This collection investigates how cinema functions as a site of political struggle, specifically examining the intersection of socialist and feminist ideologies with film production and reception. Editor Peter Steven compiles seminal articles from the first decade of Jump Cut magazine to establish a framework for counter-cinema. The text argues that film analysis must move beyond aesthetic appreciation to address the power dynamics inherent in Hollywood structures and global documentary practices.

Scholars and film educators frequently identify this volume as a foundational text for understanding the development of radical film criticism in North America. Readers often note that while the prose reflects the specific political climate of its original publication era, the analytical tools provided remain relevant for contemporary media studies.