Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago

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This video lecture explains what "film theory" is by distinguishing it from "film history" and "film analysis."

The video then explains the difference between "classical film theory" and "contemporary film theory," and then provides a look at how the questions of classical film theory--what is film? how is it distinct from the other arts?--are already explored in the era of early cinema long before the major works of film theory were written.

For the playlist for the entire Film Theory course series of lectures, see: youtube.com/watch?v=DRnw84Lj_w4&list=PLQhSzXVuPKKVhjVGa-IYqNOTpqWpG4NYt