Get the Picture?

Classic favorites, current pop films, hidden gems—they're all part of this new edition of the popular guide to watching and enjoying movies. Newly expanded and updated to include independent films, documentaries, and special effects, Get the Picture? clearly explains techniques used to tell stories throughout cinematic history, then discusses how modern filmmakers are adapting those traditions today. In his witty and engaging text, author Jim Piper explains key concepts of film and uses fascinating side-by-side comparisons to explore relationships between movies as disparate as The Great Train Robbery and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, High Noon and Blood Diamond, Raise the Red Lantern and The Pursuit of Happyness—and all movies discussed are easily available on DVD for further study. Entertaining, readable, and full of insight, Get the Picture? will inspire readers to watch movies with a new sense of discovery and excitement.