Customer Reviews

Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings, 5th Edition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a must-have reader for film studies. Most of the TAs and professors at my school dip into this reader to create their classpacks and exam reading lists. The reader, a selection of key essays or excerpts, will introduce you to the language of film studies -- the major theorists from Bazin, Eisenstein, Burch, to Mulvey, Gunning and Dyer etc.; the differing methods of film studies from genre, psychoanalytic, reception, and Frankfurt studies. These are some of the key essays that have shaped film studies criticism over the last century. The book is pricey but well worth it, especially if you don't have the dough to stock up on the original texts. Some of the readings are difficult precisely because they are theory and meant for an academic or professional audience. Take your time, reread selections and savor some of the ideas that still shape how we see and make movies today.

From early Marxist theory to current trends in film scholarship, this text is a must. Anyone who wants to know anything about film theory should buy this book. It is well laid out, has clear and concise concepts, and was one of the cornerstones in my education about film.

Despite some jargon that it difficult to penetrate, finallys this book is an intelligent and original approach to film theory; his views on Eisenstein are fresh and valid, and he roams through film history with a confidence that elevates the book. Too bad that Braudy employs so much arcane language, as if written for academics rather than fans. Still, it's worth the effort to extract the fine parts.

This is a very difficult text to get through. Although it brings up a lot of interesting theorems, the language used makes this inaccessible to most readers.