Spanish cinema is emerging as one of the most exciting, fascinating, and special cinemas in the world. Not only are others viewing Spanish films, but they are adopting Spanish producers and Spanish actors as their own. While Spanish cinema has been maturing for a long time and has been producing excellent directors, actors, and films for decades-including during the dark times of the Franco regime-only now is it winning numerous fans not only at home but also abroad. And with directors like Pedro Almodovar, actors and actresses like Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, and films such as Abre los ojos and Alatriste to build upon, the outlook for Spanish Cinema appears brighter than ever. The Historical Dictionary of Spanish Cinema provides a better understanding of the role Spanish cinema has played in film history through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on producers, directors, film companies, actors, and films.

After Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley's iron grip on the movie musical began to slip in the face of pop's cultural dominance, many believed that the musical genre entered a terminal decline and finally wore itself out by the 1980s. Though the industrial model of the musical was disrupted by the emergence of pop, the Hollywood musical has not gone extinct. Many Hollywood productions from the 1960s to the present have revisited the forms and conventions of the classic musical-except instead of drawing from showtunes and jazz standards, they employ the styles and iconography of pop. Alberto Mira offers a new account of how pop music revolutionized the Hollywood musical. He shows that while the Hollywood system ceased producing large-scale traditional musicals, different pop strains-disco, rock 'n' roll, doo-wop, glam, and hip-hop-renewed the genre, giving it a new life. While the classical musical presented a world light on conflict, defined by theatricality and where effortless talent can shine through, the introduction of pop spurred musicals to address contemporary social and political conditions. Mira traces the emergence of a new set of themes-such as the painful hard work depicted in Dirty Dancing (1987); the double-edged fandom of Velvet Goldmine (1998); and the racial politics of Dreamgirls (2006)-to explore why the Hollywood musical has found renewed relevance.

An overview of Spanish and Portuguese cinema, this volume contains 24 essays, each on a separate seminal film from the region. Films from the early era of cinema up to the present day are featured, from directors such as Flori?n Rey, Juan Antonio Bardem, Luis Bunuel, V?ctor Erice, Manuel Guti?rrez Arag?n, Pedro Almod?var and Joao Cesar Monteiro. As well as discussions of genre and influences, "The Cinema of Spain & Portugal" includes in depth studies of films such as "La Aldita Maldita" (1930, 1947), "Death of a Cyclist" (1955), "Viridiana" (1961), "Spirit of the Beehive" (1973), "Abraham's Valley" (1993), "Tierra" (1995), "All About My Mother" (1999), and "Torrente" (1998).

Historical Dictionary of Spanish Cinema covers Spanish cinema, its treasures its constant attempts to break through internationally, reaching out towards universal themes and conventions, and the specific obstacles and opportunities that have shaped the careers of filmmakers and stars. This book contains a chronology, an introduction, an appendix and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 200 cross-referenced entries on titles, movements, filmmakers and performers, and genres (such as homosexuality, nuevo cine español or horror). This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Spanish cinema.

An overview of Spanish and Portuguese cinema, this volume contains 24 essays, each on a separate seminal film from the region. Films from the early era of cinema up to the present day are featured, from directors such as Flori?n Rey, Juan Antonio Bardem, Luis Bunuel, V?ctor Erice, Manuel Guti?rrez Arag?n, Pedro Almod?var and Joao Cesar Monteiro. As well as discussions of genre and influences, "The Cinema of Spain & Portugal" includes in depth studies of films such as "La Aldita Maldita" (1930, 1947), "Death of a Cyclist" (1955), "Viridiana" (1961), "Spirit of the Beehive" (1973), "Abraham's Valley" (1993), "Tierra" (1995), "All About My Mother" (1999), and "Torrente" (1998).

Toward a Cultural Archive of la Movida revisits the cultural and social milieu in which la Movida, an explosion of artistic production in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was articulated discursively, aesthetically, socially, and politically. We connect this experience with a broader national and international context that takes it beyond the city of Madrid and outside the borders of Spain. This collection of essays links the political and social undertakings of this cultural period with youth movements in Spain and other international counter-cultural or underground movements. Moving away from biographical experiences or the identification of further participants and works that belong to la Movida, the articles collected in this volume situate this movement within the political and social development of post-Franco Spain. Finally, it also offers a reading of recent politically motivated recoveries of this cultural phenomenon through exhibitions, state sponsored documentaries, musicals, or tourist itineraries. The perception of Spain as representative of a successful dual transition from dictatorship to democracy and free market capitalism created a "Spanish model" that has been emulated in countries like Portugal, Argentina, Chile and Hungary, all formerly ruled by totalitarian regimes. While social scientists study the promises, contradictions and failures of the Spanish Transicion-especially on issues of memory, repression, and (the lack of) reconciliation -our approach from the humanities offers another vantage point to a wider discussion of an unfinished chapter in recent Spanish history by focusing on la Movida as the "cultural archive" whose cultural transitions parallel the political and economic ones. The transgressive, urban nature of this movement demonstrated an overt desire, especially among Spanish youth, to reach onto a global arena emulating the punk and new wave aesthetic of such cities as London, New York, Paris, and Berlin. Art, design, film, music, fashion during this period helped to forge a sense of a modern urban identity in Spain that also reflected the tensions between modernity and tradition, global forces and local values, international mass media technology and regional customs.

Spanish cinema is emerging as one of the most exciting, fascinating, and special cinemas in the world. Not only are others viewing Spanish films, but they are adopting Spanish producers and Spanish actors as their own. While Spanish cinema has been maturing for a long time and has been producing excellent directors, actors, and films for decades-including during the dark times of the Franco regime-only now is it winning numerous fans not only at home but also abroad. And with directors like Pedro Almodovar, actors and actresses like Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, and films such as Abre los ojos and Alatriste to build upon, the outlook for Spanish Cinema appears brighter than ever. The A to Z of Spanish Cinema provides a better understanding of the role Spanish cinema has played in film history through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on producers, directors, film companies, actors, and films.