This essential core textbook provides an approachable and extensive introduction to film theory, written by two highly experienced senior lecturers. Bringing a fresh, contemporary and accessible approach to what is often perceived to be a challenging and old-fashioned area of film studies that requires time and effort to grasp, the text illustrates why theory is important and demonstrates how it can be applied in a meaningful way. The book's sixteen chapters are clear and comprehensive and provide an insight into the main areas of debate, using clear definitions and explaining complex ideas succinctly. The ideal entry point for any student studying film, the book is designed for use on courses on film theory on undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes within film, cinema, media and cultural studies. New to this Edition: - An expanded introduction, plus a new chapter looking at Adaptation - Contemporary case studies exploring popular and topical films, such as The Hunger Games (2012), Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013) and The Lego Movie (2014) - An expanded introduction, plus a new chapter looking at Adaptation - Additional genre-based case study on the British Gangster film - Additional actor-basedcase study on Ryan Gosling - A greater focus throughout on the relevance of film theory to students undertaking practical film degrees and units

The film director or `auteur' has been central in film theory and criticism over the past thirty years. Theories of Authorship documents the major stages in the debate about film authorship, and introduces recent writing on film to suggest important ways in which the debate might be reconsidered.

"Seeing a film is only half the fun. The real joy comes from arguing about it afterwards in the pub or on the journey home. But have you ever felt you needed to know a little more? Film Studies offers a concise introduction to the appreciation and study of film. This second edition begins with an examination of early film theory before analysing how films are put together - framing, performance, setting, costume and editing. It then explores a number of approaches taken to film over the last half century - the auteur theory, structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, and queer theory with a new chapter on Marxism. There are also overviews on stars, genres, national cinemas and film movements from around the world. With this book in your pocket you can gasp as directors break the 30° rule, marvel as Oedipus complexes are resolved, shudder as you become aware of your own voyeurism and discover how to tell your metteur en scène from your mise en scène. Going to the cinema may never be the same again."--EBL

Film Studies is a concise and indispensable introduction to the formal study of cinema. Ed Sikov offers a step-by-step curriculum for the appreciation of all types of narrative cinema, detailing the essential elements of film form and systematically training the spectator to be an active reader and critic. He treats a number of fundamental factors in filmmaking, including editing, composition, lighting, the use of color and sound, and narrative. His description of mise-en-scene helps readers grasp the significance of montage, which in turn reveals the importance of a director’s use of camera movement. Film Studies is designed for courses on film history, film theory, and popular culture. Its straightforward explanations of core critical concepts, practical advice, and technical, visual, and aesthetic aspects anchor the reader’s understanding of the formal language and anatomy of film and the techniques of film analysis. The second edition of this best-selling textbook adds two new chapters: “Film and Ideology,” which covers how to read a film’s political and social content, and other key topics in film theory, and “Film Studies in the Age of Digital Cinema,” which explores the central problems of studying film when “film” itself is no longer the medium.