Celebrating Cinema

A dual history of American movies and movie reviews evaluates how the nation's films have both fostered new ways of seeing the world and spawned an extraordinary body of critical writing, in a collection of essays that includes contributions by such figures as James Agee, Ralph Ellison, and Roger Ebert.

DVD-R. Tagged by Roger Ebert as the most influential film critic of the late twentieth century, the film tells the story of Pauline's turbulent life and work, through never-seen archival footage, her published writing and personal letters, and interviews with both friends and foes of her pen."

"Everything about me is in my films," Steven Spielberg has said. Taking this as a key to understanding the hugely successful moviemaker, Molly Haskell explores the full range of Spielberg's works for the light they shine upon the man himself. Through such powerhouse hits as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones, to less-appreciated movies like Empire of the Sun, to the haunting Schindler's List, Haskell shows how...

"The untold story of Hollywood's most powerful female writer-producer of the 1940s, Joan Harrison, who grew from being the worst secretary Alfred Hitchcock ever had to one of his closest collaborators, critically shaping his brand as the "Master of Suspense.""--

From Snow White to Moana, from Pinocchio to Frozen, the animated films of Walt Disney Studios have moved and entertained millions. But few fans know that behind these groundbreaking features was an incredibly influential group of women who fought for respect in an often ruthless male-dominated industry and who have slipped under the radar for decades. In The Queens of Animation, bestselling author Nathalia Holt tells their dramatic stories for the...

Over a three-decade period that began in 1919, Oscar Micheaux wrote, directed, edited, produced, and distributed over 40 films nationally and internationally. These films usually featured all-Black casts. They spanned a silent film period (1919-1930) and a talkie period (sound films) (1931-1948). Given such a background and the period in American history into which he was born, Micheaux's achievements were extraordinary and his legacy is a study of...

"Charles Burnett is an eminent figure of the black independent movement during the sixties. His dual identity as Afro-American and independent filmmaker makes his work rare and valuable, revealing the shortcomings of American society, unequal and divided ... This film is a portrait of Charles Burnett, which follows him in his hometown of Los Angeles, but also tells the story of fifty years of American history scarred by the fight for civil rights"--Container....

Me, Myself, They: Life Beyond the Binary chronicles Joshua M. Ferguson's extraordinary story of transformation to become the celebrated non-binary filmmaker, writer, and advocate for trans rights they are today. Beginning with their birth and early childhood years of gender creativity, Ferguson recounts the complex and often challenging evolution of their identity, including traumatizing experiences with gender conversion therapy, bullying, depression,...

With humor and honesty, Girls on Film looks at the good, the bad, and the unfairly written women in film. A celebration of the power of cinema and the hidden messages within media and culture, this collection of personal essays explores the women who inspired and confused a young film enthusiast. A movie freak with a feminist message. In the tradition of feminist authors, film reporter Alicia Malone brings a collection of personal essays looking...

The first comprehensive history of Hollywood's high-flying career women during the studio era, Nobody's Girl Friday covers the impact of the executives, producers, editors, writers, agents, designers, directors, and actresses who shaped Hollywood film production and style, led their unions, climbed to the top during the war, and fought the blacklist. Based on a decade of archival research, author J.E. Smyth uncovers a formidable generation working...