Movie History: A Survey: Second Edition Douglas Gomery (University of Maryland, USA) 9780415775458

How can we understand the history of film? Historical facts don't answer the basic questions of film history. History, as this fascinating book shows, is more than the simple accumulation of film titles, facts and figures. This is a survey of over 100 years of cinema history, from its beginnings in 1895, to its current state in the 21st century. An accessible, introductory text, Movie History: A Survey looks at not only the major films, filmmakers, and cinema institutions throughout the years, but also extends to the production, distribution, exhibition, technology and reception of films. The textbook is divided chronologically into four sections, using the timeline of technological changes Written by two highly respected film scholars and experienced teachers, Movie History is the ideal textbook for students studying film history.

Douglas Gomery is emeritus professor at the University of Maryland, USA. His publications include two prize winning books, Shared Pleasures: A History of Movie Presentation (1991) and Who Owns the Media (2000).

Clara Pafort-Overduin teaches at the Department of Theater, Film and Television Studies at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, and is a founding member of the International Cinema Attendances Research Group.

"Covering everything from Edison to Avatar, Gomery and Pafort-Overduin have written the clearest, best organized, and most user-friendly film history textbook on the market. It masterfully distills the major trends and movements of film history, so that the subject can be taught in one semester. And each chapter includes a compelling case study that highlights an important moment in movie history and, at the same time, subtly introduces a methodological approach. This book is a pleasure to read and to teach." Peter Decherney, University of Pennsylvania, USA

"In addition to providing a comprehensive overview of the development of film around the world, the book gives us examples of how to do film history, including organizing the details and discussing their implications." Hugh McCarney, Western Connecticut State University, USA

"Douglas Gomery and Clara Pafort-Overduin have created an outstanding textbook with an impressive breadth of content, covering over 100 years in the evolution of cinema. Movie History: A Survey is an engaging book that will reward readers with a contemporary perspective of the history of motion pictures and provide a solid foundation for the study of film." Matthew Hanson, Eastern Michigan University, USA