A Companion to the Biopic
A Companion to the Biopic

Author: Deborah Cartmell

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-01-15

Total Pages: 466

ISBN-13: 1119554810

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The most comprehensive reference text of theoretical and historical discourse on the biopic film The biopic, often viewed as the most reviled of all film genres, traces its origins to the early silent era over a century ago. Receiving little critical attention, biopics are regularly dismissed as superficial, formulaic, and disrespectful of history. Film critics, literary scholars and historians tend to believe that biopics should be artistic, yet accurate, true-to-life representations of their subjects. Moviegoing audiences, however, do not seem to hold similar views; biopics continue to be popular, commercially viable films. Even the genre’s most ardent detractors will admit that these films are often very watchable, particularly due to the performance of the lead actor. It is increasingly common for stars of biographical films to garner critical praise and awards, driving a growing interest in scholarship in the genre. A Companion to the Biopic is the first global and authoritative reference on the subject. Offering theoretical, historical, thematic, and performance-based approaches, this unique volume brings together the work of top scholars to discuss the coverage of the lives of authors, politicians, royalty, criminals, and pop stars through the biopic film. Chapters explore evolving attitudes and divergent perspectives on the genre with topics such as the connections between biopics and literary melodramas, the influence financial concerns have on aesthetic, social, or moral principles, the merger of historical narratives with Hollywood biographies, stereotypes and criticisms of the biopic genre, and more. This volume: Provides a systematic, in-depth analysis of the biopic and considers how the choice of historical subject reflects contemporary issues Places emphasis on films that portray race and gender issues Explores the uneven boundaries of the genre by addressing what is and is not a biopic as well as the ways in which films simultaneously embrace and defy historical authenticity Examines the distinction between reality and ‘the real’ in biographical films Offers a chronological survey of biopics from the beginning of the 20th century A Companion to the Biopic is a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and students of history, film studies, and English literature, as well as those in disciplines that examine interpretations of historical figures

The Hanoverian Succession
The Hanoverian Succession

Author: Andreas Gestrich

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-03-09

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1317029321

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The Hanoverian succession of 1714 brought about a 123-year union between Britain and the German electorate of Hanover, ushering in a distinct new period in British history. Under the four Georges and William IV Britain became arguably the most powerful nation in the world with a growing colonial Empire, a muscular economy and an effervescent artistic, social and scientific culture. And yet history has not tended to be kind to the Hanoverians, frequently portraying them as petty-minded and boring monarchs presiding over a dull and inconsequential court, merely the puppets of parliament and powerful ministers. In order both to explain and to challenge such a paradox, this collection looks afresh at the Georgian monarchs and their role, influence and legacy within Britain, Hanover and beyond. Concentrating on the self-representation and the perception of the Hanoverians in their various dominions, each chapter shines new light on important topics: from rivalling concepts of monarchical legitimacy and court culture during the eighteenth century to the multi-confessional set-up of the British composite monarchy and the role of social groups such as the military, the Anglican Church and the aristocracy in defining and challenging the political order. As a result, the volume uncovers a clearly defined new style of Hanoverian kingship, one that emphasized the Protestantism of the dynasty, laid great store by rational government in close collaboration with traditional political powers, embraced army and navy to an unheard of extent and projected this image to audiences on the British Isles, in the German territories and in the colonies alike. Three hundred years after the succession of the first Hanoverian king, an intriguing new perspective of a dynasty emerges, challenging long held assumptions and prejudices.

British Film Noir Guide
British Film Noir Guide

Author: Michael F. Keaney

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2015-05-20

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 147660438X

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This work presents 369 British films produced between 1937 and 1964 that embody many of the same filmic qualities as those "black films" made in the United States during the classic film noir era. This reference work makes a case for the inclusion of the British films in the film noir canon, which is still considered by some to be an exclusively American inventory. In the book's main section, the following information is presented for each film: a quote from the film; the title and release date; a rating based on the five-star system; the production company, director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and main performers; and a plot synopsis with author commentary. Appendices categorize films by rating, release date, director and cinematographer and also provide a noir and non-noir breakdown of the 47 films presented on the Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, a 1960s British television series that was also shown in the United States.

The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors
The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors

Author: Barry Monush

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2003-04-01

Total Pages: 833

ISBN-13: 1480329983

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For decades, Screen World has been the film professional's, as well as the film buff's, favorite and indispensable annual screen resource, full of all the necessary statistics and facts. Now Screen World editor Barry Monush has compiled another comprehensive work for every film lover's library. In the first of two volumes, this book chronicles the careers of every significant film actor, from the earliest silent screen stars – Chaplin, Pickford, Fairbanks – to the mid-1960s, when the old studio and star systems came crashing down. Each listing includes: a brief biography, photos from the famed Screen World archives, with many rare shots; vital statistics; a comprehensive filmography; and an informed, entertaining assessment of each actor's contributions – good or bad! In addition to every major player, Monush includes the legions of unjustly neglected troupers of yesteryear. The result is a rarity: an invaluable reference tool that's as much fun to read as a scandal sheet. It pulsates with all the scandal, glamour, oddity and glory that was the lifeblood of its subjects. Contains over 1 000 photos!

Soundtracks
Soundtracks

Author: Stewart R. Craggs

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-05-03

Total Pages: 527

ISBN-13: 0429777434

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First published in 1998, music scored for film has only relatively recently received the critical attention which it merits. Many composers in the twentieth century have written works for films or documentaries, a number feeling that this aspect of their output has been undervalued. This dictionary complements other studies which have appeared in recent years which look at the technical and theoretical issues concerned with film music composition. Arranged alphabetically by composer, the volume comprises over 500 entries covering all nationalities. Each entry includes very brief biographical information on the composer, followed by a list of the films (with dates) for which he or she has composed. Details of recordings are also given. The dictionary’s international coverage ensures that it will become a standard reference work for all those interested in the history of twentieth-century music and the development of film.

Structures of Desire
Structures of Desire

Author: Tony Williams

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2000-08-10

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9780791446430

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Examines the cultural, historical, and ideological factors influencing British cinema during World War II and the postwar years, with attention to male-female relationships as well as to utopian desires for a better postwar world.

Dissolving Views
Dissolving Views

Author: Andrew Higson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-10-06

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1474290655

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British cinema has been far richer and more diverse than is generally recognized, as this collection of key writings on British film culture – from the conversion to sound in the late 1920s to the 1990s – testifies. Dissolving Views brings together a number of important and influential essays and the light they throw on 70 or so years of British cinema history makes this volume a vital, provocative and highly informative collection.

Premodern Rulers and Postmodern Viewers
Premodern Rulers and Postmodern Viewers

Author: Janice North

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-02-01

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 3319687719

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Pop culture portrayals of medieval and early modern monarchs are rife with tension between authenticity and modern mores, producing anachronisms such as a feminist Queen Isabel (in RTVE’s Isabel) and a lesbian Queen Christina (in The Girl King). This book examines these anachronisms as a dialogue between premodern and postmodern ideas about gender and sexuality, raising questions of intertemporality, the interpretation of history, and the dangers of presentism. Covering a range of famous and lesser-known European monarchs on screen, from Elizabeth I to Muhammad XII of Granada, this book addresses how the lives of powerful women and men have been mythologized in order to appeal to today’s audiences. The contributors interrogate exactly what is at stake in these portrayals; namely, our understanding of premodern rulers, the gender and sexual ideologies they navigated, and those that we navigate today.

Cinematography
Cinematography

Author: Peter Ettedgui

Publisher: Focal Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 222

ISBN-13: 9780240803821

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"The cinematographers featured in this book encompass three generations of film-making and represent a diversity of film cultures. What they have in common is the contribution they have made in a universal cinema heritage and the fact that their work has helped to expand - if not revolutionise - the language of film." --Book Jacket.

Cinema of Basil Dearden and Michael Relph
Cinema of Basil Dearden and Michael Relph

Author: Alan Burton

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Published: 2009-12-14

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 0748632522

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A historical and critical assessment of the cinema of Basil Dearden and Michael Relph, one of the most significant filmmaking teams that characterised British cinema in the postwar decades.