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REVIEW:
'...provides a succinct and thoughtful introduction to seventeen of the most widely-known films produced in Africa over the past four decades, including Xala, Keita, Finzan and La Vie est belle.' - James E. Genova in Research in African Literature '...not only a great treat for movie fans but a book that will enlarge any reader's horizons.' - Joseph Cuneen in National Catholic Reporter '...the book that many have been waiting for. Josef Gugler has composed a lively and loving handbook for African film aficionados and for those willing to be converted. Erudite without being stuffy, informative without being pedantic, Gugler condenses years of viewing and critiquing films into a dense but accessible compendium of stimulating observations. The format, replete with photos, film frames, reproductions of film posters and intriguing side notes, is extremely attractive. The cover design welcomes readers with the faces of the two smiling children from "Yaaba", which Gugler analyzes early and at length The text is arranged in an orderly manner in six categories, primarily historical, and is preceded by a Table of Contents followed by a briefly annotated list of the main films, humorously entitled '17 films in 17 sentences'. An author's preface is followed by a useful chart of Basic Indicators for African Countries - all countries cited are south of the Sahara with some in this region not included. A simple map provides a further reference for the discussions of films spanning the continent.' - Anne Serafin in African Renaissance 'History is an important element of any undertaking relating to African art and culture and the story of African film, predictably, is the story of the white man , with the native African as the listener, the audience or an appendix. In African Film, Josef Gugler recovers, re-imagines and re-represents the historical experiences of Africans before, during and after colonialism through a perspective that celebrates the peculiarities and diversity of the continent. ...This book provides great insight into the history of African film.' - Tom Odhiambo in African Film '...provides the necessary framework for the uninitiated through an excellent overview of the major issues affecting the African film industry, production contexts, distribution, and exhibition. Gugler's style is readable and jargon-free, and he peppers his discussion with "insider" information on the films' production history. ...numerous references to African literature and culture makes this a very interdisciplinary discussion. ...Gugler's passion for his subject makes this volume a worthy read... The number of provocative questions raised make it a most definite asset to the fields of African film and cultural studies.' - Sheila Petty in African Studies Review 'Gugler deconstructs the films and the African cinema scene to reveal inner and outer workings of the African text...even his knowledge of the literary scene in Africa is exploited to advantage.' - ARAS Australia 'This focus on a key set of films is very welcome departure from the field - especially for those colleagues looking for texts around which to structure African film courses'...'excellent reading for students and scholars of African cinema looking to understand the socio-cultural contexts of the African films discussed therein.' - Modern African Studies
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