The art and politics of Bolivian cinema /

This poorly written and poorly edited book--the first in English on Bolivian cinema--presents a historical overview and includes interviews with important filmmakers (and composers); a chronology of significant events in national politics and film culture; a list of addresses for producers, distributors, and film organizations; and year-by-year lists of Bolivian features and awards won by Bolivian films. Though Sanchez-H (California State Univ., Long Beach) includes much accurate and relevant information, the volume fails as an academic work: the level of analysis tends to be superficial; the exact source of many direct quotations remains unspecified; and some ideas and observations are not sufficiently developed or are, in this reviewer's opinion, wrongheaded. The select bibliography lacks balance and contains too many serious omissions. The author includes photos of five directors and several halftones that appear to be production stills. Useful to specialists, but not recommended for undergraduate collections. D. West; University of Idaho