One book that I have found servicable when dealing with film
history--inclusive of national cinemas as well as the US--is Bordwell &
Thompson's _Film History_.  For  a text that explores the Hollywood studio
system, I recommend Thomas Schatz's _Genius of the System_, which I
understand is out-of-print from Pantheon but soon to be issued by a new
publisher.  Also, for another look at the Hollywood studio system, check
out Bordwell, Staiger, & Thompson's _Classical Hollywood Cinema_.  Yet, it
is more complex and specific than would be appropriate for undergraduate
intro courses--more useful for upper-level and graduate courses.
Dennis Bounds
Assistant Prof. of Cinema-Television
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA
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