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Book Cover
E-book
Author McCrisken, Trevor, 1968-

Title American history and contemporary Hollywood film / Trevor B. McCrisken and Andrew Pepper
Published Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, ©2005

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Description 1 online resource (xii, 227 pages)
Contents Intro -- CONTENTS -- Acknowledgements -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1 Lessons from Hollywood's American Revolution: Revolution -- The Patriot -- 2 Rattlig the chains of history: Steven Spielberg's Amistad and 'telling everyone's story': Roots -- Amistad -- 3 Hollywood's Civil War dilemma: to imagine or unrael the nation?: Gettsburg -- Glory -- Ride with the Devil -- Cold Mountain -- 4 Saving the Good War: Hollywood and World War II in the post-Cold War world: Saving Private Ryan -- The Thin Red Line -- U-571 -- Pearl Harbour -- 5 Oliver Stone and the decade of trauma: Platoon
Born on the Fourth of July -- Heaven and Earth -- JFK -- Nixon -- 6 From Civil Rights to Black Nationalism: Hollywood v. black America?: Panther -- Mississippi Burning -- The Hurricanel Malcom X -- Ali -- Hollywood's post-Cold War history: the 'righteousness' of American interventionism: Three Kings -- Black Hawk Down -- Select Bibliography -- Index
Summary Hollywood has a growing fascination with America's past. This is evidenced in the release of a rash of films of this genre in the past 25 years. This book offers an analysis of how and why contemporary Hollywood films have sought to mediate American history. It is the first book to explore, comprehensively, the post-Cold War period of film-making, and to consider whether or how far contemporary films have begun to unravel the unifying myths of earlier films and periods. It also considers why such films are becoming increasingly integral to the ambitions of a globally-focused American film industry. The relationship between film and history - the way in which film mediates history and vice versa - is a complex one. In this book, the authors work from two main assumptions. First, that films revision events to challenge or, perhaps more typically, to reaffirm traditional historical interpretations. Second, that this process can only be understood in the context of contemporary debates about identity politics, America's role in world affairs, and the globalisation of the American film business. The book is structured by historical periods and includes chapters on: The American Revolution (Revolution, The Patriot) Slavery (Roots, Amistad) The Civil War (Gettysburg,Glory,Ride with the Devil, Cold Mountain) World War II (Saving Private Ryan, Thin Red Line, Pearl Harbor) Oliver Stone and the Decade of Trauma (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Heaven and Earth, Nixon) Civil Rights and Black Nationalism (Panther, Mississippi Burning, The Hurricane, Malcolm X, Ali) American Interventionism (Three Kings, Black Hawk Down) Key Features Unique: the only book to provide comprehensive analysis of the relationship between film and American history in the post-Cold War era Topical: explores the relationship between cinema, representation and national identity Accessible: analyses a broad range of popular, mainstream films which engage with well-known historical events Uses cultural theory to help consider the complex relationship between film and history Engages with the contentious issue of the extent to which film distorts/ revisions historical 'truths'
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Motion pictures -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Historical films -- United States -- History and criticism
PERFORMING ARTS -- Film & Video -- General.
PERFORMING ARTS / Film & Video / General
Historical films
Motion pictures
Historischer Film
USA Motiv
Music, Dance, Drama & Film.
Film.
SUBJECT United States -- In motion pictures. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85141046
Subject United States
Los Angeles- Hollywood
Genre/Form Criticism, interpretation, etc.
History
Form Electronic book
Author Pepper, Andrew, 1969-
LC no. 2008425779
ISBN 9780748680559
0748680551
9780748670666
0748670661
9780748679249
0748679243
9781474470841
147447084X
0748614907
9780748614905
0748614893
9780748614899