Using the media's coverage of the death of Princess Diana as a
departing point, Wheeler Dixon presents a sharply critical
assessment of the current state of movies--from the cult of
celebrity, to the nature of public surveillance, to the role of
print and television media in shaping our shared
consciousness--unveiling our fascination with disaster. Dixon
argues that movies such as James Cameron's "Titanic" replay the
same Hollywood disaster plotlines with greater wizardry and less
humanity than the films of fifty years ago. Contemporary cinema has
become simply a memory of itself. Dixon draws on the effects of new
technologies, the role of the "star" system, and the development of
media conglomerates to explain why Hollywood has become so
repetitive. Looking at a wide range of film genres, from obscure
horror to blockbuster disaster movies, Dixon weaves together the
elements that entice and manipulate audience expectations and
emotions. Throughout the book, he examines the role of televisual
media (cable, video, instant print magazines, digitally stored
photos) in capturing the public's attention, and how these media
could instead be used to open movie audiences to new stories and
experiences.With its broad scope and frank tone, "Disaster and
Memory" offers a refreshing and controversial perspective on the
past, present, and future of Hollywood.
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