The Italian Cinema Book

Description

THE ITALIAN CINEMA BOOK is an essential guide to the most important historical, aesthetic and cultural aspects of Italian cinema, from 1895 to the present day. With contributions from 39 leading international scholars, the book is structured around six chronologically organised sections: THE SILENT ERA (1895-22) THE BIRTH OF THE TALKIES AND THE FASCIST ERA (1922-45) POSTWAR CINEMATIC CULTURE (1945-59) THE GOLDEN AGE OF ITALIAN CINEMA (1960-80) AN AGE OF CRISIS, TRANSITION AND CONSOLIDATION (1981 TO THE PRESENT) NEW DIRECTIONS IN CRITICAL APPROACHES TO ITALIAN CINEMA Acutely aware of the contemporary 'rethinking' of Italian cinema history, Peter Bondanella has brought together a diverse range of essays which represent the cutting edge of Italian film theory and criticism. This provocative collection will provide the film student, scholar or enthusiast with a comprehensive understanding of the major developments in what might be called twentieth-century Italy's greatest and most original art form.

Peter Bondanella is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature, Film Studies and Italian at Indiana University, USA. He is the author of many celebrated books on Italian literature and cinema, and former president of the American Association for Italian Studies (1984-87). In 2009, he was inducted into the European Academy for Sciences and the Arts for his contributions to Italian cinema and literature.

An extraordinary celebration of the rich history of Italian film studies, and a vital reference point for students and researchers alike. -- Italian Studies * Dom Holdaway * A beautifully produced volume. This is a publication that beckons us readers to enter its pages, and we do so eagerly and most willingly. Seeing Peter Bondanella's name as editor on the cover is a sure guarantee of quality, adding to the immediate appeal of the volume. Bondanella is not a scholar who is content to rest on his most deserved laurels; rather, he has always sought to keep up with what passing time brings: new films, new critical and theoretical approaches, new ways of doing film history and history tout court. [This book] is assuredly shaped throughout by Bondanella's deep and wide expertise not only in the choice of the topics covered or the organization of the volume; but also in the thoughtful selection of diverse contributions whose approaches and conclusions create many instances of implicit debate, even dissonance, as to what precisely doing film history, theory and interpretation might in fact mean at this temporal juncture... -- Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies * Rebecca West * It is not so much the subject matter that is original, but the approach: the spirit of 'rethinking' that informs each of the contributions. The book reflects the current state of scholarship on cinema with references to popular research models and canonical topics in the field. The book is well illustrated by frame shots, photographs, movie posters, and advertisements. It includes a useful extended bibliography of suggested reading at end of book. The collection gives a clear account of the current state of the art, and in some case refocuses debates. In this sense, it is a useful resource for both researchers and students of all levels. -- LSE Review of Books