New Guide to Italian Cinema

A New Guide to Italian Cinema, with co-author Carlo Celli, is a complete reworking and update of Marga Cottino-Jones’ popular A Student’s Guide to Italian Film (1983, 1993). This guide retains earlier editions’ interest in renowned films and directors but is also attentive to popular cinema, the films which actually achieved box office success among the Italian public. The Guide introduces the Italian cinema not just as a 20th century phenomenon but as an expression of the deeper roots of Italy’s historic, cultural and literary past. Chapters offer historical timelines and commentary on political and cultural events and trends, followed by discussion of the Italian cinema industry and key films. Appendices offer guides to writing about film, statistical data of Italian box office history and short biographies and filmographies of important directors. The aim of the book is to provide the cinephile, student, teacher, or fan with a guide where points of interest may be identified and studied with clarity.