The Amoy-dialect film industry emerged in the 1950s, producing cheap, b-grade films in Hong Kong for direct export to the theatres of Manila Chinatown, southern Taiwan and Singapore. Films made in Amoy dialect - a dialect of Chinese - reflected a particular period in the history of the Chinese diaspora, and have been little studied due to their ambiguous place within the wider realm of Chinese and East Asian film history. This book represents the first full length, critical study of the origin, significant rise and rapid decline of the Amoy-dialect film industry.

Rather than examining the industry for its own sake, however, this book focuses on its broader cultural, political and economic significance in the region. It questions many of the assumptions currently made about the 'recentness' of transnationalism in Chinese cultural production, particularly when addressing Chinese cinema in the Cold War years, as well as the prominence given to 'the nation' and 'transnationalism' in studies of Chinese cinemas and of the Chinese Diaspora. By examining a cinema that did not fit many of the scholarly models of 'transnationalism', that was not grounded in any particular national tradition of filmmaking and that was largely unconcerned with 'nation-building' in post-war Southeast Asia, this book challenges the ways in which the history of Chinese cinemas has been studied in the recent past.

This book gives a panoramic view of the rise and growth of Nollywood, Nigeria's movie and home video entertainment industry, into the second largest and most prolific movie-producing industry in the world. It offers an analysis of Nollywood's influence as a local and global cultural force. Scholars from Africa, the African Diaspora and beyond examine the factors that have shaped Nollywood's unique story-telling, production, and distribution system. The volume shows how internal and external economic, social, cultural and technological changes intersect to define Nollywood's film-making and entertainment ethos. It is grounded in sound theoretical perspectives that help readers understand the texts and subtexts of the industry's emergence, transformation, and impact. The range of subjects covered span Nollywood's historical roots in Nigeria pre-colonial traveling/community theatre to colonial era film-making, and its contemporary spin-offs and inspired cousins across Africa and in Europe. It illuminates the interface of artistic, business, cultural and technological innovation and creativity at the heart of Africa's local and global pop culture explosion.

Drawing on first-hand materials collected from the Chinese and Japanese literature as well as interviews with more than twenty filmmakers and scholars Kinnia Shuk-ting Yau provides a solid historical account of the complex interactions between Japanese and Hong Kong film industries from the 1930s to 1970s.

The author describes in detail how Japan's efforts during the 1930s and 1940s to produce a "Greater East Asian cinema" led to many different kinds of collaborations between the filmmakers from China, Hong Kong and Japan, and how such development had laid the foundation for more exchanges between the cinemas in the post-war period. The period covered by the book is the least understood period of the East Asian film history. Filling the gaps surrounding one of the most important but least understood periods of Asian film history this books discusses facts and resources once obscured by controversial issues related to wartime affairs with new insights and perspectives.

This book is an invaluable source of information for understanding how the current East Asian film networks came into existence by looking beyond conventional single-case studies and adopting a transnational perspective in tracing the connections between different film industries.

This work concentrates on tracing the evolution of the so-called "red menace" phenomenon as a means of demonstrating the correlation between growing American paranoia and the success of the anticommunist campaign (1935-1955). The House Committee on Un-American Activities 1947 investigation of Hollywood, the nation's most visible industry, served a critical role in conjuring up anti-red hysteria and fanning the flames of virulent anticommunism. Using conveniently unjust tactics, the Committee "painted" targeted Hollywood personalities red and established the infamous blacklist - certified proof in the minds of many that "subversives" were indeed conspiring from within. A failed attempt on behalf of the "Hollywood Ten" to demonstrate the Committee's undemocratic nature allowed HUAC to forge ahead with its investigation and establish the anticommunist foundation upon which Joseph McCarthy would construct his campaign. Hollywood and Anticommunism stands as an important contribution to McCarthy-era literature and should appeal to all interested in the early Cold War and the impact that unwarranted hysteria has had and continues to have on the growth and development of the nation.

The annual Beijing Film Academy Yearbook showcases the best academic debates, discussions and research from the previous year, as previously published in the highly prestigious Journal of Beijing Film Academy. This volume brings together specially selected articles, appearing for the first time in English, in order to bridge the gap in cross-cultural research in cinema and media studies. The book is the latest in the Intellect China Library series to produce work by Chinese scholars that have not previously been available to English language academia. Covering the subjects of film studies, visual arts, performing arts, media and cultural studies, the series aims to foster intellectual debate and to promote closer cross-cultural intellectual exchanges by introducing important works of Chinese scholarship to readers.

The first substantial overview of the British film industry with emphasis on its genres, stars, and socioeconomic context, British National Cinema by Sarah Street is an important title in Routledge's new National Cinemas series. British National Cinema synthesizes years of scholarship on British film while incorporating the author' fresh perspective and research. Street divides the study of British cinema into four sections: the relation between the film industry and government; specific film genres; movie stars; and experimental cinema. In addition, this beautifully illustrated volume includes over thirty stills from every sphere of British cinema. British National Cinema will be of great interest to film students and theorists as well as the general reader interested in the fascinating scope of British film.

The first substantial overview of the British film industry with emphasis on its genres, stars, and socioeconomic context, British National Cinema by Sarah Street is an important title in Routledge's new National Cinemas series. British National Cinema synthesizes years of scholarship on British film while incorporating the author' fresh perspective and research. Street divides the study of British cinema into four sections: the relation between the film industry and government; specific film genres; movie stars; and experimental cinema. In addition, this beautifully illustrated volume includes over thirty stills from every sphere of British cinema. British National Cinema will be of great interest to film students and theorists as well as the general reader interested in the fascinating scope of British film.

German National Cinema is the first comprehensive history of German film from its origins to the present. In this new edition, Sabine Hake discusses film-making in economic, political, social, and cultural terms, and considers the contribution of Germany's most popular films to changing definitions of genre, authorship, and film form.

The book traces the central role of cinema in the nationa (TM)s turbulent history from the Wilhelmine Empire to the Berlin Republic, with special attention paid to the competing demands of film as art, entertainment, and propaganda. Hake also explores the centrality of genre films and the star system to the development of a filmic imaginary.

This fully revised and updated new edition will be required reading for everyone interested in German film and the history of modern Germany.

From the growth in merchandising and product placement to the rise of the movie franchise, branding has become central to the modern blockbuster economy. In a wide-ranging analysis focusing on companies such as Disney, Dolby, Paramount, New Line and, in particular, Warner Bros., Brand Hollywood provides the first sustained examination of the will-to-brand in the contemporary movie business. Outlining changes in the marketing and media environment during the 1990s and 2000s, Paul Grainge explores how the logic of branding has propelled specific kinds of approach to the status and selling of film. Analyzing the practice of branding, the poetics of corporate logos, and the industrial politics surrounding the development of branded texts, properties and spaces - including franchises ranging from Looney Tunes to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to The Matrix - Grainge considers the relation of branding to the emergent principle of 'total entertainment'.

Employing an interdisciplinary method drawn from film studies, cultural studies and advertising and media studies, Brand Hollywood demonstrates the complexities of selling entertainment in the global media moment, providing a fresh and engaging perspective on branding's significance for commercial film and the industrial culture from which it is produced.

From the growth in merchandising and product placement to the rise of the movie franchise, branding has become central to the modern blockbuster economy. In a wide-ranging analysis focusing on companies such as Disney, Dolby, Paramount, New Line and, in particular, Warner Bros., Brand Hollywood provides the first sustained examination of the will-to-brand in the contemporary movie business. Outlining changes in the marketing and media environment during the 1990s and 2000s, Paul Grainge explores how the logic of branding has propelled specific kinds of approach to the status and selling of film. Analyzing the practice of branding, the poetics of corporate logos, and the industrial politics surrounding the development of branded texts, properties and spaces - including franchises ranging from Looney Tunes to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to The Matrix - Grainge considers the relation of branding to the emergent principle of 'total entertainment'.

Employing an interdisciplinary method drawn from film studies, cultural studies and advertising and media studies, Brand Hollywood demonstrates the complexities of selling entertainment in the global media moment, providing a fresh and engaging perspective on branding's significance for commercial film and the industrial culture from which it is produced.

This work concentrates on tracing the evolution of the so-called "red menace" phenomenon as a means of demonstrating the correlation between growing American paranoia and the success of the anticommunist campaign (1935-1955). The House Committee on Un-American Activities 1947 investigation of Hollywood, the nation's most visible industry, served a critical role in conjuring up anti-red hysteria and fanning the flames of virulent anticommunism. Using conveniently unjust tactics, the Committee "painted" targeted Hollywood personalities red and established the infamous blacklist - certified proof in the minds of many that "subversives" were indeed conspiring from within. A failed attempt on behalf of the "Hollywood Ten" to demonstrate the Committee's undemocratic nature allowed HUAC to forge ahead with its investigation and establish the anticommunist foundation upon which Joseph McCarthy would construct his campaign. Hollywood and Anticommunism stands as an important contribution to McCarthy-era literature and should appeal to all interested in the early Cold War and the impact that unwarranted hysteria has had and continues to have on the growth and development of the nation.

Independent filmmaking is often regarded as a relatively recent phenomenon, yet the so-called movement has actually existed as long as movies themselves. In this indispensable single-volume reference work, LoBrutto surveys the subject from cinema's inception through the 21st century, with alphabetical entries discussing: BLFilmmakers BLSignificant films BLGenres BLCritical views BLIndustry information BLWorking methods BLAnd more Written in an accessible style and including biographical, critical, factual, and bibliographical information, this remarkable source encompasses films and filmmakers operating independently from the studio system in concept, financing, production, and distribution. Such a broad interpretation of independent filmmaking separates it from that of commercial Hollywood, a conglomerate existing to create product rather than support personal artistic vision. Many of the entries' subjects have rarely been investigated and studied--yet knowledge of independent filmmaking is vital to any understanding the cinematic medium, making this an essential book for any library's film shelves.

Based on extensive original research, including in studio archives, industrial surveys, official records, trade journals, and English and Chinese newspapers, this book explores the role of the American film industry in the development of cinema in China. It examines the Chinese industry's response to the American industry and the consequences of this response. It also considers the attitudes of Chinese film practitioners towards Hollywood and the contribution of those figures who acted as intermediaries between the two industries. Overall, the book casts much new light on the early development of the film industry in China and demonstrates the huge influence Hollywood had on it. Winner of the inaugural 2021 New Zealand Asia Society Book Award, second prize.

As the film industry was establishing itself at the start of the twentieth century, trade associations played a pivotal role in the emergence of the studio system. These producer-distributor trade associations were forums for internal and external conflicts, as well as the true sources of influence and power in early Hollywood. In The Hollywood Trust: Trade Associations and the Rise of the Studio System, Kia Afra provides a detailed account of three successive trade organizations from 1915 to 1928. By examining the Motion Picture Board of Trade, the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry (NAMPI), and the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), Afra outlines the relationships of power in Hollywood's early years, asking questions such as: How and why did the studio system come about, and what were the industrial and institutional forces that impacted Hollywood's development? In order to answer these crucial questions, The Hollywood Trust explores the role played by film industry trade associations in navigating important issues facing the burgeoning studio system, including censorship, public relations, trade practices, government regulation, film distribution, labor conflicts, taxes and tariffs, and exhibitor opposition. A vital look at an under-reported aspect of the studio system, this volume fills a gap in the history of the American film industry. As such The Hollywood Trust will be of particular interest to scholars of film history, as well as those concerned with cultural history and the political economics of entertainment.

One of the world's most prolific creative industries, the Indian movie industry has received scant attention for its spirit of enterprise. Indian Movie Entrepreneurship addresses this omission. For many readers, it might come as a surprise that the Indian movie industry is not just Bollywood and that it has several regional clusters, which are just as vibrant, with a significant output. The authors begin by outlining the contours of Indian cinema and the different regional language hubs that form part of the larger picture. The reader is then offered a glimpse into the actual process of making a film from day zero to release day. The key players in the Indian movie ecosystem are analysed, with the central role of the producer highlighted. Concluding with a look into the future of the entrepreneurial process in the Indian movie industry, the authors illuminate the shifting parameters of distribution and exhibition. Appealing to those interested in understanding the entrepreneurial journey of the Indian movie industry, the book provides a sneak peek into the business landscape of India more broadly.

Argentina fell in love with movies as soon as they were first exhibited in1896. Even before World War I, Argentina was one of the biggest film markets in the world and continues to be a major film market today.

This history of the Argentine film industry starting with the earliest film exhibiions in 1897 covers film music, broadcasting, the introduction of film with sound, the impact of the American film industry on the Argentine, the industrialization of Argentine film, Hollywood films in Spanish, the tango in film and local stars. Reference material includes filmographic information and reviews from numerous publications. Photographs offer a look at film stills, promotions, and the people involved in the industry, and an index provides quick access to names and titles.

What exactly is a best boy or a grip? As the credits roll at the end of every film, listing the names of all the individuals who contributed to its making, many viewers have no idea what these people do. This book reveals the mystery behind the job titles as crew members tell their stories, explaining what their jobs are, how they came to have a career in filmmaking and their many experiences both serious and comic. The author has conducted interviews with 33 accredited members of film production crews from several different American and British films. Each interview includes a brief introduction to the person as well as their filmography. Examples of individuals interviewed include: an assistant director, a best boy, a boom operator, a foley artist, a grip, a set decorator, a storyboard artist and a wrangler.

Contents:
Part 1. Box Office Champions, Chaotic Dynamics and Herding 1. Rank Revenue and Survival 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Exhibition 1.3 Tournaments 1.4 Data 1.5 Survival Model 1.6 Results 1.6.1 Survivors 1.6.2 Survival Rates 1.6.3 Rank and Revenue 1.7 Conclusions 2. Dynamics and Contracting 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Supply 2.2.1 Runs and Revenues 2.2.2 Booking and Supply 2.2.3 Contracting 2.2.4 Adaptation 2.2.5 Release Strategies 2.3 Discovery and Dynamics 2.3.1 Search 2.3.2 Bose-Einstein Distribution 2.3.3 Other Models 2.4 Revenue Distributions 2.4.1 Data 2.4.2 Revenue Concentration 2.4.3 Rank and Revenue 2.4.4 Revenue Distribution Dynamics 2.4.5 Identifying the Dynamic 2.5 Explaining the Industry 2.5.1 Launching the Opening 2.5.2 Adaptive Contracting 2.5.3 Admission Pricing 2.5.4 Rentals 2.5.5 Decentralisation 2.6 Conclusions 3. The Breakdown of Herding 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Information and Demand Dynamics 3.3 The Model 3.4 Estimates 3.5 The Stable Paretian Model 3.6 Bifurcation 3.6.1 Path to Equilibrium 3.6.2 Correlations 3.7 Results 3.8 Conclusions Part 2. "Wild" Uncertainty, Tough Decisions and False Beliefs 4. Uncertainty and Stars 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Related Literature 4.2.1 Motion Picture Uncertainty 4.2.2 Stars 4.2.3 Pareto and Levy Distributions 4.3 Modelling Star Power 4.3.1 Modelling Probability Mass 4.3.2. Risk and Survival 4.4 The Movie Data 4.4.1 Sources 4.4.2 The Run 4.4.3 Revenues, Budgets and Profits 4.5 Estimation Results 4.5.1 Revenue Concentration 4.5.2 Opening and Staying Power 4.5.3 Pareto Distribution 4.5.4 The Probability of a Hit 4.5.5 Stars and Hits 4.5.6 Stars and Profit 4.6 'Greenlighting' Movies 4.7 Conclusions 5. Does Hollywood Make Too Many R-rated Movies? 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Production 5.3 'Greenlighting' 5.4 Ranking by Success Rates 5.4.1 Box Office Revenue Success Rates 5.4.2 Return on Production Cost Success Rates 5.5 Ranking by Stochastic Dominance 5.5.1 Revenues 5.5.2 Production Budgets 5.5.3 Rates of Return 5.5.4 Profits and Losses 6. Openings, Legs and Blockbusters 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cascades 6.3 Performance Statistics 6.4 Modelling the Box Office 6.4.1 Budgets 6.4.2 Sequels 6.4.3 Opening Screens 6.4.4 Genre and Rating 6.4.5 Stars 6.5 Conclusions Part 3. Judges, Lawyers and the Movies 7. Motion Picture Antitrust 7.1 Motion Picture Economics 101 7.1.1 Discovering Demand 7.1.2 Determining Supply 7.1.3 Structuring Incentives 7.1.4 Contracts 7.2 The Feature Motion Picture 7.3 Integration and Licensing 7.3.1 Admission Prices 7.3.2 Runs and Clearance 7.3.3 Exotic Deals 7.3.4 Block Booking and Blind Selling 7.3.5 Integration and Contracts 7.4 The Courts' Analyses 7.4.1 Bidding for Licenses 7.4.2 Controlling the First Run 7.4.3 Leveraging Monopoly 7.5 Paramount's Effects 7.6 Conclusions 8. Paramount and the Stock Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The Studio System 8.3 The Paramount Litigation 8.4 Stock Prices 8.5 Was a Cartel Feasible? 8.6 Winners and Losers 8.7 Conclusions 9. Stochastic Market Structure 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Market Power 9.3 Motion Pictures in the Era of Paramount 9.4 Instability 9.5 Turnover of Leaders 9.6 Standard Models are Wrong 9.7 The HHI Does Not Exist 9.8 Conclusions Part 4. A Business of Extremes 10. Profit and the Curse of the Superstar 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Stable Hypothesis 10.3 Profit 10.4 The Stable Distribution 10.5 Estimation 10.6 Stable Probabilities 10.7 Nobody Knows 10.8 Superstars and Profit 10.9 Averages 10.10 The Curse of the Superstar 10.11 Success Breeds Success 10.12 The Angel's Nightmare 10.13 Contracting 10.14 Conclusions 11. Artists 11.1 Introduction 11.2 On Becoming a Superstar 11.3 Artists and Kurtosis 11.4 Career Expectations and Opportunities 11.5 Luck or Talent? 11.6 Competing for Stars 11.7 Artist Contracts 11.8 Pay When You Do Know 11.9 Director Contracts 11.10 Conclusions 12. Extreme Uncertainty 12. 1 Introduction 12.2 Complex Systems 12.2.1 Chaos 12.2.2 Complexity 12.3 Universality 12.4 Deep Order 12.4.1 Increasing Returns to Information 12.4.2 Nobody Knows 12.4.3 Dominance of Extreme Events 12.4.4 Self-similarity 12.4.5 Runs, Legs and Chaos 12.5 Complexity and the Stable Paretian Distribution Epilogue: Managing when "Nobody Knows Anything" 12.6 Probabilities 12.7 Inside and Outside the Studio 12.8 Risk and Decision Bias 12.9 Narrow Framing and Sure Things 12.10 Financing Movies 12.11 Causality and Kim Basinger 12.12 A Skeptical Attitude

Contents:
Part 1. Box Office Champions, Chaotic Dynamics and Herding 1. Rank Revenue and Survival 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Exhibition 1.3 Tournaments 1.4 Data 1.5 Survival Model 1.6 Results 1.6.1 Survivors 1.6.2 Survival Rates 1.6.3 Rank and Revenue 1.7 Conclusions 2. Dynamics and Contracting 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Supply 2.2.1 Runs and Revenues 2.2.2 Booking and Supply 2.2.3 Contracting 2.2.4 Adaptation 2.2.5 Release Strategies 2.3 Discovery and Dynamics 2.3.1 Search 2.3.2 Bose-Einstein Distribution 2.3.3 Other Models 2.4 Revenue Distributions 2.4.1 Data 2.4.2 Revenue Concentration 2.4.3 Rank and Revenue 2.4.4 Revenue Distribution Dynamics 2.4.5 Identifying the Dynamic 2.5 Explaining the Industry 2.5.1 Launching the Opening 2.5.2 Adaptive Contracting 2.5.3 Admission Pricing 2.5.4 Rentals 2.5.5 Decentralisation 2.6 Conclusions 3. The Breakdown of Herding 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Information and Demand Dynamics 3.3 The Model 3.4 Estimates 3.5 The Stable Paretian Model 3.6 Bifurcation 3.6.1 Path to Equilibrium 3.6.2 Correlations 3.7 Results 3.8 Conclusions Part 2. "Wild" Uncertainty, Tough Decisions and False Beliefs 4. Uncertainty and Stars 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Related Literature 4.2.1 Motion Picture Uncertainty 4.2.2 Stars 4.2.3 Pareto and Levy Distributions 4.3 Modelling Star Power 4.3.1 Modelling Probability Mass 4.3.2. Risk and Survival 4.4 The Movie Data 4.4.1 Sources 4.4.2 The Run 4.4.3 Revenues, Budgets and Profits 4.5 Estimation Results 4.5.1 Revenue Concentration 4.5.2 Opening and Staying Power 4.5.3 Pareto Distribution 4.5.4 The Probability of a Hit 4.5.5 Stars and Hits 4.5.6 Stars and Profit 4.6 'Greenlighting' Movies 4.7 Conclusions 5. Does Hollywood Make Too Many R-rated Movies? 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Production 5.3 'Greenlighting' 5.4 Ranking by Success Rates 5.4.1 Box Office Revenue Success Rates 5.4.2 Return on Production Cost Success Rates 5.5 Ranking by Stochastic Dominance 5.5.1 Revenues 5.5.2 Production Budgets 5.5.3 Rates of Return 5.5.4 Profits and Losses 6. Openings, Legs and Blockbusters 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cascades 6.3 Performance Statistics 6.4 Modelling the Box Office 6.4.1 Budgets 6.4.2 Sequels 6.4.3 Opening Screens 6.4.4 Genre and Rating 6.4.5 Stars 6.5 Conclusions Part 3. Judges, Lawyers and the Movies 7. Motion Picture Antitrust 7.1 Motion Picture Economics 101 7.1.1 Discovering Demand 7.1.2 Determining Supply 7.1.3 Structuring Incentives 7.1.4 Contracts 7.2 The Feature Motion Picture 7.3 Integration and Licensing 7.3.1 Admission Prices 7.3.2 Runs and Clearance 7.3.3 Exotic Deals 7.3.4 Block Booking and Blind Selling 7.3.5 Integration and Contracts 7.4 The Courts' Analyses 7.4.1 Bidding for Licenses 7.4.2 Controlling the First Run 7.4.3 Leveraging Monopoly 7.5 Paramount's Effects 7.6 Conclusions 8. Paramount and the Stock Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The Studio System 8.3 The Paramount Litigation 8.4 Stock Prices 8.5 Was a Cartel Feasible? 8.6 Winners and Losers 8.7 Conclusions 9. Stochastic Market Structure 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Market Power 9.3 Motion Pictures in the Era of Paramount 9.4 Instability 9.5 Turnover of Leaders 9.6 Standard Models are Wrong 9.7 The HHI Does Not Exist 9.8 Conclusions Part 4. A Business of Extremes 10. Profit and the Curse of the Superstar 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Stable Hypothesis 10.3 Profit 10.4 The Stable Distribution 10.5 Estimation 10.6 Stable Probabilities 10.7 Nobody Knows 10.8 Superstars and Profit 10.9 Averages 10.10 The Curse of the Superstar 10.11 Success Breeds Success 10.12 The Angel's Nightmare 10.13 Contracting 10.14 Conclusions 11. Artists 11.1 Introduction 11.2 On Becoming a Superstar 11.3 Artists and Kurtosis 11.4 Career Expectations and Opportunities 11.5 Luck or Talent? 11.6 Competing for Stars 11.7 Artist Contracts 11.8 Pay When You Do Know 11.9 Director Contracts 11.10 Conclusions 12. Extreme Uncertainty 12. 1 Introduction 12.2 Complex Systems 12.2.1 Chaos 12.2.2 Complexity 12.3 Universality 12.4 Deep Order 12.4.1 Increasing Returns to Information 12.4.2 Nobody Knows 12.4.3 Dominance of Extreme Events 12.4.4 Self-similarity 12.4.5 Runs, Legs and Chaos 12.5 Complexity and the Stable Paretian Distribution Epilogue: Managing when "Nobody Knows Anything" 12.6 Probabilities 12.7 Inside and Outside the Studio 12.8 Risk and Decision Bias 12.9 Narrow Framing and Sure Things 12.10 Financing Movies 12.11 Causality and Kim Basinger 12.12 A Skeptical Attitude

Film piracy began almost immediately after the birth of the film industry. Initially it was a within-the-industry phenomenon as studios stole from each other. As the industry grew and more money was involved, outsiders became more interested in piracy. Stolen material made its way offshore since detection was less likely. Hollywood's major film studios vigorously pursued pirates and had the situation fairly well under control by the middle 1970s - not eliminated but reduced to a low level - until videocassettes arrived. This work begins with a discussion of some of the earliest cases of piracy in vaudeville, and then considers how the problem continued to grow caused by the lack of legal resource available to performers, and the ways film exhibitors cheated the film distributors and companies and the measures that the distributors and companies took to prevent piracy over the years. Also examined are the practices of American theater owners who tried to cheat Hollywood, especially through the practice known as bicycling - extra, unpaid for screenings of a legitimately held film - and altering paperwork to reduce the money owed to distributors on films screened on percentage contracts. Also examined, to a lesser degree, are Hollywood's own efforts to cheat, including the disregard of copyrights held by others.

It is often said that the greater Los Angeles area is the largest movie set in the world. Film and television series filming sites are, however, located all over the United States. This guidebook documents over 1500 locations where 1,106 movies and 48 television series have been filmed. Arranged by state and then alphabetically by movie title, each entry includes the year of release, the two main stars, a plot line and a description of the location. Filming sites located in Los Angeles are excluded. All sites are accessible to the public. The indexes make it possible to quickly locate a favorite star, favorite movie or favorite location.

Worms in the Winecup is the extraordinarily hard-hitting autobiography of John Bright, a screenplay writer who gained a major reputation with his first Hollywood script, Public Enemy, the classic gangster drama starring James Cagney. The book provides a vivid, often savage, commentary on Hollywood and the motion picture industry, with uncompromising portraits of Darryl F. Zanuck, Mae West, Errol Flynn, John Barrymore, B. P. Schulberg, Walter Wanger, John Howard Lawson, Elia Kazan, and countless others, including his writing partners, Kubec Glasmon and Robert Tasker. Bright writes of the Communist Party in Hollywood, the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, and the House Committee on Un-American activities. At times bitter, at times tragic, this book is refreshingly frank and open, so much so that it could never have been published while John Bright was still alive. Bright is honest as he discusses his wartime experiences and his "exile" in Mexico. Complete with a filmography and an introduction by distinguished film historian Patric McGilligan, Worms in the Winecup is both entertaining and thought-provoking. An emotional and insightful read for students of political history, film scholars, screenwriters, and film enthusiasts.

From their very inception, European cinemas undertook collaborative ventures in an attempt to cultivate a transnational "Film-Europe." In the postwar era, it was DEFA, the state cinema of East Germany, that emerged as a key site for cooperative practices. Despite the significant challenges that the Cold War created for collaboration, DEFA sought international prestige through various initiatives. These ranged from film exchange in occupied Germany to partnerships with Western producers, and from coproductions with Eastern European studios to strategies for film co-authorship. Uniquely positioned between East and West, DEFA proved a crucial mediator among European cinemas during a period of profound political division.

From the kinetoscope, used by one viewer at a time, to the lavish movie palaces of Hollywood's golden era, the experience of watching films has varied enormously across film. Exhibition, The Film Reader traces the emergence of a culture of moviegoing, exploring the range of venues in which films have been shown and following the fluctuating status of film and the continuing struggle over audiences.
Contributors explore the meanings conveyed to spectators through exhibition sites and practices, and raise key issues of distribution, access and consumption.
Essays by: Dudley Andrew, Anthony Downs, Gary Edgerton, Anne Friedberg, Kathryn Helgesen Fuller, Douglas Gomery, Thomas Guback, Ben M. Hall, Ina Rae Hark, Charlotte Herzog, Russell Meritt, William Paul, Suzanne I. Schiller, Gregory Waller, Barbara Wilinsky.

The Politics of Nordsploitation takes a transnational approach to exploring Nordic ‘exploitation’ films in their industrial contexts, viewing them as not only political manifestations of domestic considerations but also to position Nordic film cultures in a global context. Incorporating a wide range of films, from international cult classics like They Call Her One Eye (1974), homegrown martial arts films like The Ninja Mission (1984) to contemporary crowd-sourced fan productions like Iron Sky (2012), this volume examines the remarkable diversity of genre-based, commercially and culturally exploitative film production throughout the Nordic countries – emphasized here through the term ‘Nordsploitation’. This volume provides a historical exposition of largely ignored marginal films and film cultural patterns. It also outlines how influential these films have been in shaping the development of Nordic cinema. The effects are visible in the films of the new millennium as previously marginalized practices now enter the mainstream. With sharp insights and new research, The Politics of Nordsploitation redefines the concept of ‘exploitation’ and its role in small nation cinemas.