In this lively and up-to-date analysis, David Parkinson traces theevolution of the moving image from the earliest shadow shows tothe digital filmmaking of the twenty-first century. Covering the keyelements and players that have contributed to its artistic and technicaldevelopment, the book offers a concise overview of film throughoutthe world.Beginning with the origins of the movies, it assesses the achievementsof an international body of filmmakers. A new chapter mapsthe developments in form and technology across the world fromthe mid-1990s to today, examining among other things experimentsin three-dimensionality, the revival of animation, the democratizationof filmmaking following the digital revolution, and the impact ofDVDs and the download market in exponentially widening accessand audiences.