The Story of Film Hardcover – November 1, 2013

I really like Mark Cousins. He's not only a great documentarian, but also a great film scholar. What sets this apart from other film textbooks that I've read is how inclusive it is. Not a lot of film historians focus on what was coming out of Africa in the 70s, or Iran in the 90s, and if they do it's only in a way that's related to the West. Cousins really tries to break out of that mold by making the history of cinema about innovation and creativity. Though this might not sound like much, his method really creates a history that's more international, and therefore more accurate, than what you would get from a standard American Textbook---which, no surprise, a lot see the west as the end all be all of film.Cousins' history is in many ways a lesson in humility.As it turns out many countries considered third world contributed just as much to cinema as America, France, or the UK did. This is a revolutionary and empowering idea! I certainly wasn't taught this in film class when re-watching Psycho and Citizen Kane for the 100th time.I will say that the book is very much a text-book, in that is not really for light reading and difficult to read at times. Given the themes of the book, and Cousins deep knowledge of history, this is forgivable even though the book can be quite a slog at times. Still, for anyone who wants to get a broader knowledge of movies outside of America, this is an invaluable resource. There's so much to films that goes beyond America, and that is one of the many things Cousins' can teach us.

The remarkable thing about this book is just how many must see movies it added to my list. It's coverage is genuinely global and covers the entire history of film world wide. I am not so sure about how well it fits film into the national histories of the countries concerned but any weakness in this area is more than made up with its focus on technique, scene analysis and simply throwing new light on familiar and unfamiliar films. An eye opener and it also has a good bibliography to assist further study. The related DVD documentary by Mark Cousins seems equally interesting from the four episodes I have so far seen.

Mark Cousins' impressive overview of the last 100+ years in world cinema is both engaging and meticulously researched. Unlike the frustrating collective anthology "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", "Story" is very much a personal project; as Cousins writes, his goal is to "open a door to the world of cinema and describe *a* reliable path through it" (emphasis mine). He's quick to point out that many beloved films and directors are missing from the text, and it seems pointless to try to quibble with his selections -- indeed, omissions seem inevitable in such a massive undertaking.With that said, the book is not an entirely successful venture, primarily due to Cousins' frequent references to technological and stylistic innovations which the average reader (even the "intelligent general audience" member he appeals to) will find obscure, and which the more informed reader may quibble with. On page 482, for instance, he references "the unflattering honesty with which [Nan Goldin] films people and her habit of non colour-correcting sodium lighting" -- the majority of readers will have no idea what "sodium lighting" refers to, while photography buffs will argue that the available natural lighting Goldin relies on is likely tungsten, not sodium. Similarly, on pages 250-251, Cousins mentions that the lens used to film several sequences in Bresson's "Pickpocket" was "50 mm, which approximates human vision"; this estimation is only accurate for 35 mm still photography, but, more importantly, his point will likely be lost altogether on most readers. Ironically, I believe Cousins' explanations would benefit from *less* detail and more strategic scaffolding of the basic ideas he'd like to get across to interested readers.Keeping in mind once again that Cousins very clearly stipulates that he's taking a "certain path" through world cinema, readers should note that many of the selections in his book will not necessarily be enjoyable to the average (again, even the average "intelligent") cinephile. Cousins' appreciation is more that of an art historian than a moviegoer. With that said, it's undeniably refreshing to see the more obscure gems of "third world" cinema given their due, even if most viewers will never find copies to rent.In sum, this meticulously crafted book (albeit one full of typos, which should be addressed before a second printing) will excite and inspire most readers to watch -- and re-watch -- literally hundreds of diverse films. Years after taking my first film appreciation course in college, I've been reminded about the meta-narrative of movies over the ages, about how cinema often reflects diverse sociological concerns, and about how directors tend to build upon (or diverge from) their predecessors. It's an exciting story, and Cousins is a worthy, dedicated storyteller.

When I set out to understand - nearly from scratch - the history of film, this loving, passionate, erudite, surprising and absolutely essential book was my main guide and inspiration. After dog-earing it and watching the accompanying film twice, I went forth with a camera and made my first film, which went on to win the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary in 2015.I love the fact that Cousins lingers in little known parts of the world and with lesser known filmmakers (of course, Hollywood, etc., get their proper due). And most importantly, the unifying theme of INNOVATION is an extremely helpful lens through which to organize a book, and assess new work.

This text is just right for the History of Film class I am about to start for our Lifelong Learners group. Available, also, is a 6-DVD set containing the entire documentary series that accompanies the book. The book is copiolusly illustrated and written in a style anyone can find appealing. If you love the movies, get this one!

I'd already bought and screened the series and use clips in my course FILM AND SOCIETY, but I wanted to go to the text and be able to flip back and forth through the incredible breadth of film trivia and profound insight into the medium, that Cousins' work entails. He's done an amazing piece of work here. You won't be disappointed - and you'll certainly be surprised by some of the specific bits and Cousins international perspective.

Amazing book on film and beyond by Mark Cousins.

fast delivery, in due time, product with the expected characteristics

Tutto ok. Consegna rapidissima. Per amanti cinema mondiale.

I bought this for my son who is doing a master's in film production. He found it to be hugely informative and was delighted with it.

En referencia a la parte logística, el paquete arribó a tiempo y en perfectas condiciones. sólo da la impresión que utilizan cajas demasiado grandes para las dimensiones de los productos.En cuanto a la obra y el autor, sencillamente me siento afortunado de haberme topado con este libro. El tamaño del proyecto fue gigantesco y con todo, el autor demuestra una gran sencillez y hace accesible una pieza de conocimiento de este arte para que pueda ser leída por cualquier interesado y no sólo por profesionales. Se escribió con un lenguaje claro y se hace una revisión muy equilibrada de toda la historia del cine hasta los primeros años del siglo XXI, incluyendo reseñas y análisis de los movimientos artísticos en todos los continentes, no solamente del cine occidental. Es un trabajo extraordinario, merecería ser leído por grandes públicos, aunque eso lógicamente no sucederá.

Mark Cousins is my god