Film Analysis: A Casebook

From the days of the silent classics to the modern cinematic era, films have both entertained audiences and served as artistic forms of self–expression for their creators. But what are movies really about? Film Analysis: A Casebook presents a highly accessible introduction to the major themes and central issues of film analysis through close readings of 25 historically significant films from around the world. Featuring in–depth analyses of classic international films ranging from the 1922 German Expressionist masterpiece Nosferatu and Kazan’s On the Waterfront up to the recent Turkish drama Once Upon a Time in Anatolia , noted author and film critic Bert Cardullo reveals how filmmakers throughout cinematic history have utilized the resources of the medium to pursue complex, significant human goals in their “personal,” often independent films. All films examined also include credits, images, bibliographies, and director filmographies; and there is a general bibliography of film analysis along with suggested topics for writing and further discussion. With its richly revealing treatment of classic cinematic treasures, Film Analysis: A Casebook represents an indispensable resource for cinema scholars and enthusiasts alike who wish to better understand this complex and culturally resonant art form.

Bert Cardullo is a retired professor of Film Studies who taught for thirty–five years in the United States as well as Finland and Turkey. A former film critic for the Hudson Review in New York, Cardullo is also the author, editor, or translator of numerous books, including Stage and Screen: Adaptation Theory from 1916 to 2000 (2012), Soundings on Cinema: Speaking to Film and Film Artists (2008), In Search of Cinema: Writings on International Film Art (2004), and Bazin at Work (1997).