Masters & Masterpieces of Iranian Cinema
"Iran's cinematic evolution, before and after the revolution of 1979, is as rich as any country's; however, despite boasting numerous film awards and international critical acclaim, the country's output remains relatively unknown even to cineastes. "What is Iranian cinema?" is as logical a question as "Why is it underexposed?" This book by Dabashi (Iranian studies & comparative literature, Columbia Univ.) takes the form of a letter to a young filmmaker but eschews the colloquial for a scholarly approach. He chronologically highlights directors, discussing a key work in each person's oeuvre and its place in Iranian and world cinema. Dabashi also explores the development of Iranian cinema objectively and subjectively via the people who created it, without the need for restrictive answers. He considers Iranian cinema representative of a living world cinema and will let "the bored historians of the future worry about its dead certainties." Given its academic approach, Dabashi's book is highly recommended for universities, large public libraries, and those with extensive focuses in film or cultural history." Benjamin D. Malczewski, Ypsilanti Dist. Lib., MI --Library Journal,1 April 2007A highly readable narrative ... Dabashi s analysis...make for a complex and witty account.Masters & Masterpieces; should make us review our assumptions next time we view an Iranian film and whet our curiosity as to how contemporary film-makers might take this visual heritage forward. --Sight & Sound Magazine