David Thomson has been described as the world’s greatest writer on film history, and his Biographical Dictionary of Film has been acclaimed as the greatest film reference book. Whether or not you agree with those opinions (I don’t), Thomson’s reputation means that any new book he writes deserves to be read.
A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of the Movies covers Hollywood, European silent cinema, and various national new wave movements. As anyone familiar with Thomson’s writing will be aware of, the book is both authoritative and idiosyncratic. There are digressions of speculative fiction, asides to the reader, and unexpected references (to Tracey Emin, for example).
Thomson has previously written several similar books on the sweep of film history, most notably The Big Screen, a more conventional and satisfying account of the subject. His other books include Television, Have You Seen...?, Moments That Made the Movies, and The Moment of Psycho.
A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of the Movies covers Hollywood, European silent cinema, and various national new wave movements. As anyone familiar with Thomson’s writing will be aware of, the book is both authoritative and idiosyncratic. There are digressions of speculative fiction, asides to the reader, and unexpected references (to Tracey Emin, for example).
Thomson has previously written several similar books on the sweep of film history, most notably The Big Screen, a more conventional and satisfying account of the subject. His other books include Television, Have You Seen...?, Moments That Made the Movies, and The Moment of Psycho.