FilmQuake

Discover films that dared to be different, risked reputations and put careers in jeopardy. This is what happens when filmmakers take tradition and rip it up. In FilmQuake, Ian Haydn Smith selects the 50 movies that shook the cinematic world, telling the fascinating stories behind their creation, reception and legacy. Causing fascination and intrigue in some and rejection and scorn in others—these cutting-edge totems, which celebrate novelty, technology and innovation, help define what cinema means today.

From unbelievable developments in technology (Citizen Kane) to feminist triumphs (Wanda); films that kickstarted New Queer Cinema (Paris is Burning) to others that challenged law-makers (A Short Film About Killing)—FilmQuake presents the fifty most ground-breaking movies ever made. By discussing each film with the context of its production in mind, the book will give readers true insight into why they were so pivotal. FilmQuake is an alternative introduction to cinema, focusing on the stories of 50 key movies that questioned boundaries, challenged the status quo and made shockwaves we are still feeling today.

This is the second book in a new series introducing the most disruptive cultural moments of the past 150 years. See also ArtQuake, MusicQuake and FashionQuake.