New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics

by Robert Stam (Editor)

First published in 1992. New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics provides a comprehensive lexicon of semiotic concepts. With sections on linguistics, narratology, psychoanalysis and intertextuality, it constructs an indispensable dictionary for film theory, defining over five hundred critical terms. The authors address key aspects of contemporary semiotics and cultural debate, while referring to the work of key figures such as Peirce, Saussure, Derrida, Barthes, Propp, Genette, Greimas, Kristeva, Lacan, Metz, Bellour, Heath, Mulvey, Johnston, Rose, Doane, Bakhtin and Baudrillard. The semiotic concepts are illustrated by examples drawn from the films of directors such as Welles, Dreyer, Brunel, Godard, Hitchcock, Varda, Akerman and Woody Allen. Although especially geared to the needs of film students, New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics should be useful for scholars in all areas of the arts, philosophy and literature.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Semiotics, Philosophy, Art, Theory

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Stam (born October 29, 1941) is an American film theorist working on film semiotics. He is a professor at New York University, where he teaches about French New Wave filmmakers. Stam has published widely on French literature, comparative literature, and on film topics such as film history and film theory. Together with Ella Shohat, he co-authored Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media .

Reviews

[Siany]

Is this the greatest book ever written about film semiotics? Is your personal library incomplete without a copy? What's a evening get-together with friends without a conversation about intertextuality and cinematic linguistics??

I am still haunted by this book. If you own a copy BURN IT!

[cami]

Recopilación de evolución de la terminología para el análisis fílmico, desde la semiótica hasta la narratología. Es un texto académico, no lo lean si no es para investigar porque es extremadamente tedioso.

Me parece un buen inicio para alguien que está un poco perdido en cuanto a teoría, pero no es buen libro para encontrar enfoques metodológicos: no quedan claros ya que hay una maraña de enfoques y el autor no los ejemplifica claramente, de hecho hay muy pocos ejemplos. Lo único que puedes hacer es apuntar autores y buscarlos y a sus aplicaciones tu mismo.

[Cary Brecher]

if i had a cursory knowledge of semiotics this probably would've been a lot better but even so greatly deepened my understanding of film scholarship and film in general. granted, it explains the basics of semiotics, it probably didnt help that i read this 225 page book over the course of almost 10 full months, so maybe it's more introductory than it felt if read less sparsely.

[Andrew Corsini]

An essential book for film undergraduates. I will no doubt be recommending this.

[Fiona]

I need to go back to sleep…