Renowned for making films that are at once sly domestic satires and heartbreaking social realist dramas; British writer-director Mike Leigh confronts his viewers with an un-romanticized dramatization of modern-day society in the hopes of inspiring them to strive for greater self-awareness and compassion for others. This collection features new; interdisciplinary essays that cover all phases of the BAFTA-award-winners film career; from his early made-for-television film work to his theatrical releases; including Life is Sweet (1990); Naked (1993); Secrets Lies (1996); Career Girls (1997); Topsy-Turvy (1999); All or Nothing (2002); Vera Drake (2004); Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) and Another Year (2010). With contributions from international scholars from a variety of fields; the essays in this collection cover individual films and the recurring themes and motifs in several films; such as representations of class and gender; and overt social commentary and political subtexts. Also covered are Leighs visual stylizations and storytelling techniques ranging from explorations of the costume design to set design to the music and camerawork and editing; the collaborative process of devising and directing a Mike Leigh film that involves character-building; world-construction; plotting; improvisations and script-writing; the process of funding and marketing for these seemingly uncommercial projects; and a survey of Leighs critical reception and the existing writing on his work.
#481467 in eBooks 2013-07-09 2013-07-09File Name: B00DWZXNOA
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Good Stuff!By bongobirdFrom pre-history of crosswords to snarky gossip; T Campbell has written a highly entertaining account of how crossword puzzles came to be in the first place and how they came to be what they are today. The research is meticulous. Campbells exploration of past and present crossword varieties; along with personal reflections on what constitutes excellence (and flaws) is amply illustrated by well-chosen examples.If you enjoy crosswords and related puzzles youll enjoy this.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Scholarly Take on CrosswordsBy WilliamIve read many books on crosswords; but this one goes beyond the merely historical to dig deeper; reveal aspects to the puzzles that you may not have previously contemplated. If you love crosswords; I cant imagine not loving this book.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Heres the beef.By John Van ZandtToo much cockyness and irrelevant lingo. No clues given to help understand answers. Did not add to my solving skills.