Cambridge Studies in Film Series

This series delves into the depths of film history and criticism, offering scholarly studies of high intellectual caliber. Each volume examines film as a social and cultural phenomenon, setting benchmarks for film scholarship and its evaluation. Aimed at both enthusiasts and academics, the series boasts international scope and an eclectic range of approaches. It provides a robust grounding in the theory and philosophy of visual media that continue to shape our global landscape.

Recycled Culture in Contemporary Art and Film

Recommended Reading Order

The gorgon's gaze
Paul Coates
287 pages
11 hours of reading
4.1(17)Add rating
This interdisciplinary study of recurrent themes in German cinema as it has developed since the early twentieth century focuses on pertinent films of the pre- and post-World War II eras. The author explores the nature of expressionism, which is generally agreed to have ended with the advent of sound, and its persistence in the styles of such modern masters of film noir as Orson Welles and Ingmar Bergman. In considering the possibility of homologies between the necessary silence of pre-sound cinema and the widespread modernist aspiration to an aesthetic of silence, Coates relates theories of the sublime, the uncanny, and the monstrous to his subject. He also reflects upon problems of representability and the morality of representation of events that took place during the Nazi era.
Horror Film and Psychoanalysis
Various authors
320 pages
12 hours of reading
4.2(32)Add rating
This volume explores the subject of psychoanalysis and film.
Documentary film classics
William Rothman
4.0(9)Add rating
Documentary Film Classics offers close readings on a number of major films, such as Nanook of the North, Land Without Bread, Night and Fog, Chronicle of a Summer and Don't Look Back. Spanning the history of the documentary film tradition, William Rothman analyzes the philosophical and historical issues and themes implicit in these works. Designed to guide film students through the "texts" of a wide range of documentaries, his readings also focus on the achievements of these works as films per se.
Recycled Culture in Contemporary Art and Film
The Uses of Nostalgia
Vera Dika
254 pages
9 hours of reading
3.8(10)Add rating
Vera Dika delves into the reuse of images, plots, and genres in film history through diverse critical lenses. She analyzes various media, including performance and photography, alongside Punk film and mainstream cinema from America and Europe. By examining avant-garde art in relation to contemporary film practices and their historical contexts, Dika highlights how certain works resist historical influences, offering a comprehensive study of the interplay between past and present in visual storytelling.
The 'I' of the Camera
William Rothman
424 pages
15 hours of reading
3.2(7)Add rating
The second edition features fourteen new essays that expand on the original insights, offering fresh perspectives on film theory and analysis. A new foreword sets the stage for these updated discussions, enhancing the book's relevance in contemporary film studies. Rothman's work continues to engage with critical themes, making it an essential read for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
Recycled Culture in Contemporary Art and Film
Vera Dika
254 pages
9 hours of reading
Exploring the reuse of images and genres in film history, the book delves into how various artworks and films resist historical influences. Dika offers a comprehensive analysis across multiple media, including performance, photography, and Punk film, while also examining mainstream American and European cinema. The study highlights the interplay between avant-garde art and contemporary film practices, situating them within their historical contexts.
John Huston's Filmmaking
Lesley Brill
4.0(2)Add rating
John Huston's Filmmaking offers an analysis of the life and work of one of the greatest American independent filmmakers. Always visually exciting, Huston's films sensitively portray humankind in all its incarnations, chronicling the attempts by protagonists to conceive and articulate their identities. In this study, Lesley Brill shows Huston's films to be far more than formulaic adventures of masculine failure, arguing instead that they demonstrate the close connection among humanity, the natural world, and divinity.
The "I" of the Camera
Essays in Film Criticism, History, and Aesthetics
William Rothman
424 pages
15 hours of reading
5.0(1)Add rating
The second edition features fourteen new essays that expand on the original content, providing fresh insights and perspectives. A new foreword sets the stage for these contributions, enhancing the book's relevance and depth. This edition aims to enrich the reader's understanding of the subject matter, making it a valuable resource for both new readers and those familiar with Rothman's work.