Understanding Movies [Paperback]

I bought and read the original version of this book way back in the 1970s, when I was a student of Lou Giannetti. It was then, and is now, THE standard text on which all others must be evaluated. It covers all aspects of film. Be aware, however, the book is intended for students of cinema, rather than someone with simply a casual interest in movies. On the other hand, this book (as well as the many courses I took from Lou as a graduate student in the early 1970s) gave me some a broad knowledge of film, that I can appreciate movies on an aesthetic level as well as simply enjoying them on TV on a Saturday afternoon. That is the gift that this book gives one. My one disappointment is that the book is so expensive that most people interested in film probably will not buy it -- unless being forced to as a student. By the way, I have my original first edition, which probably less than $10, and is still quite useful today.

Has the beleaguered American student proletariat finally had Too Much of inflated textbook prices and planned obsolescence? At the time of this writing, the 12th (Transformer cover) edition of Louis Giannetti's UNDERSTANDING MOVIES has only had about a month on the shelves and has garnered only a few reviews, mostly quite negative, and mostly assaulting the ethics of releasing yet another updated volume as opposed to critiquing the text per se. This review may have a similar "meta" flavor but I hope to offer some potentially useful facts:

-- The Eleventh Edition (Spiderman cover) has a retail price about the same as the new 12th. Yet Amazon discounts it more, making it significantly cheaper (alas, though, used copies are scarcer and selling for pretty close to new prices).

-- Nonetheless, the 12th edition has almost fifty FEWER pages than the 11th! Spend more, get less? I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want the 12th.

-- The textbook publisher may have pushed one time too often in this recessionary era because the prior (again, 11th) edition is not yet three full years old.

-- I defy anyone to compare the 12th, 11th, 10th (Sean Penn cover) or even 9th (Russell Crowe/Gladiator) editions and tell me that the gap between new/latest and very good condition/several generations ago is all THAT significant that it justifies such a quantum increase in price.

-- Frank Hoffman of Philadelphia, my Comment notwithstanding, made some very good points in 2007 about how contemporary students are captive audiences. But, I would add, only if the instructor insists that all students buy the utmost latest. Open up earlier options and the price will crash! E.g., I paid less than $20 for my VG copy of the 9th "Gladiator" edition, which has 556 pages. As of now, the very latest 12th ed. has 576 pages and retails at ninety dollars plus change!

-- FWIW I agree with Prof. Hoffman that gay and lesbian content is tokenistic to the point of trivial. The best solution might be, as he suggests, to assign be the groundbreaking book by the late Vito Russo, THE CELLULOID CLOSET (1987), as a second required text. Since this gem has no color plating, hasn't been revised since publication date and (probably most significantly) is aimed at general readers, not just captive-audience students, it is quite cheap. As of now it retails at $[...], significantly cheaper at Amazon.

-- Amazon amateur reviews, POSTED UNDER THE 12TH EDITION, span the time to "just now" back to the turn of the millennium, which means numerous editions back. Go ahead and read the reviews if you like; much of what they say still holds true because UNDERSTANDING MOVIES but slowly evolves. Please be aware, though, there are more possible time warps lurking than in all the BACK TO THE FUTURE movies put together.

To me, UNDERSTANDING MOVIES is still the standard text for into-to-film course, and I don't blame Prof. Giannetti (who is now in emeritus status) for the ongoing futzing around with pages and prices and perpetual editions. Chief culprit of that is the publishing (multi-)house that controls the book, and in a competitive climate in which its rivals are more like oligopolistic brethren.

I have been reading and enjoying numerous editions of the Giannetti text from the late seventies until recently. I always used to say they just got better and better over time. I'm not sure I can still say that with any sincerity.

Thanks for hearing out the "rant"; I hope it has helped in some way.
Al Smalling, Chicago

This old and authoratative text is the standard of the industry. It's an excellent book, probably the very best, but the minor changes that constitute new editions are clearly an example of milking the system. They add next to nothing and render the used copies useless to students, who pay for those minor changes with real money. As a student I find this practice unethical. A new edition of a text should have major and substantial changes.