Customer Reviews

Introduction to Documentary:

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Nichols provides a concise explanation of the history and development of documentary films, as well as their roles in society. He covers the wide range of what we call "documentary", from propaganda to agenda films, and he lists excellent examples that the reader will want to watch for better context. I use select chapters in a freshmen writing class that works with documentary film and nonfiction writing--really encourages discussion. I look forward to Nichols' new book, "Engaging Cinema: An Introduction to Film Studies", as an explanation of how we view the importance of film in society. His writing style is clear, yet he raises many questions for the viewer to consider: Who funded this film? How was this film edited and presented? What are the audience responses? How does this film fit in the historical/social context of its time, our present time?

If you use this book for a class, PLEASE talk about it too. My professor had us read it, but we never really discussed the book in class. It's not a hard read, but it was hard to apply some of the things in the book with the classroom format.