Movie-Made America: A Cultural History of American Movies (Paperback)

by Robert Sklar (Author) "For the first half of the twentieth century-from 1896 to 1946, to be exact-movies were the most popular and influential medium of culture in the..." (more)
Key Phrases: movie workers, trance films, quota films, New York, United States, World War (more...)

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.

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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Rev Sub edition (December 5, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679755497
• ISBN-13: 978-0679755494
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,669 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, December 4, 2003

By	Devon (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and Meticulous Guide, November 22, 2000

By	cinemagirl (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Course Reading, September 27, 2005

By	B. Lomas (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!