Unraveling French Cinema provides a much-needed introduction to the complexities of French film for students, cineastes, and the movie-loving public. Kline analyzes seven cinematic arenas, each chosen to present the reader with an experience of reading a film for plot and a particular definition of what it means to make a film. Each chapter crafts a particular theory of film – as dream, hypnosis, mapping, poetry, seduction, mourning, and even terrorism – that is central to the French cinematic tradition.

Choosing films that are well known and DVD-accessible, the volume lists series of films that can be profitably viewed through the lens of each chapter. Kline situates François Truffaut’s well-known The Story of Adele H. as a pivotal film throughout the book, and threads it through each chapter, with a view to building on readers' acquisition of critical thinking and viewing skills. Unraveling French Cinema is a must-have guide – whether you're watching Louis Malle and Lumière classics or Cocteau and Haneke's Caché.