A New History of Documentary Film Second Edition

by Mclane, Betsy A.

• ISBN13: 9781441124579
• ISBN10: 1441124578
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781441154507
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-26
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• More Book Details

Summary

A New History of Documentary Film, Second Edition offers a much-needed resource, considering the very rapid changes taking place within documentary media. Building upon the best-selling 2005 edition, Betsy McLane keeps the same chronological examination, factual reliability, ease of use and accessible prose style as before, while also weaving three new threads - Experimental Documentary, Visual Anthropology and Environmental/Nature Films - into the discussion. She provides emphasis on archival and preservation history, present practices, and future needs for documentaries. Along with preservation information, specific problems of copyright and fair use, as they relate to documentary, are considered. Finally, A History of Documentary Film retains and updates the recommended readings and important films and the end of each chapter from the first edition, including the bibliography and appendices. Impossible to talk learnedly about documentary film without an audio-visual component, a companion website will increase its depth of information and overall usefulness to students, teachers and film enthusiasts. >

Author Biography

Betsy A. McLane is Director Emerita of the International Documentary Association. She has taught courses on film and documentary at Loyola Marymount University, the University of Vermont, Emerson College and the University of Southern California. She is a Past President of the University Film and Video Association.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiii
Some Ways to Think About Documentary	p. 1
Description	p. 1
Definition	p. 4
Intellectual Contexts	p. 7
Pre-Documentary Origins	p. 9
Books on Documentary Theory and General Histories of Documentary	p. 18
The Work of Robert and Frances Flaherty	p. 21
The Flaherty Way	p. 34
The Flaherty Legacy	p. 36
Chapter Related Films	p. 39
Chapter Related Books	p. 39
The Soviets and Political Indoctrination, 1922-1929	p. 41
Reportage/Newsreel	p. 42
Compilation	p. 48
Epic	p. 51
Fiction and Documentary	p. 51
The Fiction Films	p. 52
Chapter Related Films	p. 55
Chapter Related Books	p. 56
The European Avant-Garde Experimentation, 1922-1929	p. 57
Aesthetic Predispositions	p. 57
Avant-Garde and Documentary	p. 59
Three City Symphonies	p. 63
Changes in the Avant-Garde	p. 68
Chapter Related Films	p. 70
Chapter Related Books	p. 70
Institutionalization: Great Britain, 1929-1939	p. 73
Background and Underpinnings	p. 73
The System	p. 75
The Films	p. 79
Grierson and Flaherty	p. 87
Grierson's Contribution	p. 89
Chapter Related Films	p. 91
Chapter Related Books	p. 91
Institutionalization USA, 1930-1941	p. 93
The March of Time	p. 96
Government Documentaries	p. 99
Non-Government Documentaries	p. 107
Conclusions	p. 110
Dénouement	p. 112
An Aside to Conclude	p. 113
Chapter Related Films	p. 114
Chapter Related Books	p. 115
WWII	p. 117
Part A: Great Britain	p. 117
Early Days	p. 118
Indoctrination	p. 120
Social Documentary	p. 124
Records of Battle	p. 126
Part B: Canada	p. 130
Founding of National Film Board	p. 131
Theatrical Series	p. 132
Nontheatrical Films	p. 135
Summary	p. 136
Part C: United States	p. 137
Training	p. 138
Indoctrination - Why We Fight	p. 139
Records of Battle	p. 143
Social Documentary	p. 146
Comparisons: Great Britain, Canada, United States	p. 149
Chapter Related Films	p. 153
Chapter Related Books	p. 153
Post-war Documentary, 1945-1961	p. 159
Personnel and Leadership	p. 162
Sponsorship	p. 167
USIA Films	p. 167
Canada	p. 171
Subjects	p. 172
Internationalism	p. 173
Approaches and Techniques	p. 176
Observations	p. 176
Chapter Related Films	p. 181
Chapter Related Books	p. 182
Documentary for Television, The 'Golden Years,' 1951-1971	p. 185
Historical Background	p. 186
Documentary Series	p. 188
Special Characteristics of Television Documentary	p. 196
Chapter Related Films	p. 200
Chapter Related Books	p. 201
British Free Cinema and New American Cinema, 1953-1960	p. 203
Critical Background	p. 204
Free Cinema Films	p. 208
The United States	p. 211
Chapter Related Films	p. 217
Chapter Related Books	p. 217
Cinéma vérité, direct cinema, 1958-1970	p. 219
Historical Background	p. 220
New Technology and First CV/Direct	p. 222
Direct cinema vs. cinéma vérité	p. 231
Effects on Documentary Subjects and Styles	p. 233
Frederick Wiseman	p. 237
Conclusion	p. 239
Chapter Related Films	p. 240
Chapter Related Books	p. 241
The 1970s: Power to the People	p. 243
Some Established Filmmakers	p. 244
New Directions in CV/Direct	p. 250
Political Emphases and Vietnam	p. 255
Newsreel Collectives	p. 257
Feminist Resurgence	p. 259
Challenge for Change	p. 262
Public Access Television	p. 263
Other Emerging Organization	p. 265
Chapter Related Films	p. 268
Chapter Related Books	p. 269
Video Arrives	p. 271
Cable and Satellite Technology	p. 274
Personal Essay Film	p. 277
Compilation	p. 279
Strictly Political	p. 283
Social and Ethnic Minorities	p. 285
Representing Gay and Lesbian Culture	p. 292
Chapter Related Films	p. 298
Chapter Related Books	p. 299
Reality Bytes	p. 301
Business and Technology: The Bad and The Good	p. 302
American Public Television	p. 306
Archival Documentary	p. 308
The Ken Burns Phenomenon	p. 312
Canada Soldiers On	p. 316
Developments in the UK	p. 317
American Independents	p. 322
Chapter Related Films	p. 327
Chapter Related Books	p. 329
Documentary Tradition in the Twenty-First Century	p. 331
Werner Herzog	p. 335
Steve James, Alex Gibney, Davis Guggenheim	p. 337
Erroll Morris, Sinofsky & Berlinger, Stanley Nelson	p. 342
Women Documentarians	p. 346
Experimental Documentary	p. 351
Theatres and Festivals	p. 357
Chapter Related Films	p. 361
Chapter Related Books	p. 362
Now and When	p. 363
Aesthetics and Content	p. 365
Finance	p. 368
Documentary Un-reality	p. 370
Peter Watkins	p. 375
Intimate Doings of Reality	p. 377
Academic Approaches	p. 379
Emergent Technologies	p. 381
Social Media	p. 382
Commitment to History	p. 384
Conclusion	p. 386
Chapter Related Films	p. 390
Chapter Related Books	p. 390
Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature	p. 391
The National Film Registry	p. 401
Index	p. 407
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