Further Research Film Theory: An Introduction Robert Lapsley, Michael Westlake

Film theory in relation to Politics: Westlake/ Lapsley write Contemporary film theory has been indelibly marked by the political upheaval in France during 1968 which suggests that due to substantial political and social changes at the time film theory became relevant in understanding the language of films being created. Film was no longer aesthetic and had the power to further or obstruct social/ political change. As a result many film theories (Marxist theory being one of them) emerged to criticize a film in relation to a particular view. In 1973 two books were published denouncing the sexist representation of women in films. Haskell From reverence to rape Rosen Popcorn views This sparked a new approach to film theory feminist film theory. Many feminist film journals appeared and became very influential. Particularly Camera Obscura which Andrew mentions. (Link to part in Andrew article relating to feminist theory) Not only did America pick up on cinema studies in 1968, the Cahiers de Cinma announced a change in direction. New scientific criticism in order to break The tradition of frivolous and evanescent writing in the cinema. Other journals made similar announcements, marking change to cinema studies in Europe. Andrew focuses primarily on the American side of cinema studies so this may fit in as comparison. Westlake and Lapsley state that the difference between 20 years ago and now is that cinema studies is no longer seeking to identify and understand the language of films (as the original scholars intended to do) but to experiment and adapt already conceived ways of creating films through the study of its history and context (today).