Movies and the Meaning of Life (Paperback)

by Kimberly A. Blessing (Editor), Paul Tudico (Editor) "Who am I?..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Woody Allen, Fight Club (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...keeps with the strong intent of linking philosophical concepts to everyday popular culture...an excellent achievement" -- Midwest Book Review, October 2005

19 papers in which academic philosophers use contemporary Hollywood productions to illustrate some foundational concerns of their disciplines. -- Book News, Inc., July, 2005

Product Description
"The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions," said Albert Camus. And philosopher Woody Allen has wondered: "How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?" Claims about what gives life meaning have not only been analyzed by philosophers but by the primary mythmakers in contemporary culture: Hollywood filmmakers. Movies and the Meaning of Life shows how a wide variety of films have tackled — to sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprisingly pointed effect — the same questions that have obsessed the deep thinkers. These essays draw on such sources as The Truman Show and Contact to explore the nature of reality; Fight Club and Being John Malkovich for cogent lessons on finding one's true identity; American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption for pointers on life's purpose; Pleasantville and Spiderman for nuggets of wisdom on how to live one's life; and more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Open Court (April 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812695755
• ISBN-13: 978-0812695755
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #477,513 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An impressive collection of nineteen articles and essays , June 5, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Collaboratively organized and edited by Kimberly A. Blessing (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Buffalo State College) and Paul J. Tudico (Philosophy Department, East Tennessee State University), Movies And The Meaning Of Life: Philosophers Take On Hollywood is an impressive collection of nineteen articles and essays on the impact popular films have had on the popular culture in terms of philosophical values. Organized into five sections, each contributor takes on a specific film ranging from "The Truman Show", to "Fight Club", to "Shadowlands", to "American Beauty", to "Groundhog Day", and more. Enhanced with a section providing descriptive credentials of the individual contributors and a thoroughly "user friendly" index, Movies And The Meaning Of Life is a welcome contribution to academic library "Philosophy" reference collections and highly recommended, accessible reading for film buffs as well.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think, therefore I watch, June 2, 2005

By	Found Highways (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

Movies and the Meaning of Life: Philosophers Take on Hollywood is a very funny and very thoughtful collection of essays by philosophers on the topics that mean the most to them. This book is not another juvenile and pretentious book about the philosophy/religion/metaphysics of Buffy/Star Trek/Matrix.

The contributors to this book don't take themselves too seriously, but neither do they dumb down the philosophical concepts they're writing about - - from Nietzsche's idea of eternal return (in Groundhog Day) to the problem of free will vs. determinism (in Minority Report).

The philosophers who are examined in this book often contradict each other, so Movies and the Meaning of Life doesn't simply confirm your prejudices (existentialism vs. theism, for example, with one side set up to win). If you let it, this book makes you think.

It's also clear that the writers love movies in general and the films they discuss in particular.

It probably shouldn't have surprised me that some of the most depressing philosophical ideas are illustrated by a Woody Allen film, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I still rely on another Woody Allen movie to make me feel better when I contemplate the expansion and eventual extinction of the universe.

"What is that your business? You live in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is not expanding."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent achievement, October 7, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Open Court's titles specialize in and emphasize philosophy and Movies And The Meaning Of Life: Philosophers Take On Hollywood keeps with the strong intent of linking philosophical concepts to everyday popular culture. The meaning of life is the most basic of questions, and many a movie director has examined such meaning in their films. Movies And The Meaning Of Life contrasts these modern films of recent years and tackles topics ranging from how films help define identity and reality to how they illustrate interpersonal interactions. An excellent achievement.