The Cinema Book: A Complete Guide to Understanding the Movies

Traces the history of the film industry, examines major movie genres, and discusses important films, directors, and film theories

This guide, prepared by the British Film Institute and published in Britain in 1985, has much to recommend it. Chapters on film history and theory, stars, and "authorship" offer intelligent discussion and analysis. Stills are carefully chosen and an extensive filmography includes detailed plot synopses, lacking in many film reference books. However, the audience for this book may prove small. In its discussion of film theory (in which an inordinate amount of space is given to structuralism), The Cinema Book delves far more deeply than most texts and will likely leave many students (and teachers) in the dark. Recommended as a supplemental text for larger collections. Thomas Wiener, formerly with " American Film, " Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.