The Art of David Lean: A Textual Analysis of Audio-Visual Structure

The book is a breakthrough study of eight David Lean films including the less-known ones. Historically, books on Lean have concentrated almost exclusively on elements of pre-production, recurrent themes and biographical information. The current study attempts a textual analysis that concentrates on formal/structural aspects of Lean's work that include sound, music, black and white lighting and colour. Yet, the study does not limit itself to a formalist approach but attempts to discern the socio-cultural background against which the films were produced. The detailed scrutiny aims at giving a clear and precise view on how these structural elements function as catalysts in the intellectual understanding of the films in question, while it also attempts to examine the multiplicity of ways in which they intermingle with the other formal/structural film elements that determine the style and aesthetic qualities of the final product.