Arts / Film & Video / History & Criticism

Von Sternberg

von John Baxter

Belligerent and evasive, Josef von Sternberg chose to ignore his illegitimate birth in Austria, deprived New York childhood, abusive father, and lack of education. The director who strutted onto the set in a...

Through a Screen Darkly: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth and Evil in the Movies

von Jeffrey Overstreet

In the style of a cinematic travel journal, film columnist and critic Jeffrey Overstreet of Christianity Today and lookingcloser.org leads readers down paths less traveled to explore some of the best films you’ve...

Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars: An Anthology

von Douglas Brode & Leah Deyneka

In 1977, Star Wars blazed across the screen to become one of the highest grossing and most beloved movies of all time. In Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars: An Anthology, Douglas Brode and Leah Deyneka have...

Life: The Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality

von Neal Gabler

"A thoughtful, in places chilling, account of the way entertainment values have hollowed out American life." --The New York Times Book Review

From one of America's most original cultural critics and the author...

Redefining Adaptation Studies

von Raw Cutchins

Transcending the literature/film paradigm of typical film adaptation courses, these essays focus on the idea of 'adaptation' and what it means in different socio-political contexts. This volume not only suggests...

Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema

von Terri Ginsberg

The Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Cinema covers the production and exhibition of cinema in the Middle East and in other communities whose heritage is from the region and whose films commonly reflect...

Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark Reality

von William Irwin & Mark D. White

The first look at the philosophy behind the Iron Man comics and movies, timed for the release of Iron Man 2 in March 2010

On the surface, Iron Man appears to be a straightforward superhero, another rich guy fighting...

Schlock Value: Hollywood at It's Worst

von Richard Roeper

Check back soon to read more details about Schlock Value by Richard Roeper.

Soul Searching: Black-Themed Cinema from the March on Washington to the Rise of Blaxploitation

von Christopher Sieving

An engrossing look at black-themed films in pre-blaxploitation Hollywood

What Media Classes Really Want to Discuss

von Greg Smith

What Media Classes Really Want To Discuss focuses on topics that introductory textbooks generally ignore, although they are prominent in students' minds. Using approachable prose, this book provides students...

The Epic Film

von Robert Burgoyne

With the recent release of spectacular blockbuster films from Gladiator to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the epic has once again become a major form in contemporary cinema. The orginal essays in this volume...

Everyday Pornography

von Karen Boyle

Drawing on the experiences of activists alongside academics, Everyday Pornography offers the opportunity to explore the intellectual and political challenges of anti-pornography feminism and consider its relevance...

Political Communication and Social Theory

von Aeron Davis

Political Communication and Social Theory presents an advanced, challenging text for students and scholars of political communication and the role of media in democracies.

The Philosophy of Stanley Kubrick

von Jerold Abrams

In The Philosophy of Stanley Kubrick, some of our most respected philosophers investigate Kubrick's art to illuminate his view of reality. In films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eyes Wide Shut, and Dr. Strangelove,...

The Philosophy of Film Noir

von Mark Conard

From The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Touch of Evil (1958), the classic film noir is easily recognizable for its unusual lighting, sinister plots, and feeling of paranoia. For critics and fans alike, these films...

Animating Space

von J.P. Telotte

Animators work within a strictly defined, limited space that requires difficult artistic decisions. The blank frame presents a dilemma for all animators, and the decision of what to include and leave out raises...

American Classic Screen Features

von John C. Tibbetts

In American Classic Screen Features, editors John C. Tibbetts and James M. Welsh have assembled some of the most significant and memorable essays and critical pieces written for the magazine over its ten-year...

American Classic Screen Profiles

von John C. Tibbetts

In American Classic Screen Profiles, editors John C. Tibbetts and James M. Welsh have assembled some of the most significant and memorable profiles written for the magazine over its ten-year history. This collection...

Television Personalities

von James Bennett

Television Personalities offers an exciting, engaging approach to studying and understanding the most prominent and popular performers in television and celebrity culture.

Westerns

von John White

In this guidebook John White discusses the evolution of the Western through history, looking at theoretical and critical approaches to the genre.