Avatar. Inception. Jurassic Park. Lord of the Rings. Ratatouille. Not only are these some of the highest-grossing films of all time, they are also prime examples of how digital visual effects have transformed Hollywood filmmaking. Some critics, however, fear that this digital revolution marks a radical break with cinematic tradition, heralding the death of serious realistic movies in favor of computer-generated pure spectacle.

Digital Visual Effects in Cinema counters this alarmist reading, by showing how digital effects–driven films should be understood as a continuation of the narrative and stylistic traditions that have defined American cinema for decades. Stephen Prince argues for an understanding of digital technologies as an expanded toolbox, available to enhance both realist films and cinematic fantasies. He offers a detailed exploration of each of these tools, from lighting technologies to image capture to stereoscopic 3D. Integrating aesthetic, historical, and theoretical analyses of digital visual effects, Digital Visual Effects in Cinema is an essential guide for understanding movie-making today.

STEPHEN PRINCE is a professor at Virginia Tech. He has written or edited numerous books, including Classical Film Violence: Designing and Regulating Brutality in Hollywood Cinema, 1930–1968; The Horror Film; and American Cinema of the 1980s: Themes and Variations, all published by Rutgers University Press.

"For an understanding of the impact and consequences of digital visual effects in the movies, this book is essential. Prince knows his stuff, and his perspective is wise and compelling."

"Whereas many books have debated the merits of digital effects in cinema, few of them truly explore the many layers of cinematic experience that are made possible by all kinds of technology. Digital Visual Effects in Cinema is one of the exceptions to this trend in that Prince examines the various levels at which digital effects can be integrated into a film, giving a rich understanding of the range of possibilities and their implications for the production and consumption of a film. An eyjoyable, informative read. Highly recommended."

"For an understanding of the impact and consequences of digital visual effects in the movies, this book is essential. Prince knows his stuff, and his perspective is wise and compelling."

"Whereas many books have debated the merits of digital effects in cinema, few of them truly explore the many layers of cinematic experience that are made possible by all kinds of technology. Digital Visual Effects in Cinema is one of the exceptions to this trend in that Prince examines the various levels at which digital effects can be integrated into a film, giving a rich understanding of the range of possibilities and their implications for the production and consumption of a film. An eyjoyable, informative read. Highly recommended."