Professor John Gibbs
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+44 (0) 118 378 4081
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Head of School
- Head of the School of Arts & Communication Design
- Professor of Film
- Chair of Standing Committee for Senate on the Arts
- Co-Investigator on AHRC/FAPESP-funded project IntermIdia: Towards an Intermedial History of Brazilian Cinema.
Areas of interest
My research is concerned with film aesthetics and especially with extending the methods and subjects of style-based criticism. Recent work has included bringing together traditions of close analysis with on-set observation and production history in the exploration of a contemporary feature film, writing a history of mise-en-scène criticism, and exploring the possibilities of audiovisual essays for style-based criticism.
I am one of the Co-Investigators on Intermldia: Towards an Intermedial History of Brazilian Cinema, with a particular role in exploring relationships between Brazilian and Hollywood films.
Postgraduate supervision
I welcome enquiries from prospective postgraduate students interested in working on a wide range of narrative film, on critical historiography, on film aesthetics and on research in film and television by practice as research.
Current and recent projects supervised include studies of performance in the post-studio horror film, the films of Otto Preminger, production design in the new cinema of Pernambuco, and practice as research explorations of the long take, of ethics and rhetoric in docudrama, and of different modes of film production.
The Phantom Carriage: A Revaluation, Part 1 from John Gibbs on Vimeo.
The Phantom Carriage: A Revaluation, Part 2 from John Gibbs on Vimeo.
Teaching
- Introduction to Film and Theatre
- Critical Practice in Film and Theatre
- Practical Option: Film and Television
- Critical Issues in Film Style
- Hollywood and Beyond
- Storytelling in Film
- Dissertation supervisor/Film project supervision (BA and MA)
- Videographic Criticism.
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Series Editor (with Douglas Pye) of Palgrave Close Readings in Film and Television, Palgrave Macmillan
- Member of Editorial Board of Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Centre for Film Aesthetics and Cultures (CFAC).
Publications
- Costa, F. and Gibbs, J. (2020) Chanchadas and intermediality: on musical numbers of Aviso aos Navegantes (Watson Macedo, Brazil, 1950). Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media , 19 pp. 28-30. ISSN: 2009-4078 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.33178/alpha.19.03
- Gibbs, J. (2019) New approaches to film history. University of Reading (Collection)
- Gibbs, J. (2019) ‘Say, have you seen the Carioca?’: an experiment in non-linear, non-hierarchical approaches to film history. Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism , 8 ISSN: 2047-1661
- Gibbs, J. (2019) Interviews: Ian Cameron, V.F. Perkins, Charles Barr, Alan Lovell. Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism (8). pp. 38-71. ISSN: 2047-1661
- Gibbs, J. (2018) Reevaluating The Phantom Carriage. University of Reading (Collection)
- Gibbs, J. and Reck Miranda, S. (2018) Playing at the margins. [in]Transition , 5 (2). ISSN: 2469-4312
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (2018) The Phantom Carriage (1921). Silent Features. Exeter University Press , Exeter.
- Gibbs, J. (2017) Ophuls and film style. University of Reading (Collection)
- Gibbs, J. (2017) Opening movements in Ophuls: long takes, leading characters and luxuries. In: Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (eds.) The long take: critical approaches. Palgrave Close Readings in Film and Television Palgrave Macmillan , London, UK. pp. 89-102. ISBN: 9781137585721
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. , eds. (2017) The long take: critical approaches. Palgrave Close Readings in Film and Television Palgrave Macmillan , London, UK. ISBN: 9781137585721
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (2017) Opening choices: Notorious (audiovisual essay). Movie: a journal of film criticism (7). ISSN: 2047-1661
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (2017) The Phantom Carriage: a revaluation (audiovisual essay). Movie: a journal of film criticism (7). ISSN: 2047-1661
- Gibbs, J. (2016) Opening movements in Ophuls: Caught (and Madame de …)(audiovisual essay). [in]Transition , 3 (2). ISSN: 2469-4312
- Gibbs, J. (2015) Filmmakers' choices. Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism , Warwick, UK. (Republication in e-form)
- Gibbs, J. (2013) The life of mise-en-scène: visual style and British film criticism, 1946–78. Manchester University Press , Manchester. pp 288. ISBN: 9780719088667
- Gibbs, J. (2012) Balancing act: exploring the tone of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. New Review of Film and Television Studies , 10 (1). pp. 132-151. ISSN: 1740-0309 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17400309.2011.635035 (special issue: Wes Anderson and Co.)
- Gibbs, J. (2011) The cry of the owl: investigating decision-making in a contemporary feature film. Movie: a Journal of Film Criticism (3). pp. 80-93. ISSN: 2047-1661
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (2010) Preminger and Peckinpah: seeing and shaping widescreen worlds. In: Belton, J. , Hall, S. , Neale, S. (eds.) Widescreen Worldwide. John Libbey , London. pp. 71-90. ISBN: 9780861966943
- Gibbs, J. (2010) 'Everything is connected, and everything matters': relationships in I ♥ Huckabees. In: Brown, T. and Walters, J. (eds.) Film Moments. BFI / Palgrave Macmillan , London. pp. 57-60. ISBN: 9781844573356
- Gibbs, J. (2010) Sleeping with half open eyes: dreams and realities in The Cry of the Owl. Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism (1). pp. 1-17.
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. , eds. (2009) Close-up 03 : the police series ; Weimar cinema ; Men's cinema. Close-up , 3. Wallflower Press , London. pp 224. ISBN: 9781905674770
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. , eds. (2007) Close-Up 02: movies and tone / reading Rohmer / voices in film. Wallflower Press , London. pp 256. ISBN: 9781905674060
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. , eds. (2006) Close-Up 01: Filmmakers’ choices / The pop song in narrative film / reading Buffy. Wallflower Press , London. pp 256. ISBN: 9781904764571
- Gibbs, J. (2006) Filmmakers' choices. Close-Up 01. Wallflower Press , London. pp. 1-87. ISBN: 1904764665
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. , eds. (2005) Style and meaning: studies in the detailed analysis of film. Manchester University Press , Manchester. ISBN: 9780719065248
- Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (2005) Revisiting Preminger: 'Bonjour Tristesse' (1958) and close reading. In: Gibbs, J. and Pye, D. (eds.) Style and Meaning: Studies in the Detailed Analysis of Film. Manchester University Press , Manchester. pp. 108-126. ISBN: 9780719065248
- Gibbs, J. (2002) Mise-en-scène: film style and interpretation. Short Cuts Wallflower Press , London. pp 128. ISBN: 190336406X
- Gibbs, J. (2001) Sequence and the archaeology of British film criticism. Journal of Popular British Cinema (4). pp. 14-29. ISSN: 1461-104X