Review of The British Cinema Book

In this book Robert Murphy describes an industry that is prospering more than it ever has, but is also showing imminent signs of instability. He questions what use a film industry is to its own country where most of the movie going public prefers the films of another country. Another huge problem with the industry is shown in the distribution where a good portion of the films made in recent years have yet to reach theaters. However, this book does not only cover the state of the current industry, it is an overview of British cinema from the silent era to the contemporary era. It also covers noteworthy shifts of the way British films are made and the way that movie goers view them.

The main impression that Murphy wants readers to take away from the book is that British cinema has had a fascinatingly turbulent past, and its future is by no means certain. The chapter that is written by Sheldon Hall notes that the appreciation of cinema does injustice to the industry. " There is a sad irony in the way in which, just as flamboyant melodramas and gothic horror films have achieved a certain cultural respectability, cool, intelligent films like A Passage to India (Lean, 1984) and A Room with a View (Ivory, 1985) are pushed out beyond the pale, as if fantasy must necessarily exclude realism and vice versa." (pg. 2) This book contains seven chapters, each written by a different writer who has knowledge in that particular subject. Murphy uses certain authors' arguments while supporting the main thesis.

One of the strengths in the research that I appreciate is that each of the authors including Murphy provides extensive examples of films that reiterate their specific subject. For example, when an author is reviewing films that show contemporary life in Britain, films like Wonderland (1999), Some Voices (2000), and The Low Down (2001) are each given ample explanation. Another strength is the way in which the authors discuss the cultural significance of each film genre with the specific time period. For example, the way in which more horror films are being created is discussed along with why the public would be more interested in the genre.

Some of the book's weaknesses derive from the relation of the broad range of topics that are discussed. Each chapter is not put into context with the preceding chapter and there is no comparing and contrasting. This is understandable because each chapter is written by a different author; however, it is possible for Murphy to have done this himself at the conclusion of each chapter. Another weakness is the lack of discussion on the foreign cinema's point of view on the British industry. What does the outside world think of the way that the British industry handles itself?

I believe that the book as a whole should be considered credible because it was published by the British Film Institute, which is the primary group in the country that promotes and educates basically the world on quality film. The editor, Robert Murphy, has edited several books on British cinema including 60's British cinema and British Cinema of the 90's. I consider the combination of the most prominent film institute in Britain with an editor who is a scholar on British cinema to be very credible.

Works Cited

Murphy, Robert. The British Cinema Book. London: British Film Institute, 2001.