Film is an art form with a language and an aesthetic all its own. Since 1979, David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson's Film Art has been the best-selling and widely respected introduction to the analysis of cinema. Taking a skills-centered approach supported by a wide range of examples from various periods and countries, the authors strive to help students develop a core set of analytical skills that will deepen their understanding of any film, in any genre. Frame enlargements throughout the text enable students to view images taken directly from completed films, while an optional, text-specific tutorial CD-ROM helps clarify and reinforce specific concepts addressed in the text with the use of film clips. Building on these strengths, the ninth edition adds coverage of new technologies, updated examples, and references to the authors' acclaimed weblog to provide unparalleled currency and connect students with the world of cinema today.

大卫·波德维尔（David Bordwell,1947～）及其夫人克里斯汀·汤普森（Kristin Thompson,1950～）,是当代美国重要的电影理论家,美国威斯康辛—麦迪逊大学传播艺术系荣誉教授,法国电影资料馆（Cinemathèque Française）顾问,国际电影学界最多产、最伟大的教科书编纂者之一。波德维尔是“认知电影理论”的创始人,并以其对小津安二郎、爱森斯坦等人的“作者”研究、电影叙事学、香港电影研究、电影风格史的研究而广受尊敬；克里斯汀则是新形式主义电影分析理论的领军人物,她的Breaking the Glass Armor（1988）是公认的新形式主义经典著作。

波德维尔夫妇著有多部享誉世界的电影学理专著,如《电影风格的历史》,《世界电影史》,《娱乐王国：香港电影的秘密》。其中,《电影艺术：形式与风格》在世界范围内最为畅销,是一部最深入人心的作品。

2007年3月,大卫·波德维尔以其对亚洲电影尤其是香港电影的持续关注而荣膺“亚州电影学术研究大奖”。