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The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth Edition
£87.70
With well over 6,300 articles, including over 500 new entries, this fourth edition of The Encyclopedia of British Film is a fully updated invaluable reference guide to the British film industry. It is the most authoritative volume yet, stretching from the inception of the industry to the present day, with detailed listings of the producers, directors, actors and studios behind a century or so of great British cinema.
Brian McFarlane’s meticulously researched guide is the definitive companion for anyone interested in the world of film. Previous editions have sold many thousands of copies and this fourth edition will be an essential work of reference for enthusiasts interested in the history of British cinema, and for universities and libraries.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Manchester University Press, 4th edition (28 Feb. 2014) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 1000 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0719091381 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0719091384 |
| Dimensions | 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.25 cm |
by peter
Encyclopedia of British Film (4th edition) –
It is over ten years since the first edition of the ‘Encyclopedia of British Film’ appeared and much has happened in British film in the intervening period. With a new publisher (Manchester University Press) and new cover featuring Robert Powell attempting to freeze time on Big Ben from ‘The Thirty Nine Steps’ (1978), the fourth edition has slightly larger size page format which makes it easier to read. Articles are written in an accessible style ideal for those allergic to the academic jargonese of film theory. Errors in earlier editions have been corrected and the standard of proof reading is extraordinarily high for such a complex volume. And at this price level, it is accessible to the student and the interested general reader who wishes to discover more about the people involved in the films that they see at the cinema or on DVD and television.
In simpler times, if a film starred Jack Hawkins and was filmed at Ealing or Shepperton it was ‘British’. Indeed, for the on-screen credits of ‘Hell Divers’ back in 1957 the Rank Organisation stated that this was ‘a British film made at Pinewood Studios’. In his preface to the fourth edition Brian McFarlane reminds us that the world of film is now international and films that are 100% British in terms of finance are increasingly rare, usually low budget, and often struggle to find decent UK theatrical distribution. The US, with a larger domestic market, is able to support movies that are uniquely ‘American’ in character, but in Europe ‘National Identity’ in cinema has become an increasingly problematic concept. So, in a spirit of inclusion, the Encyclopedia of British Film includes many films that are co-productions involving British talent. Five hundred new articles have been added to this edition (and users of the first edition of 2003 will find considerably more), featuring new faces on the scene and filling in some gaps. A representative sample gives some idea of the depth of coverage: Billie Piper, director Steve McQueen, Carey Mulligan, Ben Whishaw, Hayley Atwell, Ben Barnes, Anne-Marie Duff, Tessa Ross, Tom Hooper, Peter Morgan, Gemma Arterton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Omid Djalili and Sally Hawkins. Filling in some gaps in past coverage there are now articles on Raymond Francis, David Toguri, John Meillon, Ken Parry, Denis Norden, Aida Young, Teddy Darvas, Jane Arden, David Yip and many others. The contribution of Americans to British film is also expanded to include names such as Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johansson, Warren Beatty, Lloyd Bridges and Forrest Tucker. New themed articles include film representations of British housing and work. Many articles include suggestions for follow up reading where publications are available, and there is an extensive bibliography. The final listing of themed articles could be particularly useful for film students in search of research topics. If you are new to the ‘Encyclopedia of British Film’ and are interested in British cinema, this fourth edition is really the place to start. And if are a regular user who dips into it on a daily basis as I do, your first edition from 2003 is probably a bit battered by now……..
by Gridlocks
All the information you will want set out clearly with good illustrations.
by Gridlocks
Probably my own fault but I wanted to be able to reference a film by its title not just a member of its cast and crew. It seems to be simply a Who’s who of the British Film Industry with some additional topics and organisation references with in the A-Z format. Yes there is plenty of information that perhaps IMDb does cover but I would have liked a more chronoligical guide to film production.
by john maw
This rating is due to this book containing TOTALLY INCORRECT AND DEFAMATORY information about a film writer and producer which his widow wants corrected as soon as possible. This information has been notified to the publishers and this information MUST be corrected in the next edition – ideally as soon as possible. At the very least it needs an errata slip sooner rather than later.
by Marham
crackin read
by Mr. Eric N. Taylor
Bought from a different source due to vouchers,you would expect a book with this title to be accurate.It isn,t,Errors abound from death years,to places,to spouses names etc.The mystery is to why on the 4th addition these errors have not been addressed and amended.There is also no continuity as under one entry a film is rubbished and then under another praised.Its a pity as obviously a lot of work has gone into the book but sloppy research and poor proof reading has resulted in a sub standard effort for any serious british film fan.
by Patrick Davies
very good reference book