Body and Soul: The Cinematic Vision of Robert Aldrich

by Tony J. Williams

Overview

Body and Soul explores the work of Robert Aldrich, a producer and director responsible for several notable films, including The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, Too Late the Hero, The Longest Yard and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Author Tony Williams examines the relationship of Aldrich's films to the Cultural Front movement of the 1930s as well as to the blacklist of the 1950s. He also delineates Aldrich's attempts to follow the progressive ideals of such mentors as Jean Renoir, Lewis Milestone, and Charlie Chaplin.

From the noir classic Kiss Me Deadly to the controversial thriller Twilight's Last Gleaming, Body and Soul focuses on the dilemmas—both personal and political—that affect individuals in all of Aldrich's films.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810849938
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/11/2004
Series:	The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series , #110
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.44(h) x 1.16(d)

About the Author

Tony Williams is Professor of English at Southern Illinois University, where he is the head of Film Studies. He has written a number of books on film, including critical studies on George Romero and Larry Cohen.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Acknowledgments Chapter 2 Introduction Chapter 3 Chapter One: Odets and Aldrich Chapter 4 Chapter Two: Enterprise and After Chapter 5 Chapter Three: Television Work Chapter 6 Chapter Four: Apocalyptic Noir Chapter 7 Chapter Five: The Western Odyssey Chapter 8 Chapter Six: Melodrama, Authoritarianism, and Hysteria Chapter 9 Chapter Seven: The Private War of Robert Aldrich Chapter 10 Chapter Eight: The Game of Self-Respect Chapter 11 Chapter Nine: Twilight's Last Gleaming Chapter 12 Chapter Ten: Conclusion Chapter 13 Appendix: The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah Chapter 14 Filmography Chapter 15 Bibliography Chapter 16 Index Chapter 17 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

In this critical study of the director and producer of such films as The Dirty Dozen, Kiss Me Deadly, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Williams...places Aldrich in his cultural and social context. Williams explores Aldrich's relationship to the cultural front of the 1930s, the blacklist of the 1950s and to his mentors and contemporaries. In addition to his study of Aldrich's personal and political dilemmas, Williams provides careful and insightful readings of his films.

Reference and Research Book News

...an admirable and rigorous addition to film studies in general and to an understanding of the films of Aldrich in particular. In the space of 350 densely argued and superbly documented pages the author makes out a persuasive case for seeing the director as an auteur...

Reynold Humphries

Recommended. All collections; all levels.

Choice Reviews

Recommended. All collections; all levels.

Choice

...an admirable and rigorous addition to film studies in general and to an understanding of the films of Aldrich in particular. In the space of 350 densely argued and superbly documented pages the author makes out a persuasive case for seeing the director as an auteur...--Reynold Humphries, Professor of Film Studies, University of Lille III

Recommended. All collections; all levels.--CHOICE

In this critical study of the director and producer of such films as The Dirty Dozen, Kiss Me Deadly, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Williams...places Aldrich in his cultural and social context. Williams explores Aldrich's relationship to the cultural front of the 1930s, the blacklist of the 1950s and to his mentors and contemporaries. In addition to his study of Aldrich's personal and political dilemmas, Williams provides careful and insightful readings of his films.--Reference and Research Book News

From the Publisher

Recommended. All collections; all levels.

CHOICE