Book Review: The Art of the Film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

It's great that there's a dedicated book for this film, unlike Harry Potter when it was first released.

This large 264-page hardcover is packed with development art for Fantastic Beasts. There are several chapters but the artworks are roughly grouped into designs for environment, creatures, characters at The Blind Pig bar and the Obscurus. What's missing from this book are designs relating to the human characters. So if you're looking for human characters, check out the making-of book.

All the artworks in this book are computer generated, so there's a 3D-feel to all the concept art, especially the architecture or interior renders and paint-overs. Close to 100 pages are devoted to locations, 1920s New York streets, Macusa's building, Newt's shed and accompanying world. The environment art are really detailed. You can see all the windows in the skyscrapers, the brickwork, fire-escape stairs by side of buildings and iconic landmarks. Just like the film, there's a dark and moody atmosphere to all the locations.

Highlight of the book would probably be the creature designs. There are numerous discarded concepts for each creature, and all the artworks look great. If you tell me they are for Magic the Gathering I would believe you.

Then there are the 3D renders of the shady characters in The Blind Pig. The last few pages are concept art for the Obscurus. I'm not a big fan of the black smoke concept though.

There are lots to read about the designs and how they relate to the film, the plot and the characters. Fans of the film should find the information interesting.

Overall, it's a wonderful companion to the film.

The Art of the Film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

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