What Film Is Good for: On the Values of Spectatorship

For well over a century, going to the movies has been a favorite pastime for billions across the globe. But is film actually good for anything? This volume brings together thirty-six scholars, critics, and filmmakers in search of an answer. Their responses range from the most personal to the most theoretical--and, together, recast current debates about film ethics. Movie watching here emerges as a wellspring of value, able to sustain countless visions of "the good life." Films, these authors affirm, make us reflect, connect, adapt; they evoke wonder and beauty; they challenge and transform. In a word, its varieties of value make film invaluable.


Author: Julian Hanich
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: 08/01/2023
Pages: 432
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.28lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.91w x 1.10d
ISBN13: 9780520386815
ISBN10: 0520386817
BISAC Categories:
- Performing Arts | Film | History & Criticism
- Social Science | Media Studies
- Performing Arts | Television | History & Criticism