Understanding Movies

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What is a documentary film? Well, basically it is a film that is supposed to document reality. There is a wide assortment of documentary films. There are hundreds of historical documentaries, and there have been some very frequent political documentaries as of late. Although in my personal sentiment you will find numerous of the late political documentaries have a bias agenda.

For example, Al Gore freed an exceedingly general documentary called “An Inconvenient Truth” which was with regards to international warming. While a lot of still say that global warming is not sheer truth and that we are plainly in a cycle of a little change in the worlds climate, this documentary states it as thought it is a fact rather than a theory. It provides only the proof that supports the theory. While the documentary is rather interesting, it evidently has a very bias agenda.

Other frequent political documentaries are Michael Moore’s films, “Fahrenheit 9/11″ and “Sicko”. Fahrenheit 9/11 was probably one of the most arguable films of the last decade. It holds outlandish remarks when it comes to the Bush administration and even referring to the media as “cheerleaders” for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Many humans supported it, but those that disliked it found it necessary to make a rebuttal documentary of their own entitled “FahrenHYPE 9/11″. The documentary is committed to try to prove galore affirmations that were made in the Fahrenheit 9/11 documentary as false.

Sicko made it is own wave of controversy. It made remarks with regards to how poor the American government’s healthcare scheme actually was. I do not believe it made as much of an affect merely because most humans are conscious that our quality of healthcare is much better than most other countries, it is just the cost that is killing everyone. Michael Moore takes it to another level stating that even galore third world countries have better healthcare. I think most every one knows this is merely untrue. You may merely take a look at the rampant diseases in those areas to determine the truth on the matter.

From the Back Cover

“Understanding Movies is the best text that I have found which covers the necessities of filmmaking in a logical sequence, comprehensively, using a writing style that will delight the most discriminating reader. “

Janine Adkins, Rio Solado College

This Twelfth Edition of Understanding Movies provides valuable clear or deep perception into how movies commune and convey meaning to their audiences through a distinctive network of language schemes and techniques. In a readable, accessible, and once in a while humorous manner, Understanding Movies aims to engage you in the arousing and attention holding language of film and to help further your own appreciation and understanding of why and how movie watchers respond as they do to dissimilar films.

Organized around constituents of film, the Twelfth Edition of this market leading text provides you with a new way of looking at intimate films through contemporary coverage and a visually engaging presentation.

Features of the Twelfth Edition:

Fresh coverage of contemporary films genres such as Animation (Ratatouille, Persepolis), and Computer Generated Imagery (Beowulf, Ironman)
Expanded discussion on how movies provide pleasure with insight into progressed comedies such as Talladega Nights, Juno, SuperBad and Tropic Thunder
New examination and analysis of the role of cultural myths in popular culture
Inclusion of ethnically-diverse examples, such as exemplary coverage of Islamic cinema, introduce you to international cinema and give hope or courage to reflectivity on American film issues

About the Author

Louis Giannetti is a Professor Emeritus of English and Film at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He has taught courses in film, literature, writing, drama, and humanities. He has published galore articles, both general and scholarly, on political subjects, literature, and drama. In addition to being a professional film critic for various years, he has written in regards to movies for such scholarly journals as Literature/Film Quarterly, The Western Humanities Review, and Film Criticism. Professor Giannetti is also the author of a book on cinema theory, GODARD AND OTHERS: Essays on Film Form, published in both Britain and the Unites States. Giannetti’s other books include MASTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA (Prentice Hall, 1981), a survey of American fiction films from the perspective of eighteen key figures. FLASHBACK: A Brief History of Film, Sixth Edition (Allyn & Bacon, 2010), written with Scott Eyman, is a history coordinated by decade outlining the major events, trends, and primary filmmakers and their work, with special and significant stress on the American cinema. Both books are copiously illustrated. UNDERSTANDING MOVIES has been a bestselling text in all it is former editions, widely employed in the United States and in such countries as Australia, Britain, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan.

Most helpful customer reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
The Standard Text for Any Cinema Student
By Alamo2
I bought and read the original version of this book way back in the 1970s, when I was a student of Lou Giannetti. It was then, and is now, THE standard text on which all others must be evaluated. It covers all aspects of film. Be aware, however, the book is intended for students of cinema, rather than someone with simply a casual interest in movies. On the other hand, this book (as well as the many courses I took from Lou as a graduate student in the early 1970s) gave me some a broad knowledge of film, that I can appreciate movies on an aesthetic level as well as simply enjoying them on TV on a Saturday afternoon. That is the gift that this book gives one. My one disappointment is that the book is so expensive that most people interested in film probably will not buy it — unless being forced to as a student. By the way, I have my original first edition, which probably less than $10, and is still quite useful today.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
12th Edition — get less, pay more. Many prior reviews pertain to prior editions
By Allen Smalling
Has the beleaguered American student proletariat finally had Too Much of inflated textbook prices and planned obsolescence? At the time of this writing, the 12th (Transformer cover) edition of Louis Giannetti’s UNDERSTANDING MOVIES has only had about a month on the shelves and has garnered only a few reviews, mostly quite negative, and mostly assaulting the ethics of releasing yet another updated volume as opposed to critiquing the text per se. This review may have a similar “meta” flavor but I hope to offer some potentially useful facts:

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Great Text / Minor revisions uneccessary
By Stehen R. Thibideau
This old and authoratative text is the standard of the industry. It’s an excellent book, probably the very best, but the minor changes that constitute new editions are clearly an example of milking the system. They add next to nothing and render the used copies useless to students, who pay for those minor changes with real money. As a student I find this practice unethical. A new edition of a text should have major and substantial changes.

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