Film Art: An Introduction and Film Viewers Guide

Rating:
Summary: Text is good. The publisher is sloppy!
Review: I used this text for my Introduction to Film and Film Studies course. It was usually an easy to read and understand text. The main problem that I have with the text itself is the examples used. I highly doubt that introductory students have seen a lot of the films used such as Ozu's "Tokyo Story" and Resnais's "Last Year at Marienbad". The authors might want to consider using examples from films that are a little more widely viewed than Eisenstein's films.

If you're a prof and considering this book, please make sure that what you call a tracking shot actually matches what the textbook says. If you don't, it can create endless confusion.

Also, the publisher of this book really need to go into the text and fix some problems. More than once I was told that an example was on page 000 and there's a section in the mise-en-scene chapter that says that information has been removed and should be put back in. This can be confusing and also makes the book look sloppy.

Rating:
Summary: I do not recommend this book.
Review: Run, do not walk, away from this book unless you are an advanced film student. If you simply want to learn about film, this book is way too full of itself. This was the book my department head chose as a requirement for a general ed, beginning film class and I could not even subject my students to it. I actually want them to learn, rather than being so put off by pretentiousness that they tune out of the class altogether. Terrible book for beginning or intermediate students. I don't recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: From a film professor
Review: Since an earlier review was from a film professor who trashed this book, I thought it would be a good idea if another film professor stepped forward to defend it. The complaints from the aforementioned film professor are vague -- Film Art is apparently "pretentious" and "full of itself." If my college professors advanced criticisms that were as vague as that, and provided absolutely NO evidence or further explanations of their opinions, I wouldn't have continued my studies. It's pretty sad when a beginning undergraduate film student offers a much more articulate and thorough review of a text than a professor.

In any case, Film Art is an excellent introduction to the study of film, largley because it is NOT pretentious or full of itself. Unlike many theoretical accounts of film, Film Art is set forth in extremely clear language, is painstakingly organized for maximum clarity, is filled with visual examples and evidence from a staggeringly wide variety of films (Hollywood, foreign, documentary, avant-garde, old, new, etc.), and is thoroughly informed by both a mastery of film aesthetics and history, but also a practical knowledge of film production. Though it is not about film production and was not written by fillmmakers, its authors are totally familiar with the practices of film production and, unlike so many film scholars who leave production details to the techies, employ this body of practical knowledge to clarify how films work.

An excellent resource for teachers and students alike!


Rating:
Summary: I DO recommend this book
Review: The previous review of this book was by a film professor. This one is by a film STUDENT. This book was required reading for my first film class which was an introduction to film class called: the Language of Film. This book is definitely a great introduction to the art of film. It is not a book about filmmaking. It is a book that introduces with each chapter a new angle from which film can be studied. Everything about film is covered: Film history; genre films; narrative form; the stages of film production, distribution, and exhibition; mise-en-scene; editing and sound in cinema; film criticism; and the future of film. Each section is accompanied by examples and screen captures from popular classic and modern films, and scattered quotations from popular and obscure filmmakers.

The title of this book is a perfect description of what the book is. If you are a beginner, it is perfect for an overview or outline of what film is. If you are an advanced film student, it is great for sharpening your knowledge of film.

With regard to the previous review by the film professor who was afraid that this book would put off his/her students, it would be better for students to know early on what they are getting themselves into. If you are actually turned off after reading this book, you shouldn't go any further with your film studies.

In conclusion, this is a great book that introduces the purely cinematic aspects of film that distinguishes it from every other art form. I highly recommend it.