World History of Film, A (Trade Version) [Hardcover]

Robert Sklar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2003

This authoritative volume is a readable, illustrated history of motion pictures from pre-cinema to the present day, written from a global perspective. It covers the technological and stylistic developments of movies in the rich context of culture, politics, society and other arts. The author does not treat the history of film as a self-contained subject but rather as a dynamic medium within a constellation of other factors.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Legendary critic and New York University cinema studies professor Robert Sklar chronicles over 100 years of cinema in A World History of Film. Lushly illustrated with color and black-and-white photos, the book covers everything from 1920s American animation to Czech films of the '60s to Titanic. Sklar concisely explains the rise and fall of various cinematic trends documentaries and fiction films alike describing the most important films of each movement. He covers Latin American, Asian and African cinema, including early 20th-century filmmaking in Brazil and Japan.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The beginning of film's second century has been mostly marked by a lamentable lack of quality in both American and European films. This book is a timely reminder that film remains a truly worldwide art form, nourished and renewed from diverse and unexpected sources most recently, Australia, China, and Iran. Sklar (Movie-Made America: A Cultural History of American Movies) here attempts the impossible, compressing over 100 years of film history into one oversized volume. He surveys output and trends from most major countries over the decades while providing a time line that describes other news and cultural events. Sidebars also highlight topics like independent films, gay and lesbian cinema, the new women directors, method acting, and much more. More a chronological study than an encyclopedia, this book will be useful to beginners seeking to clarify basic film concepts like neorealism or "new wave." The author's need to say something about everything contributes to a rather bland tone, and he certainly cannot do justice to directors like Spielberg, Hitchcock, or Ford in a few paragraphs. Photographs are the main attraction, and some have a wonderfully candid quality, like one showing Ingmar Bergman setting up a shot for The Seventh Seal while an actor playing the figure of Death relaxes on a nearby boulder. Up-to-date and enhanced by a glossary of film terms, this book will serve as an introductory study for film students. Recommended for large academic and public library film collections. Stephen F. Rees, Levittown Regional Lib., PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; Rev Exp edition (April 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131833391
• ISBN-13: 978-0131833395
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,921,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and readable introduction to history of cinema, December 25, 2004

By 

Nathan Andersen "film lover, philosophy profe... (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A World History of Film (Hardcover)

Sklar's book is an excellent overview of the history of world cinema, from its development (at least in prototype form) in the late 19th century until about ten years ago. I assigned it as a text for my "International Cinema" course, and was on the whole quite satisfied with what my students learned from it. While there are a wealth of details, and you could get lost if you didn't have at least some familiarity with films he mentions, the book is fairly accessible to the novice and is certainly readable.

Sklar is an excellent writer, who is able to sum things up in ways that are clear, accurate and precise. Each chapter covers a period in the history of cinema in such a way that even without knowing all the films he mentions you can still get a rough idea of what the trends were, that would form a space for subsequent learning. You'd get even more details, say, in the Oxford History of World Cinema, but what I like about Sklar's book is that it feels a bit more like a coherent and continuous narrative.

He does a great job moving back and forth between various national cinemas and the dominant Hollywood tradition, showing how Hollywood (and American cinema generally) put its stamp on world cinema while at the same time identifying the ways in which national cinemas developed their own identity in distinction from and sometimes in reaction to the influence of Hollywood. There is much to recommmend Sklar's approach, and if you want a manageable tome that gives enough detail for a basic grasp without being overwhelming, I can't think of a better text.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo!, December 3, 2001

By 

Elio Chavez "erosfortuna" (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A World History of Film (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my sister-in-law and after looking through it almost decided to keep it for myself! (But it's a Christmas present.) Very informative without being boring. Great movie stills. Non-threatening to the cinema novice. Can't wait for the sequel!

0 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good choice for the lover of "ALL" things about FILMS, August 16, 2003

By 

Bookingitgirl (Lexington, SC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A World History of Film (Hardcover)

This book was a disappointment to me because I think I expected more info about the stars. Honestly for whatever reason, I expected something like Hollywood Babylon. However, if you are a person who enjoys the intricacies behind Film Making---this is a book for you. But if you lean towards the more personal human side of film making, look further.