A Film Theorist's Companion

by Linus Lau

A Film Theorist's Companion is both an accessible reader for contemporary film students and a focused examination of what critical film theorists consider important today. The carefully curated readings featured in the anthology explore the codes and tropes through which auteurs tell their stories.

The selections are organized into three sections: The Way We Feel; The Way We Look; and The Way We Decide. Students learn about the thought process that goes into creating individual shots in a film including the composition, staging, and lighting. They study the history of film sound and the motivation for adding sound to images. They reflect on gender identities and relations in screwball comedies, female detectives in film noir, and feminism and film form.

Designed for students who want to engage in thoughtful film analysis and are looking for an appropriate entry point, A Film Theorist's Companion is an ideal supplemental reader for a wide range of film courses including those on New Wave cinema, classic Hollywood film analysis, Asian cinema, seminars that focus on directing, and world cinema courses. Linus Lau has served as professor of film studies at Long Beach City College and program chair of music video, film, and television production at Musicians Institute. His work has premiered at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, FrightFest London, and Tribeca Film Festival.