Description
Book SynopsisWith strict guidelines on methodology and time frame -- films produced after September 2001, and a socio-semiotic theoretical framework -- Betty Kaklamanidou unpacks the problematic terms and ideas that go along with defining a new genre. Kaklamanidou considers a different sub-genre per chapter, placing each group of films in their socio-historical context to reach conclusions about the production of political films in millennial Hollywood. In shifting the terms of the debate,
The Disguised Political Film in Contemporary Hollywood offers a fresh, new approach to the subject of the political film.The political film is not a clearly delineated object but rather an elusive one and resistant to clear boundaries. So, what is a political film? Can
The Hunger Games (2012) belong to the same category as
Lincoln (2012)? Is
Jarhead (2005) a political movie simply because it is set during the Gulf War but with no reference to the motives of the conflict and/or Americ
Trade ReviewIn this comprehensive study, Kaklamanidou argues that there is a subset of Hollywood movies which fit into 'political genre,' a term not yet used by scholars, film critics, or industry (IMDB). She identifies 78 movies that were released between 2002 and 2012 and clearly explains why some ‘political thrillers’ do not belong to the genre of the political film, while other dramas, comedies, or science fiction movies do. This is a very important contribution to the study of genre and the political and will be an invaluable resource to scholars, students, and movie fans. * Tony Spanakos, Associate Professor of Politics and Law, Montclair State University, USA *
Hollywood cinema and politics have always had a difficult relationship, with the American film industry traditionally reluctant to acknowledge the political messages of its films and the political intent of its filmmakers. As a result a vast part of Hollywood film production has been marketed as comedies, action thrillers, history dramas and epics, heritage films and biopics when they could also be perceived as political films. Looking behind these conventional generic disguises, film genre studies expert Betty Kaklamanidou deftly identifies the generic registers of political films in Hollywood cinema post-9/11 and demonstrates compellingly how their structure dovetails the formal and narrative requirements of contemporary filmmaking in the US. Rich in textual analysis and informed by strong theoretical and historical insights,
The ‘Disguised’ Political Film in Contemporary Hollywood will help readers understand how to read popular films politically. * Yannis Tzioumakis, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Media, the University of Liverpool, UK *
Kaklamanidou’s insights are powerful and her writing is accessible and entertaining… Kaklamanidou’s impressive ability to demonstrate the political in a whole range of films is illuminating and makes this engaging study a must read. * Peggy Tally, Professor of Policy Studies, SUNY Empire State College, USA *
Table of ContentsChapter 1: The "Disguised" Political Film: Introduction Chapter 2: Political Comedies Chapter 3: Political Thrillers and U.S. Foreign Policy Chapter 4: Political History Dramas and U.S. Domestic Policy Chapter 5: Political Films From Antiquity to the 20th Century Chapter 6: Behind the Scenes of the Disguised Political Film Genre Chapter 7: Epilogue Works Cited Index
