One sign of a successful work of scholarship is, oddly enough, that it inspires readers to think about other things, drawing connections from the book’s topics to issues that might be more within the reader’s own frame of reference and research interests. Thus American Film Cycles is a great book to think with, making a convincing case for the importance of cycles in film history beyond just her particular case studies, and highlighting how the study of cycles can strengthen our understanding of a range of issues, including cultural representations, taboo topics, censorship, production strategies, and fan subcultures. In short, Klein’s engagingly-written book should become a must-read for scholars and students interested in film history and the role of genre, and will hopefully inspire further explorations of cycles as a vital aspect of understanding film and media.- Jason Mittell (Cinema Journal) But as a work in its own right, American Film Cycles is plenty compelling….It is Klein’s achievement to not only suggest a new evolutionary model for the way topical movies operate, but also to sketch a plausible symbiosis between movies, studios, and audiences that offers fresh insights into both the film industry and the larger society. It remains for other writers to pick up her example, and apply to it additional film cycles, moving beyond the current author’s necessary limited focus on films dealing with the fears and fascinations of American urban life.- Andrew Schenker (Cineaste)
