Hailed as the definitive work upon its original publication in 1975 and now extensively revised and updated by the author, this vastly absorbing and richly illustrated book examines film as an art form, technological innovation, big business, and shaper of American values. 80 black-and-white photos.
Movie-Made America
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Sklar has revised and updated this imposing, wide-ranging analysis of American cinema, first published in 1975; 80 b&w photos.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Sklar shows that movies not only reflect our society but influence it as well. This update advances the study to 1993 films. "Well worth consideration" (LJ
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By Devon
Format:Paperback
Sklar's Movie Made America was assigned as my textbook for a film class I just finished here at UCLA. At first I thought it to be a bit boring, especially because I thought it was just repeating what the professor had discussed in class. However, when I truly began to appreciate this book and take the time to read every word, I realized that Sklar not only presents the facts, but synthesizes the history of American cinema in innovative and interesting contexts. He discusses the way that film, from its start, has changed America as a social body, as a political body, as an economic body, and as a body in of itself.
Certain chapters were intriguing because they took standpoints different than any other author. And while the words are a bit dated, last revised over 10 years ago, it still has a spooky sense of relevance.
Overall, a wonderful book. If you're interested in the history of American film, here you go. I'm not selling this one back to the bookstore during Buy-Back time. That's for sure.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By cinemagirl
Format:Paperback
For those who wish to extend beyond the wisdom of the typical movie buff -- knowing how much a particular film grossed; memorizing the dialogue of a film word for word; spotting discrepancies in plots -- this book is for you. Do you know how films came to be? Who and what were the catalysts that aided the popularity of the motion picture industry? What's the story on the current Hollywood studios? Although sometimes tedious, this book is the complete guide for those who are curious about both motion pictures and the interesting history that entails.
23 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
While I realize that Robert Sklar's Movie Made America is a regularly used text in many university film courses, I can only surmise that this may be why so many film classes are boring. While Skylar's book is somewhat comprehensive as far as it goes, it is not only overly pedantic but it is written with no determinable sense of chronology. While it is subtitled "A Cultural History of American Movies," it is more a social history of early Hollywood with an emphasis on the old studio system and those early personages which comprised that system. Furthermore, easily one-third of the book is dedicated to the first twenty years of American film making.
I purchased this book for adoption in a university film course that I teach which has as its emphasis the cultural underpinnings of American Film. While my students appreciated that the book was inexpensive, both the students and I agreed that the book was uninspired, unexciting, unimaginative, unattractive, unintelligible, and nearly unreadable. Additionally, it is cheap looking; it is printed on cheap paper which allowed bleed-through of the ink; and the photographs are reproduced with less quality than you would find in a newspaper. I am going back to John Belton's book, American Cinema, American Culture, next semester.
I purchased this book for adoption in a university film course that I teach which has as its emphasis the cultural underpinnings of American Film. While my students appreciated that the book was inexpensive, both the students and I agreed that the book was uninspired, unexciting, unimaginative, unattractive, unintelligible, and nearly unreadable. Additionally, it is cheap looking; it is printed on cheap paper which allowed bleed-through of the ink; and the photographs are reproduced with less quality than you would find in a newspaper. I am going back to John Belton's book, American Cinema, American Culture, next semester.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By James Killgo
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was assigned this as reading in my History and Film class. It covers everything from the beginning of film with Edison and the creation of the first projectors up to the 80's. Sklar presents the material in an easy to read way, its not too much information for those who are not familiar with this area of history. At times it can be a little monotonous, listing film after film and its relevance, but if you can get through it, you will learn a decent amount about the films. It is not a comprehensive work but a good start if you are interested. It will make you go and watch some of those old historical classics.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By B. Lomas
Format:Paperback
This is a great book that was required reading for Steven Ross' "Film, Power, and American, History" course at USC. Not only was it very relevant and well organized, but genuinely interesting too!
By Ivan
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Even the intro provides good perspectives on films over the years. The author doesn't come off as pompous as I've heard. Maybe he does, but that's just my perspective.
By Jessica Chai
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Although there is no any written notes or highlights in this book and the price is reasonable, it is not the best as an used book
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
fbus25 Movie-Made America
In his rather condemning book review of Robert Sklar's Movie-Made America, after class room testing, Mark Snyder came to the conclusion >>>that the book was uninspired, unexciting, unimaginative, unattractive, unintelligible, and nearly unreadable <<< Quote from his Amazon review Highly over-rated, one star, December 21, 2008.
I read it twice (it reads very easily) because I felt I had missed something the first time. Well, I had not. Let me add another (dis)qualification to Mr Snyder's list: undirectional.
fbus25 Movie-Made America - 9 June 2012
In his rather condemning book review of Robert Sklar's Movie-Made America, after class room testing, Mark Snyder came to the conclusion >>>that the book was uninspired, unexciting, unimaginative, unattractive, unintelligible, and nearly unreadable <<< Quote from his Amazon review Highly over-rated, one star, December 21, 2008.
I read it twice (it reads very easily) because I felt I had missed something the first time. Well, I had not. Let me add another (dis)qualification to Mr Snyder's list: undirectional.
fbus25 Movie-Made America - 9 June 2012
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Out there
I have only read the first 3 or 4 chapters so far, but the editor has no linear stream of conciousness. He meanders along in his thought process with no logical structure in mind. Read more
Published on September 1, 2007 by Kira Dawn Foltz
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Grand Discourse on Filmdom and Society.
The author shows how movies not only reflect our society but influence it as well.
Are you a film buff, a history buff, or both? Read more
Are you a film buff, a history buff, or both? Read more
Published on December 9, 2006 by Kiril G. Kundurazieff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Classic work
This is a must read in the social and cultural history of American cinema.
Published on February 14, 2005 by Murat Akser
5.0 out of 5 stars
much more than "the definitive work"
Isn't this more than "the definitive work"? One could imagine its insights and grand scope to be inspiring and instructive for the later reflections that were to shape the concerns... Read more
Published on August 12, 1999 by Glenn Ralston
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
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100
books
cite this book:
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- Last Tycoon: An Unfinished Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald on 5 pages
- Easy Rider by Peter Fonda on page 291, page 302, and page 335
- Our Movie Made Children (Literature of Cinema Series : Payne Fund Studies of Motion Pictures and Social Values) by Henry James Forman on page 137, page 173, and Back Matter
- The Rise of the American Film: A Critical History With an Essay : Experimental Cinema in America, 1921-1947 by Lewis Jacobs in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- MAGIC & MYTH OF THE MOVIES (Cinema classics) by Tyler on page 357, and Back Matter
See all 100 books this book cites
- Film and Authorship (Depth of Film) by Virginia Wright Wexman on page 110, page 111, and page 218
- Media and Society in the Twentieth Century: A Historical Introduction by Lyn Gorman on page 43, page 168, and Back Matter
- Nervous Laughter: Television Situation Comedy and Liberal Democratic Ideology (Media and Society Series) by Darrell Y. Hamamoto on page 48, and Back Matter
- Nervous Laughter: Television Situation Comedy and Liberal Democratic Ideology (Media and Society) by Darrell Y. Hamamoto on page 48, and Back Matter
- Working on Screen: Representations of the Working Class in Canadian Cinema by Malek Khouri on page 265, and Back Matter
See all 100 books citing this book
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