The Complete History of American Film Criticism

by Jerry Roberts

The Complete History of American Film Criticism is a chronicle of the lives and work of the most influential film critics of the past 100 years. From the first movie review in the New York Times in 1896 through the Silent Era, the pre- and postwar years, the Film Generation of the 1960s, the Golden Age of the 1970s, and into the 21st century, critics have educated generations of discriminating moviegoers on the differences between good films and bad. They call attention to great directors, cinematographers, production designers, screenwriters, and actors, and shed light on their artistic visions and storytelling sensibilities.

People interested in what the great film critics had to say have usually been shortchanged as to their backgrounds, and just why they are qualified to sit in judgment. Using mini-biographies, placed within a chronological framework, The Complete History of American Film Criticism is the biography of a profession whose cultural impact has left an indelible mark on the 20th century’s most significant art form.

Genres: Media Tie In

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Zeecon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough, comprehensive overview of the history of American film criticism and its major players that includes a wealth of historical detail and fills in many gaps left by other texts (e.g. film criticism on radio and television). As such, this is a significant, highly valuable resource. However, the reasoning and historical research is not always as rigorous and accurate as it should be. The writing is a little messy at times. Plus, the tendency towards a declinist perspective takes away from the post-1970s sections of the book. This would have been more successful as a scholarly text, adhering to scholarly standards.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems like 400 pages of obituaries. The author writes a paragraph about a critic. Each one contains a long lists of random films s/he reviewed. Sometimes there is a quote from a review. The author makes sure to include a random life detail. A society the critic helped form or films they had a hand in. These paragraphs always conclude with the year the critic died and the cause. I was able to learn some history of Film but I got a headache from skimming the pages so quickly.

[Tegan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about 100 pages in and gave up. Absolute drivel.