MacMillan Profiles - Photographers and Filmakers

Written for middle school and high school students, this volume comprises approximately 120 biographies of figures important to the history of film and photography. Influential photographers, directors, animators, and video artists are represented, including Kurosawa, Hitchcock, Adams, Bourke-White, Daguerre, Welles, Avery, Spielberg, Stone, and Lee. Important studios, film festivals, museums, awards, and genres are also discussed. Entries are arranged alphabetically. Timelines, quotes, definitions, topical sidebars, and photographs are featured. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

This latest offering from the Macmillan Profiles series considers 125 film animators, movie directors, photographers, and video artists. Aimed at middle- and high-school students, the collection features alphabetically arranged articles incorporating sidebars, inserts, time lines, pull quotes, definitions, and a glossary. An international roster of artists represents a variety of specializations that chronicle technical developments. Subjects range from Joseph-Nicephore Niepce, who launched his photographic experiments in 1793, to Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, of Princess Mononoke fame. Also included are Annie Leibovitz, who began her involvement with Rolling Stone in 1970, and Carrie Mae Weems, whose photo documentaries are currently on display in the Museum of Modern Art. Numerous American film directors are represented, as are such international luminaries as Jane Campion, Akira Kurosawa, and Satyajit Ray.

As in other Profiles, some of the entries (32 out of 125) have been adapted from other sources. This process has resulted in occasional unevenness. The entry on Woody Allen, taken from 100 Years of American Film (Macmillan, 1999), consists of little more than a chronological listing of his films sandwiched in between brief introductory and concluding paragraphs. Entries written specifically for this publication, such as the piece on Diane Arbus, tend to be more reflective.

Overall the articles are accessible and insightful. Boxed inserts complement the text (information on Ed Wood accompanies the article on Tim Burton; the Sundance Film Festival is mentioned in conjunction with the Coen Brothers, etc.). The "Additional Resources" section lists general film and photography sources including books, periodical articles, video recordings, and Web sites, as well as bibliographies specific to each artist.

Of special interest to collections that support a film curriculum, this offering will also help with history and social studies assignments. It is a solid entry in the series and should be considered for most secondary collections and public library collections. RBB
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