Reviews

The Genius of the System: Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era by Thomas Schatz

trixabelle's review against another edition

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4.0

For educational purposes this was very good. For a 'school book' it was actually very interesting. A great insight into the history of Hollywood and it's studios, directors and movie makers. Would recommend to any film buffs.

lduran39's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a wonderfully written book. I enjoyed how the author traced a narrative thread throughout the entire history of Hollywood. A must read for any film history nerd!

cathy's review against another edition

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3.0

Incredibly thorough, but probably works better as a reference book than one you sit and read.

darana_'s review against another edition

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5.0

Really fascinating deep detailed dive into the history of early Hollywood studio systems. Rated 5 stars though I'd also note it is most definitely not for everyone! If the idea of a detailed exploration of a complex human-economic system and its adaptation through time doesn't pique your interest, this might not be the book for you. :)

elpanek's review against another edition

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3.0

Exhaustive and dry. Its a complete picture of how movies were produced from 1920-1950's, but it just feels like one fact after another. Read this for history, read Peter Biskind's books for entertainment.

readerreaderonthewall's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

kitty_arcade's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced
A must-read for anyone interested in or studying film. While Schatz does throw out a lot of numbers, he has written a great book about an era of filmmaking that still captures the minds and hearts of film lovers every where.

mattycakkes28's review against another edition

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informative slow-paced

4.25

drlove2018's review against another edition

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4.0

Surprisingly engrossing, even though it is mostly business-focused. Schatz writes with a clear, accessible style and gives enough detail to be interesting without going overboard or getting dry. I haven't read the last section dealing with the studios' decline, since it wasn't relevant to the course, but I do hope to find time to finish it this summer. Highly recommended for anyone at all interested in 1930s-40s cinema.