A History of Narrative Film

by David A. Cook

Book Overview

The Fourth Edition adds an entire chapter on computer-generated imaging, updates filmographies for nearly all living directors mentioned in the text, and includes major new sections that both revisit old content and introduce contemporary trends and movements.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393978680
• ISBN13: 9780393978681
• Release Date: December 2003
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 1120 Pages
• Weight: 4.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 8.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent world cinema historical survey

This is a thorough, informative, and interesting history of world cinema, from the invention of the medium in the 1870s to about 1994. The book is arranged chronologically, for the most part, and within that arrangement chapters are devoted to specific trends, major developments, and particular countries. D.W. Griffith, the first great narrative filmmaker, gets a whole chapter to himself, and so does Orson Welles. But usually particular filmmakers are included under larger headings: the French New Wave (Truffaut, Godard), Western European Renaissance (Fellini, Bunuel, Bergman), the American studio system (Ford, Hawkes, Hitchcock), Hollywood in the twenties (Chaplin, Keaton, DeMille). Because the book covers so much ground, only the major highlights of each subject can be explored, but Cook is still able to give a good survey of important considerations for each topic or artist. Emphasis also is on the word "world" and Hollywood does not dominate, which for a book like this is good. In fact, I think the book is especially useful for anyone interested in the artform as it exists outside the Hollywood system. An excellent survey, well worth checking out.

An awesome source of information!

I originally found this book while researching the film ratings system for a college paper. I found great information for my research but the book actually slowed down my work because I spent so much time reading about unrelated topics just for the joy of it. This is a must own for anybody who loves film. I found it not only informative but also extremely interesting.

This is the best General History available

Imagine having the gall to write a history of "Narrative Film" -- not just Hollywood production, but ALL film, from ALL OVER...Well Cook does, and does it better than anyone else.The most amazing thing about this book is that is reads so well: you can literally open it up anywhere, start reading, and start learning -- and be entertained at the same time. I just love reading this book.The second amazing thing is that Cook seems to have seen a lot of movies and taken the time to think carefully about them. As a result his comments, his sense of historical perspective, and his assertions are usually accurate, frequently insightful, and always enlightenling.If you're studying film in ANY context, this is the book to buy. If you prefer a video store with a foreign language section instead of your local Blockbuster, this is the catalog for you. Within days of reading this book I was making lists of films that I had to see (The Red And The White, and the Wadja trilogy among them), and running out to find them.For those in need of a text-book, this is the best value-for-money you can get. For thos FEARING a text-book, relax: it's actually a real page turner.Any short-commings? There are some minor factual errors (the photographs demonstrating zoom, telephoto and wide lenses use inaccurate frames from Barry Lyndon, for example), but nothing to worry about -- there so much about this book that's good it really doesn't make a difference. The only real problem is that it will never be big enough.This is the book against which the others are judged.

A great film history text book

I've been teaching film history for over ten years and this is the best history of cinema I have ever read. While there is quite a bit on American studio films, the book shines in its coverage of silent and international cinema. A great work!

A textbook of narrative film from its beginnings to today.

A History of Narrative Film chronicles the earliest history of the narrative film from its beginnings with Edison and the Lumieres, through the great silent era, the advents of sound and color, to today's world of computer generated special effects. The book focuses on significant technical developments and artistic trends in the history of films. It includes chapters on the coming of sound, Eisenstein and the rise of montage, genres like the film noir, directors such as Orson Welles, W.D. Griffith and Alfred Hitchcock, and foreign films. It is richly illustrated with photos and prints from most of the films covered in the text. David Cook is a professor of English and Film Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He has taught courses in film studies for over 15 years.