Oldcastle Books: 197 books

The enormously puzzling TV series The Prisoner has developed a rapt cult following, and has often been described as "surreal" or "Kafkaesque." In I Am (Not) a Number, Cox takes an opposing view. While the series has surreal elements, he believes it provides the answers to all the...

From the very beginnings of American cinema the Western has been a central genre, as the hazardous lives of the settlers, their conflict with Native Americans, the lawless frontier towns, outlaws, and cattle rustlers all found their way into the new medium of film. This book provides a basic work...

Often subject to more cuts at the hands of the censor than a serial killer's razor, the horror film has a fascinating history, not only as film study but also as a look at what has been considered acceptable for the public to view, and what the state will allow its citizens to see. But for the most...

Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are concise, lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, history, and more. This book offers a concise...

Directors discussed include the Coen Brothers, David Lynch, Michael Mann, Christopher Nolan, Steven Soderbergh, and Quentin Tarantino A world-weary detective, a seductive femme fatale, a mysterious murder—these elements of classic film noir live again in more recent hardboiled detective films from...

The term New Wave conjures up images of Paris in the early 1960s from the films of French filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. The impact of the French New Wave continues to be felt, and its ethos of shooting in real places with nonprofessional actors and small crews would influence...

This Pocket Essential explores the awe inspiring world of Bollywood up to 2001. Bombay's prolific Hindi-language film industry is more than just a giant entertainment juggernaut for 1 billion-plus Indians worldwide. It's a part of Indian culture, language, fashion and lifestyles. It's also a great...

Whether your passion is film, music, books, visual arts, or the stage, you can get closer to it as a reviewer and establish a career in one of the most influential roles open to a writer. A great review can be read by millions, and writing it calls for a high degree of skill. Based on a lifelong passion,...

From Last Tango in Paris to American Pie to Brokeback Mountain—a look at more than 100 erotic films, with in-depth analysis and fascinating behind-the-scenes anecdotesThe first book to look at truly contemporary erotic cinema, this publication gives in-depth analyses of sex scenes from more than 100...

A one-stop handbook to the studio's work, discussing each film in great detailA major icon of cinema and pop culture more widely, Pixar Animation Studios has played a vital part in reminding audiences of animation's capacity as a major artform. Hugely popular, and recognized as a real force in the...

With TV, internet, phone, radio, movies, music, magazines, and newspapers—just to name a few—how does one begin to understand today’s all-embracing media culture? In this book, all the key issues and debates in media studies are covered in a lively and accessible style, including the main features...

Introducing the reader to definitions of the founding concepts in film studies, this guide covers such ideas as authorship and genre, technological impacts and the rise of digital cinema, social influences and notions of the avant-garde, and cinema’s emergence as a major art form that reflects and...

This lively and illuminating book explores over 100 contemporary horror films, providing insightful and provocative readings of what they mean while including numerous quotes from their creators. Some of these films, including The Babadook, The Green Inferno, It Follows, The Neon Demon, Pride and...

They are tough. They are mean. They are the fastest, coolest gunslingers of the 1960s, and they don't talk much. They are the heroes of the Italian Spaghetti West and they changed the Western forever. Clint Eastwood's poncho-clad, cigar smoking Man With No Name is the enduring symbol of the genre...