Wiley-Blackwell A Companion to Italian Cinema (Wiley Blackwell Companions to National Cinemas)

Written by leading figures in the field, A Companion to Italian Cinema re-maps Italian cinema studies, employing new perspectives on traditional issues, and fresh theoretical approaches to the exciting history and field of Italian cinema. Offers new approaches to Italian cinema, whose importance in the post-war period was unrivalled Presents a theory based approach to historical and archival material Includes work by both established and more recent scholars, with new takes on traditional critical issues, and new theoretical approaches to the exciting history and field of Italian cinema Covers recent issues such as feminism, stardom, queer cinema, immigration and postcolonialism, self-reflexivity and postmodernism, popular genre cinema, and digitalization A comprehensive collection of essays addressing the prominent films, directors and cinematic forms of Italian cinema, which will become a standard resource for academic and non-academic purposes alike Review "Burke’s meticulous editing forges fertile connections between the Canadian and American academies and those in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Also, Marco Vanelli Veronica Pravadelli, Stefania Parigi, Sandra Lischi and Christian Uva provide perspectives from Italian universities, resulting overall in a thorough, comprehensive overview of English language scholarship on Italian cinema." Matthew Griffith - Harvard University Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies, Volume 7 Number 1 From the Inside Flap "If you want to get up to speed on the latest and most significant research on Italian cinema, this is the place to start. The Companion provides overviews that orient the general reader and a rich mix of focused studies for the specialist. It revisits familiar themes (neo-realism, national character, great directors) with refreshing new readings, but broadens the cultural context with the inclusion of work on genres, stars, and audiences that subvert critical hierarchies. The writing engages with current theoretical debates without jargon. Analyses of overlooked phenomena such as dubbing, the role of the Catholic Church, and art/experimental film open up unusual perspectives. A sharp editorial intelligence brings coherence to a multi-faceted volume rich in insight and information." —Robert Lumley,University College London Written by leading figures in the field and embracing the significant films, filmmakers, and historical moments of Italian cinema, A Companion to Italian Cinema re-maps the genre's rich history, capturing its celebrated intellectual and aesthetic verve and delineating its socio-political and formal contours from its origins to the early years of the 21st Century. Including essays from both established and more recent scholars, the Companion considers traditional areas of research such as neorealism, auteur cinema, commedia all'italiana, Italian silent cinema, politics, Catholicism, and terrorism. A significant section of the volume is also dedicated to more recent issues such as feminism, queer cinema, immigration, and digitalization. This volume addresses major films in the history of Italian cinema, from Cabiria (1914) to La grande bellezza (2013), and major directors such as Rossellini, Fellini, Antonioni, and Bertolucci. The role of music and issues of distribution and reception are also considered, and a comprehensive overview of the history of Italian cinema studies is provided. The result is a comprehensive, cutting-edge collection that will become a standard resource for academic and non-academic purposes alike. From the Back Cover "If you want to get up to speed on the latest and most significant research on Italian cinema, this is the place to start. The Companion provides overviews that orient the general reader and a rich mix of focused studies for the specialist. It revisits familiar themes (neo-realism, national character, great directors) with refreshing new readings, but broadens the cu