Synopses & Reviews
Anatomy of Film provides a solid foundation of film fundamentals while offering rich examples from the past and present. Designed to be used in film-as-literature or introduction to film courses in English, film, or communication departments, Anatomy of Film covers all of the essential elements of film — from genre, lighting, and editing to music, sound, and narration — and its student-friendly approach makes it ideal for those new to the discipline. Along with a strong focus on genre, this text also features a chapter devoted to the connection between film and literature. Ultimately, this comprehensive text demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for the medium while exploring both the humanistic and analytical aspects of film criticism.
About the Author
Bernard F. Dick is Professor of Communication and English in the School of Art and Media Studies at Farleigh Dickinson Universitys Teaneck, New Jersey campus. He is the author of a number of books on film including The Star-Spangled Screen: The American World War II Film, Engulfed: The Death of Paramount Pictures and the Birth of Corporate Hollywood, and most recently, Hal Wallis, Producer to the Stars.
Table of Contents
1. UNDERSTANDING THE MEDIUM
Film as a Hybrid Art
The Creation of the Narrative Film
The Diversity of the Medium
Examining a Film Text
2. GRAPHICS AND SOUND
Graphics
Sound
3 FILM, SPACE, AND MISE-EN-SCÈNE
The Shot
Combining Shots: The Sequence
From Shot to Shot
Assembling the Shots
Mise-en-scène
4. ENHANCING THE IMAGE: COLOR, LIGHTING, AND VISUAL EFFECTS
Coloring the Image
Lighting the Image
Special Effects/Visual Effects (SFX, VFX)
5. FILM GENRES
The Musical
The Western
The Crime Film
Film Noir
The Combat Film
Comedies
The Reflexive Film
The Womans Film
Documentary
The Horror Film
Science-Fiction
Understanding Genre
6. FILM SUBTEXT
Mythic Associations
Visual/Iconic Associations
Intellectual Associations
Musical Associations
7. THE FILM DIRECTOR
Auteurism
Collaboration
Variety
Repetition
Quotations
Borrowings
An Interview with Billy Wilder
An Interview with Alan Alda
8. FILM AND LITERATURE
The Flashback
The Flashforward
Point of View
Film Adaptation
The Nature of Screenwriting
9. FILM ANALYSIS
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
The Truman Show (Peter Weir, 1998)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2001)
10. FILM THEORY AND CRITICISM
The History of Film Criticism
Practical Criticism
Guidelines for Film Criticism
APPENDIX I: Films Discussed and Directors
APPENDIX II: Sample Student Papers
APPENDIX III: Video and DVD Rental and Purchase Sources and Web Sites
GLOSSARY OF MOTION PICTUTE TERMS
INDEX