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"The Other Bible. Holy Writ
for all cineastes"
-- Die Zeit, Vienna, 1998
Since it was first published in 1977, this classic of film literature
has appeared in twelve editions in nine languages, and has become a
standard introduction to film for a generation of readers, viewers, filmmakers,
and filmgoers. The fourth edition, years in the making, has been thoroughly
revised and updated.
The critical response to earlier editions of How
to Read a Film was notable:
- "The best single work of its kind. ... The
one work on the subject one ought to buy as the start or nucleus
of a library."
-- Richard Gilman, American Film.
- "Monaco has collected an enormous amount
of useful information and assembled it in an exhilaratingly simple
and systematic way. ... The book’s biggest virtue, aside from its
range, is its ability to explain complicated technical or ideological
points without taking any previous knowledge for granted. A neophyte
could come away with an equal understanding of sophisticated ideas
... And an expert would not be bored."
-- Janet Maslin, The New York Times Book Review.
- "An astute and thoroughgoing analysis. ...
Monaco is cuts above the popular ‘criticism’ of Reed, Kael, et al.
He is lucid and sophisticated."
-- Publishers Weekly.
- "The book is a compliment to the reader.
... Monaco’s
spirit is gracious; he has a gift for making accumulations of detail
relevant and uncluttered. His manner is modest and undidactic, and
he is painstakingly scrupulous."
-- Samson Raphaelson, Film Comment.
- "Anyone who writes about film, who is interested
in film seriously, just has to have it."
-- Richard Roud, Director, New York Film Festival.