The Complete History of American Film Criticism
February 2010
480
$27.95
Film & TV
6 x 9
Cloth/Hardcover
“If journalism—including film criticism—is evanescent, Jerry Roberts has struck a blow for all of us who have spent our lives writing and talking about movies. I’m sure this impressive, thoughtful book will be a valuable tool for anyone interested in the subject.” —Leonard Maltin“Jerry Roberts has achieved a remarkable feat of research and, in the areas where I have any knowledge, is fair and accurate. Nothing on this scale has ever been accomplished before.” —Roger Ebert
The Complete History of American Film Criticism is a historical overview of the lives and work of the most influential film critics of the past 100 years.
From the first movie review in The New York Times in 1896 through the Silent Era, the pre- and postwar years, the Film Generation of the 1960s, the Golden Age of the 1970s, and into the 21st century, critics have educated generations of discriminating moviegoers on the differences between good films and bad. They call attention to great directors, cinematographers, production designers, screenwriters, and actors, and shed light on their artistic visions and storytelling sensibilities.
Indeed, The Complete History of American Film Criticism honors those who helped establish the notion that film was the 20th century’s most significant art form.