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The recent dedication of the World War II memorial and the sixtieth-anniversary commemoration of D-Day remind us of the hold that World War II still has over America's sense of itself. But the selective process of memory has radically shaped our picture of the conflict. Why else, for instance, was a 1995 Smithsonian exhibition on Hiroshima that was to include photographs of the first atomic bomb victims, along with their testimonials, considered so controversial? And why do we so readily remember the civilian bombings of Britain but not those of Dresden, Hamburg, and Tokyo? Marianna Torgovnick argues that we have lived, since the end of World War II, under the power of a war complex—a set ...
“The definitive history of the studio” created by the larger-than-life team of Spielberg, Geffen, and Katzenberg (Los Angeles Times). For sixty years, since the birth of United Artists, the studio landscape was unchanged. Then came Hollywood’s Circus Maximus—created by director Steven Spielberg, billionaire David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, who gave the world The Lion King—an entertainment empire called DreamWorks. Now Nicole LaPorte, who covered the company for Variety, goes behind the hype to reveal for the first time the delicious truth of what happened. Readers will feel they are part of the creative calamities of moviemaking as LaPorte’s fly-on-the-wall detail shows us H...
Explores how politicians, screenwriters, activists, biographers, jurists, museum professionals, and reenactors portray the American Revolution. The American Revolution is all around us. It is pictured as big as billboards and as small as postage stamps, evoked in political campaigns and car advertising campaigns, relived in museums and revised in computer games. As the nation’s founding moment, the American Revolution serves as a source of powerful founding myths, and remains the most accessible and most contested event in US history: more than any other, it stands as a proxy for how Americans perceive the nation’s aspirations. Americans’ increased fascination with the Revolution over ...
Now in its third edition, Here's Looking at You: Hollywood, Film and Politics examines the tangled relationship between politics and Hollywood, which manifests itself in celebrity involvement in political campaigns and elections, and in the overt and covert political messages conveyed by Hollywood films. The book's findings contradict the film industry's assertion that it is simply in the entertainment business, and examines how, while the majority of Hollywood films are strictly commercial ventures, hundreds of movies - ranging from Birth of a Nation to Capitalism - do indeed contain political messages. This new edition has been updated with new photos and cartoons, and includes two new chapters, one on Afghan-Iraqi war films and the other on the treatment of race and gender in Hollywood films, that are sure to stimulate discussion. Here's Looking at You serves as a basic text for political film courses and as a supplement in American government and film studies courses, and will also appeal to film buffs and people in the film industry.
Moral Injury is now recognized as a growing major problem for military men and women. Operant conditioning can overwhelm moral convictions and yet the question of whether “to shoot or not to shoot” often will never have a settled answer. Certain theories and treatment models about MI have been well developed, but too often overlook root issues of religious faith. The authors propose a new model for understanding moral injury and suggest ways to mitigate its virtually inevitable occurrence in pre-combat training, and ways to resolve MI post-trauma with proven spiritual resources. People outside the military, too, among whom the incidence of MI also is a growing threat, will benefit from this analysis. The stories of the injured—their shaping and their telling—are the key, and there are many illumining stories of moral injury and recovery. Those who suffer MI, their families, and caregivers, including counselors, pastors, and faith communities, will find hope-giving first steps toward the healing of MI in this book.
One of the most moving narratives from the American Revolution is the first presidential administration and the many precedents set by George Washington. While media historians have extensively analyzed screen portrayals of the more sensational events of America in the 1750s to the 1790s, far less attention has been paid to portrayals of the first presidency and the character of George Washington in film, television and other formats. This book addresses that gap by providing the most comprehensive analysis of the character of George Washington on screen. Divided into two parts, the book begins with an analysis of how the Washington character has evolved through time and screen media, from early silent films to modern multimedia products. In Part II, a filmography documents each piece of screen media that features a representation of Washington. It includes silent films, theatrical films, cartoons, television and screen media from the 21st century, such as streaming, video games and multimedia presentations. Arranged alphabetically, each entry includes format type, production details, crew and cast lists and a brief description of Washington's character in relation to the plot.
From generation to generation, three outstanding American Jewish directors—William Wyler, Sidney Lumet, and Steven Spielberg--advance a tradition of Jewish writers, artists, and leaders who propagate the ethical basis of the American Idea and Creed. They strive to renew the American spirit by insisting that America must live up to its values and ideals. These directors accentuate the ethical responsibility for the other as a basis of the American soul and a source for strengthening American liberal democracy. In the manner of the jeremiad, their films challenge America to achieve a liberal democratic culture for all people by becoming more inclusive and by modernizing the American Idea. Fo...
A Companion to Steven Spielberg provides an authoritative collection of essays exploring the achievements and legacy of one of the most influential film directors of the modern era. Offers comprehensive coverage of Spielberg’s directorial output, from early works including Duel, The Sugarland Express, and Jaws, to recent films Explores Spielberg’s contribution to the development of visual effects and computer games, as well as the critical and popular reception of his films Topics include in-depth analyses of Spielberg’s themes, style, and filming techniques; commercial and cultural significance of the Spielberg ‘brand’ and his parallel career as a producer; and collaborative projects with artists and composers Brings together an international team of renowned scholars and emergent voices, balancing multiple perspectives and critical approaches Creates a timely and illuminating resource which acknowledges the ambiguity and complexity of Spielberg’s work, and reflects its increasing importance to film scholarship
Values, attitudes, and beliefs have been depicted in movies since the beginning of the film industry. Educators will find this book to be a valuable resource for helping explore character education with film. This book includes an overview of the history of character education, a discussion of how to effectively teach with film, and a discussion about analyzing film for educational value. This book offers educators an effective and relevant method for exploring character education with today’s digital and media savvy students. This book details how film can be utilized to explore character education and discusses relevant legal issues surrounding the use of film in the classroom. Included ...
American History through Hollywood Film offers a new perspective on major issues in American history from the 1770s to the end of the twentieth century and explores how they have been represented in film. Melvyn Stokes examines how and why representation has changed over time, looking at the origins, underlying assumptions, production, and reception of an important cross-section of historical films. Chapters deal with key events in American history including the American Revolution, the Civil War and its legacy, the Great Depression, and the anti-communism of the Cold War era. Major themes such as ethnicity, slavery, Native Americans and Jewish immigrants are covered and a final chapter looks at the way the 1960s and 70s have been dealt with by Hollywood. This book is essential reading for anyone studying American history and the relationship between history and film.