Books › Looking at Movies
Looking at Movies
641 pages
An illuminating, structured masterclass that transforms passive movie-watching into active, critical appreciation.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a well-lit, engaging university lecture hall where the magic of cinema is carefully deconstructed. The pace is steady and methodical, guiding you through the technical and artistic choices that shape the movies we love. It cultivates a mood of continuous revelation, replacing passive viewing with a sharp, analytical eye for cinematography, editing, and narrative structure. The prose is clear and accessible, never bogging down in overly dense jargon, but rather using vivid examples from classic and contemporary films to anchor its lessons. It is a deeply satisfying experience for budding cinephiles and students alike, offering a newfound visual literacy that permanently changes the way you look at the silver screen.
- Mood
- illuminating
- academic
- curious
- structured
- Tone
- authoritative
- accessible
- analytical
- encouraging
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- visual literacy · artistic appreciation · critical analysis · mechanics of storytelling · cinematic history
- The writing
- Clear, methodical, and highly visual, breaking down complex aesthetic and technical concepts into easily digestible explanations.
- The arc
- Moves from a foundational curiosity about movies to a deep, analytical appreciation of cinematic artistry.
- Who it's for
- Budding cinephiles, film students, and anyone who wants to look past the plot to understand how movies are actually made.
Content notes
- academic discussion of mature film themes
- spoilers for classic films
About the book
Thirty-two "discovery modules" (signaled by the www icon in the text) explore selected topics in depth. Look inside the back cover for a list of modules.
Twelve "frame sequence animations" provide quick-reference clips of films mentioned in the text. Look inside the front cover for a list of animations.
Seven "case studies" provide model analyses of frequently screened movies (Bicycle Thieves, Chinatown, North by Northwest, Touch of Evil, The Piano, Breathless, and Apocalypse Now).
More than 250 quiz questions provide thorough review of key concepts.
Illustrated timelines trace major events in film history.
A glossary of key terms, a guide to writing about movies, and links to other web resources are also available.
Description from Open Library.
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