cover of Introduction to Film Studies

Introduction to Film Studies

Edited by Jill Nelmes

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About the Book

Lavishly illustrated with 123 up-to-date film stills and productions shots, this is the completely revised and updated fourth edition of the comprehensive leading textbook for students of cinema.

Guiding students through the key issues and concepts in film studies, Introduction to Film Studies traces the historical development of film, and introduces some of the world’s key national cinemas.

Each chapter is written by a subject specialist, three new authors contribute to the book, a wide range of films are analyzed and discussed, and a broad spectrum of theories and theorists are presented, from formalism to feminism, and from Eisenstein to Deleuze. Key features of the fourth edition are:

Widely reviewed by teachers in the field, and including a foreword by Bill Nichols, it will be essential reading for any introductory student of film, media studies or the visual arts worldwide.

Introduction to Film Studies is a comprehensive leading textbook for students of cinema. This completely revised and updated fourth edition guides students through the key issues and concepts in film studies, traces the historical development of film and introduces some of the worlds key national cinemas. A range of theories and theorists are presented from Formalism to Feminism, from Eisenstein to Deleuze. Each chapter is written by a subject specialist, including four new authors for the fourth edition. A wide range of films are analysed and discussed. It is lavishly illustrated with 123 film stills and production shots, many of them in colour. Reviewed widely by teachers in the field and with a foreword by Bill Nichols, it will be essential reading for any introductory student of film and media studies or the visual arts worldwide.

Key features of the fourth edition are:

Individual chapters introduce: Rediscovering Film Studies · The Industrial Contexts of Film Production · Film Form and Narrative · Approaches to Cinematic Authorship · Genre, Theory and Hollywood Cinema; Stardom and Hollywood Cinema · Spectator, Audience and Response · The Documentary Form · The Language of Animation · Gender and Film · Lesbian and Gay Cinema · Ethnicity, Race and Cinema - African American Film · British Cinema · Indian Cinema ·Soviet Montage Cinema of the 1920s · French New Wave

Contributors include: Chris Darke, Lalitha Gopalan, Terri Francis, Chris Jones, Mark Joyce, Searle Kochberg, Lawrence Napper, Jill Nelmes, Patrick Phillips, Suzanne Speidel, Paul Ward, Paul Watson, Paul Wells

Reviews

Praise for previous editions:

First Edition

'Simply the best introductory volume in the field so far.' - Jesus B Sanchez, Castilla La Mongha University, Ciudad Real, Spain

'Indispensable for the A Level, degree student or lay reader in film, communications or media courses...will indisputably be the standard text for many years to come...close to the perfect film studies textbook you are likely to see.' - John Lough, Senior Lecturer in Media Theory, University of Humberside, UK

Second Edition

'I highly recommend this text to any student embarking on the study of film...An admirable synthesis of historical, social and theoretical considerations of cinema, presented in an engaging and accessible manner.' - Alan Burton, De Montfort University, UK

'Probably the clearest, most comprehensive and accessible introduction to film studies available.' - Martin Price, Stratford-upon-Avon College, UK

Third Edition

'I know of no other introductory film text that covers so much ground, nor that so readily connects up film theory and discourse with work in mass and popular culture. The revised edition keeps up with changes in technology and the discussions of Hollywood are particularly illuminating...I highly recommend this text.' - Denise Albanese, George Mason University, USA

'The ideal book for anyone starting Film Studies...Illustrations are plentiful and all important concepts and terminology are accessibly explained. I encourage students to make it their top priority reading.' - Jeff Thomas, Coleg Gwent, Pontypool, Wales

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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Foreword Bill Nichols Introduction to the Fourth Edition Jill Nelmes How to Use This Book Useful Features New Features of the First Edition Part 1 Approaches to Studying Cinema Chapter 1. Rediscovering Film Studies: Some Fresh Starting Points Patrick Phillips Part 2 Cinema as Institution : Industries, Technologies and Audiences Chapter 2. The Industrial Contexts of Film Production Searle Kochberg Part 3 Approaches to Studying Film Texts Chapter 3. Film Form and Narrative Suzanne Speidel Chapter 4. Approaches to Cinematic Authorship Paul Watson Chapter 5. Genre Theory and Hollywood Cinema Paul Watson Chapter 6. Stardom and Hollywood Cinema Paul Watson Chapter 7. Spectator, Audience and Response Patrick Phillips Part 4 Other Genre Forms Chapter 8. The Documentary Form Paul Ward Chapter 9. The Language of Animation Paul Wells Part 5 Cinema, Identities and the Politics of Representation Chapter 10. Gender and Film Jill Nelmes Chapter 11. Lesbian and Gay Cinema Chris Jones Chapter 12. Ethnicity, Race and Cinema - African American Film Terri Francis Part 6 Cinema, Nationhood and National Identities Studying National Cinema: Case Studies Chapter 13. British Cinema Lawrence Napper Chapter 14. Indian Cinema Lalitha Gopalan National Cinemas: Art, Politics and the Avant-Garde Chapter 15. Soviet Montage Cinema of the 1920s Mark Joyce Chapter 16. The French New Wave Chris Darke Glossary Bibliography Index

About the Author(s)

Jill Nelmes is a senior lecturer at the University of East London. Her research interests include gender and film and screenwriting. She recently spent two years studying screenwriting at UCLA and working in the film industry in Los Angeles.