Tracking Loach

Reviews / Votes

David Archibald's book, Tracking Loach, is an academic celebration of Ken Loach's 60 year career in socialist filmmaking and political activism. There is so much to discover and learn from its unique, rigorous and genuinely heartfelt exploration of one of the maestros of modern British cinema and modern British politics, Ken Loach. It is highly recommended. -- Brett Gregory * Culture Matters * David Archibald's book, Tracking Loach, is an academic celebration of Ken Loach's 60-year career in socialist filmmaking and political activism. There is so much to discover from its unique, rigorous and heartfelt exploration of one of the maestros of modern British cinema and modern British politics. It is highly recommended. -- Brett Gregory * Morning Star * David Archibald's excellent study ... successfully distinguishes what makes Loach's approach to filmmaking politically distinct and radical in contrast to commercial modes of filmmaking and the larger structures of capitalism. In its focus on Loach's technique, Archibald's analysis offers a path forward for future directorial studies that deemphasize auteurism for a more nuanced focus on the team dynamics that inform the process of filmmaking. -- Daniel Moore * Film Quarterly * Moving far beyond textual analysis, David Archibald takes us on to Loach's set, introduces us to his collaborators, and reveals the collective working methods and practices that shape 'a Ken Loach film'. This remarkably distinctive piece of scholarship offers a much needed challenge to conventional readings of film authorship. -- David Forrest, University of Sheffield [Tracking Loach] successfully adds to existing studies of Loach's work by filling in some of the gaps in our understanding of Loach's working methods and encouraging greater attention to processes of production. -- John Hill * Cineaste * Archibald's study is an extremely valuable contribution to understanding Loach's work, and others who have adopted, often by direct influence, similar working methods. -- Mike Wayne * Journal of Class & Culture * David Archibald provides a thorough analysis of the many facets of Ken Loach's work as one of the most consistent and radical filmmakers in Britain. With a carefully argued methodology and a thorough case study, based on the production process of The Angels' Share, his book offers eloquent insight into this significant director and his work. -- Rod Stoneman, NUI Galway