A Pocket Guide to Analyzing Films

by Robert Spadoni

The perfect concise guide to the formal analysis of film. Designed to be used by readers at many levels of knowledge, this book moves systematically through the elements that make up most films, focusing on aspects of the art of cinema that are common across history and national cinemas.

From form and narrative to mise-en-scène and cinematography to editing and sound, Robert Spadoni introduces and explains the principles and conventions of film in engaging, straightforward language. In addition to illustrating film techniques with almost 200 images—most of them in color—the book explains ways to find patterns and meaning in films through such concepts as motifs, development, and motivation.

Thumbnail readings of exemplary films further lay out the essentials of formal analysis. Film illustrations include frame enlargements from Stagecoach, Psycho, Jeepers Creepers, Persepolis, Groundhog Day, Take Shelter, and more. Modestly priced and packed with images, A Pocket Guide to Analyzing Films is ideal for students in a wide range of film courses who are looking for an easy-to-read guide to film analysis to accompany and enhance their course materials.

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sainte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book claims that it is essential because it is portable - but I'm not sure why one would actually need a portable guide to analyzing films. It's a one time kind of read, and not something that you'd need to take along to a movie in order to discuss whether you like it or not with your friends.

And while it is well-organized and concise, I found it a little dull, perhaps because some of the wording and concepts went right over my head. And I'm teaching a film analysis course. Have been for the past ten years...a college course. And I have my master's degree in film. Soooooo, dunno...it's a great quick read to teach someone who knows nothing about film analysis something about film analysis.

[Emma Raby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very useful and you can just FEEL the author's love for film through his writing.

[University of Chicago Magazine]

Robert Spadoni, PhD'03
Author

From our pages (Sept–Oct/14)—
Why just sit back and watch a movie when a closer look can reveal intricate patterns and deeper meaning? A Pocket Guide to Analyzing Films combines written explanations with nearly 200 images—including stills from Stagecoach, Psycho, Groundhog Day, and other staples of American cinema—to help students and movie lovers decode a film’s many artistic elements, from narrative and character development to cinematography, editing, and sound.

[nevaeh galluccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t the most revolutionary book I’ve ever read about film, but it was certainly a good introduction. I think it was valuable for me to learn some of the essentials of film in order to label my observations correctly. It was a little heavy on the amount of examples it gave, but the pictures were really helpful in seeing specifically how each film technique looks. My biggest takeaways were on mise-en-scene and cinematography.

[Burleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who hadn't really thought too deeply about this topic since my university days, I found this pocket guide to be a wonderful reintroduction to critical film analysis. The exercise became more enjoyable than I was expecting because the condensed nature of the pocket guide format brought me up to speed quickly.

[Yuezhong Zheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's just a short version of Bordwell and Thompson. Still recommend read the original one.