Very good.

I bought the book to aid my studies while I worked towards a Masters in Film Studies. I found it to be a very useful guide to the different approaches to film analysis, and a useful starting point in the study of specific film genres/theories.

映画記号論など、科学的に映画をとらえるには。何しろ、日本人はやたらと難しく、自分の世界で論じる人が多くて。翻訳しなくてはいけないが、閉じていない世界で論じられているからわかりやすい。

There's not too much to tell here. Of course, on one level one could talk for days upon topics raised in this book, but on the other hand, one could neglect it all with a wave of his hand. What will you think about this book, depends much on the way how you answer these questions? Is film (just) entertainment or is it perchance an art. Does it hold any kind of inherent value, or is it just an aspect of human work that doesn't need deeper evaluation? How do you discern between good and bad film? Does (narrative) film have an important part in any kind of education, does it have some kind of social responsibility and can it provide answer to questions of modern time?These questions, each in their own way reveal aspects on film, the layers that lay beneath the moving pictures manufactured in some studio somewhere in the world, and the way reception of certain film can vary in different background and different populace. There has been much hate spilled over many of the films and it is but impossible to shut one's own ears and eyes, and pretend just not to see. Sooner or later, every movie lover out there will come with some sort of an answer to these questions. This book provides an example, the way in which these topics have been addressed by a various authors from different fields of study, different backgrounds and different intellectual preoccupations. In a way, it is useful in few aspects.For film theorist who are just entering this field of study it provides nice summary of problems, solutions and referent literature on subject, so one can easily pick and choose amongst the perspectives that interests him. For those who are just browsing around film territory with inquisitive look in their eyes, this book will turn out to be great introductionary course. There are relatively few texts of complicated nature, and these concern themselves mainly on psychoanalysis and gender topics which one can easily leave for later, to dwell upon when time comes right. Others are written in more approachable manner, and shouldn't provide any difficulties in their understanding and upgrading.I'm guessing that this is a standard textbook for many courses on film theory and reception, but don't let that frighten or bore you. Despite what you may expect from theoretical texts, ones in this book are fairly interesting, thought-provoking and challenging to provide an interesting read. In a way, one's journey trough film theory may a well begin from here.