Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Explores how film analysis can take account of the presence of digital images in cinemaDigital images are now ubiquitous elements within the cinematic frame but, as we analyse films or film moments, it can often be difficult to be sure how - and how much - to talk about digital elements. This accessible book demystifies the relationship of digital imaging to processes of watching and reading films, and gives scholars and students the tools to engage with digital imaging in cinema with ease. A wide-ranging series of case studies demonstrates how digital elements can be discussed and analysed in different scenarios, and a language is developed to describe digital elements accurately. Not just for digital effects enthusiasts, this book is essential for anyone interested in how to approach film critically: it is a toolbox for contemporary film analysis.Key Features: * The first book exploring how the presence of digital imaging in film affectsthe production of meaning.* Locates contemporary digital effects practice in relation to historical traditions offilmmaking and special effects practice.* Proposes a fresh, flexible approach to the close textual analysis of film that can takeaccount of the digital* Uses case studies from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Avatar to Alice in Wonderland and King Kong to demonstrate this approach in action.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Illustrations (p. vi)
• Acknowledgements (p. viii)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• 1 Interpretation and the Digital (p. 14)
• 2 Digital Imaging as Metaphor (p. 32)
• 3 Digital Imaging and the Body (p. 53)
• 4 Historicising the Digital (p. 77)
• 5 Representation and the Digital (p. 103)
• 6 The Digital in Three Dimensions (p. 129)
• Conclusion (p. 152)
• Bibliography (p. 156)
• Filmography (p. 168)
• Index (p. 171)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This book provides an in-depth discussion of aspects of the digital image that have been dealt with only superficially by most works of film criticism. The examples given are almost exclusively from Hollywood blockbusters, but the theories discussed apply to a wide range of films and give students a new perspective on digital imaging and its role in film. Through analysis of specific film movements and extended case studies of film, Purse (Univ. of Reading, UK) challenges readers to incorporate elements of the digital into the viewing experience in a variety of ways rather than simply judging effects based on how realistic they appear. Of particular importance, the section on the digitally literate spectator will be an excellent addition to the reading lists of many media studies courses. Most chapters lean heavily toward the theoretical, but the content is relevant to practitioners interested in understanding how cultural ideas about digital imaging can influence meaning within a film, a scene, or even a single shot. Essential for students of cinematography, the book provides a deep understanding of the implications of various digital imaging techniques on the viewing experience as a whole. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. B. H. McMillin Pratt Institute