Historical dictionary of South American cinema / Peter H. Rist.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The Historical Dictionary of South American Cinema covers the long history of cinema in Portuguese-speaking Brazil and the nine Spanish-speaking countries. These films include Los tres berretines, Prisioneros de la tierra, La balandra Isabel llegó esta tarde, La hora de los hornos, El chacal de Nahueltoro, La teta asustada, Abrir puertas y ventanas, El secreto de sus ojos, and NO.



This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on directors, producers, performers, films, film studios and genres. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the South American Cinema.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This title fills a gap in the reference literature on South American cinema. Its scope is wider than Timothy Barnard and Peter Rist's edited South American Cinema: A Critical Filmography, 1915-1994 (1996) or Luis Trelles Plazaola's older but unrevised South American Cinema: Dictionary of Film Makers (1989), which focus on films and film directors, respectively. On the other hand, it is more narrowly focused than Scott Baugh's Latino American Cinema: An Encyclopedia of Movies, Stars, Concepts, and Trends (CH, Sep'12, 50-0013), which spans Latino cinema in the US and in South America. Rist (Concordia Univ., Montreal) covers South America only, but comprehensively, with material not only on films and directors, but also on performers, producers, film festivals, genres, and organizations. Included is an impressive chronology, arranged by year and then by country. Also featured is a valuable overview of South American cinema in the introduction and in the literature review preceding the thorough bibliography. The bibliography, geographically arranged after a "General" section, covers books, articles, online articles, and websites, mainly in English, but also in French, Spanish, and Portuguese. A title index facilitates research on individual films. These enhancements, in addition to the wealth of information provided in the dictionary entries, should make this the go-to ready-reference title for its topic. --Carmen Hendershott, The New School