Ed Sikov is an author whose work delves into the lives and cultural impact of significant figures and phenomena. He possesses a remarkable ability to analyze deeply, drawing readers into the captivating realms of film and its creators. Sikov's writing explores not only individual biographies but also the broader social and cultural landscapes that shaped both the artists and their eras. His books are valued for their insightful perspectives and engaging narrative style.
Film Studies is a concise and indispensable introduction to the formal study of cinema. The second edition to this best-selling textbook adds two new chapters: Film and Ideology and Film Studies in the Age of Digital Cinema.
Ed Sikov builds a step-by-step curriculum for the appreciation of all types of narrative cinema, detailing the essential elements of film form and systematically training the spectator to be an active reader and critic. Sikov primes the eye and mind in the special techniques of film analysis. His description of mise-en-scene helps readers grasp the significance of montage, which in turn reveals the importance of a director's use of camera movement. He treats a number of fundamental factors in filmmaking, including editing, composition, lighting, the use of color and sound, and narrative. Film Studies works with any screening list and can be used within courses on film history, film theory, or popular culture. Straightforward explanations of core critical concepts, practical advice, and suggested assignments on particular technical, visual, and aesthetic aspects further anchor the reader's understanding of the formal language and anatomy of film.
Focusing on the life of a legendary Hollywood star, this biography explores the journey of a brilliant actress whose immense talent transformed the film industry. It delves into her iconic roles and the impact she made on cinema, highlighting her fiery spirit and the challenges she faced in the spotlight. The narrative captures both her personal and professional triumphs, offering an engaging look at the legacy she left behind in the world of movies.
Peter Sellers's explosive talent made him a beloved figure in world cinema and continues to attract new audiences. With his darkly comic performances in Dr. Strangelove and Lolita and his outrageously funny appearances as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films, he became one of the most popular movie stars of his time. Sellers himself identified most personally with the character he played in Being There -- an utterly empty man on whom others projected what they wanted, or needed, to see.In this lively and exhaustively researched biography, Ed Sikov offers unique insight into Sellers's comedy style. Beginning with Sellers' lonely childhood with a mother who wouldn't let go of him, through his service in the Royal Air Force and his success on BBC Radio's The Goon Show , Sikov goes on to detail his relationships with co-stars such as Alec Guinness, Sophia Loren, and Shirley MacLaine; his work with such directors as Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder, and Blake Edwards; his four failed marriages; his ridiculously short engagement to Liza Minnelli; and all the other peculiarities of this eccentric man's unpredictable life.The most insightful biography ever written of this endlessly fascinating star, Mr. Strangelove is as comic and tragic as Peter Sellers was himself.
Screwball is the first richly illustrated tribute to the movies that tells one mad, illogical truth: Mutual loathing is no reason to give up on love. More than 240 pictures in striking duotone celebrate these exhilarating comedies.