Take One (Nov 1977)

THE FILM WRITINGS OF HARRY ALAN POTAMKIN Selected, Arranged, and Introduced by LEWIS JACOBS Potamkin was one of the most important film critics of the 1920's and 1930's, with an international reputation based on his unusual acuity of judgment and his advocacy of cinema asa: revolutionary art form. That his strongly Marxist orientation, in a Hegel oeoeoe time of profound economic and social upheaval, was a motivating yet not overbearing factor in his criticism is provocatively discussed in the introduction to this collection by noted film historian Lewis Jacobs. Provided with many photographs, the book is an invaluable and fascinating resource for recalling a turoulent epoch of our century and for the study of one of the most decisive periods in the history of motion pictures. 1977/80 pp./Cloth, $25.00 /ISBN 8077-1559-x “In publishing the collected essays of Harry Alan Potamkin (1900-1933) Lewis Jacobs and the Teachers College Press have changed the standard picture of American film criticism.” Studies in Culture Martin S. Dworkin, General Editor and Communication Jay Leyda Film Quarterly 1234 Amsterdam Ave. New York, N.Y. 10027 THE EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHER THAT KNOWS EDUCATION (ea How Books in Brief Books for reference and research are among the most eagerly sought by film scholars and buffs. Here is a selection from the recent crop. The achievements of the National Film Board of Canada as a government-sponsored, non-commercial production and distribution center are detailed in a thorough and engrossing book, Film as a National Art: 48 NFB of Canada and the Film Board Idea by C. Rodney James. It offers a history of the NFB and its predecessor, a perspective on the 8000 films it produced since its inception, an appraisal of the NFBCanadian government relationship, and an assessment of John Grierson’s inspiring leadership. (Arno Press $43.00) In Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau 1917-1941, Charles F. Backhouse presents a valuable study of NFB’s predecessor, which effectively publicized the country and its scenic, cultural and industrial aspects. (Canadian Film Institute $2.50) Both the above books are heavily indebted to Marjorie McKay’s History of the National Film Board of Canada, a seminal work of remarkable scholarship, accuracy and perception, commissioned in 1964 by NFB and available to researchers from that organization. Celebrating its 28th year of publication, John Willis’ Screen World 1977 is a profusely illustrated statistical and pictorial record of 1976 movies, with complete cast&-credits for all films released in the U.S. that year. (Crown $12.95) (In Canada: General Publishing $15.95) An appealing book, The Animated Raggedy Ann & Andy by John Canemaker follows from conception to completion the making of Richard Williams’ film. Extensively illustrated, it is a comprehensive and expertly assembled record of a successful production. (Bobbs-Merrill $25.00/ 12.95) (In Canada: Thomas Allen $29.95/ $15.50) The third revised and enlarged edition of a Critical study by the well-known film scholar Herman G. Weinberg, The Lubitsch Touch, has just been issued. It is a classical book, basic in any library. (Dover $4.00) (In Canada: General Publishing $4.75) A broad survey of films with all-black cast, Blacks in Black and White by Henry T. Sampson lists some 400 independentlyproduced features of the 1910-50 period with full credits and other relevant data. (Scarecrow $13.00) Michael G. Fitzgerald’s Universal Pictures is an entertaining and informative large-format, 800-page book that surveys the colorful panorama of the studio’s evolution from its founding by Carl Laemmle in 1912 to its take-over by MCA in 1964. (Arlington $30.00) (In Canada: Dent $29.95) In Big U: Universal in the Silent Days, |.G. Edmunds discusses the 1912-29 period when the studio played an often decisive part in the movies’ progress in casting, literary material, techniques and financing. (Barnes $15.00) (In Canada: Smithers & Bonnellie $19.50) Edited by B.V. Dharap, Indian Films 1976 provides a documented and comprehensive view of the prolific Indian film industry, whose 507 features and some 1000 shorts made that year are described with full production details. (MPE, Poona, Rs.35/ .) A stimulating and practical how-to manual, The Family Movie-Making Book by Jay Garon with Morgan Wilson, is chock-full of ingenious and useful hints on producing and marketing a better class of home movies. (Bobbs-Merrill $10.95) (In Canada: Thomas Allen $13.25) Viewing sex film production as a valuable training ground for future directors, Steven Ziplow presents in The Film Maker’s Guide to Pornography a detailed guide to the genre, with all necessary practical advice on the various aspects of production, how to deal with performers, legal risks, and breaking into the field. (Drake $6.95) (In Canada: General Publishing $8.50) George L. George