Goodbye cinema, hello cinephilia : film culture in transition /

A renowned film critic, Rosenbaum has explored quite a bit of uncharted territory throughout his career. His writing extends beyond standard film criticism to examination of diverse aspects of culture that influence and are influenced by cinema. From the effect of marijuana's influence on cinematography and the viewing experience to Marilyn Monroe's intelligence, this collection brings together a wide range of subjects and styles that show how creative film criticism can be. The collection is organized into four sections: "Position Papers"; "Actors, Actors-Writers-Directors, Filmmakers"; "Films"; and "Criticism." Many of those who are new to film study will not know many of the films Rosenbaum mentions, but the pieces still serve as excellent examples of how culture, history, and literature can be woven into criticism and cinephilia. Rosenbaum's knowledge of film and film history is extensive, and most readers will find new works that will be of interest. Though best appreciated by those who are well read in film studies, this book is a must for anyone interested in film. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. B. H. McMillin Illinois State University

The death of the film culture that flourished in the 1960s and '70s and the concurrent decline of serious film criticism have been roundly lamented, but Rosenbaum long known by cinematic cognoscenti as one of the most knowledgeable and perceptive voices writing on movies maintains that the digital age is simply shifting film viewing from being a communal activity to a private one that's actually more hospitable to niche tastes, and that as traditional venues for discussing cinema vanish, the activity is being revitalized online. That notion informs the most recent of the 50-plus pieces collected here, on subjects ranging from the highbrow (an astute comparison between Jacques Tati's Playtime and Jia Zhengke's The World, a pair of essays on Catalan experimental filmmaker Pete Portabella) to the less rarefied (Kim Novak's midwestern roots, Marilyn Monroe's deceptive shrewdness), all displaying Rosenbaum's distinctive insight and erudition. Rosenbaum's vision of a future in which cinema endures by extending the notion of the term to encompass pixels as well as nitrate, conforming to the experience of most contemporary viewers, offers hope for die-hard devotees of the beleaguered art form.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2010 Booklist