From neorealisms resolve to Berlusconian revisionist melodramas; this book examines cinemas role in constructing memories of Fascist Italy. Italian cinema has both reflected and shaped popular perceptions of Fascism; reinforcing or challenging stereotypes; remembering selectively and silently forgetting the most shameful pages of Italys history.
#564827 in eBooks 2008-06-01 2008-06-01File Name: B00DQMWSVI
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. great bookBy David Morgandifficult; occasionally quite wrong; but enormously helpful and suggestive; and a major piece of work shaping the conversation. Strongly recommend for those interested in objects and their agencies1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Too abstractBy J. VAN OOIJENUnlike many others; I am not enthousiastic about this book. I think it is too abstract and its ideas are difficult to translate or apply. The book seems to be highly influential; but it strikes me that many references made to this book are even more abstract and vague than the book itself. To me this is an indication that it has become; in certain fields of study; almost obligatory to refer to Gell but hardly anyone seems to fully grasp what exactly he is talking about.15 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Funny; dense; important approachBy Limbic BrowserReading this book modified my self-image and expanded my understanding of the image-making industry. The text is a little disjointed because its a rough draft (the author did not live to see it edited or published); but Gells brilliance and humor are nonetheless transmitted by the book. Hang in there. Although some conflicting portions of the text have since been pointed out by scholars; Gells case is solid enough to serve as a springboard for a theory of "understanding" art that could be applicable globally. Who else has done that? The lowest common denominator Gell found looks pretty math-like (we put math models in space capsules because its a "universal" language); but the book is NOT math-boring. Delightful; eclectic examples illustrate his ideas. I recommend this book for humanities students; artists; art historians and those who are searching for a connection between math and the arts.