Synopses & Reviews
In this engaging and provocative book, S. Craig Watkins examines two of the most important developments in the recent history of black cinemaand#8212;the ascendancy of Spike Lee and the proliferation of "ghettocentric films."
Representing explores a distinct contradiction in American society: at the same time that black youth have become the targets of a fierce racial backlash, their popular expressive cultures have become highly visible and commercially viable.
"Watkins is at his most sophisticated and persuasive when he explains the surprising success of hyper-talented, entrepreneurial, and energetic black artists."and#8212;Archon Fung, Boston Book Review
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Black Youth at Century's End
1: Social Conservatism and the Culture Wars
2: Black Youth and the Ironies of Capitalism
3: Black Cinema and the Changing Landscape of Industrial Image Making
4: Producing the Spike Lee Joint
5: Spike's Joint
6: Producing Ghetto Pictures
7: The Ghettocentric Imagination
Epilogue: The Culture Industry and the Hip Hop Generation
Notes
Bibliography
Index