Film: styles and genres Books

Book SynopsisDan Torre is a lecturer in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He has written widely on animation, media and popular culture.Trade ReviewIn this book focusing on animation processes, Dan Torre makes a significant contribution to animation philosophy and theory. Its value is enhanced by the clarity of Torre's writing style, his useful references to animation history, and the applicability of his analysis to animated methods of all types. It should be of interest to not only theorists, but also practitioners seeking a deeper view of their art. * Maureen Furniss, Director of Experimental Animation, California Institute of the Arts, USA *Animation: Process, Cognition, and Actuality brilliantly applies pressure to the question of ‘how something became’ in order to track process in the inverse direction, to reconsider the initial conditions for animation. Torre’s tour de force lies in the discovery of a fundamental bifurcation between movement and form at the heart of the animation process, which enables a far-reaching discussion of a dazzling array of procedures of animating and forms of animation. Animation, after Torre, is neither illusion nor representation; it is experimentation and transformation of actuality. * Thomas Lamarre, Professor, East Asian Studies and Communication Studies, McGill University, Canada *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Note on Text Introduction Part One: Process and Animation 1. Processing Animation 2. Cycled and Recycled Animation Part Two: Cognition and Animation 3. Cognitive Animation Theory 4. Reading Animation Part Three: Animation and Actuality 5. Non-Fictional Animation and the Transformation of Actuality 6. Investigative Animation 7. Animating the Real World Conclusion Notes Bibliography Animation/Filmography/Other Media Index

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Book SynopsisLike many national cinemas, the French cinema has a rich tradition of film musicals beginning with the advent of sound to the present. This is the first book to chart the development of the French film musical. The French film musical is remarkable for its breadth and variety since the 1930s; although it flirts with the Hollywood musical in the 1930s and again in the 1950s, it has very distinctive forms rooted in the traditions of French chanson. Defining it broadly as films attracting audiences principally because of musical performances, often by well-known singers, Phil Powrie and Marie Cadalanu show how the genre absorbs two very different traditions with the advent of sound: European operetta and French chanson inflected by American jazz (1930-1950). As the genre matures, operetta develops into big-budget spectaculars with popular tenors, and revue films also showcase major singers in this period (1940-1960). Both sub-genres collapse with the advent of rock n roll, leading Trade ReviewPhil Powrie and Marie Cadalanu’s book categorically disproves the cliché about French cinema having no musical tradition, with the one exception of Jacques Demy. In this ground-breaking volume, the authors reveal the extraordinary wealth and diversity of the musical tradition in French cinema since the coming of sound. Encompassing popular and auteur film, they demonstrate that, if there is not one ‘musical genre’ in France, there are myriad ways in which French film interacts with a wide range of cultural traditions, from cabaret, music-hall, chanson réaliste, operetta and opera to jazz bands and pop music, in an unbroken line from René Clair to François Ozon and Christophe Honoré, via Josephine Baker, Charles Trenet, Edith Piaf and Johnny Hallyday. * Ginette Vincendeau, Professor in Film Studies, King’s College London, UK *Powrie and Cadalanu excavate the vibrant and varied tradition of the French film musical from the early sound musicals of René Clair to the recent nostalgia-inflected revival of the form. The authors illuminate the genre’s iconic performers, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker, but weave fresh figures into the story, notably fou chantant Charles Trenet, crooners Tino Rossi, Luis Mariano, and Georges Guétary, and big band powerhouse Ray Ventura and his Orchestra. Especially welcome is the information on the French film musical’s production contexts from the 1930s through the 1950s, when the genre embraced jazz, big band, and operetta. The authors rightly identify the musicals of Jacques Demy as a turning point from popular to auteur-inflected work and provide welcome attention to the musicals of Godard, Varda, Akerman, and Resnais. Wisely avoiding the argument that the French film musical died with the birth of yéyé and youth culture, the authors instead reveal the never-ending transformation of the genre, emphasizing its nostalgia for community and its productive recycling of earlier forms of entertainment. * Kelley Conway, Communication Arts Partners Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Multi-language Versions 3. The French Operetta 4. Pills and Tabet and the Marseille Operetta 5. Fréhel and Édith Piaf 6. Josephine Baker and Charles Trenet 7. The Classical Music Film 8. The Big Band Film 9. The Musical Sketch Film 10. Tino Rossi 11. George Guétary and Luis Mariano 12. D’où viens-tu Johnny? and the Transition to the Modern Musical 13. Jacques Demy and the New Wave 14. The Opera Film and the Modern Classical Music Film 15. The Modern Musical 16. Nostalgia 17. Conclusion Filmography References Index

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Book SynopsisTraversing the Fantasy: The Dialectic of Desire/Fantasy proposes a new and comprehensive model of spectatorship at the heart of which it draws an analogy between the ethics of Lacanian psychoanalysis and the ethics of narrative film. It demonstrates how spectators engage with narrative film, undergoing unconscious processes that generate a shift in the adherence to fantasies that impede assuming responsibility for one''s fate and well being. The authors discuss the affinities that the ontology and aesthetics of narrative film share with subjective, unconscious processes, offering new insights into the popular appeal of narrative film, through three film corpora, analyzed at length: body-character-breach films; dreaming-character films; and gender-crossing films. With a range of case studies from the old (Rebecca, Vertigo, Some Like it Hot) to the new (Being John Malkovich, A Fantastic Woman), Sandra Meiri and Odeya Kohen Raz build on psychoanalytic ideas about the Trade ReviewTraversing the Fantasy is an epochal engagement with the ethics of cinemagoing. By elaborating on the central role that fantasy has in the cinema, Sandra Meiri and Odeya Kohen-Raz make clear the ethical stakes in play every time we see a film. By taking fantasy as the starting point, they produce an ethical system that permits spectators how a given film asks them to relate to their own desire. The final result of Traversing the Fantasy is a psychoanalytic conception of cinema that allows us to completely reimagine what is at stake when we see a film. * Todd McGowan, Professor of Film, University of Vermont, USA *Traversing the Fantasy is the finest book on psychoanalysis and cinema I have read for many years. Meiri and Kohen-Raz propose a remarkable range of original arguments on the nature of cinematic desire. In doing so, they offer an engaging critique of the current orthodoxies of film theory. Of particular note is the authors’ championing of narrative cinema as generator of intersecting conflicts in which viewers engage with fantasy and desire in ways that are captivating, confronting, and potentially liberating. * Richard Rushton, Lancaster University, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Body-Character-Breach Films Chapter 1 – Desire, Fantasy, and the Ontology of Film Chapter 2 –Traversing the Fantasy: Body-Character-Breach Films Part II: Dreaming-Character Films Chapter 3 – Dreams in Films and Implicit Reflexivity Chapter 4 – Cinematography, Subjectivity, and Guilt Part III: Gender-Crossing Films Chapter 5 – This Gender That is Mine: Feminine Enjoyment and Self-Creation Chapter 6 – From “Inherent Transgression” to the Body as “Semiotc Chora" Appendix Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisIn 1896, Maxim Gorky declared cinema "the Kingdom of Shadows." In its silent, ashen-grey world, he saw a land of spectral, and ever since then cinema has had a special relationship with the haunted and the ghostly. Cinematic Ghosts is the first collection devoted to this subject, including fourteen new essays, dedicated to exploring the many permutations of the movies’ phantoms. Cinematic Ghosts contains essays revisiting some classic ghost films within the genres of horror (The Haunting, 1963), romance (Portrait of Jennie, 1948), comedy (Beetlejuice, 1988) and the art film (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, 2010), as well as essays dealing with a number of films from around the world, from Sweden to China. Cinematic Ghosts traces the archetype of the cinematic ghost from the silent era until today, offering analyses from a range of historical, aesthetic and theoretical dimensions.Trade ReviewThere is much to interest readers and the book will (dare I say it) leave them in good spirits ... A thoughtful and entertaining addition to any film or religion studies collection, whether for personal or professional purposes, at undergraduate or postgraduate level. * Alphaville *The stand out feature of this collection is the diagnostic links between the content of ghost films and the ghostly techniques through which they are shot, a level of connection that puts Leeder’s text a step ahead of other purely thematic approaches to ghosts and haunted cinema. Cinematic Ghosts is just as much about ghostly cinematics, adding appeal to scholars of film production and spectral narratives alike. * Gothic Studies *Cinema has always been a ghostly medium. Now we finally have a book that explores film’s relation to ghosts with the breadth and depth it deserves, moving deftly across historical periods, genre classifications, and national origins. This is a rich and varied collection that will haunt – in all the right ways – a broad range of readers, scholars, and students. * Adam Lowenstein, Associate Professor of English and Film Studies, University of Pittsburgh, USA, and author of Dreaming of Cinema: Spectatorship, Surrealism, and the Age of Digital Media *Ghosts have haunted film from its earliest years to the present day, as this volume admirably demonstrates. It is impressive for its chronological and geographical range, and for the consistent quality of the contributions. Breaking new ground in exploring the interlinked theoretical, cultural and national stakes of cinematic haunting, this invaluable collection is certain to be a standard reference point for all future work in the field. * Colin Davis, Research Chair in French, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK, and author of Haunted Subjects: Deconstruction, Psychoanalysis and the Return of the Dead *Murray Leeder’s strongly focused collection adds another exhilarating twist to the spectral turn by providing a welcome opportunity to reflect on the enduring notion of cinema as a haunted/haunting medium. Asking where non-figurative cinematic ghosts have been and where they might be going, a series of engaging contributions systematically charts the changing narrative, visual and sonic modes of haunting from the silent era to the digital age. Throughout, Cinematic Ghosts shows great sensitivity to the ghost’s cultural and historical specificity and, in terms of the films discussed, effectively–and fittingly–combines the expected with the unexpected. * Esther Peeren, Associate Professor in Globalisation Studies, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and co-editor of The Spectralities Reader *Whether you've accepted a dare to spend one night in a haunted house or just have an interest in ghosts on the silver screen, Murray Leeder's Cinematic Ghosts is essential reading. Ranging from the origins of cinematic ghosts in nineteenth-century phantasmagoria to twenty-first century "glitch gothic," and from classic Western hauntings such as the The Innocents to the Asian onryo, this broad and engaging collection of essays--the first such collection specifically on cinematic ghosts--offers a lively, much-needed analysis of the history and appeal of movie phantoms. International in scope and historicist in approach, Cinematic Ghosts brilliantly showcases the depth and richness of supernatural film and will haunt all subsequent approaches to the topic. Ghostbusters, step aside. Murray Leeder is now the one to call if there's something strange in your neighborhood! * Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Professor of English, Central Michigan University, USA *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Murray Leeder, University of Calgary, Canada Ghosts of Pre-Cinema and Silent Cinema Chapter 1 Phantom Images and Modern Manifestations: Spirit Photography, Magic Theater, Trick Films and Photography’s Uncanny Tom Gunning, University of Chicago, USA Chapter 2 “Visualizing the Phantoms of the Imagination”: Projecting Haunted Minds Murray Leeder, University of Calgary, Canada Chapter 3 Specters of the Mind: Ghosts, Illusion, and Exposure in Paul Leni’s The Cat and the Canary Simone Natale, Humboldt University, Germany Chapter 4 Supernatural Speech: Silent Cinema's Stake in Visualizing the Impossible Robert Alford, University of California, Berkeley, USA Cinematic Ghosts from the 1940s through the 1980s Chapter 5 Bad Sync: Spectral Sound and Retro-effects in Portrait of Jennie René Thoreau Bruckner, University of Southern California, USA Chapter 6 “Antique Chiller”: Quality, Pretention and History in the Critical Reception of The Innocents and The Haunting Mark Jancovich, University of East Anglia, UK Chapter 7 Shadows of Shadows: The Undead in Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema Maurizio Cinquegrani, University of Kent, UK Chapter 8 Locating the Spectre in Dan Curtis’s Burnt Offerings Dara Downey, University College Dublin, Ireland Chapter 9 The Bawdy Body in Two Comedy Ghost Films: Topper and Beetlejuice Katherine A. Fowkes, High Point University, USA Millennial Ghosts Chapter 10 “I See Dead People”: Visualizing Ghosts in the Horror Film Before the Arrival of CGI Steffen Hantke, Sogang University, Korea Chapter 11 Spectral Remainders and Transcultural Hauntings: (Re)iterations of the Onryo in Contemporary Japanese Horror Cinema Jay McRoy, University of Wisconsin – Parkside, USA Chapter 12 Painted Skin: Romance with the Ghostly Femme Fatale in Contemporary Chinese Cinema Li Zeng, Illinois State University, USA Chapter 13 “It’s Not the House that’s Haunted”: Demons, Debt and the Family in Peril in Recent Horror Cinema Bernice M. Murphy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Chapter 14 Glitch Gothic Marc Olivier, Brigham Young University, USA Chapter 15 Showing the Unknown: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano, Carleton University, Canada Afterword: Haunted Viewers Jeffrey Sconce, Northwestern University, USA

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Book SynopsisCrochet your own costumes, familiar creatures, and classic artifacts from the Harry Potter films in this follow up companion to the bestselling Harry Potter: Knitting Magic.Conjure the magic of the Wizarding World with your crochet hook with this deluxe collection of more than 20 official patterns for toys, keepsakes, and costume replicas inspired by the Harry Potter films.  A comprehensive, officially licensed guide to crocheting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Harry Potter: Crochet Wizardry includes projects for every skill level and a wide range of stitches and techniques featuring yarn expertly matched to the true colors used in the films. Harry Potter: Crochet Wizardry also includes behind-the-scenes facts and quotes from the films, as well as concept art and film stills to inspire your creativity and relive favorite movie moments. With beautiful full-color photography, step-by-step instructions, and clearly presented charts and schematics, Harry Potter: Crochet Wizardry is the ultimate crocheter’s guide to the Wizarding World. 

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Book SynopsisA collector's guide to the Oscar and multi-award winning animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, featuring exclusive content showcasing behind-the-scenes images, art, and much more!Experience an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the world of Marvel's greatest hero as never before in this deluxe collector's edition. Discover secrets behind the production of Spider-Man's spectacular new film as the filmmakers and voice cast reveal how they brought the expansive Spider-Verse to life. Includes never-before-seen artwork and everything you need to know when swinging through one of Spidey's biggest films yet.Trade Review"A beautiful guide full of stunning art and crammed with tons of fun Spider-Facts ... 10/10" - Pastrami Nation"If you’re a fan of the film-making process or animation or even if you’re merely a massive fan of the characters and world of Spider-Man, you owe it to yourself to grab this!" - Adventures In Poor Taste"An absolute must ... interesting, fun, and above all, beautifully presented" - FanFest"One of the best Movie Specials I have seen ... 5/5" - Nerdly

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Book SynopsisThe films of Claire Denis probe the idea of global citizenship and trace the borderlines of family, desire, nationality and power. Her films, including Chocolat, Beau travail and White Material explore connections between national experience and individual circumstance, visualizing the complications of such dualities. Following a foreword by Wim Wenders, international contributors explore the themes she addresses in her films, such as kinship and landscape, neo-colonialism and New French Extremity. Original interviews with an editor, actor and two composers familiar with Denis's working style and with Denis herself, also reveal fresh facets of this intrepid filmmaker.Trade ReviewThis book compiles insightful essays and interviews concerning the work of one of the most innovative and particular narrative filmmakers of our time -- Claire Denis. I feel so lucky to have this remarkable body of films accessible to my consciousness! Thank you, Claire Denis. Jim Jarmusch Claire Denis's films are unequalled in contemporary cinema in their political rigour, sensitivity, artistic verve, and sheer sensuality. This beautiful, exploratory book responds to these films through interviews with the director and her collaborators, photographs and tributes, and through a series of coruscating critical essays from the finest writers in the field. Emma Wilson, Professor of French Literature and the Visual Arts, Cambridge University. Marjorie Vecchio has put together a stunning volume, full of intellectual verve and breathtaking insight that throws light on the work and critical impact of Claire Denis. Unpretentious yet spot on in terms of philosophical framing, the contributions will occupy a central place in the ever-growing archives of film criticism and the theoretical soundtrack that accompany every screening of our ability to think. Avital Ronell, Philosopher, New York University.Table of ContentsMarjorie Vecchio - Introduction Wim Wenders - Forward: “Klärchen“ 1. Interviews Martine Beugnet -‘To Let The Image Sing’: Conversations with Dickon Hinchliffe and Stuart Staples Kirsten Johnson - Interview with Nelly Quettier, Paris July 2011 - Interview with Alex Descas, Paris July 2011 Jean-Luc Nancy - Interview with Claire Denis, European Graduate School, Saas-Fee, Switzerland Summer 2011 (Trans. Nathalie Le Galloudec) 2. Relations Catherine Wheatley - La Famille Denis Sam Ishii-Gonzales - Reinventing Community, or Non-Relational Relations in Claire Denis’s I Can’t Sleep James S. Williams - Beyond the Other: Grafting Relations in the films of Claire Denis 3. Global Citizenship Cornelia Ruhe - Beyond Post-colonialism? From Chocolat to White Material Florence Martin - Trouble Every Day: The Neo-Colonialists bite back. Rafael Ruiz Pleguezuelos - Foreignness and Employment: A Study of the Role of Work in the Films of Claire Denis Jean-Luc Nancy - The Intruder According to Claire Denis (Trans. Anna Moschovakis) 4. Within film Noëlle Rouxel-Cubberly - Delivering: Claire Denis’s opening sequences Laura McMahon - Rhythms of Relationality: Denis and Dance Firoza Elavia - That Interrupting Feeling: Interstitial Disjunctions in Claire Denis’s L'Intrus Henrik Gustafsson - Points of Flight, Lines of Fracture: Claire Denis’s Uncanny Landscape Adam Nayman and Andrew Tracy - Arthouse/Grindhouse: Claire Denis and the “New French Extremity” Filmography Index

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Book SynopsisThe ideal popular guide to the key Spaghetti Westerns - mainly the good but also the bad and the ugly - this is an authoritative, entertaining and comprehensive companion to the films that created the mythical Spaghetti West in the most improbable circumstances. Sergio Leone's "Dollars" trilogy is covered, with many more major and minor Spaghetti Westerns, including Sergio Corbucci's "Navajo Joe", Carlo Lizzani's "The Hills Run Red" and Duccio Tessari's "A Pistol for Ringo". This popular guide explores the films through the biographies and filmographies of key personnel, stories of the films' making, their locations and sets, sources, musical scores, detailed cast information, box office fortunes internationally, with many illustrations, including original posters and stills.Trade Review"Expertly dissected...a fascinating read. - The Times 'Howard Hughes has written a well-researched, detailed, no-nonsense and above all enthusiastic guide to twenty of the best Italian Westerns from 'A Fistful of Dollars' to 'My name is Nobody'. He has aimed for the heart, and unlike the bad guy in 'Fistful' he has hit it.' - Christopher Frayling"

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Book Synopsis

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