This book is the first ever English-language study of Julien Duvivier (1896-1967), once considered one of the world's great filmmakers. It provides new contextual and analytical readings of his films that identify his key themes and techniques, trace patterns of continuity and change, and explore critical assessments of his work over time. His career began in the silent era and ended as the French New Wave was winding down. In between, Duvivier made over sixty films in a long and at times difficult career. He was adept at literary adaptation, biblical epic, and film noir, and this groundbreaking volume illustrates in great detail Duvivier's eclecticism, technical efficiency and visual fluency in works such as Panique (1946) and Voici le temps des assassins (1956). It will particularly appeal to scholars and students of French cinema looking for examples of a director who could straddle the realms of the popular and the auteur.

This Chronology of the Cinema, of which we propose here the first volume, aims to retrace the history of the seventh art in the different countries of the world by chronicling year by year its main events and developments, starting from the birthdates of the pioneers and inventors who preceded the Lumière brothers to reach until the year 2015, with the goal to offer the readers a global perspective on its birth, evolution and diffusion over time. This first volume covers the period going from 1830 to 1960. The information presented for each year is divided into thematic sections. The first one, titled "Personalities", reports the births and the deaths of the most important persons (directors, art directors, producers, actors, costume designers, cinematographers, theoreticians, critics, etc.) in the history of the cinema, together with the positions they covered in their careers. Across its three volumes, this Chronology offers information on more than 3000 persons. The second section, titled "Movies", lists the most relevant movies made during the year reporting for each of them the essential details like: director, English title and original title, genre, producing country, technology (film and sound), scriptwriter, editor, cinematographer, production designer/art director, producer, composer, costume designer, make-up artist, special effect artist and actors. Across its three volumes, this Chronology offers information on more than 3000 films. The third section, titled "Events", reports the main events in the history of cinema as: the first screenings and the first movies made in the different countries, the inventions and technologies that affected and innovated this art, the creation of production companies, movie archives and other institutions (cinema schools, censorship offices, festivals), and the publication of the most important theoretical essays, cinema magazines and artistic manifestos. The fourth section, titled "Film Awards", reports for each year the winners of various important awards, divided by categories, at national and international festivals and events in the different continents to offer a more articulated point of view on the seventh art across the world. Among the awards and festivals here considered are: Golden Globe, Academy Awards, Venice Film Festival, Cannes Festival, BAFTA, Berlin Film Festival, Moscow Film Festival,Ouagadougou International Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival and the Mar de la Plata Festival.

Unlike their American colleagues, British suppliers were extremely slow to release their country's superb libraries of classic films for movie fans to purchase on either VHS tapes or DVD discs. In 2004, little over 100 titles were available. But now there are around 700, with promises of many more to come. This book details some of the best. Over 400 movies in all are described in either minute detail or in summary form! The quality (or lack of quality) in the DVD transfer is fearlessly indicated. The author's emphasis is on movies made before 1970, especially those with popular stars such as Glynis Johns, Gracie Fields, George Formby, Margaret Lockwood, Arthur Askey, Anna Neagle, James Mason, Patricia Roc, Stewart Granger, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Will Hay, Tommy Trinder, Alec Guinness, Michael Wilding, Peter Finch, Christopher Lee, Peter Sellers, David Niven, Kenneth More, Kay Kendall, John Gregson, etc.

From The Passion of the Christ to Life of Brian, and from The Ten Commandments to Last Temptation of Christ, filmmakers have been adapting the stories of the Bible for over 120 years, from the first time the Höritz Passion Play was filmed in the Czech Republic back in 1897. Ever since, these stories have inspired musicals, comedies, sci-fi, surrealist visions and the avant-garde not to mention spawning their own genre, the biblical epic. Filmmakers across six continents and from all kinds of religious perspectives (or none at all), have adapted the greatest stories ever told, delighting some and infuriating others. 100 Bible Films is the indispensable guide to this wide and varied output, providing an authoritative but accessible history of biblical adaptations through one hundred of the most interesting and significant biblical films. Richly illustrated with film stills, this book depicts how such films have undertaken a complex negotiation between art, commerce, entertainment and religion. Matthew Page traces the screen history of the biblical stories from the very earliest silent passion plays, via the golden ages of the biblical epic, through to more innovative and controversial later films as well as covering significant TV adaptations. He discusses films made not only by some of our greatest filmmakers, artists such as Martin Scorsese, Jean Luc Godard, Alice Guy, Roberto Rossellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Lotte Reiniger, Carl Dreyer and Luis Buñuel, but also those looking to explore their faith or share it with lovers of cinema the world over.

A comprehensive guide to European actors in American film, this book brings together 15 chapters with A-Z entries on over 900 individuals. It includes case studies of prominent individuals and phenomena associated with the emigres, such as the stereotyping of European actresses in 'bad women' roles, and the irony of Jewish actors playing Nazis.

Few people would argue with the films selected for detailed notices and reviews in this book. Many of the movies are award-winners, and most chalked up impressive figures at the box-office. Who would dispute the inclusion of Citizen Kane or Rebecca or The Best Years of Our Lives? However, along with The Yearling and Reap the Wild Wind and Hello, Frisco, Hello, I've also included a few surprises. A magnificent publication. -- Rodney Bourke in International Movie Making (April 2006).