Before Liz Smith and Perez Hilton became household names in the world of celebrity gossip, before Rush Limbaugh became the voice of conservatism, there was Hedda Hopper. In 1938, this 52-year-old struggling actress rose to fame and influence writing an incendiary gossip column, "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood," that appeared in the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers throughout Hollywood's golden age. Often eviscerating moviemakers and stars, her column earned her a nasty reputation in the film industry while winning a legion of some 32 million fans, whose avid support established her as the voice of small-town America. Yet Hopper sought not only to build her career as a gossip columnist but also to push her agenda of staunch moral and political conservatism, using her column to argue against U.S. entry into World War II, uphold traditional views of sex and marriage, defend racist roles for African Americans, and enthusiastically support the Hollywood blacklist. While usually dismissed as an eccentric crank, Jennifer Frost argues that Hopper has had a profound and lasting influence on popular and political culture and should be viewed as a pivotal popularizer of conservatism. The first book to explore Hopper's gossip career and the public's response to both her column and her politics, Hedda Hopper's Hollywood illustrates how the conservative gossip maven contributed mightily to the public understanding of film, while providing a platform for women to voice political views within a traditionally masculine public realm. Jennifer Frost builds the case that, as practiced by Hopper and her readers, Hollywood gossip shaped key developments in American movies and movie culture, newspaper journalism and conservative politics, along with the culture of gossip itself, all of which continue to play out today. Read a review of the book from the Chronicle of Higher Education blog, Tenured Radical.

In Indigenous North American film Native Americans tell their own stories and thereby challenge a range of political and historical contradictions, including egregious misrepresentations by Hollywood. Although Indians in film have long been studied, especially as characters in Hollywood westerns, Indian film itself has received relatively little scholarly attention. In Imagic Moments Lee Schweninger offers a much-needed corrective, examining films in which the major inspiration, the source material, and the acting are essentially Native. Schweninger looks at a selection of mostly narrative fiction films from the United States and Canada and places them in historical and generic contexts. Exploring films such as Powwow Highway, Smoke Signals, and Skins, he argues that in and of themselves these films constitute and in fact emphatically demonstrate forms of resistance and stories of survival as they talk back to Hollywood. Self-representation itself can be seen as a valid form of resistance and as an aspect of a cinema of sovereignty in which the Indigenous peoples represented are the same people who engage in the filming and who control the camera. Despite their low budgets and often nonprofessional acting, Indigenous films succeed in being all the more engaging in their own right and are indicative of the complexity, vibrancy, and survival of myriad contemporary Native cultures.

The medieval film genre is not, in general, concerned with constructing a historically accurate past, but much analysis nonetheless centers on highlighting anachronisms. This book aims to help scholars and aficionados of medieval film think about how the re-creation of an often mythical past performs important cultural work for modern directors and viewers. The essays in this collection demonstrate that directors intentionally insert modern preoccupations into a setting that would normally be considered incompatible with these concepts. The Middle Ages provide an imaginary space far enough removed from the present day to explore modern preoccupations with human identity.

This volume of essays by scholars of German film and culture examines the relatively neglected German films of the immediate post-World War II period, the so-called "rubble films." Often seen merely as symptoms of a particular German malady--the supposed inability to confront the sins of its immediate past--these films have rarely been examined for their aesthetic qualities and for what they actually depict about postwar German life, attitudes, and fears. Placed within the context of German film history of the postwar period and Allied censorship, the essays examine both well-known and nearly forgotten films for their narrative structure, aesthetic strategies, political ideologies, psychological portraits of damaged adults and orphaned youth, and the nuances of the history they reveal.

" "

Go behind the scenes with an insightful look at horror filmsand the directors who create them The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films: Dark Parades examines the work of several of the genre's most influential directors and investigates how traditional themes of isolation, alienation, death, and transformation have helped build the foundation of horror cinema. Authors Carl and Diana Royer examine the techniques used by Alfred Hitchcock that place his work squarely in the horror (rather than suspense) genre, discuss avant-garde cinema's contributions to mainstream horror, explore films that use the apartment setting as the cell of horror, and analyze how angels and aliens function as the supernatural Other. A unique resource for film students and film buffs alike, the book also examines Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy and the fusion of science, technology, and quasi-religious themes in David Cronenberg's films. Instead of presenting a general overview of the horror genre or an analysis of a specific sub-genre, actor, or director, The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films offers an imaginative look at classic and contemporary horror cinema. The book examines Surrealist films such as Un Chien Andalou and Freaks, the connections among the concepts of voyeurism, paranoia, and alienation in films like Rear Window, Rosemary's Baby, Blue Velvet, and The Blair Witch Project; the use of otherworldly creatures in films such as The Prophecy, Dogma, and The Day The Earth Stood Still; and the films of directors George Romero, John Waters, and Darren Aronofsky, to name just a few. This unique book also includes an extensive A-to-Z filmography and a bibliography of writings on, and about, horror cinema from filmmakers, film critics, and film historians. The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films examines: Body Doubles and Severed Handsthe common ancestry of avant-garde art films and exploitation horror B-movies And I Brought You Nightmaresrecurring themes of psychological terror in Alfred Hitchcock's films Horror, Humor, PoetrySam Raimi's transformation of drive-in horror cinema Atheism and 'The Death of Affect'David Cronenberg's obsessions, interests, and cautionary messages in films ranging from Videodrome to Dead Ringers to eXistenZ and much more! The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films: Dark Parades is a unique resource of critical analysis for academics working in film and popular culture, film historians, and anyone interested in horror cinema.

This lively and accessible collection explores film culture's obsession with the past, offering searching and provocative analyses of a wide range of titles from" Mildred Pierce" and "Brief Encounter "to "Raging Bull "and "In the Mood for Love," It engages with current debates about the role of cinema in mediating history through memory and nostalgia, suggesting that many films use strategies of memory to produce diverse forms of knowledge which challenge established ideas of history, and the traditional role of historians. The work of contemporary directors such as Martin Scorsese, Kathryn Bigelow, Todd Haynes and Wong Kar-wai is used to examine the different ways they deploy creative processes of memory, arguing that these movies can tell us much about our complex relationship to the past, and about history and identity. Pam Cook also investigates the recent history of film studies, re-viewing the developments that have culminated in the exciting, if daunting, present moment. Classic essays sit side by side with new research, contextualized by introductions which bring them up-to-date, and provide suggestions for further reading. The result is a rich and stimulating volume that will appeal to anyone with an interest in cinema, memory and identity.

Go behind the scenes with an insightful look at horror filmsand the directors who create them The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films: Dark Parades examines the work of several of the genre's most influential directors and investigates how traditional themes of isolation, alienation, death, and transformation have helped build the foundation of horror cinema. Authors Carl and Diana Royer examine the techniques used by Alfred Hitchcock that place his work squarely in the horror (rather than suspense) genre, discuss avant-garde cinema's contributions to mainstream horror, explore films that use the apartment setting as the cell of horror, and analyze how angels and aliens function as the supernatural Other. A unique resource for film students and film buffs alike, the book also examines Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy and the fusion of science, technology, and quasi-religious themes in David Cronenberg's films. Instead of presenting a general overview of the horror genre or an analysis of a specific sub-genre, actor, or director, The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films offers an imaginative look at classic and contemporary horror cinema. The book examines Surrealist films such as Un Chien Andalou and Freaks, the connections among the concepts of voyeurism, paranoia, and alienation in films like Rear Window, Rosemary's Baby, Blue Velvet, and The Blair Witch Project; the use of otherworldly creatures in films such as The Prophecy, Dogma, and The Day The Earth Stood Still; and the films of directors George Romero, John Waters, and Darren Aronofsky, to name just a few. This unique book also includes an extensive A-to-Z filmography and a bibliography of writings on, and about, horror cinema from filmmakers, film critics, and film historians. The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films examines: Body Doubles and Severed Handsthe common ancestry of avant-garde art films and exploitation horror B-movies And I Brought You Nightmaresrecurring themes of psychological terror in Alfred Hitchcock's films Horror, Humor, PoetrySam Raimi's transformation of drive-in horror cinema Atheism and 'The Death of Affect'David Cronenberg's obsessions, interests, and cautionary messages in films ranging from Videodrome to Dead Ringers to eXistenZ and much more! The Spectacle of Isolation in Horror Films: Dark Parades is a unique resource of critical analysis for academics working in film and popular culture, film historians, and anyone interested in horror cinema.

The history of Spanish cinema. This is the first detailed history of Spanish cinema written in English for English readers. It presents a balanced exploration of trends and genres from the popular to art-house cinema, including landmark documentaries and children's films. There are sections in each chapter where popular, oppositional, and experimental directors are introduced as auteurs. The eleven chapters are arranged chronologically from the silent reels of the photographers to the twenty-first century, taking into account technological advances, as well as production, distribution and socio-political constraints and developments. Each chapter ends with suggestions for additional reading and possible areas offuture research. The bibliography concentrates on assessments and criticism published in English, and there is a filmography of all directors and titles mentioned, a comprehensive index not restricted to cinema, and a supportingselection of stills. BERNARD BENTLEY is Senior Lecturer in Spanish at the University of St Andrews.

The ground has shifted from the days in which "serious history" and "boring" went hand in glove. Textbooks and lectures have their place, but less traditional classrooms can be powerfully immersive and insightful. Take the 1929 Marx Brothers film The Cocoanuts and what it teaches about both the Great Depression and early sound films. The Marx Brothers are among the funniest comedy teams of all time. Four of their 13 films are on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American comedies ever made. For many contemporary viewers, though, "getting" the jokes is not always easy because the humor can be subjective and timebound. This work looks at the American past through the lens of the Marx Brothers' films and other projects. Each of the chapters focuses on a specific film, contextualizing the world at the time and how the Marx Brothers lampooned those subjects. Along the way, the book demonstrates what the Marx Brothers revealed about weighty topics like gambling, gender relations, immigration, medical care, Prohibition, race and war, all leavened with offbeat humor.

This lively and accessible collection explores film culture's obsession with the past, offering searching and provocative analyses of a wide range of titles from" Mildred Pierce" and "Brief Encounter "to "Raging Bull "and "In the Mood for Love," It engages with current debates about the role of cinema in mediating history through memory and nostalgia, suggesting that many films use strategies of memory to produce diverse forms of knowledge which challenge established ideas of history, and the traditional role of historians. The work of contemporary directors such as Martin Scorsese, Kathryn Bigelow, Todd Haynes and Wong Kar-wai is used to examine the different ways they deploy creative processes of memory, arguing that these movies can tell us much about our complex relationship to the past, and about history and identity. Pam Cook also investigates the recent history of film studies, re-viewing the developments that have culminated in the exciting, if daunting, present moment. Classic essays sit side by side with new research, contextualized by introductions which bring them up-to-date, and provide suggestions for further reading. The result is a rich and stimulating volume that will appeal to anyone with an interest in cinema, memory and identity.

Sue Short examines how fairy tale tropes have been reworked in contemporary film, identifying familiar themes in a range of genres - including rom coms, crime films and horror - and noting key similarities and differences between the source narratives and their offspring.

Get the full Solo: A Star Wars Story experience as The Ultimate Souvenir Guide reveals all the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Star Wars' universe's favourite scoundrel! Presenting in-depth interviews with the all-star cast, exclusive revelations from the crew on the making of the movie, concept art, behind-the-scenes photography and more, Solo: A Star Wars Story: The Ultimate Souvenir Guide is the complete, official, authoritative guide to the film.

'Hollywood' as a concept applies variously to a particular film style, a factory-based mode of film production, a cartel of powerful media institutions and a national (and increasingly global) 'way of seeing'. It is a complex social, cultural and industrial phenomenon and is arguably the single most important site of cultural production over the past century.
This collection brings together journal articles, published essays, book chapters and excerpts which explore Hollywood as a social, economic, industrial, aesthetic and political force, and as a complex historical entity.

A Critique of Judgment in Film and Television is a response to a significant increase of judgment and judgmentalism in contemporary television, film, and social media by investigating the changing relations between the aesthetics and ethics of judgment.

Join Ashley Eckstein and live your best Star Wars life, with this 12-month guide to party planning, crafting, and cooking inspired by a galaxy from far, far away! Join Ashley Eckstein and live your best Star Wars life, with this 12-month guide to party planning, crafting, and cooking inspired by a galaxy from far, far away!/p>She may be the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but first and foremost, Ashley Eckstein is a lifelong fan of the Star Wars galaxy-a passion that led her to start the fangirl fashion brand Her Universe, and become a pillar of the Star Wars fan community. Now, you can celebrate your fandom with Ashley, as she shows you how to bring Star Wars into your everyday life, with this unique lifestyle book!

Undertaking a thorough and timely investigation of the relationship between television and cinema in Britain since 1990, Hannah Andrews explores the convergence between the two forms, at industrial, cultural and intermedial levels, and the ways in which the media have also been distinguished from one another through discourse and presentation.

Aimed at an international readership, this book offers a representative collection of essays by the German philosopher, Georg Picht (1913-1982), who was a specialist in Greek philosophy, practical philosophy and philosophy of religion. Picht's themes address different disciplines, such as ancient philosophy, systematic philosophy and political analysis, and often contain critical statements on significant developments from the European Enlightenment to the Cold War era. Other essays offer a distinctive interdisciplinary approach characteristic of the author. These contributions are relevant to both philosophy and science as they discuss, for instance, philosophical definitions of space and time or the relationship between history and evolution. Another part of the book includes texts on art that present Picht's authentic definition of art and his theory of the interdependence of art and politics. * For the first time, key texts of the German philosopher and political thinker Georg Picht are presented to a global readership in English. * Like Nietzsche's philosophy, Picht's work is grounded in his outstanding professionalism in the different fields of classics, embracing not only textsand theories of the great thinkers from the pre-Socratic to the post-Aristotelian and Stoic philosophies but also the main currents of ancient literature. * Picht's importance as a political author and public adviser is exceptional, and may explain why his lifelong friend Carl Friedrich von Weizsa cker - another pioneer presented in this series - called him his "teacher".

How do we picture ourselves dying? A 'death with dignity', the darkened room, and a few murmured farewells? Or in the lights' flashing, siren wailing, chest-pumping maelstrom of the back of an ambulance hurtling towards an ER? Over the last decade, the two most robust vehicles of popular culture: film and television, have opted for the latter scenario. This book examines the hi-tech death of the twenty-first century as enacted in our hospitals and as portrayed on our TV screens.