Hard to Watch - by Matthew Strohl (Paperback)

About the Book

Hard to Watch is a joyous celebration of works that might seem boring, pretentious, or offensive at first glance but that offer their own distinctive pleasures when we give ourselves over to them.

Book Synopsis

Hard to Watch is a joyous celebration of works that might seem boring, pretentious, or offensive at first glance but that offer their own distinctive pleasures when we give ourselves over to them.

Review Quotes

"Hard to Watch is not hard to read. Matthew Strohl offers a passionate, engaging, and utterly convincing case that seemingly difficult films (of all kinds) are worth persevering with and fighting for - for the sake of both the collective, public health and our individual, personal growth. Without snobbery, defensiveness, or fear, Strohl shows the way to love demanding cinema."

As with Strohl's first, excellent work -- Why It's Ok To Love Bad Movies -- there is real ambition driving this book. He sets out to show us why there's no such thing as a balanced aesthetic diet without difficult art. Over the course of the book we come to understand why films that disturb our standard mode of perception are good for us; why films that demand a little more might be the needed antidote for our culture of boredom and quick fixes; and why the all-too common bad faith responses to art that challenges us must be resisted. Strohl takes us through high-level film analysis and also suggests in practical terms how we might embark on the road to true cinephilia -- or go about deepening our already profound love for the form. And perhaps most impressively, Strohl performs that act of humility so rare in the world of criticism: he discusses his initial, lesser assessments of films, and demonstrates how, through serious consideration of alternative approaches, he achieved a deeper appreciation of those works. We should all pay close attention. This not just a book about film. This is also a book about how to live a life of meaning in the midst of our distracted, cracked America. There's no cotton candy here. These pages are straight protein. This book is good thinking from start to finish.

I thought I was already a cinephile, but reading Matt Strohl's lively book taught me how to love the cinema even more.

About the Author

Matthew Strohl is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Montana. He received his doctorate from Princeton University and writes about movies and philosophy of art. He is the author of the book Why It's OK to Love Bad Movies.