The Ridley Scott Encyclopedia
The Ridley Scott Encyclopedia

Author: Laurence Raw

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2009-09-28

Total Pages: 349

ISBN-13: 0810869527

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From his first feature film, The Duellists, to his international successes Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, and American Gangster, Ridley Scott has directed some of the most compelling films of the last 30 years. Apart from his work as a film director, Scott has engaged in a vast range of activities, including that as a designer, producer, film mogul, and advertising executive. The Ridley Scott Encyclopedia is the first book that focuses on all aspects of his work in a wide-ranging career that spans nearly 50 years. The entries in this encyclopedia focus on all aspects of his work and are divided into four categories. The first focuses on Ridley Scott's work as a director, encompassing his feature films from The Duellists to Body of Lies, as well as his work in television, including commercials. The second category focuses on the people who have been involved in Scott's projects, including actors, directors, producers, designers, writers and other creative personnel. The third focuses on general thematic issues raised in Scott's work, such as gender construction, political issues, and geographical locations. Finally the encyclopedia incorporates entries on films by other directors who have influenced Scott's approach to his work as a director or producer. Each entry is followed by a bibliography of published sources, both in print and online, making this the most comprehensive reference on Scott's body of work.

Adaptation Studies and Learning
Adaptation Studies and Learning

Author: Laurence Raw

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2013-04-04

Total Pages: 195

ISBN-13: 0810887940

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Adaptation Studies is a fast-emerging discipline which has expanded into other areas of media scholarship. With its roots in literature and film, this discipline can be applied to much broader uses, even as a process that governs every aspect of our lives. Indeed, by expanding the scope of “adaptation” to encompass a larger perspective, this discipline can promote lifelong learning that emphasizes communication, social interaction, and aesthetic engagement. In Adaptation Studies and Learning: New Frontiers, Laurence Raw and Tony Gurr seek to redefine the ways in which adaptation is taught and learned. Comprised of essays, reflections, and “learning conversations” about the ways in which this approach to adaptation might be implemented, this book focuses on issues of curriculum construction, the role of technology, and the importance of collaboration. Including a series of case-studies and classroom experiences, the authors explore the relationship between adaptation and related disciplines such as history, media, and translation. The book also includes a series of case studies from the world of cinema, showing how collaboration and social interaction lies at the heart of successful film adaptations. By looking beyond the classroom, Raw and Gurr demonstrate how adaptation studies involves real-world issues of prime importance—not only to film and theater professionals, but to all learners. Covering a wide range of material, including film history, educational theory, and literary criticism, Adaptation Studies and Learning offers a radical repositioning of the ways in which we think about adaptation both inside and outside the classroom.

The Films of Ridley Scott
The Films of Ridley Scott

Author: Richard A. Schwartz

Publisher: Praeger

Published: 2001-08-30

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13:

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In such films as Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and the recent blockbuster Gladiator, Scott addresses the tensions between institutions and individuals, passion and reason, and social order and personal freedom - particularly for women, who in Scott's films often posses strong characters, moral rectitude, and physical prowess - making him the rare mainstream director who does not reserve such heroic qualities for men only.".

Redefining Adaptation Studies
Redefining Adaptation Studies

Author: Dennis Cutchins

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2010-02-23

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 0810872994

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Since films were first produced, adapted works have predominantly borrowed primarily from traditional texts, such as novels and plays. Likewise, the study of film adaptations has also been fairly traditional, rarely venturing beyond a comparison of the source material to its often less revered counterpart. Redefining Adaptation Studies breaks new ground in showing the range of possibilities that transcend the literature/film paradigm. These essays focus on the idea of 'adaptation' and what it means in different socio-political contexts. Above all, this collection shows how cultural and political factors determine the meaning of the term and its potential for developing new approaches to learning. The contributors to this volume look at adaptation in different contexts and develop new ways to approach adaptation, not just as a literature-through-film issue but as something which can be used to develop other skills, such as creative writing and personal and social skills. Aimed at teachers in high schools and universities at the under- and postgraduate levels, this volume not only suggests how 'adaptation' might be used in different disciplines, but how it might improve the learning experience for teachers and students alike.

The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott
The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott

Author: Adam Barkman

Publisher: Lexington Books

Published: 2013-03-08

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 0739178733

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The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott, edited by Adam Barkman, Ashley Barkman, and Nancy Kang, brings together eighteen critical essays that illuminate a nearly comprehensive selection of the director’s feature films from cutting-edge multidisciplinary and comparative perspectives. Chapters examine such signature works as Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma and Louise (1991), Gladiator (2000), Hannibal (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), and American Gangster (2007). This volume divides the chapters into three major thematic groups: responsibility, remembering, and revision; real, alienated, and ideal lives; and gender, identity, and selfhood. Each section features six discrete essays, each of which forwards an original thesis about the film or films chosen for analysis. Each chapter features close readings of scenes as well as broader discussions that will interest academics, non-specialists, as well as educated readers with an interest in films as visual texts. While recognizing Scott’s undeniable contributions to contemporary popular cinema, the volume does not shy away from honest and well-evidenced critique. Each chapter’s approach correlates with philosophical, literary, or cultural studies perspectives. Using both combined and single-film discussions, the contributors examine such topics as gender roles and feminist theory; philosophical abstractions like ethics, honor, and personal responsibility; historical memory and the challenges of accurately rendering historical events on screen; literary archetypes and generic conventions; race relations and the effect of class difference on character construction; how religion shapes personal and collective values; the role of a constantly changing technological universe; and the schism between individual and group-based power structures. The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott assembles the critical essays of scholars working in the fields of philosophy, literary studies, and cultural studies. An international group, they are based in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Korea, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The guiding assumption on the part of all the writers is that the filmmaker is the leading determiner of a motion picture’s ethos, artistic vision, and potential for audience engagement. While not discounting the production team (including screenwriters, actors, and cinematographers, among others), auteur theory recognizes the seminal role of the director as the nucleus of the meaning-making process. With Scott an active and prolific presence in the entertainment industry today, the timeliness of this volume is optimal.

The Pedagogy of Adaptation
The Pedagogy of Adaptation

Author: Dennis Cutchins

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2010-02-23

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 0810872978

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From All Quiet on the Western Front and Gone with the Wind to No Country for Old Men and Slumdog Millionaire, many of the most memorable films have been adapted from other sources. And while courses on film studies are taught throughout the world, The Pedagogy of Adaptation makes a strong case for treating adaptation studies as a separate discipline. What makes this book unique is its claim that adaptation is above all a creative process and not simply a slavish imitation or reproduction of an 'original.' This collection of essays focuses on numerous contexts to emphasize why adaptations matter to students of literature. It is the first such volume devoted exclusively to teaching adaptations from a practical, teacher-centered angle. Many of the essays show how 'adaptation' as a discipline can be used to prompt reflection on cultural, historical, and political differences. Written by specialists in a variety of fields, ranging from film, radio, theater, and even language studies, the book adopts a pluralistic view of adaptation, showing how its processes vary across different contexts and in different disciplines. Defining new horizons for the teaching of adaptation studies, these essays draw on such disparate sources as Frankenstein, Moby Dick, and South Park. This volume not only provides a resource-book of lesson plans but offers valuable pointers as to why teaching literature and film can help develop students' skills and improve their literacy.

Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott

Author: William B. Parrill

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2011-08-10

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 0786485930

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Ridley Scott, the director of such seminal films as Blade Runner, Alien and Thelma & Louise, is one of the most important directors of the last fifty years. Unlike many directors, Scott has been remarkably transparent about his craft, offering the audience glimpses into his creative process. This book explores Scott's oeuvre in depth, devoting a chapter to his 22 primary works, from his first effort, Boy and Bicycle (1962), through Robin Hood (2010). Topics discussed include the critical reception of the films, and the ways in which Scott's works function as cinematic mediators of issues such as religion, women's rights and history.

Gladiator
Gladiator

Author: Ridley Scott

Publisher: Newmarket Press

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 9781557044310

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The official illustrated companion book to the winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Costume Design, Sound, and Visual Effects. Director Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Alien) brings the glorious battles of the ancient Roman arena back to the big screen. Set against the splendor and barbarity of the Roman Empire in AD 180, Gladiator tells an epic story of courage and revenge: The great Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe) has been forced into exile and slavery by the jealous heir to the throne, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Trained as a gladiator, Maximus returns to Rome, intent on avenging the murder of his family by Commodus, now emperor. The one power stronger than that of the emperor is the will of the people, and Maximus knows he can attain his revenge only by becoming the greatest hero in all the Empire. Russell Crowe heads up an international cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris. Directed by Ridley Scott from a script by David Franzoni and John Logan, Gladiator is produced by Franzoni, Douglas Wick, and Branko Lustig, with Walter F. Parkes serving as executive producer. This is the official full-color companion book, featuring excerpts from the screenplay, historical sidebars and illustrations, details on period costumes and epic set designs, behind-the-scenes photographs from the location filming, and interviews with the screenwriters, actors, and director.

The Last Duel
The Last Duel

Author: Eric Jager

Publisher: Crown

Published: 2005-09-13

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 0767914171

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • “A taut page-turner with all the hallmarks of a good historical thriller.”—Orlando Sentinel The gripping true story of the duel to end all duels in medieval France as a resolute knight defends his wife’s honor against the man she accuses of a heinous crime In the midst of the devastating Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Jean de Carrouges, a Norman knight fresh from combat in Scotland, returns home to yet another deadly threat. His wife, Marguerite, has accused squire Jacques Le Gris of rape. A deadlocked court decrees a trial by combat between the two men that will also leave Marguerite’s fate in the balance. For if her husband loses the duel, she will be put to death as a false accuser. While enemy troops pillage the land, and rebellion and plague threaten the lives of all, Carrouges and Le Gris meet in full armor on a walled field in Paris. What follows is the final duel ever authorized by the Parlement of Paris, a fierce fight with lance, sword, and dagger before a massive crowd that includes the teenage King Charles VI, during which both combatants are wounded—but only one fatally. Based on extensive research in Normandy and Paris, The Last Duel brings to life a colorful, turbulent age and three unforgettable characters caught in a fatal triangle of crime, scandal, and revenge. The Last Duel is at once a moving human drama, a captivating true crime story, and an engrossing work of historical intrigue with themes that echo powerfully centuries later.

The Francis Ford Coppola Encyclopedia
The Francis Ford Coppola Encyclopedia

Author: James M. Welsh

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2010-08-27

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 0810876515

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Francis Ford Coppola's career has spanned five decades, from low budget films he produced in the early 1960s to more personal films of recent years. Because of the tremendous popular success of The Godfather and the tremendous critical success of its sequel, Coppola is considered to be one of the best directors of all time. The entries in this encyclopedia focus on all aspects of Coppola's work—from his early days with producer Roger Corman to his films as the director of the 1970s. This extensive reference contains material on all of the films Coppola has played a role in, from screenwriter to producer to director, including such classics as Patton, The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now. Each entry is followed by a bibliography of published sources, both in print and online, making The Francis Ford Coppola Encyclopedia the most comprehensive reference on this director's body of work.