Cinema is an art form that's over 100 years old. Hundreds of thousands of films have been produced of all shapes and sizes and of all genres all over the world. As lovers of cinema, we are often confused and dumbfounded as to which films to watch. As an answer, Stephen Jay Schneider and a group of film critics and theorists around the world put together this compilation of 1,001 culturally, technologically, artistically and historically significant films.
Arranged in chronological order and covering over 100 years worth of history in film, from the early 1902 Georges Milies science-fiction film "A Voyage to the Moon" to last year's Oscar Best Picture winner "Million Dollar Baby", the book covers a very wide range of forms and genres of film: From huge Hollywood epic spectacles like "Gone with the Wind" and "Spartacus" to gritty independent pictures like John Cassavetes's "Faces" and Samuel Fuller's "Shock Corridor"; from famous mainstream blockbuster features like "Titanic" and "Jurassic Park" to obscure, daring short films like "Blonde Cobra" and Luis Bunuel's "Un Chien Andalou"; from kid-friendly "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to disturbing, daring films like "Salo" and "In the Realm of the Senses". Significant effort was made by the editors and the contributing writers to represent nearly every genre of film out there. In addition to featuring the well-known, highly regarded classics of horror, drama, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, etc. sub-genres as varied as Chinese kung fu movies ("Shaolin Master Killer"), blaxploitation ("Sweet Sweetbacks Baaadaassssssss Song") and mockumentaries ("This Is Spinal Tap") are also represented. Also impressive in this book is that it took the effort to feature significant films from all over the world even in countries which are not primarily known for their film industry like Senegal, Egypt and Jamaica. All in an apparent effort to cover as wide a range of the art of film as possible.
All the great directors, both of the past and of contemporary times, have several of their films on this book: John Ford, Steven Spielberg, Billy Wilder, Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Luis Bunuel, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodovar, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman etc. among others. Alfred Hitchcock has the distinction of having the most films with 15 from his oeuvre profiled. Each film is given an essay written by the various contributors detailing the film's significance, it's history and various interesting tidbits of trivia as well as a critique of the film in an intelligent non-pretentious or overly scholarly manner. Though the book is by no means perfect, the questionable inclusion of "Meet the Parents" is one of the more glaring of its flaws and arguments can be made for the inclusion and exclusion of several other movies, this book probably comes the closest to being the most definitive list available that's accessible even to the average film goer. Quite a number of films featured in this book are not currently available on video or DVD. Perhaps their inclusion in this book would help them get released on DVD and thus finding a wider audience.
Whether you are a budding teenage film buff or a veteran film scholar, there is plenty to love about this book which gives a straight-forward, non-snobbish take on film history that would make the art of watching movies truly enjoyable. This is the book all lovers of film should have on their bookshelves.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
<i>1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die</i> a Must-Read for Film Buffs
Montana CINE International Film Festival in Missoula, Montana
credit
If you will be in the Missoula, Montana are at the beginning of October and you are interested in issues that impact cultural preservation, nature, and the environment, then you may want to visit the 3rd Annual Montana CINE International Film Festival. This festival will be held on October 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2006, and it is hosted by the International Wildlife Media Center, the same people who put on the International Wildlife Film Festival. For more information on attending please keep reading.
What This Festival Is About
The 3rd Annual Montana CINE International Film Festival is a film festival that explores the cultural issues that impact nature and the environment. Issues like culture, conservation, politics, agriculture, urban sprawl, society, industry, and war will be discussed in regards to their impacts on the natural world. Activities will center on the festival’s mission of understanding these issues better as they relate to the health of the world’s ecosystems.
Events
Like the International Wildlife Film Festival, the Montana CINE International Film Festival will offer several venues of interest for both filmmakers and the public. Public screenings, discussions, workshops, outings, and parties will be scheduled for the festival’s attendees. Schedules for these events, as well as activity descriptions will be made available in mid-September.
The public screenings of the winning films entered in the CINE film festival will be shown at the Historic Roxy Theater. This theatre is located at 718 S. Higgins, Missoula, Montana. A list of times, film titles, and film descriptions will be available at http://www.wildlifefilms.org by mid-September.
Discussion and workshops will also be offered to festival attendees. These programs will focus on specific topics, and they will be moderated by an industry professional. Information about the discussions and workshops can also be found online at http://www.wildlifefilms.org, as information becomes available.
Parties and activities are also a highlight of this festival. These parties will be held at various locations around Missoula, and each will have its own unique theme, attractions, and activities. The festival’s parties are great for meeting with the filmmakers, meeting people who have an interest in environmental issues, and just experiencing western hospitality. Tickets for the parties can be bought at the Roxy Theater, or by contacting the CINE Festival coordinator.
Attending the CINE Film Festival
The price for attending the events held during the CINE Film Festival will vary depending on the type of ticket you buy, your age, and the event you want to attend. General Admittance tickets for viewing a screening will be $6 for adults, $5 for students with a valid student ID, $5 for seniors 65 and older, and $3 for children under the age of 12. If you would like to buy a day pass, which is good for attending all the workshops, discussions, parties, and screenings for a specific day, then the price will be $15. If you would like to just see the screenings during the festival you can purchase a screening pass for $25, which allow you to see as many screenings as you want during the festival. If you want access to everything during the festival then you can purchase a festival pass for $50. Finally if you want to buy a ticket to a specific event or party you will need to contact the Festival directly for prices.
Contact Information
If you have more questions, or if you would like to buy your tickets before the festival please contact the CINE Festival at:
Montana CINE International Film Festival
718 S. Higgins Ave.
Missoula, Montana 59801
(406) 728-9380 phone number
(406) 728-2881 fax number
iwff@wildlifefilms.org
http://www.wildlifefilms.org
Friday, March 4, 2011
Popular Baby Name Websites
celtics baby clothes
Everyday there are children born all across the country. There are some parents who have a baby name already picked out for their child long before the delivery and other parents do not. When looking for baby name suggestions many parents end up purchasing a baby name book, but what many do not realize is that some of the same information can be found online for free.
There are a number of website owners who have provided lists of popular, unique, and religious baby names for boys and girls. This information is similar to what can be found inside a printed baby name book. As the internet is becoming more and more popular there has been an increase in the number of parents who are looking for baby name suggestions online. If you want to become one of those parents then you are encouraged to check out some of the popular baby name websites listed below.
Baby Names World is one of the most popular online baby name websites around. The website can be found by visiting www.babynamesworld.com. According to their website, Baby Names World has eleven thousand different baby names for boys and girls from all different origins. In addition to providing the origin of the baby names, there is information that tells the meaning of popular baby names. What is nice about Baby Names World is that you can browse through all of their baby names or search based on specific information.
Baby Center is an online resource guide for parents. They offer information that is valuable to parents including baby names. Their website can be found at http://www.babycenter.com/. Once at the main page there is a menu on the left-hand side and this is where the baby names link will appear. Once to the baby names section of their website you can search for information on a specific baby name or your can browse through their resources. Popular baby names and helpful information on selecting a name for your child can be found here.
1-2-3 Baby Names is another website that offers information on selecting a baby name and baby name suggestions. This website can be found by visiting http://123-baby-names.com/. 1-2-3 Baby Names offers names listed in alphabetical order. If you are interested in finding a name from a specific origin you can switch the option for all the baby names to be listed that way as well.
Think Baby Names is located at www.thinkbabynames.com. Think Baby Names is a website that is aimed at providing the meaning of baby names for boys and girls. In addition to providing the meanings of baby names, they list a large number of different baby names that can be helpful for many parents looking for baby name suggestions.
It is important to remember that these are just a few of the many online baby name websites. To find additional baby name websites you are encouraged to perform a standard internet search using the worlds baby names. There are an unlimited number of different baby names for both boys and girls. Using the internet is a great way to find these names without having to pay for it.