In this lively and up-to-date analysis, David Parkinson traces the evolution of the moving image from the earliest shadow shows to the digital filmmaking of the twenty-first century. Covering the key elements and players that have contributed to its artistic and technical development, the book offers a concise overview of film throughout the world. Beginning with the origins of the movies, it assesses the achievements of an international body of filmmakers. A new chapter maps the developments in form and technology across the world from the mid-1990s to today, examining among other things experiments in three-dimensionality, the revival of animation, the democratization of filmmaking following the digital revolution, and the impact of DVDs and the download market in exponentially widening access and audiences. 176 illustrations, 15 in color