Choice Review

This encyclopedia provides essays on nearly 200 films by 80 contributors from film and media studies programs worldwide. The films, assembled chronologically, range from the 1915 Birth of a Nation to Elena (2011) and cover a wide variety of genres, from drama (Citizen Kane and Tsotsi) to comedy (The Ladykillers and Jamón, Jamón); thriller (Psycho and Obsession/Ossessione) to musical (Singin' in the Rain and West Side Story); romance (Le Violon Rouge/The Red Violin and Brief Encounter) to science fiction (Star Wars and Blade Runner). There is a little something here for all lovers of film. A chronological list and two A-Z lists itemize the films; entries are in English and in the language of origin. Each essay presents the basic film credits (country, company, director), a synopsis of the story, and notes and suggestions for further reading. Each essay goes beyond the usual film criticism, delving into the historical, political, and social aspects of not only the film itself but also the times, places, and people involved with its making. Contributors present valid arguments for a film's inclusion in the volume, and the only possible complaint would be the films the editors chose not to include; omissions, however, may be included in a future second edition. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. --Richard J Powell, SUNY Cortland