Film and Media Studies: Books

In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive. At once film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history, it is all written in the singular voice recognizable immediately as QT's and with the rare perspective about cinema possible only from one of the greatest practitioners of the artform ever.

With more than 250 images, new information on international cinema- especially Polish, Chinese, Russian, Canadian, and Iranian filmmakers- an expanded section on African-American filmmakers, updated discussions of new works by major American directors, and a new section on the rise of comic book movies and computer generated special effects.

In Talking Pictures, veteran film critic Ann Hornaday walks us through the production of a typical movie-from writing the script and casting to the final sound edit-and explains how to evaluate each piece of the process. How do we know if a film is well-written, above and beyond snappy dialogue? What constitutes a great screen performance? What goes into praiseworthy cinematography, editing, and sound design?

This book contains highlights taken from every genre and every part of the world, from neorealism to the New Wave, and from crime thriller to romantic comedy, fantasy, and sci-fi. The Movie Book is the perfect introduction to film.

In Flicker, Jeff Zacks delves into the history of cinema and the latest research to explain what happens in your head when you sit down in the theatre and the lights go out.

A combination of state-of-the-art technology and in-depth interviews with industry experts, Film Lighting provides an inside look at how cinematographers and film directors establish the visual concept of the film and use the lighting to create a certain atmosphere.

Lighting performs an important function in Hollywood film, enhancing the glamour, clarifying the action, and intensifying the mood. The author examines this understated art form, from the glowing backlights of the silent period to the shaded alleys of film noir.

A well-organised guide to teaching film language, with examples from Hollywood, independent, British and World cinemas. It centres on a concise account of key ideas in film analysis at the 'macro' level (narrative, genre, representation) and 'micro' level (cinematography, editing, sound).

This important compilation of interpretive essays and primary documents allows students to read films as cultural artifacts within the contexts of actual past events.

You'll get easy-to-read information on analyzing and critiquing film from a range of theoretical, historical and critical perspectives, and learn how people communicate ideas in film. You'll also be able to shine a light on how stories are developed in movies, understand how a storyline is related to broader issues in society and become a well-versed and insightful film student. Covers the narrative, artistic, cultural, economic and political implications of cinema.

An examination of the sensory aspects of moving images in order to identify and map out at least some of the possible new directions perceived as taking shape as "sensual" film studies.

Exploring the relationship between music and the moving image in film narrative, David Neumeyer shows that film music is not conceptually separate from sound or dialogue, but that all three are manipulated and continually interact in the larger acoustical world of the sound track.

The essays in this volume introduce us to the visual conventions of the Hollywood style, explaining how these first arose and how they have subsequently been challenged by alternative aesthetics.

World Cinema through Global Genres introduces the complex forces of global filmmaking using the popular concept of film genre. The cluster-based organization allows students to acquire a clear understanding of core issues that apply to all films around the world. A strong foundation chapter reviews key concepts and vocabulary for understanding film as an art form, a technology, a business, an index of culture, a social barometer, and a political force.