Reddit reviews Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings
We found 4 Reddit comments about Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
I highly recommend Film Theory & Criticism edited by Braudy & Cohen. It compiles a lot of fundamental texts on film theory and is broken up in a way that makes it easier for someone just jumping in.
If you just want to go over film theory, I think the standard text for an Intro to Film course is Braudy & Cohen's Film Theory & Criticism.
If you want a compelling history of film, I recommend the 11-episode The Story of Film, directed and narrated by Mark Cousins. It's a great starting point for getting into top tier cinema, and Cousins' passion for film becomes contagious as he narrates key moments in its history, and how these movies connect and respond to each other. It should give you many samples of some important touchstones, and you can pull out a lot of movie recommendations from it. It's currently streaming on Hulu, and is available for rent or purchase on most the usual services (though oddly enough, not on itunes).
It's pricey, but this is the book that's used for the graduate course in film theory in my school's English department. There's some really important stuff in it that provides a good overview.
Film school graduate here.
Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Radings by Braudy and Cohen is an absolute must.
Yes I know it's a college textbook. Yes I know it is mad expensive.
No you probably dont need the most current edition (I have the 6th one. The 8th is out now)
Here is a link: Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199376891/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lckMDbMC3YFD7