewels offered in this short work.


From a film editor   January 1, 2004
william k wuorinen (missoula, MT United States)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful

OK I can't believe the guy who was looking for tips on how to put a scene together. I have been a film and commercial editor for 25 years and Mr. Murch's work is what all who have ever wanted to be an editor look up to. The joy of this book is that it doesn't delve into the nuts and bolts of editing-which is the worst part of my craft-but it focuses on the zen of editing, which is the true joy. I have had the opportunity to cut nine feature films in my life and before I started each one, I read "In the Blink of an Eye" to get me back in that feature film mindframe. God Bless Mr. Murch for his insights. As a fellow editor-and I struggle to live up to the bar you have raised for us-I can only bow down and thank Mr. Murch for passing on his knowledge to us.