Why is this book so expensive?

workaccount

And is it worth it?

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Movies-Louis-Giannetti/dp/0132347393/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222551507&sr=8-1

Very expensive on book despository also
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/search.php?key=understanding+movies&by=title&Button1.x=0&Button1.y=0&Button1=Go

humanji

In a word, no.

In more words, you don't need a book to tell you how to enjoy a film. If you really want to appreciate films, learn how to make them and then you'll understand the effort and techniques involved. And any information in that book will be available free online. There's thousands of pages on that kind of stuff.

workaccount

humanji wrote: »

In a word, no.

In more words, you don't need a book to tell you how to enjoy a film. If you really want to appreciate films, learn how to make them and then you'll understand the effort and techniques involved. And any information in that book will be available free online. There's thousands of pages on that kind of stuff.

At the moment I am not in the position to make any films I'm afraid but maybe in the future.

Yes I suppose I could find it on the internet (if I knew what I was looking for )
I don't want to spend the money by the way but I have a feeling that this book might be able to offer more than I could find on the net as I think it gives an analysis of some films but most importantly the whole package is in a consistent format. It would be great if I could loan it off somebody to decide whether I want it or not.

Dont be at yourself

Have you checked your local library? They may have books that will give you food for thought.

To be honest, I'd say your time is better spent watching movies than reading about them. You don't 'learn' how to appreciate films, it's something you do off your own bat. If you don't agree with what a lot of these well-read, learned critics think, it doesn't mean your opinion is wrong or any less valid.

krudler

what a waste of time and money! you decide yourself if you like a movie and why not by reading it in a book, and theres probably plenty of review, essays and blogs about the same films online that you get read for free

workaccount

I just thought a book like this would you a deeper insight which you could bring to other movies - you seem to be implying that there no room for advancement of knowledge here but everybodys learning everyday.

Just because you watch movies doesn't mean you have as good an appreciation as you could have. What's the point in reading any book ever - your logic seems to imply that we know everything already so theres' no point in ever learning anything again. What's the point in schools and college?

For example I am watching the sopranos for the first time at the moment - there's alot of things I can learn by reading for example "a psychological analysis of Tony Soprano" that I would never have known by "just watching"

humanji

workaccount wrote: »

At the moment I am not in the position to make any films I'm afraid but maybe in the future.

Then the simple solution to this is to live vicariously through other film makers. Watch the "making of" documentaries you find on DVD's and you'll get a taste of what it's like to make a film. Also, the directors commentary will give you the director and cast opinions on the various scenes within a film.

Sadly, it's a bit hit and miss as to which films have good commentary of documentaries (and the b*stards always tend to bring out a special edition after I've already bought the standard edition! :mad: ).

I'm sure many people here will be able to recommend good dvd's to look for.

workaccount wrote: »

Yes I suppose I could find it on the internet (if I knew what I was looking for )
I don't want to spend the money by the way but I have a feeling that this book might be able to offer more than I could find on the net as I think it gives an analysis of some films. It would be great if I could loan it off somebody to decide whether I want it or not.

As NekkidBibleMan says, check out your local library. Also, just type things like "film analysis" into Google. I did and the first three couple of links are these:

http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/
http://www.essex.ac.uk/filmstudies/current_students/Guidelines_for_analysis_of_film_sequences.htm
http://www.studyguide.org/fillmterms.htm

Now, you have to remember that these links and others you find will all be somones opinion as to what you should be looking for. But so will any book you buy. Just use them as a guide and then form your own conclusions. There will be film genres and set sequences you enjoy that others won't, so in the end you have to realise that it all comes down to what you want to see in a film and whether or not the film you're watching lives up to these expectations.

Hope that helps.

workaccount

humanji wrote: »

Then the simple solution to this is to live vicariously through other film makers. Watch the "making of" documentaries you find on DVD's and you'll get a taste of what it's like to make a film. Also, the directors commentary will give you the director and cast opinions on the various scenes within a film.

Sadly, it's a bit hit and miss as to which films have good commentary of documentaries (and the b*stards always tend to bring out a special edition after I've already bought the standard edition! :mad: ).

I'm sure many people here will be able to recommend good dvd's to look for.



As NekkidBibleMan says, check out your local library. Also, just type things like "film analysis" into Google. I did and the first three couple of links are these:

http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/
http://www.essex.ac.uk/filmstudies/current_students/Guidelines_for_analysis_of_film_sequences.htm
http://www.studyguide.org/fillmterms.htm

Now, you have to remember that these links and others you find will all be somones opinion as to what you should be looking for. But so will any book you buy. Just use them as a guide and then form your own conclusions. There will be film genres and set sequences you enjoy that others won't, so in the end you have to realise that it all comes down to what you want to see in a film and whether or not the film you're watching lives up to these expectations.

Hope that helps.

I suppose my question really is would this book explain to me such things as how certain qualities in a character are brought out by lighting and background/place - those kind of things. Maybe some insights into how certain scenes interconnect with others that I may not have noticed or thought of before.

I'm not so much interested in the practicalities of filming making so much as I just want to have a higher appreciation and understanding of what I watch rather than knowing how to do it.

I thought this book would do what I expect as it's called "Understanding movies" rather than "How to make movies"

Running Bing

The person who wrote this book is clearly just an evil critic out to nab your money and make you look stupid by using all sorts of pretentious language...I also have reason to believe he is a pirate:rolleyes:


Of course I am being sarcastic. I would have though that on a film board people would be more accommodating and understanding when it comes to film analysis. There seems to be a general trend that whenever something serious is mentioned about film (understanding the medium or studying it as an academic discipline) people get very defensive and come out with the usual "you dont need a book to tell you how to enjoy film":rolleyes: Of course you dont but this is about getting a better understanding of the medium, how it works, the techniques involved and its effect on us as individuals and as a society. If you have no interest in that fine, not a problem in the world with that..but there are people out there who are interested and want to know more.


Now op regarding the book, the reason it is so expensive is because it is academic in nature and such books (in all disciplines) are generally very expensive (Im two books heavier and €120 lighter after a trip to Hodges Figgis today:eek:). The reason? I imagine it has to do with the work, time and effort that goes into the books and the small target market.

To answer your second question, is it worth it? Well it certainly sounds like an excellent book and I would really like it but I would never spend that much money. Check the library first to see if they have something similar (plenty of texts on film out there similar to this). If that sort of money is not much to you (and I imagine it is since you started this thread in the first place) I would say go for it. Failing that I would look for something cheaper or maybe just focus on the internet.


Good luck anyway and if you really want to learn more about film dont be swayed by the naysayers. I started getting really interested in the subject about three years ago and I can truly say that I appreciate film and get more from the films I see now than I ever have.

P.S. If your interested three good sites are www.sensesofcinema.com www.24liesasecond.com and www.criterion.com

The essays on the criterion site are particularly useful as they are quite short so its a nice introduction. Have a look on there and search for films you have seen before and you like so you can read the essays.

Gunther_Gloop

It always amuses me when football fans berate a "non-fan" for his opinion on a particular game or player or manager -"what do you know about football!?" is a frequent put-down if you haven't played the game professionally or followed it slavishly for years & years. It warrants study and woe betide anyone who tries to offer his "uneducated" appraisal -even if you're just commenting on a fitness level or the colour of the jerseys.

And yet the opposite is true in many other fields -Film being a good example. If you say you like a film that isn't "popular" these days you're automatically accused of lying and virtually attacked for your lack of taste. Mention sound/ lighting/ technical merits in a movie and you're lambasted for being up yer own arse. People often get annoyed if you read more into a movie or a scene than might be immediately obvious.

This does look like a good book to me, but for that kind of money I'd want to see some sample pages. ...Just googled for that and found a pdf with some pages from it (not all) here. I don't have time to read through it now though.

Running Bing

Gunther_Gloop wrote: »

It always amuses me when football fans berate a "non-fan" for his opinion on a particular game or player or manager -"what do you know about football!?" is a frequent put-down if you haven't played the game professionally or followed it slavishly for years & years. It warrants study and woe betide anyone who tries to offer his "uneducated" appraisal -even if you're just commenting on a fitness level or the colour of the jerseys.

And yet the opposite is true in many other fields -Film being a good example. If you say you like a film that isn't "popular" these days you're automatically accused of lying and virtually attacked for your lack of taste. Mention sound/ lighting/ technical merits in a movie and you're lambasted for being up yer own arse. People often get annoyed if you read more into a movie or a scene than might be immediately obvious.

This does look like a good book to me, but for that kind of money I'd want to see some sample pages. ...Just googled for that and found a pdf with some pages from it (not all) here. I don't have time to read through it now though.

Great post and pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter.

People are pretty closed minded when it comes to film which comically is what people tend to accuse you off when you read more into films.

Ill gladly sit down and watch a Tarkovsky film and follow it up with Knocked up or Basket case. Ill watch absolutely anything and I enjoy all types of films. Im not the closed minded one its the people who will never watch a film because its in another language or in black and white or was made before the seventies who are the closed minded ones.