Books in the Routledge Film Guidebooks series

It is a common assertion that the history of America is written in its Westerns, but how true is this? This guidebook discusses the evolution of the Western through history and looks at theoretical and critical approaches to Westerns such as genre analysis, semiotics, representation, ideology, discourse analysis, narrative, and realism.

Examines the history of the genre of romantic comedy, considering the social and cultural context for key developments in the genre cycles.

The term 'film noir' still conjures images of a uniquely American malaise: hard-boiled detectives, fatal women, and the shadowy hells of urban life. This book examines how film noir crosses national boundaries, speaks to diverse international audiences, and dramatizes local crimes and the crises of local spaces in the face of global phenomena.

Presents a comprehensive overview of the horror film and explores how the genre works. Examining the way horror films create images of gore and the uncanny through film technology and effects, this guidebook provides an account of the way cinematic and stylistic devices create responses of terror and disgust in the viewer.

Presenting a study of James Cameron, this work presents an overview of Cameron's work and its significance within cinematic history, featuring excerpts from interviews and analysis of key scenes from films such as "Terminator" and "Titanic". It is useful to students of film studies and media studies.

Jane Campion is one of the most celebrated auteurs of modern cinema and was the first female director to be awarded the prestigious Palme d'Or. This title gives an account of Jane Campion's career as a filmmaker and examines how contemporary film directors 'fashion' themselves as auteurs - through their personal interactions with the media.