5 comments about Step-By-Step Ballet Class: The Official Illustrated Guide.

1. Everything is explained thoroughly and well illustrated. Its definitely a good book to have if you're starting ballet or getting back to dancing (like me).
   A must have for every parent, student and teacher.



2. I really enjoyed reading about the different levels and what they encompassed. I had been through these levels but couldn't recall what each offered. As an instructor, it was a great review.



3. This is great for the first time dance teacher to break down things by age. Super if you are having a time trying to remember what the basics were! Great book with pictures :)



4. Good illustrations and text especially for the beginner. It was too basic for my daughter who has had 5 years of ballet classes. I recommend it for the 1-2 year ballet student.



5. Since I come from a family that moves around a lot, sometimes it's hard to find a serious quality dance studio. This book was a tremendous help in keeping me toned and in gear. It gives me the help I need to reach the height of my aptitude.

5 comments about Carny Folk.

1. The author had a great idea in taking a closer look at the personal stories of side show performers; however, the text itself reads like a badly written Freshman Comp. paper. Redundancies and awkward phrases abound. This book would have been greatly improved by additional editing before publication. I found the subject matter interesting but the text irksome.



2. There is a lot of information about the persons covered, like where they grew up and what happened until they died. There are also pictures of most of them.



3. I used to go to the state fair and see the displays "See the biggest steer alive!" "See the smallest woman ever!" "See the lady who had her head chopped off in a car accident and she is still alive!" I always looked down on those people. This book helped me to see them as people and I am kind of sorry that I never went in to see any of the shows.



4. You have to be a touch "warped" to enjoy a book like this, but if that's what floats your boat... this is the perfect item!



5. A fascinating review of side show freaks and the more human side of their story. They seemed to hold a most non PC point of view, and some would fight for what they considered to be their rights as oposed to the rights allowed by others.

No comments about Digital Performance: A History of New Media in Theater, Dance, Performance Art, and Installation (Leonardo Books).

4 comments about The Heidi Chronicles: Uncommon Women and Others & Isn't It Romantic.

1. Wendy Wasserstein is truly a master of contemporary theater. This collection, anchored of course by "The Heidi Chronicles," attests to this fact. Although I agree with the other reviewers that plays are meant to be seen, Wasserstein is literary enough to be enjoyed just if you sit down and read it. She is brilliant without being verbose, intellectual without being cumbersome, and witty while retaining a level of respectability. Truly a treasure of American culture.
   
   I will most address "The Heidi Chronicles." Hands down, it is my favorite play ever. Of course, you don't know me from Adam, so I will extrapolate. The character of Heidi Holland is so likable, and so compelling simply because she is so unremarkable. She is an Everywoman, which seems unappealing unless you understand how rare it is for playwrights to create an Everywoman. Playwrights typically write for men, women are usually afterthoughts in plays. I know this from experience as an actress (kindly don't hold my profession against me, we can't help our attention whoring and really we are quite intelligent as a group). In Heidi Holland, we all can find a personal truth, something that has not existed in female characters in theater. Up until very recently, they have been complete charicatures or waifish ingenues. Wendy Wasserstein revolutionized the theater, and her Pulitzer is well deserved.
   
   Of course, one can go on and on about signifigance, but that does not necessarily make the play enjoyable. I assure you, this one most definitely is. Wasserstein has a sharp wit a la Oscar Wilde, only more natural and less affected. The characters in this play are people that I promise you, you know. Another brilliant thing which is really lost in reading it but you can pick up on if you read the stage directions is the multiple casting. It's this beautiful idea where the extraneous characters are played by the same two actresses, giving this sense that throughout your entire life, you keep seeing the same people. So very very true.
   
   I recommend this play to theater lovers, book lovers, women, men, people, animals, anyone with the ability to understand language. You will enjoy it. Another author who you might enjoy is Binnie Kirshenbaum. She is a novelist, not a playwright, but her work seems somewhat similar to Wasserstein's. Her latest novel "An Almost Pefect Moment" is absolutely fantastic, totally compelling. Both authors deserve your time and attention. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.



2. The Heidi Chronicles is a fabulous play that so many "open the door for yourself" women can relate to. However, this as well as all of Wasserstein's plays miss the point if they are only read. The true nuances in the text lend themsleves to being performed. Without seeing the play performed, you still do not have a true grasp of the story.



3. Heidi is the girl we all want to grow up and be or for our daughters to grow up and be. She has the strength of character that in no way makes her sacrifice charm and romance. A head turning, thought-provoking, ideal story for all of us. It is something we can achieve even if life passes us a hard lot. This shows that life can be fun at any age.



4. Having read this book, I can certainly understand why Wendy Wasserstein has made an established name for herself. The three plays are a testament to Ms Wasserstein's talent, with each play exhibiting more insight and depth. Would love to see these plays performed.

5 comments about Truth: Personas, Needs, and Flaws in The Art of Building Actors and Creating Characters.

1. I wonder what Adele Thane would think of Ms Batson's combination of psychotherapy and "laying on of hands"? (I was in Miss Thane's theatre too). Note Batson's stable of stars: Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Chris Rock, Madonna, and Sean Combs--among other worthies. Imagine any of them in a play? Try hard, here's what you might find if you talk to anyone who was there: people only recall that Nicole Kidman took off her clothes on stage in "The Blue Room"; Sean Combs almost single-handedly dragged down all the other performances in the stage revival of "Raisin in the Sun." Madonna in "Speed the Plow"? if you sat beyond the second row you wouldn't have known she was on stage. Ms Batson talks about the dreaded phenomenon of "personality"--hmmmm what do all of her charges have in common? Could they be Hollywood STARS trading on that element of personality they possess? She retails the anecdote about hours of "the work" she and Nicole Kidman put into a multi-page monologue during "Eyes Wide Shut." After the crew applauded, Kubrick said "great--wrong movie." In short, all that "work" was irrelevant to the performance. Not to Kidman, of course, to her it was vital. This sums up the speciousness of this whole approach. This self-indulgent, internalized, aesthetic masturbation matters only to the cult of true believers who write checks to their guru and then feel better about themselves. Of course it also matters to the guru who cashes the checks and reigns over them. Really though, this is not much different from a personal trainer or dietician, or any other of the hangers-on who latch on to movie folk. Batson claims that she is more necessary than ever because filmmakers have no time for rehearsal--that's because movie makers know what they are doing and what they are working with--a product made by an industry. Stop and think dear reader: this is a disquisition on the art of acting from a coach who prides herself on helping Chris Rock achieve his performance in "I Love My Wife." I do not mean to imply that it is easy to perform such roles or to say that these performers do not do good work. I only ask that we recognize that there are only two things that matter in a performance: can the audience see it and can they hear it. To talk about any kind of internal craft with screen acting is nonsense. Pudovkin demonstrated that in the first and to date only valid study of film acting technique--back in the silent era. He famously demonstrated that an actor's facial expression could be made irrelevant when the director cuts away from the actor and contextualizes the actor's emoting. Batson's own proud rehearsal of Nicole Kidman's "work" on her monologue in "Eyes Wide Shut" demonstrates Pudovkin's point too. One doesn't have to bring up Shakespeare or Sophocles to reveal the theatrical worthlessness of all this regurgitation of Strasberg. Read what David Mamet has to say about trying to perform a "role" as if it were a person. A playwright does not create a human being; a playwright creates a function of the play's plot or theme. Madonna no doubt felt wonderful after she was "putty" in Batson's hands and that is wonderful for Madonna. It means nothing to the script she was performing or the audience who had to watch her. Batson's book is irrelevant to the theatre and to art, but rates FIVE-STARS as a self-esteem manual.



2. Brilliant, generous, unique teachers have the potential to change a student's life. Rarely does a student (or even reader) have the sheer luck to come across a teacher who possesses it all: a "coach" with the unique ability to be sensitive to each individual's particular needs; a mind like a steel trap (with an expansive body of knowledge, references, and even more important, real-world experiences unmatched by her competitors; an almost altruistic sense of service and generosity to one's "students" (students in life and in acting); and of course, a no-nonsense backbone that kicks a novice in the pants when s/he needs it, but just as easily provides a hug (or money for dinner) when s/he needs that, instead.
   
   Nicole Kidman is exceptionally successful as an actor, so it's fitting that her words grace this book's Introduction. But anyone who has ever met Ms. Batson or had the great fortune of knowing/studying with her personally knows firsthand that the kind, flattering, almost hyperbolic description provided by Kidman is completely accurate. The heart, wisdom, humility, and power that define Ms. Batson, as well as what she provides to those lucky enough to learn/have learned from her in person, seems to be as meaningful to Oscar winners (Kidman, Juliette Binoche, etc.), as to the hundreds of anonymous actors and former actors to inhabit her classrooms.
   
   Buying/possessing this book is a good idea for anyone concerned with "truth," anyone with a penchant for the performing arts, or really, anyone interested in the important, sometimes painfully difficult art of introspection and living life more authentically.
   
   As a former acting student of Ms. Batson's (I'm a college literature professor now), I always listen for her name when one of her more famous "students" receives an award on television. Once, perhaps at the Oscars, Kidman referred to Ms. Batson as her "guru" and a "spiritual godmother." For those fortunate few of us who can also boast former classroom experience with Ms. Batson, we nod our head in agreement - she is just that. The lessons she offered me nearly ten years ago (lessons about acting, I suppose, but more so, about life, about growth) are still a part of my daily life, how I practice living. For that reason, anyone with an interest in learning more about "truth" would certainly benefit from buying this book.



3. My acting instructor recommended Susan's book and I have to say that it was worth its weight in gold. As a working actor, I've continually been on the search for practical techniques to help me build characters and breakdown scripts. Susan's book shows you exactly how to do that in a very clear, precise way. What I particularly liked was her use of the need-persona-tragic flaw paradigm that has helped me create characters quickly for cold reads. I almost don't want to give out this secret because I want to be selfish and keep it to myself, especially in this highly competitive industry, but I can't deny that this book is one of the best. I've already recommended it to several of my actor friends before even writing this review.



4. Loved this passionate, practical guide to dramatic acting, either for the stage or film acting.
   
   Ms. Batson writes in a clear, wonderful way that ably explains the dynamics behind generating a great performance through thorough understanding of character, self and the technical aspects of playwrighting.



5. Susan Batson's book 'Truth' is amazing! It is the best book on acting available today. Ms. Batson follows a long line of prodigious acting teachers, Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, breaching today's world with an amazing grasp of the technique of acting and its history. Her mastery of the craft of acting is genius. She is the ONE modern teacher to follow if your dream is to work in the world today as an actor. This book is a revelation on the craft of acting and creating characters. Susan is a master teacher with a firm hold on the jugular of today's film world. Susan is behind some of modern cinema's most truthful performances. She is the creative force behind a power house acting studio, Black Nexxus, located in LA and New York. Buy it and change your life!

5 comments about Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi.

1. Friends and colleagues of the late John Belushi were universally critical of this biography upon its initial release. Their efforts to denigrate Bob Woodward's account of the sudden rise, popular success and early death of Belushi was unsparing in detailing his addiction to drugs and alcohol and far too accurate for their tastes.
   
   Belushi perfected his comedic skills with the Second City troupe and went on to acclaim as one of the original cast members on "Saturday Night Live." A low budget film about a college fraternity proved to be his comedic masterpiece. I recall a professor opining that hordes of unqualified high school seniors all wanted to attend college or university solely on the strength of having seen "Animal House."
   
   Belushi made several more films, but none ever equalled the success of "Animal House." A few were multimillion dollar flops. The actor developed an insatiable appetite for drugs. He died after being injected with a lethal overdose in a Hollywood hotel by another junkie.
   
   This is a thoroughly depressing account of the rapid downward spiral of an addict. To paraphrase Dean Vernon Wormer of Faber College, "Fat, drugged and stupid is no way to go through life son."
   
   This is not a sentimental biography. This is Hollywood at its worst.



2. This autobiography of Belushi seemed to focus a lot on his drug use, but it did delve into other aspects of his overall life, personality, and relationships. The politics and inner-workings of the film business are latently and appropriately repeated on a regular basis throughout "Wired." This biography on Belushi seems a bit sullen. The flow of the writing can be difficult to follow for some. (Just my opinion.)
   
   Some additional points noted by Woodward described the seemingly common anxiety and trepidation that inflicts directors and producers when they are about to release a movie, no matter how "big" these movie moguls are. They anonymously attend the screening of their films to test audiences for the first time: focusing on the crowd, watching viewers, listening to responses to the punch lines, and gauging the mood of the audience.
   
   Landis and a colleague anonymously went to the test showing of "Animal House" when it was first shown to a public audience in Denver. Denver was chosen because it was in the "heartland of middle America" and was not New York or Los Angeles. The two sat in the audience, pensive. After the initial seconds of the movie caused an uproar of hysterical laughter with Belushi and the shoes, they knew they had a hit: Bluto was born. Interesting about the making of this movie, were the details of scenes of "Animal House" that were cut out. In addition to details of "animal house," a lot of the book is dedicated to the making of "The Blues Brothers" film and Saturday Night Live (SNL).
   
   Even Steven Spielberg had the common feeling of uncertainty when working on post-production of a film when it was ready to be released. Speilberg felt so uneasy about the film "1941" he directed, that he left Hollywood and went to Hawaii when it was released. At a budget of $26 million, "1941" was one of the most expensive comedies made. The critics trashed the movie, and Belushi even thought it would ruin his career.
   
   When "Blues Brothers" was reviewed the critics bashed it and referred to the movie as "1942," in reference to the previous abysmal bomb, "1941." The LA Times called it a "$30 million dollar wreck, minus laughs." The Blues Brothers movie was below average and frankly, was and is still very over-rated. Just my opinon.
   
   There are several instances of dialogue between people in this book. These are hard to replicate, and are based on reconstructions of people's memories. Recollections get fuzzy over time. Dialogues can be altered and edited, understandabley, for brevity and to make the flow of a book more smooth. Nontetheless, these are hard to replicate, and these dialogues can cause skepticism among readers.
   
   There was occasional mention of the frequent press attention Belushi recieved from mainstream media outlets, primarily magazines.
   
   Details of "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) were also provided. After 4 years and 87 shows Belushi resigned from SNL, because simultaneiously working on the "Blues Brothers" movie SNL was too difficult and time consuming, leading Belushi to burnout.
   
   Some of the fun bits, were Akroyd and Belushi driving across the country and playing jokes on the CB radio, while reading Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." Another trivia, is that Belushi purchased and lived in a house on the Vineyard formerly owned by Robert McNamera and later had an indirect offer from Richard Nixon when he put the house on the market.
   
   Bob Woodward did his homework. In the back of the book Woodward includes an index of the people and the job titles of the people he interviewed. Included in the research were appointments books, diaries, calendars, receipts, tapes, scripts, and personal business documents. A lengthy list of those interviewed, including Executive Producers in the movie business, Belushi's friends, police detectives, the Wheaton high school football coach, and the drug suppliers to Belushi.
   
   Having read other works and bios by Woodward, the take on Belushi in "Wired" was a bit glum and solemn for me.



3. there is a reason why Judy and the Belushi family have shunned this author and this book. this is not a true reflection of what John is and as a lifelong fan of John (and James) I will not read this and I suggest you stay away. Read judys books about John those are the true reflection



4. 1,000 friends and family members were at the funeral. So many were such a big part of his life. They loved him and would do anything for him, but they didn't do enough. None could or would save him from himself.
   "Wired: The Short Life & Fast Times of John Belushi" by Bob Woodward takes a good look at the events of his life that led him to sudden fame and his fast spiral downward of fast living and drugs that led to his death much too early for this brilliant and much loved comic genius.
   
   You may learn more then you want to know about some pretty big names in the entertainment industry, that either unwittingly helped Belushi or partied hardy with him on his road to self-destruction. I admire them for stepping up and telling their stories to Author Woodward(even the drug dealers themselves have some interesting accounts), and although some actually lectured John on the evils of what he was doing to himself, and at one point a self-professed anti-drug enforcer was hired to help out,I was dismayed by the lack of courage on any of these giants, and those closest to him, to take drastic measures to save his life. Many times the interviewees say, he was headed for death. Woodward does an excellent job of supplying the details of his life and times,his fast rising career, the attitudes of his friends, the movie studio execs, his family and even his Doctors. No one could say NO to him.
   
   It is clear that alot of time,hundreds of interviews, and extensive research has gone into this book, making it a must read for fans. John's bigger then life personality, his constant demand and need for artistic freedom and control are a very big part of this story. My problem came in about the first third of the book. To be honest I found this part a bit tedious and repetitive. Adoring fans, need not be reminded of nearly every line he spoke or wrote for the Saturday Night Live sketches. Long ago, we already made his famous phrases our own("Cheezbugga, Cheezbugga".... "But Nooooooo...." ), and we could probably still recall in great detail, all the great moments he gave us. I did however find the look behind the scenes of this great show, and the movie ranglings most interesting. Each film he did or had a script for is talked about in detail, along with his state of being during that time.As the book goes on though, and especially towards the end where we are with him every one of his last hours on earth, we get a very good look into the craziness his life spiraled.
   
   By the end I was saddened once again by the loss of one of my favorites, and thought about all the laughs the world has missed out on. I also felt angered by the lack of help he received from all those close to him, and thought there were some matters that were just sluffed off by the particiapnats and not detailed enough by the Author, for example the police investigation.The book also has numerous pix..my favorite..John in his Samauri warrior costume.
   
   An interesting read, one that may stir fans to say:
   
   "'Bluto'....you have been truly missed" .....Laurie



5. He guzzzled some JD in Animal House and pretended he was a zit; he also sliced some things up, over and over, in virtually the same skit repeatedly on SNL. Blues Brothers? Give me a fricking break already; he himself even advises you on one recording to "go out and buy all the blues you can" because he felt guilty making so much cash ripping off true artists.
   
   He was a second-rate "performer" and major-league cokehead who happened to be at the right place at the right time. Apologies to his family, whom he apparently had no feeling or respect for, no one really misses him.
   
   Hope some Playboy Bunnies are slurping coke off your sweat-drenched, bloated face now John; at least you're not boring everyone in Continental Divide.

2 comments about The Fourth Wall.

1. Having previewed many of these photographs in New York magazine over the years, I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing they looked in the book! Amy Arbus has an incredible talent for hitting on the characters true essence. Stunning, stunning work!



2. Beautiful portraits in a perfect printed grayscale. I like the way the actors were taken out the scene and become reallife people

5 comments about Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses.

1. This book is a fun, quick read. The quotes at the start of each chapter are very good. I had hoped for more from Bo on her insights re: horses.



2. "Riding Lessons" is not worth the time to read. Look at the pictures, if you wish, but read something else. Ms. Derek certainly looks good on a horse, but her writing skills wouldn't earn her a passing grade in high school. Disjointed, self-centered and immature, "Riding Lessons" appears to have been written by a giddy, clueless teenager. I gave it two stars because it does have a section of color photographs, otherwise, it would be a "one".



3. This wasn't a bad book at all, and I admit to having been conditioned by my society to believe that Ms. Derek wasn't the smartest fish in the school. This, believe it or not, is a simple story, told simply. Although she has had fantastic encounters with the rich and famous and travelled widely the world over, Ms. Derek writes a story of a life spent just as enjoyably in a quiet world as in the fast lane variety. Her story is told honestly, with no baloney thrown in, and I was very impressed at how honestly she dealt with herself. She pulled no punches (which I liked) but didn't make herself out to be a saint either. John Derek comes across as an honest and complicated human being and not the glorified star that some people believed. All told, this was an enjoyable read.



4. I was a little disappointed in the title after I had read the book...hoping it would be more about how horses affected her life. I was left with the sad impression that she is a little more shallow than I believed. The stories don't lead to any deep revelations...they leave you hanging. I hope she is more colorful than these stories portray her to be.



5. It seems that this book was put together rather hastily, as there is not much depth here. You will be disappointed if you were expecting a nice celebrity biography (or just a biography). It seems that Bo wants the readers to believe that she is more than a 'bimbo' but there is not much evidence in the book. Often, she talks about how she didn't have an interest of her own but was content to follow her husband's passion. She admits that she doesn't read much at all. There are numerous 'admissions'like this mixed with incidents that do show her wiillful self: 1)refusing the life cover 2)being a producer for a porn film and other films that she starred in 3)supporting Bush campaign.

   At the end, she states that she purposefully didn't try to portray John, her husband, because she didn't want to misportray him. However, the lack of his presence in the book is just too glaring. I wish there are more indepth discussion about how she felt about him , how she saw him, what about him that she loved, how she changed over the time, etc.

   Even the episode that she describes about Jane Fonda trying to be a matchmaker for Ted Tuner and herself, comes off shallow in terms of her reaction. To normal people, it is strange for Jane to try to introduce her husband (they were by then separated) to Bo. However, Bo lived an unconventional life where she was friends with all ex-wives of her husband. Even here she comes off as little airhead.

   Before reading this book, I always imagine Bo Derek as beautiful, mysterious, and spiritual with lots of inner strength. But this book convinced me otherwise. I am curious how John Derek, a man of many passion and interest who married exceptional women in terms of physical beauty as well as mental, dealt with Bo who were some what plain mentally. She admits that John patiently waited for Bo to grow up to be a fascinating persona of her own but it really didn't happen.
   However, one thing seems to be true: she is an honest and nice girl. So that's lot better than most celebrity of our time!

   Now, I am very curious about Ursula Andress as she seems to be a woman of great depth and intelligence- what a surprise!

4 comments about My Body Is The Temple.

1. This book is a must have!! It lays down a foundation for liturgical dance in a powerful and scripturally rich way. The revelations and insights revealled are precious and I greatly admire her love towards others and imparting such wisdom into others who desire to establish liturgical dane in their area.



2. I would recommend that every dance ministry operating in the church should buy and read this book. It's worth having in your collection.



3. This book by far is SUPERB! I consider it my dancer's bible because Rev. Stephanie provides the sacred artist with so much vital information for our body temples, spirit man and call to the ministry of the arts. Every dance leader should have a copy in their own personal library. Even if you are not a dance minister, worshippers alike will appreciate this book.



4. I am very excited about this text becuase it is not written just for the dancer or the sacred artist, but for anyone who desires an encounter with God in their temple. It contains the clearest, easiest-to-understand material regarding the purpose and power of movement ministry. Leadership and laity alike will experience and comprehend how the WORD can become flesh and delivered to the Body of Christ in a movement message. They will learn how, through the body (our temple), God allows the Word, to shatter the windows of darkness, pierce the principalites, and bring deliverance to souls in our nation and the world. I would highly reccommed this text to everyone because of it's sound biblical teaching on the call of dance as ministry , and the rightful place of the Arts in the Body of Christ. Enjoy!

5 comments about The Major Film Theories: An Introduction (Galaxy Book ; Gb450).

1. First, the strengths: Andrew gives intelligent summaries and discussion of some major historical film theorists, with chapters on Munsterberg, Arnheim, Eisenstein, Balazs, Kracauer, Bazin, Mitry, Metz, and Ayfre, and Agel. He focuses on the debate between the formalists (who believe film art is defined by its formal properties including editing, framing, mise-en-scene, lighting, and etc.) and the realist tradition (who believe that film art is defined by its basis in photography, a physical impression of its subject). The highlight is undoubtedly Andrew's excellent discussion of the great French critic Andre Bazin, which is not surprising since Andrew's Ph.D thesis was on Bazin. The weaknesses: This was published in 1976, and so it completely ignores the vast body of criticism published since then, especially feminism, and the influence of Lacan and psychoanalytic theory. Still, this is not a bad starting point for students of film theory.



2. Just as the book states, this is an introduction to film theories; and as such it fulfills its promise. The explanations and discussions are almost always clear, at times somewhat rarefied, but overall an authentic book.



3. My main issue with this book is that the title ("An Introduction") implies that the book is for anyone with an interest in film theory. However, the author sometimes goes into nearly-impenetrable technical jargon. I would disagree with the assertion that this book is easy to understand.

   For instance, from page 57 comes the sentence: "In Piaget's terms, he [Eisenstein] wanted cinema to become or to produce a 'global syncretism of individual transductive inferences.'" And this is supposed to be an introduction? (You may be able to view page 57 through Amazon.com's "Search inside the book" feature.) I found myself re-reading paragraphs a few times to try to comprehend what was being said. I would recommend this book as a good survey of film theory for readers who have already had exposure to film theory and have some background in philosophy, psychology, and linguistics.

   Another problem is that the book was published in 1976, so roughly 25% of film theory history is missing. An updated or revised edition is needed. It would be interesting to see if/how the recent Dogme 95 movement fits into film theory history.

   This book might be valuable to film students or film geeks who've read other books about film theory, but for the average reader, this isn't the best "introduction" on the subject.




4. For people interested in the theory and psychology of cinema, this is a great starting point and is a must have in any collection. J. Dudley Andrew breaks down the theories of Mitry, Metz, Arheim, and Bazin, among others, into easy to understand chapters without losing the essense of the theories. This book and the material are both so interesting that this will have you hooked on film theory. Instead of purchasing the individual books by each theorist, Andrew's book is the way to go in more ways than one. It is very easy to understand, which some books on film theory aren't, and he uses great quotes from each of the theorists. Andrew followed this up with "Concepts in Film Theory" which is the opposite of this book. It is much more difficult to understand and follow so beware.



5. A great book, does exactly what it says on the cover, admittedly thirty years or so old, it still grapples sipmly with the theorie's you'd want to be introduced to if you've no idea what you're doing by looking at different theorists' views and counterviews. This book won't tell you what to think, it'll give you a set of arguments and let you decide where you go with it . . . in my humble opinion . . .