Synopses & Reviews
Focusing on the two decades leading to the beginning of the 21st century, this collection examines central issues in American politics and society through the films of the period. Using everything from Oliver Stone to Disney, Clint Eastwood to John Sayles,
Jurassic Park to
Dumb and Dumber, the international array of authors explore a number of themes. These include: the cinematic views of political institutions; of politically significant places; of the projection of major issues such as gender, family, and race; and the cultural politics of the film makers themselves in America at the start of a new century.
Synopsis
Filmography: p. [220]-226.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [202]-219) and index.
Synopsis
This study covers a crucial two decades in American history, when the links between Hollywood and Washington DC were at their strongest, a period book-ended by the political and cinematic figures of Reagan and Clinton. During this period movies became targets of political rhetoric of family values. The essays examine cinematic views of key American political institutions - the presidency and electoral process, politically significant places such as New York City and the American South, the promotion of major issues like gender, family and race. This is a subject which has gained new significance in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC, which have changed both the political climate, and the priorities of the movie industry.
About the Author
Philip John Davies is Professor of American Studies at De Montfort University, and Chair of the British Association for American Studies.
Paul Wells is Professor and Head of Media Studies at the University of Teeside.
Table of Contents
Introduction--Philip John Davies & Paul Wells * American Cinema, Political Criticism and Pragmatism: A Therapeutic Reading of "Fight Club" and "Magnolia"--Paul Watson * 'Ask Not What America Can Do For You...': Views from the White House: Hollywood in Elections and Elections in Hollywood--Philip John Davies * Oliver Stone's Presidential Films--Albert Auster * '...In Order To Form A More Perfect Union': Some Manifest Destinies: Gender and Family Values in the Clinton Presidency and 1990s Hollywood Film--Carol R. Smith * '...And Crown Thy Good With Brotherhood From Sea To Shining Sea': Crossing Boundaries: New York City in American Film--Leonard Quart * Dixie's Land: Cinema of the American South--Ralph Willett * '...Into the Crucible with You All, God is Making the American...': Melting Pots and Pans: Independent Cinema and Modern Hollywood: Pluralism in American Cultural Politics--Brian Neve * 'I Wanna Be Like You-Oo-Oo': Disnified Politics and Identity from "The Little Mermaid" to'"Mulan"--Paul Wells * 'Oh! Say, Does The Star-Spangled Banner Yet Wave, O'er The Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave?' : Contemporary Conflict and Contradiction: Ambiguity and Anger : Representations of African Americans in Contemporary Hollywood Film--Mary Ellison * The Adversarial Imagination--Phil Melling