Film Genre: Hollywood and Beyond (Paperback)

by Barry Langford (Author) "Thinking about why we might 'need' genres means thinking about the uses to which we commonly put genre concepts and the value we derive from..." (more)
Key Phrases: contemporary action blockbuster, curse video, film genre theory, Second World War, First World War, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Film Genre presents a thoroughgoing historical analysis, addressing the history of film production, the history of style, the history of individual genres and the history of genre criticism for each genre. Film International The author offers a hugely impressive yet concise account of genre theory, cycles and contemporary reportage - from Hollywood and beyond! Langford's book is a majextically informed achievement and a prodigiously detailed production. SCOPE: An Online Journal of Film Studies Film Genre presents a thoroughgoing historical analysis, addressing the history of film production, the history of style, the history of individual genres and the history of genre criticism for each genre. The author offers a hugely impressive yet concise account of genre theory, cycles and contemporary reportage - from Hollywood and beyond! Langford's book is a majextically informed achievement and a prodigiously detailed production.

Product Description

Film Genre: Hollywood and Beyond provides a detailed account of genre history and contemporary trends in film genre, alongside the critical debates they have provoked. The book ranges widely across the field, dealing separately and in detail with not only classic genres - including the Western, the musical, the war film, the gangster film, and film noir - but also more recent trends such as body-horror, Holocaust film, and the action blockbuster. Throughout the book, genre is presented as a constantly evolving phenomenon. Writing in a sophisticated yet accessible style, Barry Langford shows how notions of genre help shape the ways that filmmakers, critics and audiences view films and how the often complex scholarly debates around genre reflect important differences in the ways cinema is understood in relation to its social and historical contexts. The book encourages students to interrogate and broaden received ideas about genre.

Features

* Key text suitable for both undergraduate and advanced students

* Detailed close analyses of key films (including The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan and Singin' in the Rain)

* Comprehensive bibliography and guide to further reading

* Up-to-date and theoretically informed.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press (December 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0748619038
• ISBN-13: 978-0748619030
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #455,735 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)