Discussing the films of China, Finland, France, India, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Ukraine, and the US, Celli deftly sketches the cinematic history of each country and demonstrates how commercial, mainstream films often offer a truer picture of national culture than films designed for an art-house audience. Celli's energetic, sympathetic prose brings depth and scope to the book's central thesis, and his writing is marked by a touch of wry humor that is refreshing and engaging. A valuable resource for those interested in world cinema. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. - CHOICE
This book, with its bold call for a new way to approach critical analysis of national cinemas, will stand up as a fundamental text of solid, timeless film criticism, outside of the critical vogues that come and go on a short timely base. - Marga Cottino-Jones, Emerita Professor of Italian, UCLA