Customer Reviews

The Cinema of Britain and Ireland (24 Frames)

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This is a pleasant surprise of a book. Instead of rounding up the usual suspects (Powell&Pressburger, Carol Reed, David Lean, Ealing comedies) this book selects 24 films from the late silent era to the end of the 90s that reflect developments in British cinema. These are films that most Americans are not familiar with. Hammer horror, for example, is represented by "Demons of the Mind," while Ealing is represented by "Pink Sting and Sealing Wax," a gaslight noir. When a famous movie is in the book, such as "Tunes of Glory," it is one that has become a bit obscure in recent years.

Consequently, "Cinema of Britain and Ireland" points the American reader in the direction of some very interesting films that are both well-made and not overexposed. The contributors all avoid academic jargon in their discussions, and the book reads quickly and makes you want to see these unfamiliar titles as soon as possible.