Movies in American History

Gr 9 Up—Created for anthropology, sociology, and capital-"F" film students, this encyclopedia offers analyses of approximately 380 films and the people involved in them, plus about 70 essays on topics from "Animation" and "Feminist Film Criticism" to "Italian Neorealism" and "The Male Gaze." Arranged in separate alphabets for films, people, and subjects, the entries range in length from about one-and-a-half dense pages covering "Gattica" to nearly eight for "Bonnie and Clyde." Film articles open with overviews and plot summaries, go on to describe critical reactions, then close with cogent discussions of major themes and enduring influences or significance. The biographical entries include discussions of historical figures such as Eadweard Muybridge and Thomas Edison, along with the (relatively) more contemporary likes of Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee, and Kathryn Bigelow. Subjects include major genres (porn excluded) and organizations, as well as cultural studies such as "Blackface" and "Women in Film." Only some articles include a photo—mostly small, black and white, and sometimes murky—and appended filmographies are selective. Still, every entry concludes with a list of further resources and, generally, one or more cross references. Despite a better-than-average set index in each volume, the quirky internal arrangement makes this set unsuitable for quick reference, and as a film resource it is far less comprehensive than guides such as those produced by Leonard Maltin or Roger Ebert. There is plenty of grist here, however, for researchers or general readers seeking a broader understanding of important films, people, and themes.—John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library