The selection of entries is based on the recommendations of the advisory board. It was not thought necessary to propose strict criteria for selection: the book is intended to represent the wide range of interests within North American, British, and West European film scholarship and criticism. The variety in both the entries and the critical stances of the writers emphasizes the diversity within the field of cinematic studies.


This is a revised edition of the 1st volume of the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, which also includes Volume 2,
Directors, Volume 3, Actors and Actresses, and Volume 4, Writers and Production Artists. The book contains 683 entries, including
72 entries new to this edition. Each entry contains production information, lists of crew and cast, a selected bibliography of works
about the film, and a critical essay written by a specialist in the field. Most of the entries from the previous edition have been retained
here, and all have been thoroughly updated. Since film is primarily a visual medium, the majority of entries are illustrated
with a still.