This text introduces students to the major aspects of film aesthetics, criticism, and history, while emphasizing the relationship between art, artists, and the film industry itself.
The book was my bible when it came to film in the late 1980's and I used it as a reference in almost every term paper written through college. The main genre's were mentioned with the key films of the early days along with modern day examples. I found this a fascinating read even if it was educational.
It was fine in terms of an introduction, but it just felt really outdated for a film course being taught in 2002. Which is more a problem with the course than the book.
To any librarian who can fix the information, the first author is Thomas Sohchack. I've noticed that Vivian C. Sobchack is mentioned twice on the author list.