Books in the Cine-File French Film Guides series

"Les Diaboliques" was a top grossing film in 1955. The author sets "Les Diaboliques" against the political culture of its time, and demonstrates the importance of Clouzot as a master of the thriller genre. She gives an in-depth textual analysis of the film, and presents a comparison with its US remake.

2005 is the fortieth anniversary of Alphaville's release. Chris Darke writes about how, working without sets, special effects, or even a script, Godard made a dystopian vision of a technocratic future city. He explores the film's unique combination of genres and styles, and its remarkable creation, the secret agent Lemmy Caution.

"Cleo de 5 a 7" (1962) chronicles, in 'real time', ninety minutes in the life of rising pop singer Cleo Victoire, played by Corinne Marchand. This book follows Cleo's journey, providing an exploration of the film's unusual time structure and of the evocative mise-en-scene, which captures so vividly the Paris of the early 1960s.

"Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain" was the surprise boxoffice success of 2001. This book examines the film's production within the French film industry. It analyzes the issues of genre and narrative that it presents so well, and looks at the film's key scenes, as well as at Jeunet's distinctive visual style and cinematography.

Focuses on "La Regle du jeu" in the context of both the time in which it was made and the currents of intertextuality by which it is traversed. This book examines sequences from the film itself, its themes, reception and critical approaches and readings.

"Du rififi chez les hommes" (1955), directed by the exiled American film director Jules Dassin, recounts the nail-biting tale of a Parisian gangster heist gone wrong. This companion to the film reveals Dassin's role as a director of socially conscious Hollywood film noir.

Takes fresh approaches to the film "Un chien andalou", exploring how it can be seen both within and beyond the confines of Surrealism and reviewing its openness to so many readings and interpretations. This book reassesses Dali and Bunuel's account of the film as a model surrealist work and its reception by the surrealist group.

In this original guide to the film, Ramona Fotiade analyses in depth its production and reception, as well as its mise-en-scene and editing.