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Essential Cinema: An Introduction to Film Analysis, 1st Edition

Jon Lewis

  • Copyright 2014
  • {{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2013-01-01T00:00:00+0000')}}
Starting At $124.95 See pricing and ISBN options
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Essential Cinema: An Introduction to Film Analysis 1st Edition by Jon Lewis
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Overview

Succinct, lively, and affordable, ESSENTIAL CINEMA: AN INTRODUCTION TO FILM ANALYSIS provides a clear focus on developing students' skills in film analysis. Offering the most engaging instruction available, this exciting First Edition is packed with frame captures students will readily relate to. It also features interviews with film practitioners throughout, giving students insight into real-world practice in today's field. Videos of the complete interviews are available through the eBook version as well as the text website. In addition, unique screening questions help students apply chapter concepts to any film they watch, while the running glossary and end-of-text illustrated glossary ensure students have easy access to full explanations of concepts.

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Meet the Authors

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Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis is a professor in the English Department at Oregon State University where he has taught film and cultural studies since 1983. He has published eight books: THE ROAD TO ROMANCE AND RUIN: TEEN FILMS AND YOUTH CULTURE, which won a CHOICE MAGAZINE Academic Book of the Year Award; WHOM GOD WISHES TO DESTROY … FRANCIS COPPOLA AND THE NEW HOLLYWOOD; THE NEW AMERICAN CINEMA; HOLLYWOOD V. HARD CORE: HOW THE STRUGGLE OVER CENSORSHIP SAVED THE MODERN FILM INDUSTRY, a NEW YORK TIMES New and Noteworthy paperback; THE END OF CINEMA AS WE KNOW IT: AMERICAN FILM IN THE NINETIES; AMERICAN FILM: A HISTORY; LOOKING PAST THE SCREEN: CASE STUDIES IN AMERICAN FILM HISTORY; and for the British Film Institute's Film Classics series, THE GODFATHER. Professor Lewis has appeared in two theatrically released documentaries on film censorship: INSIDE DEEP THROAT (Fenton Bailey, 2005) and THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED (Kirby Dick, 2006). Between 2002 and 2007, he served as editor of CINEMA JOURNAL and had a seat on the Executive Council of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies.

Features

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  • Extremely engaging and student friendly, ESSENTIAL CINEMA: AN INTRODUCTION TO FILM ANALYSIS features a higher picture-to-text ratio than other textbooks, which translates into a more visual mode of instruction. The majority of the 660 pictures are frames captured from DVDs. Thoroughly discussed in the text, the pictures help students see principles in action and develop their skills in close analysis.
  • Included in almost every chapter, "Making Movies" boxes feature an interview with a film practitioner to give students real-world insights into how filmmakers think about the concepts explored in the chapter. A fuller version of the interview, recorded on video, is accessible on the book's website and clickable in the ebook version.
  • Screening questions at the end of every chapter help students apply chapter concepts to any film they watch. The questions also help generate ideas for writing papers and prompt lively class discussion.
  • Bringing chapter content together, end-of-chapter "Focus" boxes show students how to apply key concepts in annotated images or text.
  • Each chapter has a running glossary of key terms in the margin to help students master the vocabulary of film. An illustrated glossary at the end of the text offers further explanations.
  • Offering succinct yet comprehensive coverage, the text features chapters on film form and style; writing about film; documentary, experimental, and animation; film history; and the film business.

Table of Contents

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1. ANALYZING MOVIES.
The Magic of Movies. Movies as Entertainment and Art. How to "Read" a Film.
2. NARRATIVE AND GENRE.
Narrative Structure. Characters. Genre.
3. MISE-EN-SCÈNE.
The Set. Costumes, Make-Up, and Hair. Blocking and Performance. The Lights.
4. CAMERAWORK.
Camera Placement. Camera Movement. Focus and Depth. The Plastic Material: Stock, Exposure, and Effects.
5. EDITING.
Elements of Editing. Continuity Editing. Alternative Editing Styles.
6. SOUND.
Sound and Image. The Voice Track. Music. Sound Effects. Sound Editing and Mixing.
7. THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONTEXTS.
The Business of Film. Distribution and Marketing. Exhibition.
8. DOCUMENTARY, ANIMATED, AND EXPERIMENTAL FILMS.
Documentary. Animation. Experimental Film.
9. FILM HISTORY.
Hollywood. American Independents. Europe. Non-Western Film.
10. WRITING ABOUT FILM.
Essay Writing Strategies. Research and Citation.

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  • ISBN-10: 1439083681
  • ISBN-13: 9781439083680
  • RETAIL $124.95
Instructor Next Steps
Students: Buy now