Thorold Dickinson has been called the "major lost talent of the British film industry." Nevertheless, four of his films, Gaslight, Men of Two Worlds, The Next of Kin, and Queen of Spades are among the most critically respected British films of all time. Although he directed only nine feature films and a handful of short documentaries, he devoted his life to the advancement of cinema. After his directorial career ended, he became Chief of Film Services of the U.N. Department of Public Information in New York and later returned to England to establish the first department of film studies in a British university. This book explores in detail every aspect of the life and career of Thorold Dickinson (1903-1984). It is based on extensive interviews with Dickinson and a number of his colleagues and friends, an examination of his papers, and a detailed analysis of each of his films. Thorold Dickinson and the British Cinema begins with a re-examination of Dickinson's career in the light of ten years of a new writing about British cinema, and in particular, about the options open to a British cinema permanently dwarfed by Hollywood. Illustrations.
About the AuthorJeffrey Richards is Professor of Cultural history, Lancaster University.
ReviewsFeaturing lengthy comments from the director himself...the book examines each of his films in detail and unearths a wealth of information about their making...for those eager to learn more about this under-valued filmmaker, it more than delivers the goods... * Film Review *
Richards is particularly good at analyzing Dickinson's visual style... * CHOICE *
Book InformationISBN 9780810832794
Author Jeffrey RichardsFormat Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Scarecrow PressPublisher Scarecrow Press
Series The Scarecrow Filmmakers SeriesWeight(grams) 440g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 147mm * 19mm