Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to make the complex history and diverse implications of film theory accessible to students, as well as general readers. It presents a predominantly chronological account of film theory and, true to the academic nature of the topic, highlights the key terms, debates, and figures that have shaped the field. In addition to the shared attitudes and priorities that are evident across the work of individual theorists, each stage bears traces of its surrounding social-historical circumstances. Film theory offers great insight into the social, cultural, and intellectual history of the twentieth century, but fully grasping these complexities demands much more than can be provided here. Film theory has since become an important sub-field in film and media studies, but it also remains a contentious subject with many detractors questioning its intellectual worth.