British National Cinema (National Cinemas) Book

British National Cinema traces the development of the British film industry, from the Lumiere brothers' first screening in London in 1896 to the dominance of Hollywood and the severe financial crises which affected Goldcrest, Handmade Films and Palace Pictures in the 1980s and 1990s. Exploring the relationship between British cinema and British society, Street uses the notions of official and unofficial cinema to demonstrate how British cinema has been both respectable and disreputable according to prevailing notions of what constitutes "good" cinema. British National Cinema analyzes the politics of film and questions why British cinema has always been subject to government apathy and financial strigency. An examination of British film genres, such as Ealing comedies, Hammer horror and heritage films confirm the eclectic nature of British cinema.Read More