British Cinema: Past and Present responds to the commercial and critical success of British film in the 1990s. Providing a historical perspective to the contemporary resurgence of British cinema, this unique anthology brings together leading international scholars to investigate the rich diversity of British film production, from the early sound period of the 1930s to the present day.

The contributors address:

* British Cinema Studies and the concept of national cinema

* the distribution and reception of British films in the US and Europe

* key genres, movements and cycles of British cinema in the 1940s, 50s and 60s

* questions of authorship and agency, with case studies of individual studios, stars, producers and directors

* trends in British cinema, from propaganda films of the Second World War to the New Wave and the 'Swinging London' films of the Sixties

* the representation of marginalised communities in films such as Trainspotting and The Full Monty

* the evolution of social realism from Saturday Night, Sunday Morning to Nil By Mouth

* changing approaches to Northern Ireland and the Troubles in films like The Long Good Friday and Alan Clarke's Elephant

* contemporary 'art' and 'quality' cinema, from heritage drama to the work of Peter Greenaway, Derek Jarman, Terence Davies and Patrick Keiller.