The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia: Women on the Other Side of the Camera (St. James Reference Guides) [Paperback]

Amy L. Unterburger (Editor)

Book Description

Series: St. James Reference Guides | Publication Date: June 1999

The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia is a heartening and inspiring examination of just how much women have contributed to the movies. Rigorous and scholarly, this fascinating and expansive book covers not just female directors but also significant women writers, producers, editors, screenwriters, cinematographers, animators, composers, and designers. The Encyclopedia is also refreshingly culture blind, giving Hong Kong director Ann Hui and Senegalese writer-director Safi Faye as much space as Jodie Foster or Lina Wertmuller. More than 200 of the industry's most influential and talented women behind the camera are profiled. From Chantal Akerman and Alice Guy and Mary Pickford to Lina Wertmuller and Julie Dash and Jane Campion, Women Filmmakers provides detailed creative and personal biographies and complete filmographies, and examines general themes, techniques, influences, and critical standing. You'll meet Martin Scorsese's favorite editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, legendary costume designer Edith Head, avant-garde filmmaker Yoko Ono, pioneers Ida Lupino and Anita Loos, and contemporary directors Amy Heckerling, Nora Ephron, and Claire Denis. Women Filmmakers delivers long overdue applause and rare historical perspective to a fast-growing but little-documented slice of the film industry.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In today's era of corporate concept movies marketed to the coveted 18-to-39-year-old white male demographic, it is easy to think of films as being made largely by and for men. If you're looking for an alternative to whining about this situation, The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia is a heartening examination of just how much women have contributed to the cinema. This fascinating and expansive book covers not just female directors but also writers, producers, editors, and designers who have had an impact in the film world. The Encyclopedia is also refreshingly culture blind, giving Hong Kong director Ann Hui and Senegalese writer-director Safi Faye as much space as Jodie Foster or Lina Wertmüller.

Not merely a rah-rah-look-what-we-gals-can-do bit of fluff, each entry is treated to a serious examination of influences and career, bringing up noteworthy flaws as well as highlights. While certainly edifying to read straight through, the greatest pleasure this book offers is to the browser, hopping from a discussion of the controversial career and alliances of Leni Riefenstahl to a look at Mae West's scandalous self-written scripts. With its comprehensive coverage of everyone from Hollywood powerhouses to people you've never heard of (unless you really pay attention to credits), The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia is a welcome addition to any film fan's bookshelf. --Ali Davis

From the Back Cover

Behind the Scenes but Not Forgotten

For more than 100 years, women have been a vital force in shaping the movies we see today. In 1896, young French producer-director Alice Guy became the world's first woman filmmaker, two years after Thomas Edison demonstrated the Kinetoscope in Paris and a year after the brothers Lumiare projected their first film. Guy may very well have been the first director to present a story on film, and she should be celebrated for her incredible achievement. But her 30-year career as an independent film director was nearly forgotten by 1953 when the French government very belatedly awarded the 80-year-old filmmaker the Legion of Honor.

Since the days of Guy's pioneering, many women have contributed significantly to the making of movies, working behind the camera as directors, producers, animators, cinematographers, editors, screenwriters, costume designers, and art directors. This often-overlooked part of the historic and contemporary film industry is captured in 7he St. James Women Filmmakers Enc clopedia.

Open the pages of The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia and you'll discover the history of more than 200 women filmmakers from around the world. Read little-known stories of women from the beginning of motion pictures to present day. You'll also enjoy hard-to-find information on current women filmmakers and their films, influences, and vision.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Visible Ink Press (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578590922
• ISBN-13: 978-1578590926
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,647,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)