Film Language: A Semiotics of the Cinema [Paperback]

Christian Metz (Author), Michael Taylor (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226521303 | ISBN-13: 978-0226521305 | Publication Date: December 15, 1990

A pioneer in the field, Christian Metz applies insights of structural linguistics to the language of film.

"The semiology of film . . . can be held to date from the publication in 1964 of the famous essay by Christian Metz, 'Le cinéma: langue ou langage?'"—Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Times Literary Supplement

"Modern film theory begins with Metz."—Constance Penley, coeditor of Camera Obscura

"Any consideration of semiology in relation to the particular field signifying practice of film passes inevitably through a reference to the work of Christian Metz. . . . The first book to be written in this field, [Film Language] is important not merely because of this primacy but also because of the issues it raises . . . issues that have become crucial to the contemporary argument."—Stephen Heath, Screen

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (December 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226521303
• ISBN-13: 978-0226521305
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Semiotics in a New Realm, March 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Film Language: A Semiotics of the Cinema (Paperback)

This book is a collection of essays that Metz wrote regarding the semiotics of film. It uses semiotical terms that may be unfamiliar to many readers, but its worth the effort, for one will find some very interesting insights into the nature of film as a signifier. Especially interesting segments regarding the semiotics of the traditional Hollywood film.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The True Pioneer in Film Theory, July 13, 2005

By 

Lucretius Borges (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Film Language: A Semiotics of the Cinema (Paperback)

Christian Metz's essays on film language are a milestone in semiotics and film analysis. If his terminology may be slightly hard to grasp immediately, it is because he is seeking clear and rigorously defined concepts, strongly grounded both in film practice and in structural linguistics. While structural lingusitics may no longer be a major reference in current intellectual discourse, Metz's book is indeed still extremely useful in understanding some key concepts of film, such as the "pro-filmic": what does an object become when it is standing in front of the camera? Abundant examples from French and American film generously help the reader (and it would be time to reprint and redistribute "Adieu, Philippine", which Metz thoroughly analyzes).

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Film Language Decoded, July 31, 2007

By 

Deborah Kozdras "demikoz" (tampa FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Film Language: A Semiotics of the Cinema (Paperback)

As a Ph.D. student in the field of new literacy studies, I have found Metz's book an invaluable aid. He provides theoretically grounded concepts that translate film components into "language".