Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940s (History of the American Cinema) [Paperback]

Thomas Schatz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0520221303 | ISBN-13: 978-0520221307 | Edition: 1

Boom and Bust traces the movie industry through the momentous decade of the 1940s. It discusses changes in the structure of the studio system--including the shift to independent production--and the dominant stars, genres, and production trends through the period.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Boom and Bust constitutes an essential background for anyone interested in this complicated decade. . . . By dealing with break and continuity together, Schatz is able to tell several histories of American film: the history of the cinema's recruitment by politics, but also the history of industrial practices that move at their own irreducible speed." -- Dana Polan, Film Quarterly

From the Inside Flap

"This book represents some of the finest scholarship in the field. . . . Schatz draws on a broad range of archival and trade press sources, and organizes his findings to highlight the dynamics of studio house styles, executive management and the production strategies of the major studios as the studio system coped with an array of 'momentous reversals.'"--Matthew Bernstein, author of Walter Wanger, Hollywood Independent

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Product Details

• Paperback: 582 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (November 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520221303
• ISBN-13: 978-0520221307
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,066,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible for anyone interested in US film or the '40s, December 21, 2000

By 

Benjamin L. Alpers (Norman, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940s (History of the American Cinema) (Paperback)

An extraordinary book in an extraordinary series (all the other volumes in the History of the American Cinema are first rate as well). Schatz tells the fascinating story of a decade in which Hollywood saw its fortunes rise and then collapse. Not just a fine example of film history, but of business history as well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for film class!, December 22, 2008

By 

C. Jasiulek (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940s (History of the American Cinema) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book if you're taking a film class or just want to learn some interesting information regarding films during the early 1900s. Includes many photos.