Cateridge James - Film Studies For Dummies

Dr James Cateridge is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at Oxford Brookes University. He had such a good time studying film as an undergraduate at Warwick University that he went back to do an MA and a PhD at the University of East Anglia. In between he worked for Columbia Tristar and the Arts Council of England. Now as a very lucky film scholar he gets to research and write about the films that he loves, as well as subjecting unfortunate students to his personal taste in movies. These are mostly British, but he doesnt discriminate. His film geek obsessions include but are no means limited to: 90s Brit flicks, Hammer horrors (especially those starring Oliver Reed), and trying to figure out why film tourists visit Oxford.

This book is dedicated to all the film studies scholars and teachers who have inspired me over the years, to my peers and colleagues, and to my students.

Thanks to my amazing friends and family for keeping me writing, and to the editors at Wiley for their expert advice.

To Stuart and Riley: theres no place like home.

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Chapter 1

In This Chapter

Starting your film studies journey

Analysing the building blocks of film

Appreciating the importance of films to the world

Film studies is about appreciating, understanding and explaining the greatest art form of the 20th century, which despite repeated predictions to the contrary is still going strong. The discipline involves research into and analysis of films, first and foremost, but also film-makers, film cultures, the film industry and film audiences.

To fulfil its aims, film studies borrows the best methods and theories from other academic areas, notably literary (or other cultural) studies and philosophy, as well as political science, sociology and psychology. In addition, analysing films uses similar tools to analysing paintings and photographs, but with the essential addition of movement.

If you already love film and want to become a film student, youve come to the right place. In this chapter, I take you through the basics of studying film: from learning how to watch films critically, to understanding the different types of film writing that you can use for research, to justifying the meaning and importance of cinema for the wider world. Everyone knows that film is important, but as a film student you need to develop ways to say why and how it matters.

To study films, you have to do more than simply watch them; you have to try to understand them, which doesnt just happen studying films requires time and effort. And put on your leggings, like the kids from Fame (1980), cos right heres where you start paying. In sweat.

Luckily, many (if not most) people love watching films. But many people decide that simply enjoying movies is enough for them, or even worry that studying films may destroy the pleasure they take from them.

You neednt worry about ruining the fun of watching films as you step into the world of film studies. Studying films not only helps you to understand why everyone needs a bit of escapism, but also offers entirely new ways to enjoy cinema:

• Understanding cinematic narrative structures can make even the dumbest action movie seem quite profound (check out Chapters ).
• Knowing about film history can make a 100-year-old silent film as fresh and exciting as the day it was first screened (see Chapter to read about early cinema).