Consolidating major figures and film movements into their decade of greatest influence or prestige, this “no-nonsense” book offers a generously illustrated, concise, and very readable history of fiction movies with an emphasis on American cinema. Eclectic in methodology and written in a plain English style that audiences can relate to, it examines the full scope of traditional film history and criticism, viewing film as both an art and an industry— as it mirrors popular audience values, social ideologies, and historical epochs. Film discussions include titles such as Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, There's Something About Mary, Face Off, the Lion King, Saving Private Ryan, Good Will Hunting, Pulp Fiction, Choosing Amy, The Piano, Menace II Society, Sweet Hereafter, The English Patient, Sense and Sensibility, Shakespeare in live, The Full Monty, The Crying Game, Life is Beautiful, and like Water for Chocolate. For anyone who enjoys going to, and thinking about, the movies.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Consolidating major figures and film movements into their decade of greatest influence or prestige, this "no-nonsense" book offers a generously illustrated, concise, and very readable history of fiction movies with an emphasis on American cinema. Eclectic in methodology and written in a plain English style that students can relate to, it examines the full scope of traditional film history and criticism, viewing film as both an art and an industry as it mirrors popular audience values, social ideologies, and historical epochs.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
Preface
WE SET OUT TO WRITE A REALLY BRIEF BOOK. Just the basics, no frills. After considerable deliberation, we finally decided on a mechanical form of organization by decade. We then proceeded to cheat left and right, cramming major figures and film movements into their decade of greatest influence or prestige. Here, then, is a bare-bones history of fiction movies, copiously illustrated with photos, many of them rarely reprinted. Since this book was written primarily with an American audience in mind, we have emphasized the American cinema. Eclectic in our methodology, we have adhered to a broad consensus tradition of film history and criticism; except for a humanist bias, we have had no theoretical axes to grind. Nor have we attempted to dazzle the reader with a fresh array of jargon; the text is in plain English, with essential terms in boldface to indicate that they are defined in the glossary. Our main concern has been with film as art, but when appropriate we also discuss film as industry and as a reflection of popular audience values, social ideologies, and historical epochs. History books are filled with value judgments, and this one is no exception. We have not hesitated to call a bomb a bomb. On the whole, however, our attitude has been similar to that of Andre Breton, the founder of the surrealist movement, who said, "The cinema? Three cheers for darkened rooms." Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge the input received from the following reviewers of the manuscript: Marilyn K. Ackerman, Foot Hill College; Susan Scrivner, Bemidji State University; Jack Riggs, Dekalb College-Gwinnett Campus; and Davis A. March, Rowan Cabarrus Community College.
Others who have helped us include Jonathan Forman of Cleveland Cinemas; Dave Wittkowsky of the Cleveland Film Society and International Film Festival; and the CWRU Observer. Mary Araneo performed her customary miracles in her layout design, Lisa Sloane went beyond the call of duty in designing the cover, and Phil Miller of Prentice Hall expedited matters by being sane and rational. We thank them all.
LOUIS GIANNETTI
SCOTT EYMAN
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An indispensable film resouce,
This review is from: Flashback: A Brief History of Film (4th Edition) (Paperback)
A survey of both American and International cinema, the text provides a thoroughly illustrated history of film ranging from the early works of the Lumiere brothers to the recent Magnolia. Authored by an English professor, the writing is organized, concise, and most importantly, interesting. Upon finishing the book, I garnered a certain respect and appreciation for film and filmmakers, something that had not occurred to me with others texts. For example, it details the struggle of the German cinema during the time of the Third Reich. The reasons such acclaimed artists such as Fritz Lang and Leni Riefenstahl were being exploited for their abilities, and conversely how other talents were being suppressed for their rebellion. As I read more, I learned how political figures and movements often parallel cinematic output, and the awesome power that the silver screen can have on influencing the masses. I highly recommend Flashback to anyone who has even the slightest interest in film. The copious amounts of photographs breaks up the text nicely, and there is certainly something for everyone.
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very well organized, well beyond your average reviewer...,
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This review is from: Flashback: A Brief History of Film (4th Edition) (Paperback)
I just finished checking out this book. Very well layed out: breaks down the history of film in a decade-by-decade fashion, further distinguishing american films from international cinema (which I particularly found a little pointless, but...) In general, I found the author's criteria to be well in line with those of a "smart" (or critical, if you may) moviegoer. Not a table book or a bed-side book, however: it is a textbook for a college-level film class.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very happy with my purchase,
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This review is from: Flashback: A Brief History of Film (5th Edition) (Paperback)
I was very happy when I got my book in the mail. It came in a timely manner and it was wrapped well. I am always skeptical about buying online so naturally I went through the book to look for damage. As I was going through the book I saw everything was in good condition. The book actually looked like it was never used before. I'm very happy with this purchase!
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