Aaryk Noctivagus

Has anybody read, or got, 'The Oxford Guide to Film Studies' - I'm thinking of buying it. Perhaps somebody has an alternative and/or better publication they prefer.

Mr Dean

Did you buy it? For what it's worth, if you are looking for something that gives you a good overview of contemporary film studies, I would argue it is the best collection. The contributors represent a good mixture of big names and specialists in narrower fields. The range of material is very good.

Looking on Amazon, the price seems to have gone up quite a bit since I bought it (when it came out in 1998). The reviews suggest that it is 'very accessible'. I think that is true for the best entries, but it isn't throughout. I haven't seen the second edition of The Cinema Book from Pam Cook, but the first edition was very good.

If you go for a single-authored text like Bordwell and Thompson (i.e. writing together), you get a coherent guiding voice, but not the range of positions and interests which is important in contemporary film studies.

Deftly

The Oxford Guide and The Cinema Book are very good, and both reflect the current levels of debate in film studies. But they are both aimed primarily at students on film studies courses, and while they usefully map out a general context of thinking they don't add an awful lot to viewing pleasure in the short term. There is a Bordwell/Thompson book, Film Art, which I think does. Though the writing is a little clunky in places, the illustrations are excellent, and the lessons you learn about cinematography and film narrative can be applied to anything you watch.