San Antonio College Library

A representative selection of John Simon's film criticism.

"Before collaborating on the writing and directing of over 13 films, Joel Coen studied film at New York University, while Ethan Coen studied philosophy at Princeton University. In this text, 14 scholars in both philosophy and film and media studies investigate the philosophical themes and underpinnings of their films. They explore such topics as the competing theories of justice that exist in Intolerable Cruelty , laziness as a virtue in The Big Lebowski...

For antisemitism see especially the sections: "Pogrom Films" (57-63); "Hitler's Rise and Hollywood's Response" (148-157); "Anti-Semitism and the War's Aftermath" (173-181); "The HUAC Investigations" (192-196).

A collection of essays on the film industry including its moguls, fads, flops and successes.

"On October 30, 1947, the House Committee on Un-American Activities concluded the first round of hearings on the alleged Communist infiltration of the motion picture industry. Hollywood was ordered to "clean its own house," and ten witnesses who had refused to answer questions about their membership in the Screen Writers Guild and the Communist party eventually received contempt citations. By 1950 the Hollywood Ten, as they quickly became known, were...