The History of Cinema: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #543

by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith

Cinema was the first, and is arguably still the greatest, of the industrialized art forms that came to dominate the cultural life of the twentieth century. Today, it continues to adapt and grow as new technologies and viewing platforms become available, and remains an integral cultural and aesthetic entertainment experience for people the world over.

Cinema developed against the backdrop of the two world wars, and over the years has seen smaller wars, revolutions, and profound social changes. Its history reflects this changing landscape, and, more than any other art form, developments in technology. In this Very Short Introduction , Nowell-Smith looks at the defining moments of the industry, from silent to sound, black and white to color, and considers its genres from intellectual art house to mass market entertainment.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introduction series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Film, History, Nonfiction, Art

119 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2017

About the author

Geoffrey Nowell-Smith is Honorary Professorial Fellow in the School of History at Queen Mary, University of London.

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book begins by presenting us that there is trouble in defining both cinema and history. Nevertheless, we continue. We are taken from the long tour of photography to modern movie pictures in a span of under 200 pages. In this the author takes the reader through the many titles and directors that spanned the history of cinema. Overall though the book was mostly centered around the industry/economics and geographies of cinemas history, and less about the exact details of modern motion pictures. There was a good deal of explanation of the introduction of special effects, the rise of hollywood and all that fun stuff, but there were certain essential elements missing, yet I cant quite put my finger on it as this is far from my primary field of concern .

I think I would have preferred an explanation and evolution of modern storytelling and its relation to special effects from mary poppins to micheal bay, but perhaps im making up books again.

Recommended for :
Those interested in where the billion billion dollar movie industry comes from

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a much more useful introduction to the history of film than Michael Wood’s Film: A Very Short Introduction. Geoffrey Nowell-Smith presents a quick, concise overview of film history, with glances at issues of technology, industry, artistry, and global cultures. He mentions notable filmmakers and films but doesn’t become lost in musing on those specifics (though he does seem to reference Italian and French New Wave directors more than directors from other eras, which could be off-putting for students who haven’t encountered many of those directors and films).

I think this would be a good first text for the intro-level master’s course I’m currently designing. Nowell-Smith’s writing suggests of all kinds of areas for further research and learning, with just enough context to ensure that those specific investigations make sense. He insists that film history gives us a continuity of developments and trends, and that’s a helpful foundation for a new student to hold on to. Overall, this is one of the “Very Short Introductions” that truly does what that series title promise. (Many of the books I’ve read in this series end up being commentary and opinion by the writer—often fascinating, but sometimes not at all a “first introduction” to a major topic.)

[María Del Rincón Yohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief, accessible and interesting. If this is your first introduction to History of Cinema, you'll learn. If you know about the History of Cinema, you'll also learn.

[Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beetje bij beetje gelezen; dit is inderdaad een korte, maar krachtige introductie in de wereld van de cinema. En het laatste hoofdstuk vertelt iets wat maar niet vaak genoeg benadrukt kan worden: Film is het best te ervaren in de bioscoop!

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suspect the Very Short Introductions series requires no introduction of its own. This particular volume provides insightful analyses of cinema and how it came to be what it is. Instead of opting for a straightforward chronological treatment, Geoffrey Nowell-Smith approaches the topic thematically. First he considers how cinema has been about technology from the beginning. The development of film was a technical achievement and the film industry has been applying the latest technology ever since.

Another theme Nowell-Smith follows is that of industry. Of all the standard art forms, cinema is one of the few that intentionally began as an industry. While others may draw, compose, or write for themselves, cinema has always been about showing others the work produced. Since it has to support itself, others have to pay to see it. This model quickly affected the way movies became what they are today.

The book doesn’t neglect cinema as art. A chapter explores that aspect and another looks at how film has encountered, and transformed the “outer world.” It is a powerful medium that has real-time influence on the way people live their lives. This little book continues many helpful angles from which to look at the big screen. I wrote a little more about it here: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a time when a history of cinema meant a familiar path from Edison and Lumiere to Griffith and Chaplin, onto to Vitaphone and the studio system, "Citizen Kane" to the new waves and finally leading up to "Star Wars" or "Titanic". Nowell-Smith's slim volume shows that this is no longer what we mean by "history". He offers instead a multiple set of histories define cinema as a technology, an industry, a way of communicating and finally an art form. It's a brief but thought-provoking way of looking at what we mean when we talk about movies.

[Danny Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second addition to the VSI series and it was quite delightful. As with reading about history of media, whether it be music or movies, it always helps more if you’ve actually watched the movies to have a deeper understanding of what they are talking about. My film watch history is centered around mostly in the past 20 years, with the oldest film being “Singing’ in the Rain” (1952). This book also made me want to watch more international films because as the book details, much of the non-American films have resisted the Hollywood influences for various reasons.

This book was very well written and the author managed to balance eloquent and simple writing to convey his messages. The structure was well thought out too, as he organized the book based on key themes technology, industry, artistic forms and interactions with the outside world, rather than strictly chronological order. This helped me to see the bigger picture and the brief summary tied everything back together nicely.

I am not sure when I will be able to appreciate this book better (aka know about most of the movies discussed in the book) but I still very much appreciate how much cinema has evolved in the past 100 years. It’s truly one of my favorite mediums and defines one of my core identities. I will keep this book around and try to watch some of the films that were mentioned.

[Stuart Ian Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some topics can't be coherently covered in just over a hundred pages and although the writer makes a good attempt by structuring the material around larger themes, technology and industry, some topics are given such scant coverage as to be meaningless.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, if brief, look at the history of film.

[Coby Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THE CINEMA

[Jaq Greenspon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an okay little tome, but a bit too academic for its own good, almost self-consciously so.

[Steven Minniear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good overview of cinema, as far as I know. It did give me ideas for movies to watch.

[Davorin Horak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jednostavno, pitko (kratko!). Solidan uvod za sve koje zanima film dalje od žvakanja kokica.

[Jake]

A good bit of introductory knowledge

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinematic history is like Christopher Nolan explaining the plots of his movies

[Bill Ardis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book before reading the other “History’s of Film” that I’ve read.to start with this isn’t a history in that it isn’t a collection of dates and events. Instead you are given some important innovations (technological or creative) or structures/ideas (there has to be a better word, but I’m drawing a blank). This book does give a good big picture overview of how film develops, and this will help in the future as I read other history’s of film.

[Emiliano Aguilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but good account of cinema's history