DK Publishing has apparently revised and updated their 1995 edition without calling it a second edition. This is a splendid reference, with plenty of visuals accompanied by substantive text, covering film history from 1894 through 1997. Descriptive text for each film is presented with a dateline and written as if it were a lively contemporary newspaper account of the movie's release, with discussion of context, significance, and anecdotes, as well as plot and cast. An extended essay introduces each decade, and there are also essays on the development of sound, the studio system, color and widescreen, the Oscar, cameras, box-office hits, music, and special effects. Although the major focus is on U.S. film, international cinema is well- represented. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. Read Less