This second edition of "A Short History of the Movies" includes expanded information and judgments about some of the "old masters" of film; an updated discussion of the "new masters"; and new sections on Japanese, Indian, and Czech cinema. In general, this history reveals significant trends in film history. American…

The significance of Bergman's "Seventh Seal" lies not in the speeches nor in the actions of the central characters but rather in the film's form, its totality created by the emotive elements of imagery and sound together with the intellectual elements of actions and words. The scene-units are related to a central motif (the opening of…

Akira Kurosawa, the most popular Asian film maker with audiences in the United States, has found in William Shakespeare's plays themes and plots that resonate within Japanese culture. While the translations of "Macbeth" into "Throne of Blood" and "King Lear" into "Ran" are quite direct and literal with only…

Films can contribute a great degree of authenticity to the foreign language classroom. The University of Oregon has found very enthusiastic reactions to the BBC Spanish language program "Zarabanda" among both students and instructors. "Zarabanda" consists of 25 episodes, each approximately 30 minutes long, available in video…