The Cinema of Eric Rohmer: Irony, Imagination, and the Social World [Hardcover]

Since the death of the French film director Eric Rohmer in 2010, interest in his work has reignited. Known as the last of the established directors in the French New Wave, Rohmer took complete control over all his films, acting as his own producer throughout his career, and writing the scripts. He also made his mark by taking the lead in casting and location scouting - as French seaside resorts with beautiful young people are some of the elements present in most of his films.
Combining history and criticism, Jacob Leigh pens the first chronological survey of this understudied filmmaker in order to give readers clear insights into how Rohmer's films came about and what he intended them to be. The book provides in-depth analysis of the themes and ideas of Rohmer's twenty-three feature films, and illustrates the complexity of their cinematic style. Leigh's study is the perfect introduction to the work of this great filmmaker, for both students and the general reader.

Dr. Jacob Leigh is Lecturer in the department of Media Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK.

Leigh (Royal Holloway, Univ. of London, UK) avoids the well-trod paths of Rohmer's Catholicism and the nouvelle vague moment to provide fresh, close, illuminating readings of the master's 23 feature films, all now available on video or DVD&.In providing evidence, Leigh balances telling dialogue with the unique inflection of cinematic devices. And he explores the individual films and their sequence without trimming them to an overarching theory or expectation, other that Rohmer's celebration of life. This would be an excellent companion for those working through the Rohmer DVDs. There are 83 pages of worthy notes and a 28-page bibliography, but only a smattering of small, in-text stills. Summing up:Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates throulCœ