American Film: A History

by JoTestyy

A closer look at the captivating history of American cinema Written in an engaging narrative style, this text provides a thorough overview of the fascinating intersection of economics, culture, artistry, and technology that has defined American film from its beginnings. The Second Edition features a NEW four-color design, hundreds of new images, greater emphasis on film analysis, increased coverage of women and minority filmmakers, and an epilogue that speculates on the future of film.

Genres: Film, Read For School, School

528 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2007

Reviews

[Joel Cuthbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook assigned to accompany a class called "Cinema and the Moving Image" a reasonably vague title for a course that essentially wound up being an overview of American Cinema, with more of an emphasis on the first 100 years. I'm technically studying psychology but my grades indicate I should be studying (or perhaps teaching) cinema. So this was more of a pleasure journey.

The book is pretty reasonably informative and pleasantly summative, it's a textbook though so don't expect literary art... that being said it did cover a surprising amount of details that I found insightful and enjoyable.

I did think it was a bit odd that the author seemed to peg his lens of interest on box office success and academy award performance, which as a "cinephile" just feels wrong. I suppose it is one way to gague popularity, and since this was for a history class, one could argue cultural import. But I think I'm much more fascinated by what might be deemed the most important or perhaps culturally significant films.

Anyways, it was a repeated gripe when he would insinuate one film or another based on the ROI of budget and box-office profit. It got a bit tired, and made the final few chapters (when modern film with it's elusive success being divided between various screens) feel a bit dated even as they approached the present.

There is a case there for the need for distance before we can really speak to what is a valuable or important film. Lord knows there are some embarrassing blunders in the selections for BEST PICTURE by that towering Academy, which also feels like it's looming into cartoonish irrelevance with every passing year.

We are, as the great Werner Herzog once said, always looking for "new images" and with that, I think we are subverting and complicating the way in which we are making meaning out of our experience. I think we could perhaps claim we have a good handle on what it all means (cinema-wise) up until the 90s, and everything after that is still TBD. Perhaps you could just cleanly cut us off at the millennia if you wanted. Cinema feels like a wild creature that is trying haphazardly to move forward while also at times clinging to the past (mostly for hopes of continuing to make billions in the old way).

Anyways. Cool class, I'm supposed to write a reflection-type paper about it so maybe I'll hold the rest of my thoughts for that.

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can read about how women contributed to film history for hours.
Passed this class with an A!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better film history textbooks I've found, but that might be because I align fairly closely with Jon Lewis' research interests. As with all textbooks, important moments in film history are glossed over, but that's more an issue of the length restrictions than oversight on Lewis' part. Significant parts of chapters are spent on genres and specific directors, an approach I don't really like, but it isn't a huge criticism. I only wish there was an updated edition of this, as the final chapter is somewhat useless at this point in time.

[Mixtape · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s just so much content to cover! I wanted lots more details on some things and a bit less on others. Great photos. Some of the minor details didn’t match up with other scholarly articles I read and that confused me.

[Jack T · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Kara Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, this is a textbook. But adding bc proud I read this instead of not, for class.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good textbook about the history of American film. Lewis writes straightforwardly and even throws a few jokes in every so often. Excellent resource for students who are studying American/Hollywood filmmaking, or for people who are simply interested in understanding trends over 100 years of moviemaking as well as American history.