Siegfried Kracauer's classic study, originally published in 1960,
explores the distinctive qualities of the cinematic medium. The book
takes its place alongside works in classical film theory by such figures
as Béla Balázs, Rudolf Arnheim, and André Bazin, among others, and has
met with much critical dispute. In this new edition, Miriam Bratu
Hansen, examining the book in the context of Kracauer's extensive film
criticism from the 1920s, provides a framework for appreciating the
significance of Theory of Film for contemporary film theory.