Pornography: Film and Culture (Depth of Field Series) [Paperback]

Peter Lehman (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Depth of Field Series | Publication Date: June 8, 2006

Porn is big business. By some estimates, it grosses more revenue per year than the entire "legitimate" film and entertainment industry. Most large hotel chains offer pay-for-view adult movies, many video stores have adult movie rental sections, and Internet porn sites have proliferated by the thousands. With porn so ubiquitous in mainstream American culture, why is it that when "respectable" people talk about this phenomenon, they act puzzled, as if they cannot imagine who would watch such worthless and meaningless smut? In this collection of path-breaking essays, thirteen respected scholars bring critical insights to the reality of porn and what it can tell us about ourselves sexually, culturally, and economically. Moving beyond simplistic feminist and religious positions that cast these films as categorical evils-a collective preserve of sexual perversion, misogyny, pedophilia, and racism-the contributors to this volume raise the bar of the debate and push porn studies into intriguing new territory. The essays are divided into two sections. The first of these reprints important debates on the topic and traces the evolution of pornographic film, including comparing its development to that of Hollywood cinema. The second part presents new essays that consider current trends in the field, including pornography's expansion into new technologies. This book separates this compelling genre from the sensation and shame that have long surrounded and obscured it. It will be of interest to general readers and film scholars alike. Peter Lehman is the director of the Film and Media Studies Program and the Center for Film and Media Research at Arizona State University, Tempe. He is the author, coauthor, and editor of twelve books including, Roy Orbison: The Invention of an Alternative Rock Masculinity. A volume in the Depth of Field Series, edited by Charles Affron, Mirella Jona Affron, and Robert Lyons

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Lehman is the director of the Film and Media Studies Program and the Center for Film and Media Research at Arizona State University, Tempe. He is author, coauthor, and editor of twelve books including, Roy Orbison: The Invention of an Alternative Rock Masculinity. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press (June 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813538718
• ISBN-13: 978-0813538716
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)