"The World Screened" is a collection of previously uncollected film criticisms by the late Stanley Kauffmann. Starting in 1958 and continuing until the end of his life, Kauffmann was the film critic for "The New Republic." Along with Andrew Sarris, Pauline Kael, and John Simon, he was one of the most potent, influential critics of the New York School of twentieth-century American criticism.
With style and erudition Kauffmann discusses films here by such noted directors as Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean Renoir, Carlos Saura, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Zhang Yimou, Wim Wenders, Ousmane Sembene, Alexander Sokurov, and Martin Scorsese. Among the motion pictures reviewed are "Variety Lights, The World of Apu, North by Northwest, The Battle of Algiers, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Hannah and Her Sisters, Full Metal Jacket," and "Hiroshima, Mon Amour." These movie reviews were selected from the period 1958-2007 of Kauffmann's career on the basis of international representativeness, and with the idea in mind of creating a balance between prominent film directors and those less prominent or relatively early in their careers.
Aimed at moviegoers and students with an interest in film criticism, "The World Screened" is an ideal read for the educated reader with a general interest in the arts. The precision, wit, and wisdom of Stanley Kauffmann's writing will chime once again for all readers of "The World Screened," as he reveals his sense of cultural mission by applying to film the same high standards he applied during his long career to fiction, poetry, music, and drama-standards that are fast disappearing in the age of the Internet."