The Art and Craft of Motion Pictures: 25 Movies to Make You Film Literate

This volume can rightfully be called a film school in a single book. Investigating and analyzing the elements and concepts of motion picture creation, this book looks closely at 25 films that represent a wide range of styles and subjects.

Although most motion picture viewers have seen numerous movies in their lifetime, few in the general public have a firm and deep understanding of how motion pictures are created, or a grasp of the intricacies of cinematic storytelling and content. By presenting 25 films, American and international, Hollywood and independent, this book educates and enlightens readers about the details of the motion picture creation process.

Some readers will have viewed certain films in the volume, but many will be introduced to major cinematic works within the canon of great and essential films for the very first time. Topics explored include animation, period films, editing, directorial style, and non-linear cinematic structure. Readers will learn about the origin of the jump cut in Breathless, time and space in Hiroshima Mon Amour, and the editing in Orson Welles’s essay film F is for Fake. The Art and Craft of Motion Pictures: 25 Movies to Make You Film Literate will educate the novice and avid moviegoer alike about the inner workings of this dynamic, popular, and culturally significant art form.

Examines films for both content and aesthetics, showing readers how to analyze film with a critical eye

Arms readers with an understanding of how films interact with other aspects of cinema and related disciplines and fields

Shows how filmmaking techniques are used to both tell stories and invoke reactions from viewers

Explains how great directors have revolutionized the art of filmmaking