Contemporary American Cinema / Edition 1

by Linda Ruth Williams, Michael Hammond

Overview

The first complete study of mainstream and nontraditional film since 1960

Indispensable to film students and general readers interested in this art form, Contemporary American Cinema culls together the writings of the world's leading film scholars to provide the first comprehensive introduction to postclassical American film. Heavily illustrated with more than 50 color and black-and-white stills, it takes a close look at all aspects of the genre, including influential movies, directors, producers, and actors.

This unique and accessible resource includes two Tables of Contents, allowing readers to research chronologically or thematically. In addition, it includes a glossary of important terms, suggestions for further reading, sample essay questions, and a filmography. Subjects include:

• Decline of the early studio system
• Rise of American new-wave cinema
• Parallel histories of independent and underground cinema
• Black cinema--from the "blaxploitation" era of the 1970s to the 1990s
• Full history of the American blockbuster
• Uses and effects of new film making technologies
• America's ever-changing audiences
• Key genres and industry statistics

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780335218318
Publisher:	McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing
Publication date:	05/28/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	584
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.70(h) x 1.18(d)

About the Author

Linda Ruth Williams and Michael Hammond are senior lecturers in film at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom.

Table of Contents

Introduction – the whats, hows and whys of this book

The 1960s
1: Introduction
2: The American New Wave, Part 1: 1967-1970
3: Debts Disasters and Mega-movies – the studios in the 1960s
4: Other Americas: The underground, exploitation and the avant garde
5: U.S Documentary Cinema in the 1960s
6. 'The Last Good Time We Ever Ha&dgrave;?: Revising the Hollywood Renaissance

Suggested Further Reading

Essay Questions

The 1970s
1: Introduction
2: The American New Wave, Part 2: 1970-1975
3: New Hollywood and the Rise of the Blockbuster
4: Blaxploitation
5: U.S. Documentary in the 1970s

Suggested Further Reading

Essay Questions

The 1980s
1: Introduction
2: Film in the age of Reagan: action cinema and reactionary politics
3: Independent Cinema since the 1980s
4: Disney and the Family Adventure movie since the 1970s
5: The Vietnam War in American Cinema
6: U.S. Documentary in the 1980s Suggested Further ReadingEssay Questions

The 1990s and beyond
1: Introduction:
2: Big Budget Spectacles
3: What is Cinema Today? Home Viewing and New Technologies
4: U.S. Documentary in the 1970s
5: New Queer Cinema
6: Fantasising Gender and Race: Women in Contemporary U.S. Action Cinema
7: Smart Cinema Suggested Further ReadingEssay QuestionsGlossary BibliographyFilmography Index