Despite the recent explosion of scholarly interest in "star studies," Brazilian film has received comparatively little attention. As this volume demonstrates, however, the richness of Brazilian stardom extends well beyond the ubiquitous Carmen Miranda. Among the studies assembled here are fascinating explorations of figures such as Eliane Lage (the star attraction of Sao Paulo's Vera Cruz studios), cult horror movie auteur Coffin Joe, and Lazaro Ramos, the most visible Afro-Brazilian actor today. At the same time, contributors interrogate the inner workings of the star system in Brazil, from the pioneering efforts of silent-era actresses to the recent advent of the non-professional movie star.

Despite the recent explosion of scholarly interest in "star studies," Brazilian film has received comparatively little attention. As this volume demonstrates, however, the richness of Brazilian stardom extends well beyond the ubiquitous Carmen Miranda. Among the studies assembled here are fascinating explorations of figures such as Eliane Lage (the star attraction of Sao Paulo's Vera Cruz studios), cult horror movie auteur Coffin Joe, and Lazaro Ramos, the most visible Afro-Brazilian actor today. At the same time, contributors interrogate the inner workings of the star system in Brazil, from the pioneering efforts of silent-era actresses to the recent advent of the non-professional movie star.

A survey of contemporary Latin American popular culture, covering topics that range from music and film to popular festivals and fashion. Like no other volume of its kind, Pop Culture Latin America! captures the breadth and vitality of pop culture in Central and South America and the Caribbean, exploring both familiar and lesser-known aspects of its unique melange of art, entertainment, spirituality, and celebrations. Written by contributors who are scholars and specialists in the cultures and languages of Latin America, the book focuses on the historical, social, and political forces that have shaped Latino culture since 1945, particularly in the last two decades. Separate chapters cover music, popular cinema, mass media, theater and performance, literature, cultural heroes, religions and festivals, social movements and politics, the visual arts and architecture, sports and leisure, travel and tourism, and language. Chronology of major developments in the cultural life of post-1945 Latin America A bibliography of the literature and electronic resources on the major forms of popular culture in each country or region

First published in 1999, this volume examines the impact of political, social and cultural developments on the nation's most popular musical form, samba, in the context of the period 1930-45, one of huge social change in Brazil, with the introduction of industrialization under the authoritarian regime of Getulio Vargas. She looks at the context in which the songs were written, the life styles and social positions of the composers (sambistas), and their relationship to political and commercial structures. By studying samba lyrics we can obtain a clear picture of samba lyrics we can obtain a clear picture of samba's shifting status as it was transformed from the music of working-class blacks and was appropriated by mainstream middle-class culture. The final chapters of the book focus on the lyrics of three influential sambistas: Ataulfo Alves, Noel Rosa and Ari Barroso, and look at the manner in which their songs both comply with and flout tradition and authority.

First published in 1999, this volume examines the impact of political, social and cultural developments on the nation's most popular musical form, samba, in the context of the period 1930-45, one of huge social change in Brazil, with the introduction of industrialization under the authoritarian regime of Getulio Vargas. She looks at the context in which the songs were written, the life styles and social positions of the composers (sambistas), and their relationship to political and commercial structures. By studying samba lyrics we can obtain a clear picture of samba lyrics we can obtain a clear picture of samba's shifting status as it was transformed from the music of working-class blacks and was appropriated by mainstream middle-class culture. The final chapters of the book focus on the lyrics of three influential sambistas: Ataulfo Alves, Noel Rosa and Ari Barroso, and look at the manner in which their songs both comply with and flout tradition and authority.

Carmen Miranda was not only the first Latin American star to be invited to imprint her hands and feet outside Grauman's Chinese
Theatre in Hollywood, she was also, for a period, the highest paid female star in the US. Lisa Shaw's study of Miranda's film career and star persona traces her emergence as one of the first stars of the Brazilian film industry and her subsequent triumph in Hollywood.

Shaw charts Miranda's transition from singer to film star, analysing how her star persona drew on performance techniques honed during her singing career. She examines shifts in Miranda's star identity after her move to Broadway in 1939, and Hollywood a year later, with her identification as an 'ethnic' star emphasised by extravagant baiana costumes.

Shaw shows how Miranda consciously constructed an identity that both endorsed and subverted stereotypes about Latin America
during the era of the 'Good Neighbor Policy', and explores Miranda's appeal across mainstream and marginalised audiences, both in the US and Brazil. Finally, she considers why Miranda's image is still instantly recognisable, examining her impact on material culture, particularly women's fashions, both during her lifetime and until the present day, and the role played in the consecration of her 'tropical' star persona by imitators, ranging from Bugs Bunny, Lucille Ball and Mickey Rooney, to contemporary Carmen Miranda imitators of both genders

Brazil has one of the most significant and productive film industries in Latin America. This ground-breaking study provides an entertaining insight into the Brazilian films that have most captured the imagination of domestic audiences over the years. The recent international success of films such as Central Station and City of God, has stimulated widespread interest in Brazilian film, but studies written in English focus on the 'auteur' cinema of the 1960s. This book focuses on individual films in their socio-historical context, drawing on extensive fieldwork in Brazil and Latin America. It argues that Brazilian cinema has almost always been grounded in intrinsically home-grown cultural forms, dating back to the nineteenth century, such as the Brazilian music-hall, the travelling circus, radio shows, carnival, and, later, comedy television. Combining a chronological structure with groundbreaking research and a lively approach, Popular cinema in Brazil is the ideal introduction to Brazilian cinema. -- .

Brazilian cinema is one of the most influential national cinemas in Latin America and this wide-ranging study traces the evolution of Brazilian film from the silent era to the present day, including detailed studies of more recent international box-office hits, such as Central Station (1998) and City of God (2002).

Brazilian National Cinema gives due importance to traditionally overlooked aspects of Brazilian cinema, such as popular genres, ranging from musical comedies (the chanchada) to soft-core porn films (the pornochanchada) and horror films, and also provides a fresh approach to the internationally acclaimed avant-garde Cinema Novo of the 1960s.

Lisa Shaw and Stephanie Dennison apply recent theories on stardom, particularly relating to issues of ethnicity, race and gender, to both well-known Brazilian performers, such as Carmen Miranda and Sonia Braga, and lesser known domestic icons, such as the Afro-Brazilian comic actor, Grande Otelo (Big Othello), and the uberblonde children's TV and film star, and media mogul, Xuxa.

This timely addition to the National Cinemas series provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between Brazilian cinema and issues of national and cultural identity.

Renewed interest in the Latin American film industry has opened a host of paths of scholarly exploration. Productions from different countries reflect particular social attitudes, political climates and self-conceptions, and must be considered separately and as a whole. The search for national self-identity is a key component of Latin American films in a time of decreasing cultural diversity and pressures to westernize. Globalization and falling government support have fueled cross-border collaborations, calling into question the idea of a movie's ""nationality,"" and leaving some nation's film industries on the brink of collapse. Whether thriving or barely surviving, struggling to remain distinct or embracing globalization on its own terms, addressing the government or society, Latin American cinema remains vibrant, offering a wealth of material to scholars of all stripes. These collected essays explore important elements of Latin American cinema and its associated national film industries. The first section of essays examines the impact of modernization on both Latin American screen images and the industry itself, offering modern and historical perspectives. The second section focuses on filmmakers who deal with issues of gender and sexuality, whether sexual transgression, the role of female characters, or societal attitudes towards sex and nudity. The final section of essays discuss the relationship between national identity and the Latin American film industry: how movies are used to create a sense of self; Uruguay's ongoing identity crisis; and Brazil's use of Hollywood's stereotypical depiction of the country to sell itself back to Americans. Photographs and an annotated bibliography accompany each essay, and an index supplements the text.

Brazilian cinema is one of the most influential national cinemas in Latin America and this wide-ranging study traces the evolution of Brazilian film from the silent era to the present day, including detailed studies of more recent international box-office hits, such as Central Station (1998) and City of God (2002).

Brazilian National Cinema gives due importance to traditionally overlooked aspects of Brazilian cinema, such as popular genres, ranging from musical comedies (the chanchada) to soft-core porn films (the pornochanchada) and horror films, and also provides a fresh approach to the internationally acclaimed avant-garde Cinema Novo of the 1960s.

Lisa Shaw and Stephanie Dennison apply recent theories on stardom, particularly relating to issues of ethnicity, race and gender, to both well-known Brazilian performers, such as Carmen Miranda and Sonia Braga, and lesser known domestic icons, such as the Afro-Brazilian comic actor, Grande Otelo (Big Othello), and the uberblonde children's TV and film star, and media mogul, Xuxa.

This timely addition to the National Cinemas series provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between Brazilian cinema and issues of national and cultural identity.

Presenting research findings from recent studies which use innovative, creative approaches, including pilot projects led by the authors in the UK and Brazil, this book provides an accessible, timely, practical and jargon-free overview of how music and films are currently used in nursing homes, dementia wards and day-care centres for the older population. Drawing on the expertise of researchers, health care professionals and carers, the book looks at the experience of both stakeholder groups - carers and the cared-for. It provides useful, unique insights into how we might tackle the pressing real-world challenge posed by an ageing global population and attendant increase in the number of those living with dementia. Complemented by a downloadable 'best-practice' toolkit that contains tips and materials relating to film- and music-related activities for use by carers (both professionals and family members), this book fills a gap in the market by providing both academic responses and practical solutions to a critical global challenge.

Brazilian popular culture, including music, dance, theater, and film, played a key role in transnational performance circuits-inter-American and transatlantic-from the latter nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. Brazilian performers both drew inspiration from and provided models for cultural production in France, Portugal, Argentina, the United States, and elsewhere. These transnational exchanges also helped construct new ideas about, and representations of, "racial" identity in Brazil. Tropical Travels fruitfully examines how perceptions of "race" were negotiated within popular performance in Rio de Janeiro and how these issues engaged with wider transnational trends during the period. Lisa Shaw analyzes how local cultural forms were shaped by contact with imported performance traditions and transnational vogues in Brazil, as well as by the movement of Brazilian performers overseas. She focuses specifically on samba and the maxixe in Paris between 1910 and 1922, teatro de revista (the Brazilian equivalent of vaudeville) in Rio in the long 1920s, and a popular Brazilian female archetype, the baiana, who moved to and fro across national borders and oceans. Shaw demonstrates that these transnational encounters generated redefinitions of Brazilian identity through the performance of "race" and ethnicity in popular culture. Shifting the traditional focus of Atlantic studies from the northern to the southern hemisphere, Tropical Travels also contributes to a fuller understanding of inter-hemispheric cultural influences within the Americas.

This is a book of my poetry that I hope will transport the reader into my mind and also hope that it will help them relate and know that they are not alone.

In this volume, eighteen experts from a variety of academic backgrounds explore the use of songs in films from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking worlds. This volume illustrates how - rather than simply helping to tell the story of - songs in Hispanic and Lusophone cinema commonly upset the hierarchy of the visual over the aural, thereby rendering their hearing a complex and rich subject for analysis. Screening songs... constitutes a ground-breaking, interdisciplinary collection. Of particular interest to scholars and academics in the areas of Film Studies, Hispanic Studies, Lusophone Studies and Musicology, this volume opens up the study of Hispanic and Lusophone cinema to vital, new, critical approaches. The soundtracks of films as varied as City of God, All About My Mother, Bad Education and Buena Vista Social Club are analysed alongside those of lesser-known works that range from the melodramas of Mexican cinema's golden age to Brazilian and Portuguese musical comedies from the 1940s and 1950s. Fiction films are studied alongside documentaries, the work of established directors like Pedro Almodovar, Carlos Saura and Nelson Pereira dos Santos alongside that of emerging filmmakers, and performances by iconic stars like Caetano Veloso and Chavela Vargas alongside the songs of Spanish Gypsy groups, Mexican folk songs and contemporary Brazilian rap. -- .

A collection of poetry exploring: the art of writing, the philosophy of "being," recovery, freedom, faith, transformation at a Grateful Dead concert, the nature of God, the nature of the universe, and the nature of the "IS" that seems to make up "everything and nothing."

Brazilian popular culture, including music, dance, theater, and film, played a key role in transnational performance circuits-inter-American and transatlantic-from the latter nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. Brazilian performers both drew inspiration from and provided models for cultural production in France, Portugal, Argentina, the United States, and elsewhere. These transnational exchanges also helped construct new ideas about, and representations of, "racial" identity in Brazil. Tropical Travels fruitfully examines how perceptions of "race" were negotiated within popular performance in Rio de Janeiro and how these issues engaged with wider transnational trends during the period. Lisa Shaw analyzes how local cultural forms were shaped by contact with imported performance traditions and transnational vogues in Brazil, as well as by the movement of Brazilian performers overseas. She focuses specifically on samba and the maxixe in Paris between 1910 and 1922, teatro de revista (the Brazilian equivalent of vaudeville) in Rio in the long 1920s, and a popular Brazilian female archetype, the baiana, who moved to and fro across national borders and oceans. Shaw demonstrates that these transnational encounters generated redefinitions of Brazilian identity through the performance of "race" and ethnicity in popular culture. Shifting the traditional focus of Atlantic studies from the northern to the southern hemisphere, Tropical Travels also contributes to a fuller understanding of inter-hemispheric cultural influences within the Americas.