From his first feature film, The Duellists, to his international successes Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, and American Gangster, Ridley Scott has directed some of the most compelling films of the last 30 years. Apart from his work as a film director, Scott has engaged in a vast range of activities, including that as a designer, producer, film mogul, and advertising executive. The Ridley Scott Encyclopedia is the first book that focuses on all aspects of his work in a wide-ranging career that spans nearly 50 years. The entries in this encyclopedia focus on all aspects of his work and are divided into four categories. The first focuses on Ridley Scott's work as a director, encompassing his feature films from The Duellists to Body of Lies, as well as his work in television, including commercials. The second category focuses on the people who have been involved in Scott's projects, including actors, directors, producers, designers, writers and other creative personnel. The third focuses on general thematic issues raised in Scott's work, such as gender construction, political issues, and geographical locations. Finally the encyclopedia incorporates entries on films by other directors who have influenced Scott's approach to his work as a director or producer. Each entry is followed by a bibliography of published sources, both in print and online, making this the most comprehensive reference on Scott's body of work.

Throughout World War II, audiences in the United Kingdom craved entertainment, even during the country's darkest days. During this period, actor-manager Donald Wolfit and his theatre troupe toured Great Britain and Europe-often at great risk. After the war, Wolfit broadened his tour, bringing his brand of Shakespearean theatre to North American audiences. Wolfit believed that theatre should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic origins. It was this quality above all that accounted for his huge popularity throughout the fifteen years of his operation. In Theatre of the People: Donald Wolfit's Shakespearean Productions 1937-1953, Laurence Raw looks at this tenacious personality whose determination to serve the nation by performing Shakespeare inspired audiences and fellow actors. Drawing on a series of hitherto unpublished materials-including letters and interviews-this part biography and part social history creates a vivid picture of what life was like for the touring actor during WWII and beyond. Recreating twelve of Wolfit's touring dates throughout Great Britain and North America, this volume also demonstrates theatre's importance as a source of mass entertainment and education, as well as a propaganda tool. Despite Wolfit's popular appeal at the time, he was doomed to remain on the periphery of the theatrical establishment. This book contends that Wolfit deserves to be recognized for his efforts in maintaining public morale during times of stress. Theatre of the People will appeal not only to those interested in drama but also to students and scholars of history and popular entertainment in the 1940s and 1950s.

One of Henry James's main achievements as a novelist was his ability to demonstrate how the notions of "masculinity" and "femininity" are socially constructed, depending on a variety of contradictory factors: social, political, sexual, and economic. His unique capacity to understand the ideological function of relationships often accepted as "natural" in late nineteenth century culture resulted in works of fiction that impress upon readers the oppressiveness inherent within them. Most adaptations of literary classics, however, tend to be influenced by Hollywood conventions that tend to reinforce dominant notions of gender and heterosexual relations. Adapting a novel for cinema or television is first and foremost a business enterprise, where the screenwriter has to take into account the wishes of conflicting interest groups: producers, stars, directors, and spectators. In Adapting Henry James to The Screen: Gender, Fiction and Film, author Laurence Raw suggests that most James adaptations have sought to shift attention away from the classical narrative to the spectator's interaction with that narrative. Raw demonstrates that while several adaptations have critically engaged with the subject of gender relations, they have often ended up by reinforcing rather than questioning accepted norms. Yet, there are instances where individual directors and/or screenwriters have bucked the trend and directly engaged with what people understand by 'masculine' and 'feminine' behavior, thus focusing on how the notions of 'masculinity' and 'femininity' are socially constructed, not only in the societies represented on screen, but in the spectators' world as well. This book shows how changing priorities affected the ways in which James's novels were translated to the screen, and how they examined the theme of gender relations. Not only does this represent a new departure for adaptation studies (which hitherto has largely focused on issues of textual fidelity), but it is a particularly appropriate methodology for stu

Adaptation Studies is a fast-emerging discipline which has expanded into other areas of media scholarship. With its roots in literature and film, this discipline can be applied to much broader uses, even as a process that governs every aspect of our lives. Indeed, by expanding the scope of "adaptation" to encompass a larger perspective, this discipline can promote lifelong learning that emphasizes communication, social interaction, and aesthetic engagement. In Adaptation Studies and Learning: New Frontiers, Laurence Raw and Tony Gurr seek to redefine the ways in which adaptation is taught and learned. Comprised of essays, reflections, and "learning conversations" about the ways in which this approach to adaptation might be implemented, this book focuses on issues of curriculum construction, the role of technology, and the importance of collaboration. Including a series of case-studies and classroom experiences, the authors explore the relationship between adaptation and related disciplines such as history, media, and translation. The book also includes a series of case studies from the world of cinema, showing how collaboration and social interaction lies at the heart of successful film adaptations. By looking beyond the classroom, Raw and Gurr demonstrate how adaptation studies involves real-world issues of prime importance-not only to film and theater professionals, but to all learners. Covering a wide range of material, including film history, educational theory, and literary criticism, Adaptation Studies and Learning offers a radical repositioning of the way we think about adaptation both inside and outside academia.

From All Quiet on the Western Front and Gone with the Wind to No Country for Old Men and Slumdog Millionaire, many of the most memorable films have been adapted from other sources. And while courses on film studies are taught throughout the world, The Pedagogy of Adaptation makes a strong case for treating adaptation studies as a separate discipline. What makes this book unique is its claim that adaptation is above all a creative process and not simply a slavish imitation or reproduction of an 'original.' This collection of essays focuses on numerous contexts to emphasize why adaptations matter to students of literature. It is the first such volume devoted exclusively to teaching adaptations from a practical, teacher-centered angle. Many of the essays show how 'adaptation' as a discipline can be used to prompt reflection on cultural, historical, and political differences. Written by specialists in a variety of fields, ranging from film, radio, theater, and even language studies, the book adopts a pluralistic view of adaptation, showing how its processes vary across different contexts and in different disciplines. Defining new horizons for the teaching of adaptation studies, these essays draw on such disparate sources as Frankenstein, Moby Dick, and South Park. This volume not only provides a resource-book of lesson plans but offers valuable pointers as to why teaching literature and film can help develop students' skills and improve their literacy.

Since films were first produced, adapted works have predominantly borrowed primarily from traditional texts, such as novels and plays. Likewise, the study of film adaptations has also been fairly traditional, rarely venturing beyond a comparison of the source material to its often less revered counterpart. Redefining Adaptation Studies breaks new ground in showing the range of possibilities that transcend the literature/film paradigm. These essays focus on the idea of 'adaptation' and what it means in different socio-political contexts. Above all this collection shows how cultural and political factors determine the meaning of the term and its potential for developing new approaches to learning. The contributors to this volume look at adaptation in different contexts and develop new ways to approach adaptation, not just as a literature-through-film issue but as something which can be used to develop other skills, such as creative writing and personal and social skills. Aimed at teachers in high schools and universities at the under- and postgraduate levels, this volume not only suggests how 'adaptation' might be used in different disciplines, but how it might improve the learning experience for teachers and students alike.

Considered one of the greatest of American authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) created a memorable body of literature, which included the novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables, as well as a wealth of short stories. In Adapting Nathaniel Hawthorne to the Screen: Forging New Worlds, Laurence Raw demonstrates how filmmakers have turned to Hawthorne to comment on the nation's past, present, and future. Raw shows how some filmmakers have tackled the difficulty of Hawthorne's material by treating him strictly as a writer whose work was firmly situated in American life of the mid-nineteenth century. Raw also examines how directors have used Hawthorne's stories to comment on various aspects of twentieth century American life. This device is particularly evident in the many versions of The Scarlet Letter, such as the 1950 television version broadcast two months after Senator Joseph McCarthy's speech about State Department employees who were "card-carrying members of the Communist Party" and 1960s and early 70s versions supporting countercultural values where filmmakers created characters prepared to fly in the face of conformity and search for alternative means of existence. In this volume, Raw also discusses adaptations of the short stories "Feathertop," "The Snow Image," "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," and "Rappacinni's Daughter," as well as the novels The House of Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter, the latter having been transformed into film no less than ten times. By surveying the canon of adaptations produced over the last eight decades, this book provides a unique insight into American social, political, and cultural history from a variety of perspectives, underlining how Hawthorne's work has been of enduring concern to directors and audiences alike.

"Whenever they see a Merchant-Ivory name, they the audience] go with the expectation that this will be something interesting, exciting, entertaining, and they are satisfied with that." --Ismail Merchant Merchant-Ivory: Interviews gathers together for the first time interviews made over the past five decades with director James Ivory (b. 1928), producer Ismail Merchant (1936-2005), and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (b. 1927). Beginning with their earliest work in India and ending with James Ivory's last film, The City of Your Final Destination (2009), the book traces their careers together, while offering valuable insights into their creative filmmaking process. The volume serves as a corrective to the prevailing critical orthodoxy attached to Merchant-Ivory's work, which tends to regard them as being solely concerned with historically accurate costumes and settings. As independent filmmakers, they have developed an idiosyncratic approach that resists facile classification. This book shows how Merchant-Ivory have always taken considerable care in casting their films, as well as treating actors with respect. This is a deliberate policy, designed to bring out one of the triumvirate's principal thematic concerns--the impact of the "clash of cultures" on individuals. Partly this has been inspired by their collective experiences of living and working in different cultures. They do not offer any answers to this issue; rather they believe that their task is simply to raise awareness, to make filmgoers conscious of the importance of cultural sensitivities that assume paramount significance in any exchange, whether verbal or nonverbal. Laurence Raw, Ankara, Turkey, is professor of English at Ba kent University. He is author of several books, including Adapting Henry James: Gender, Fiction, and Film; The Ridley Scott Encyclopedia; and Impressions of the Turkish Stage.

Examining the vanguard of New Turkish Cinema, Laurence Raw shows how these films reveal the effects of profound socio economic change on ordinary people in contemporary Turkey. In analysis of and personal interviews with Dervis Zaim, Zeki Demirkubuz, Semih Kaplanoglu, Cagan Irmak, Tolga OErnek, and Palme d'Or winner Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Raw draws connections with Turkish theater, art, sculpture, literature, poetry, philosophy, and international cinema. A native of England and a twenty-five-year resident of Turkey, Raw interleaves his film discussion with thoughtful commentary on nationalism, gender, personal identity, and cultural pluralism.

Critics and audiences often judge films, books and other media as "great" -but what does that really mean? This collection of new essays examines the various criteria by which degrees of greatness (or not-so) are constructed-whether by personal, political or social standards-through topics in cinema, literature and adaptation. The contributors recognize how issues of value vary across different cultures, and explore what those differences say about cultural attitudes and beliefs.

This book examines what adaption is and what it entails, and moves towards theorizing adaptation studies as a coherent discipline. In recent years adaptation studies has established itself as a discipline in its own right, separate from translation studies. The bulk of its activity to date has been restricted to literature and film departments, focussing on questions of textual transfer and adaptation of text to film. It is however, much more interdisciplinary, and is not simply a case of transferring content from one medium to another. This collection furthers the research into exactly what the act of adaptation involves and whether it differs from other acts of textual rewriting. In addition, the 'cultural turn' in translation studies has prompted many scholars to consider adaptation as a form of inter-semiotic translation. But what does this mean, and how can we best theorize it? What are the semiotic systems that underlie translation and adaptation? Containing theoretical chapters and personal accounts of actual adaptions and translations, this is an original contribution to translation and adaptation studies which will appeal to researchers and graduate students. "Continuum Advances in Translation Studies" publishes cutting-edge research in the fields of translation studies. This field has grown in importance in the modern, globalized world, with international translation between languages a daily occurrence. Research into the practices, processes and theory of translation is essential and this series aims to showcase the best in international academic and professional output.

In recent years adaptation studies has established itself as a discipline in its own right, separate from translation studies. The bulk of its activity to date has been restricted to literature and film departments, focussing on questions of textual transfer and adaptation of text to film. It is however, much more interdisciplinary, and is not simply a case of transferring content from one medium to another. This collection furthers the research into exactly what the act of adaptation involves and whether it differs from other acts of textual rewriting. In addition, the 'cultural turn' in translation studies has prompted many scholars to consider adaptation as a form of inter-semiotic translation. But what does this mean, and how can we best theorize it? What are the semiotic systems that underlie translation and adaptation? Containing theoretical chapters and personal accounts of actual adaptions and translations, this is an original contribution to translation and adaptation studies which will appeal to researchers and graduate students.

This work profiles a stellar lineup of talented, versatile character actors who regularly appeared in horror and science fiction films during Hollywood's golden age. Many are well known by genre buffs and casual fans, including Lionel Atwill, John Carradine, Dwight Frye, Rondo Hatton, Dick Miller, J. Carroll Naish, Maria Ouspenskaya, Glenn Strange, Edward Van Sloan, and George Zucco. Also featured are performers not so well known but equally at home in the horror and science fiction field, such as Anthony Carbone, Harry Cording, Rosemary La Planche, Dick Purcell, Elizabeth Russell and Mel Welles. A chapter is devoted to each, complete with a biography and in-depth analyses of his or her best performances, and together demonstrating how important these personalities were to the success of their genre films with audiences and critics alike.