Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)

Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)
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Excellent, thought-provoking book

"Down with the Theory! Long live theory"

An important gesture for film studies

Don't read it, it will muddle your thoughts on movies

Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)

Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0299149447

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Dissatisfied with the vast body of film criticism bound to the theories of Sigmund Freud and his disciple Jacques Lacan, David Bordwell and Noel Carroll have compiled a group of essays that pursue alternative routes. "If there is an organizing principle to the volume," they write in their introduction, "it is that solid film scholarship can proceed without employing the psychoanalytic frameworks routinely mandated by the cinema studies establishment." These essays tackle films of many genres and from many countries. Looking through the lenses of the anthropologist, the economist, the social critic, the formalist, the aesthetician, the narratologist, and the cultural historian, the essayists in this volume offer original, diverse, and erudite perspectives on the art of the movies.

Book Description

Post-Theory is absolutely timely as a call to reform the field of film studies. Bordwell and Carrolltwo of the most prominent names in the fieldadvocate pluralism, open mindedness, film theories over film Theory, and the need for an ongoing critical dialogue. There is no other book like it.Andrew Horton, author of Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay With Post-Theory, David Bordwell and Nol Carroll challenge the prevailing practices of film scholarship. Since the 1970s, film scholars have been searching for a unified theory that will explain all sorts of films, their production, and their reception; the field has been dominated by structuralist Marxism, varieties of cultural theory, and the psychoanalytic ideas of Freud and Lacan. Bordwell and Carroll ask, why not employ many theories tailored to specific goals, rather than searching for a unified theory? Post-Theory offers fresh directions for understanding film, presenting new essays by twenty-seven scholars on topics as diverse as film scores, audience response, and the national film industries of Russia, Scandinavia, the U.S., and Japan. They use historical, philosophical, psychological, and feminist methods to tackle such basic issues as: What goes on when viewers perceive a film? How do filmmakers exploit conventions? How do movies create illusions? How does a film arouse emotion? Bordwell and Carroll have given space not only to distinguished film scholars but to non-film specialists as well, ensuring a wide variety of opinions and ideas on virtually every topic on the current agenda of film studies. Full of stimulating essays published here for the first time, Post-Theory promises to redefine the study of cinema.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, thought-provoking book.......2007-06-12

There is a fair amount of confusion surrounding this book, thanks in part to Slavoj Zizek's irresponsibly shallow summary of Bordwell and Carroll's motivation and purpose for this collection. Zizek's "the Fright of Real Tears" has some redeeming qualities, but it begins as an all-out attack on Bordwell's idea of Post-Theory without actually bothering to understand just WHAT Bordwell means by "Post-Theory". Zizek assumes that Bordwell is yet another anti-Lacanian empiricist who can't tell his structuralism from his deconstruction from his Lacanian psychoanalysis from his modernism etc. etc.

This is completely unfounded. Anyone who reads the introduction will understand that Bordwell doesn't wish to thrash these theories, but rather wants to propose alternatives. I'm sure most would agree that Lacan isn't the only path to successful film criticism. Of course he was influential and will continue to be, but Bordwell would like to see new modes of discourse rise to, as the title states, "reconstruct film studies".

This book is definitely not Anti-Theory. It is arguing for an alternative to what Bordwell calls "Grand theory" (i.e. structuralism, post-structuralism, postmodernism, psychoanalysis, feminism). Again, he is not saying to forget these important theories, but to consider other options. In this way, the book is extremely valuable. Whether Bordwell finds new and useful paths to film criticism is up to you. I think some of the essays here present cogent arguments. Regardless, it's always worthwhile when someone challenges the status quo with such skill and academic rigor.

Now, I like Zizek as much as anyone, but we all know he can be hasty and oversimplify major issues (his book on Deleuze is a great example). My reason for dwelling on Zizek is that "The Fright of Real Tears" is very convincing in its argument that Bordwell is going down a worthless path with the idea of Post-Theory. That is, until you actually read Post-Theory for yourself.

I think everyone who is passionate about film studies and its future should give this book a read. Lacan is and will continue to be useful for the study of visual arts, but we would be silly to ignore other avenues.

"Down with the Theory! Long live theory".......2006-11-22

This collection of essays, organized by David Bordwell and Noel Carroll, puts forth an argument against the long-standing Grand Theory often invoked by film scholars. Bordwell, Carroll, and their contributors all take different approaches to writing about film in order to demonstrate that there is no need to invoke "the Theory" (a synthesis of post-structuralism, Marxism, semiotics, and Lacanian psychoanalysis) when theorizing about films. Insisting on logical argument and evidence (both textual and reception-based), the essays in this collection are a great rebuke to the throttling of creativity and new ideas wrought by the hegemony of Theory in film studies. A great read for anyone in film, literature, or cultural studies who wants a different take on theoretical pursuits than those proposed by the old school followers of Althusser, Barthes, Metz, et al. Not every essay is fantastic, of course. But if you're interested in rationalism and logic and tired of the assumptions and lack of proof in Theory, you're likely to find at least one piece here that argues for your perspective.

An important gesture for film studies.......2004-11-27

The one-star review of this book from "a common reader" warns that this book will "muddle your thoughts." That reviewer's thoughts are certainly muddled, though it probably isn't this book's fault. If you can only read a third of a book, you might not want to review it. Contrary to this review, the authors represented in this collection do not make observations that "any film fan" could intuit, but rather mobilize complex historical, institutional, and theoretical concepts that require long and careful study that go beyond the intuition of a casual film fan. Moreover, this book is of interest to more than "20 people," and was extremely controversial among the large international body of film and media scholars whose discipline this book critiques. Just because the "common reader" might not be interested in advanced theoretical studies of film doesn't mean nobody else could possibly be interested - other people who committ their lives to the study of the moving image found, and continue to find, this a very important and ground-breaking book. Yes, some of the essays are rather weak - like any collection of essays, Post Theory has its ups and downs, but its open challenge to the dotrines of film and media studies as it is practiced by thousands of scholars and hundreds of thousands of students all over the world is a very important gesture for film studies. Bordwell's and Carroll's two introductions are especially good, summarizing the field's theoretical and methological preoccupations very well and asking very disruptive and thought-provoking questions about them.

Yes, if you are a film fan looking for a good introduction to the study of film, this is not the book for you. It does not advertise itself as such a book; it is explicitly aimed at professional film scholars (and there are more than 20 of them). But if you are interested in the current state of speculative writing on film and are already familiar with basic concepts, then this is a very good collection.

Finally, contrary to what the "common reader" review suggests, this book is avowedly ANTI-psychoanalytic. It challenges psychoanalytic film theory and attempts to advance more sensible, and clearer, theoretical models and approaches into the field. To construe this book in any way as psychoanalytic is go misunderstand it completely.

Don't read it, it will muddle your thoughts on movies.......2004-09-30

If you want to understand something about movies, read the classic texts on which some of the great directors formed themselves: Ejzenstein, Pudovkin, Bazin, Arnheim and stick to them. In this book which I couldn't read but for a third, you find essays on many aspects of film viewing and making which, in the best of cases, any film fan already grabs intuitively, without so much wordage being spent on them; others that are just an endless exercise in rehashing liminar theories set forth by other obscure "students" for the twenty people who care to read them; others try to reach conclusions on themes which are just waiting for some other academic theorist to reformulate them and that, being generally based on psychoanalisis, are generally undemonstrable.

Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies. (book reviews): An article from: Cineaste

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Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies. (book reviews): An article from: Cineaste
Tony Pipolo
Manufacturer: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B00097QT4U
Release Date: 2005-07-28

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This digital document is an article from Cineaste, published by Cineaste Publishers, Inc. on January 1, 1997. The length of the article is 2734 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies. (book reviews)
Author: Tony Pipolo
Publication: Cineaste (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1997
Publisher: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
Volume: v23 Issue: n1 Page: p56(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)

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Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)
David Bordwell
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS11K6

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Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies (Wisconsin Studies in Film)
Noel; Bordwell, David Carroll
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
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Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS10R0

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Israel, with its highly heterogeneous immigrant society, offers to the observer a fascinating instance of multifaceted performance practice. Within a relatively limited area, there are numerous musical traditions and styles which encompass sacred and secular, old and new, folk and sophisticated forms. The ten contributions included in these issues of Musical Performance represent a discussion of the most significant traditions that were established during the period before 1948: the search for the establishment of a new and typically Israeli art and folk music; the attitude of the protagonists of this tendency toward the old exiled traditional heritage of the Jewish people, and the struggle of the immigrants after the creation of the State of Israel to ensure the survival of their musical tradtions as well as to cope with the new physical and cultural environment. Altogether the general scope of these contributions correspond to a large extent to major events which marked the m

Conflict: Desert Storm II -- Back to Baghdad (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
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It helps a lot

Conflict: Desert Storm II -- Back to Baghdad (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
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Be a part of Saddam's worst nightmare
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It helps a lot.......2004-11-17

The Conflict Desert Strom 2 strategy guide helps a lot because the game is very hard. If your having trouble beating the game you should definatly get this.

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Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
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BradyGames' Conflict: Desert Storm Official Strategy Guide provides mission walkthroughs for all 15 challenging campaigns. Detailed maps and enemy profiles will lead gamers to victory. A complete rundown of weapons, vehicles, and other resources, plus multiplayer tips and strategies!

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This digital document is an article from McNair Papers, published by National Defense University on December 1, 1994. The length of the article is 7896 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: 4. Moving the force in future conflicts.(Moving the force: desert storm and beyond)
Author: W. Scott Conrad
Publication: McNair Papers (Report)
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Today's young leaders grew up in the glow of television and computers; the leaders of their grandparents' generation in the shadow of the Depression and World War II. In a groundbreaking study of these two disparate groups-affectionately labeled "geeks" and "geezers"-legendary leadership expert Warren Bennis and leadership consultant Robert Thomas set out to find out how era and values shape those who lead. What they discovered was something far more profound: the powerful process through which leaders of any era emerge.

Geeks and Geezers is a book that will forever change how we view not just leadership-but the very way we learn and ultimately live our lives. It presents for the first time a compelling new model that predicts who is likely to become-and remain-a leader, and why.

At the heart of this model are what the authors call "crucibles"-utterly transforming periods of testing from which one can emerge either hopelessly broken, or powerfully emboldened to learn and to lead. Whether losing an election or burying a child, learning from a mentor or mastering a martial art, crucibles are turning points: defining events that force us to decide who we are and what we are capable of.

Through the candid and often deeply moving crucibles of pioneering journalist Mike Wallace to new economy entrepreneur Michael Klein, from New York Stock Exchange trailblazer Muriel Siebert to environmental crusader Tara Church, Geeks and Geezers illustrates the stunning metamorphoses of true leaders. It also reveals the critical traits they share, including adaptability, vision, integrity, unquenchable optimism, and "neoteny"-a youthful curiosity and zest for knowledge.

Highlighting the forces that enable any of us to learn and lead not for a time, but for a lifetime, this book is essential reading for geeks, geezers, and everyone in between.

AUTHORBIO: Warren Bennis is Professor and Founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California, and the author of over thirty visionary books on leadership. Robert J. Thomas is an Associate Partner and Senior Fellow with the Accenture Institute for Strategic Change and award-winning author of What Machines Can't Do.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Read.......2006-04-26

I enjoyed Geeks and Geezers. I thought this book was well written and by creditable authors. I think everyone can learn valuable lessons from the life experiences of successful people of today and of the past. This book is a quick read that inspires and motivates.

Geeks & Geezers review.......2006-04-12

Geeks & Geezers makes for an enjoyable read but is a little short on substance and practical application. The distinction between Geek leaders and Geezers leaders isn't half as interesting or applicable as the notion of the crucible (life changing moments that create leaders) or the four-point model of leadership comprised of adaptive capacity, engaging others by creating a shared meaning, voice and integrity.

The discussion on Geeks versus Geezers isn't anything new. There has already been research on Baby Boomers versus Generation Xers and the observations here don't break any new ground. It is a shame that the entire group of leaders between the ages of 35 and 70 is completely ignored in the process. Even Warren Bennis, in a separate interview, acknowledged that "it is the people who are in the middle group between the geeks and the geezers who are comfortable with the technology but a little wiser and older who have to be the articulating point."

If you do decide to read the book, the best way to get something out of it is to spend some time reflecting on what your own crucible moments have been, how they changed you and what you gained from the experience. At the very least, it might help you create your own story and find your voice.

If the authors' model of leadership is an indicator of who succeeds and who doesn't, it would also be worthwhile to reflect on how you fit in the four-point model. For example, I'd rank myself pretty high on adaptive capacity (willingness to learn, to change and be flexible) and integrity but need to develop more in the areas of engaging others and developing a voice.

In terms of real world applications, one of the suggestions made by the authors focused on national service (i.e. volunteering). The authors were bemoaning the lack of nation-wide, federally-supported service organizations and believed that this country could have "vigorous service organizations in every flavor, from those focused on a single activity, like Habitat for Humanity, to those aimed at people with similar styles or enthusiasms." I don't know what ivory tower the authors live in, but as someone who has worked in the non-profit sector for the past 10 years, I'm here to loudly proclaim that there are vigorous service organizations in every community in this country that are desperately in need of committed volunteer leadership. After reading this book, if you think you might be in need of a crucible experience, this would be a great place to go looking for one.

Fresh look..old paradigm.......2006-04-06

Some great concepts endure for centuries. Bennis and Thomas present one of these concepts in their fresh, fasted paced book Geeks & Geezers. The paradigm, that some people have profound growth as a result of extreme challange while others do not, is in the christian bible and even more clearly in "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl. What is important about Geeks & Geezers is that it allows a new audience to ponder the importance of meaning and its impact on ones life. It might even inspire a person going through one of lifes challanges.

Geeks & Geezers review.......2005-07-08

Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas offer a new viewpoint on leadership. By interviewing geeks (30 and under) and geezers (70 and older), Bennis and Thomas offer a glimpse into the leadership development of several recognized leaders. The authors have identified the defining experiences (crucibles) and qualities that distinguish these individuals as leaders. And from this information, Bennis and Thomas propose a leadership development model. The authors not only describe the model in great detail but they also show how it is replicated in the development of leaders despite their age. This insightful book ultimately clarifies why certain individuals create meaning out of hardship and thrive, and why others do not.

Disappointed.......2004-01-04

As a management and leadership literature junkie I always anticipate anything new from Dr Bennis. I have to say this one was disappointing. The generational perspective was novel but un-enlightening. And the basic leadership principles discussed was stuff hashed over any number of times in other texts and previous work by others including Dr Bennis. Admittedly I found myself skipping through pages because I couldn't take another lame example of how "insightful" these twenty-something dot commers were. Comparing their "crucible" of growing up with divorced parents and a TV babysitter with the previous generations' crucibles of watching their buddies shot on the battlefields of WWII or sitting in prison for sixteen years is in my opinion no comparison at all. I'm surprised Dr Bennis as a bronze star recipient himself would allow such an arbitrary parallel to be made. There is a respectful appeal for a return to national leadership and service in the last few pages of the book but this seems too little too late. I'll hold out for the next Bennis book to be a return to the quality I've seen in the past.

Geeks & Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders [A book review from: The Leadership Quarterly]

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Geeks & Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders [A book review from: The Leadership Quarterly]
G.W. Yunker
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR2WT8

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This digital document is a journal article from The Leadership Quarterly, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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