Negative Space: Manny Farber on Movies

Negative Space collects film criticism written by Manny Farber between 1942 and 1977. The book spans Farber's career writing for The New Republic, The Nation, Artforum, and other publications. Farber analyzes directors including Howard Hawks, Samuel Fuller, and Jean-Luc Godard through his distinctive critical lens. His reviews examine both mainstream Hollywood productions and experimental films, tracking the evolution of cinema through multiple decades and movements. The essays showcase Farber's concept of "termite art" versus "white elephant art" - his framework for evaluating films based on their artistic approach rather than surface prestige. His writing style breaks from traditional criticism, employing unexpected metaphors and focusing on granular details over plot summary. The collection reveals how film criticism can function as its own art form, pushing beyond simple evaluation into cultural commentary and formal innovation. Farber's work influenced generations of critics and established new ways of seeing and writing about cinema.

Readers value Farber's unique analytical perspective and his ability to identify overlooked details in films. The prose style receives frequent mentions - some readers appreciate the dense, unconventional writing while others find it challenging to follow. Multiple reviewers note his championing of B-movies and action films when other critics dismissed them. Likes: - Original insights into film technique and composition - Focus on underappreciated directors and genres - Raw, uncompromising critical voice Dislikes: - Complex, sometimes opaque writing style - Dated references that require extensive film knowledge - Limited accessibility for casual readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.16/5 (175 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 reviews) Notable reader comment: "Farber writes like a painter seeing movies - he notices textures, spaces, and visual patterns that other critics miss entirely." - Goodreads review Another reader notes: "Brilliant but exhausting. His sentences demand multiple readings to unpack." - Amazon review

The Film Criticism of Otis Ferguson by Otis Ferguson Ferguson's caustic, deeply observed writings about Hollywood's Golden Age films share Farber's commitment to examining the granular details and visual textures of cinema.

I Lost it at the Movies by Pauline Kael Kael's first collection presents film criticism as an art form unto itself, merging cultural commentary with frame-by-frame analysis in the tradition of Farber's work.

What is Cinema? by André Bazin Bazin's foundational text examines film's relationship to reality and visual art through close readings that mirror Farber's attention to cinematic space and composition.

Film as Film by V.F. Perkins Perkins dissects the formal elements of cinema with Farber-like precision while exploring how meaning emerges from directorial choices and visual patterns.

The Immediate Experience by Robert Warshow Warshow's essays on movies and popular culture demonstrate the same commitment to examining how films work on both visceral and intellectual levels that characterizes Farber's criticism.

🎬 Manny Farber coined the influential terms "termite art" and "elephant art," using termite art to describe modest, exploratory works that burrow into their subjects, and elephant art for pretentious, self-important productions 📝 Before becoming one of America's most respected film critics, Farber was an accomplished abstract painter whose work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York 🎯 The essays in "Negative Space" span from 1942 to 1977, chronicling the evolution of cinema during Hollywood's golden age through the rise of European art films and American underground movies 🌟 Farber's unique writing style influenced generations of critics, including Pauline Kael and J. Hoberman, with its emphasis on visual details and rejection of conventional plot-based analysis 🎨 The term "negative space" in the book's title reflects Farber's background as a painter and his ability to analyze films by focusing on what's happening in the margins rather than the obvious center of attention