The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema

The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema

Author: Kyung Hyun Kim

Publisher: Duke University Press

Published: 2004-03-08

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 9780822332671

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DIVArgues that although the last two decades of Korean history were a period of progress in political democratization, the country refused to part from a "masculine point of view" which is also mirrored in Korean cinema./div


Book Synopsis The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema by : Kyung Hyun Kim

Download or read book The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema written by Kyung Hyun Kim and published by Duke University Press. This book was released on 2004-03-08 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DIVArgues that although the last two decades of Korean history were a period of progress in political democratization, the country refused to part from a "masculine point of view" which is also mirrored in Korean cinema./div


New Korean Cinema

New Korean Cinema

Author: Darcy Paquet

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2010-04-26

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 0231850123

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New Korean Cinema charts the dramatic transformation of South Korea's film industry from the democratization movement of the late 1980s to the 2000s new generation of directors. The author considers such issues as government censorship, the market's embrace of Hollywood films, and the social changes which led to the diversification and surprising commercial strength of contemporary Korean films. Directors such as Hong Sang-soo, Kim Ki-duk, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho are studied within their historical context together with a range of films including Sopyonje (1993), Peppermint Candy (1999), Oldboy (2003), and The Host (2006).


Book Synopsis New Korean Cinema by : Darcy Paquet

Download or read book New Korean Cinema written by Darcy Paquet and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2010-04-26 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New Korean Cinema charts the dramatic transformation of South Korea's film industry from the democratization movement of the late 1980s to the 2000s new generation of directors. The author considers such issues as government censorship, the market's embrace of Hollywood films, and the social changes which led to the diversification and surprising commercial strength of contemporary Korean films. Directors such as Hong Sang-soo, Kim Ki-duk, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho are studied within their historical context together with a range of films including Sopyonje (1993), Peppermint Candy (1999), Oldboy (2003), and The Host (2006).


Virtual Hallyu

Virtual Hallyu

Author: Kyung Hyun Kim

Publisher: Duke University Press Books

Published: 2011-10-10

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780822350880

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“[T]his fine book . . . . enlarges our vision of one of the great national cinematic flowerings of the last decade.”—Martin Scorsese, from the foreword In the late 1990s, South Korean film and other cultural products, broadly known as hallyu (Korean wave), gained unprecedented international popularity. Korean films earned an all-time high of $60.3 million in Japan in 2005, and they outperformed their Hollywood competitors at Korean box offices. In Virtual Hallyu, Kyung Hyun Kim reflects on the precariousness of Korean cinema’s success over the past decade. Arguing that state film policies and socioeconomic factors cannot fully explain cinema’s true potentiality, Kim draws on Deleuze’s concept of the virtual—according to which past and present and truth and falsehood coexist—to analyze the temporal anxieties and cinematic ironies embedded in screen figures such as a made-in-the-USA aquatic monster (The Host), a postmodern Chosun-era wizard (Jeon Woo-chi), a schizo man-child (Oasis), a weepy North Korean terrorist (Typhoon), a salary man turned vengeful fighting machine (Oldboy), and a sick nationalist (the repatriated colonial-era film Spring of Korean Peninsula). Kim maintains that the full significance of hallyu can only be understood by exposing the implicit and explicit ideologies of protonationalism and capitalism that, along with Korea’s ambiguous post-democratization and neoliberalism, are etched against the celluloid surfaces.


Book Synopsis Virtual Hallyu by : Kyung Hyun Kim

Download or read book Virtual Hallyu written by Kyung Hyun Kim and published by Duke University Press Books. This book was released on 2011-10-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[T]his fine book . . . . enlarges our vision of one of the great national cinematic flowerings of the last decade.”—Martin Scorsese, from the foreword In the late 1990s, South Korean film and other cultural products, broadly known as hallyu (Korean wave), gained unprecedented international popularity. Korean films earned an all-time high of $60.3 million in Japan in 2005, and they outperformed their Hollywood competitors at Korean box offices. In Virtual Hallyu, Kyung Hyun Kim reflects on the precariousness of Korean cinema’s success over the past decade. Arguing that state film policies and socioeconomic factors cannot fully explain cinema’s true potentiality, Kim draws on Deleuze’s concept of the virtual—according to which past and present and truth and falsehood coexist—to analyze the temporal anxieties and cinematic ironies embedded in screen figures such as a made-in-the-USA aquatic monster (The Host), a postmodern Chosun-era wizard (Jeon Woo-chi), a schizo man-child (Oasis), a weepy North Korean terrorist (Typhoon), a salary man turned vengeful fighting machine (Oldboy), and a sick nationalist (the repatriated colonial-era film Spring of Korean Peninsula). Kim maintains that the full significance of hallyu can only be understood by exposing the implicit and explicit ideologies of protonationalism and capitalism that, along with Korea’s ambiguous post-democratization and neoliberalism, are etched against the celluloid surfaces.


Horror to the Extreme

Horror to the Extreme

Author: Jinhee Choi

Publisher: Hong Kong University Press

Published: 2009-06-01

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 9622099734

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This book compares production and consumption of Asian horror cinemas in different national contexts and their multidirectional dialogues with Hollywood and neighboring Asian cultures. Individual essays highlight common themes including technology, digital media, adolescent audience sensibilities, transnational co-productions, pan-Asian marketing techniques, and variations on good vs. evil evident in many Asian horror films. Contributors include Kevin Heffernan, Adam Knee, Chi-Yun Shin, Chika Kinoshita, Robert Cagle, Emilie Yeh Yueh-yu, Neda Ng Hei-tung, Hyun-suk Seo, Kyung Hyun Kim, and Robert Hyland.


Book Synopsis Horror to the Extreme by : Jinhee Choi

Download or read book Horror to the Extreme written by Jinhee Choi and published by Hong Kong University Press. This book was released on 2009-06-01 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book compares production and consumption of Asian horror cinemas in different national contexts and their multidirectional dialogues with Hollywood and neighboring Asian cultures. Individual essays highlight common themes including technology, digital media, adolescent audience sensibilities, transnational co-productions, pan-Asian marketing techniques, and variations on good vs. evil evident in many Asian horror films. Contributors include Kevin Heffernan, Adam Knee, Chi-Yun Shin, Chika Kinoshita, Robert Cagle, Emilie Yeh Yueh-yu, Neda Ng Hei-tung, Hyun-suk Seo, Kyung Hyun Kim, and Robert Hyland.


K-MOVIE

K-MOVIE

Author: Kim Kyung-tae

Publisher: 길잡이미디어

Published: 2015-10-15

Total Pages: 115

ISBN-13: 8973755978

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Even though Hollywood films still dominate the world’s box offices, Korean films are just as popular as their Hollywood counterparts in domestic theaters. In 2014 alone, Korean movies drew a combined total of 107.7 million viewers at box offices nationwide, accounting for 50.1% of the total number of movie viewers. Korean movies have accounted for more than 50% of the total film market share for the past four years and have attracted more than 100 million moviegoers annually for the past three years. In particular, the movie The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014), which depicts Chapter 1 Korean Films Today The Evolution of Commercial Films: Korean-style Blockbuster Films The Coexistence of ‘Diversity Films’ Foreign Perspectives on Korean Films Chapter 2 Korean Films in the World Overseas Export of Hallyu and Korean Films Expansion of Exchanges through Joint Production with Foreign Countries Increased Export of Film Technology Services Taking the Lead in the Development of the Southeast Asian Film Industry Korean Directors Gaining Attention Worldwide K-Movie Stars Chapter 3 Major Film Festivals in Korea Busan International Film Festival Jeonju International Film Festival Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Other Festivals Chapter 4 Top 10 Korean Films Worldwide


Book Synopsis K-MOVIE by : Kim Kyung-tae

Download or read book K-MOVIE written by Kim Kyung-tae and published by 길잡이미디어. This book was released on 2015-10-15 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even though Hollywood films still dominate the world’s box offices, Korean films are just as popular as their Hollywood counterparts in domestic theaters. In 2014 alone, Korean movies drew a combined total of 107.7 million viewers at box offices nationwide, accounting for 50.1% of the total number of movie viewers. Korean movies have accounted for more than 50% of the total film market share for the past four years and have attracted more than 100 million moviegoers annually for the past three years. In particular, the movie The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014), which depicts Chapter 1 Korean Films Today The Evolution of Commercial Films: Korean-style Blockbuster Films The Coexistence of ‘Diversity Films’ Foreign Perspectives on Korean Films Chapter 2 Korean Films in the World Overseas Export of Hallyu and Korean Films Expansion of Exchanges through Joint Production with Foreign Countries Increased Export of Film Technology Services Taking the Lead in the Development of the Southeast Asian Film Industry Korean Directors Gaining Attention Worldwide K-Movie Stars Chapter 3 Major Film Festivals in Korea Busan International Film Festival Jeonju International Film Festival Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Other Festivals Chapter 4 Top 10 Korean Films Worldwide


A Look Inside South Korean Cinema

A Look Inside South Korean Cinema

Author: Korean Culture and Information Service (South Korea)

Publisher: 길잡이미디어

Published: 2015-01-05

Total Pages: 111

ISBN-13:

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Hollywood films may dominate the world’s box offices today, but in Korea it’s the homegrown product that has been capturing the public’s attention. Korean films industry today and look inside of directors and stars. Korean film directors were getting major press at the world’s different film festivals. Exports were booming, and the films that reached overseas audiences found a warm reception there Contents Prologue Chapter One A Look Inside Korean Cinema The Korean Film Industry Today A Foreign Perspective Fostering New Talent Chapter Two Going Global Hallyu and Korean Film Working Internationally: Co-Productions Acclaimed Directors K-Movie Stars Chapter Three How Korean Film Got Here The Early Years (1920–1939) Golden Age: The 1960s and the ‘Literary Film’ Out of the Quicksand (1970–1989) Renaissance: 'Planned Movies' and Government Support (1990 to today) Chapter Four Film Festivals Busan International Film Festival Jeonju International Film Festival Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Other Festivals Chapter Five Ten Korean Films with Overseas Followings Appendix Further Reading Award-winning Korean Films at Overseas Festivals Park Chan-wook,Hong Sang-soo,Kim Ki-duk,Lee Chang-dong,Bong Joon-ho,Kim Jee-woon, Im Sang-soo, Byun Young-joo, Choi Dong-hoon, Na Hong-jin, Yang Ik-june, Yun Seong-hyeon, Yeon Sang-ho, Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-youn, Sul Kyoung-gu, Lee Byung-hun, Jun Ji-hyun, Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), The Housemaid, The Coachman, Heavenly Homecoming to Stars, The Surrogate Woman, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?, My Sassy Girl , Oldboy, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. . . and Spring, The Host, Poetry


Book Synopsis A Look Inside South Korean Cinema by : Korean Culture and Information Service (South Korea)

Download or read book A Look Inside South Korean Cinema written by Korean Culture and Information Service (South Korea) and published by 길잡이미디어. This book was released on 2015-01-05 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hollywood films may dominate the world’s box offices today, but in Korea it’s the homegrown product that has been capturing the public’s attention. Korean films industry today and look inside of directors and stars. Korean film directors were getting major press at the world’s different film festivals. Exports were booming, and the films that reached overseas audiences found a warm reception there Contents Prologue Chapter One A Look Inside Korean Cinema The Korean Film Industry Today A Foreign Perspective Fostering New Talent Chapter Two Going Global Hallyu and Korean Film Working Internationally: Co-Productions Acclaimed Directors K-Movie Stars Chapter Three How Korean Film Got Here The Early Years (1920–1939) Golden Age: The 1960s and the ‘Literary Film’ Out of the Quicksand (1970–1989) Renaissance: 'Planned Movies' and Government Support (1990 to today) Chapter Four Film Festivals Busan International Film Festival Jeonju International Film Festival Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Other Festivals Chapter Five Ten Korean Films with Overseas Followings Appendix Further Reading Award-winning Korean Films at Overseas Festivals Park Chan-wook,Hong Sang-soo,Kim Ki-duk,Lee Chang-dong,Bong Joon-ho,Kim Jee-woon, Im Sang-soo, Byun Young-joo, Choi Dong-hoon, Na Hong-jin, Yang Ik-june, Yun Seong-hyeon, Yeon Sang-ho, Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-youn, Sul Kyoung-gu, Lee Byung-hun, Jun Ji-hyun, Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), The Housemaid, The Coachman, Heavenly Homecoming to Stars, The Surrogate Woman, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?, My Sassy Girl , Oldboy, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. . . and Spring, The Host, Poetry


Rediscovering Korean Cinema

Rediscovering Korean Cinema

Author: Sangjoon Lee

Publisher: University of Michigan Press

Published: 2019-12-20

Total Pages: 612

ISBN-13: 0472054295

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South Korean cinema is a striking example of non-Western contemporary cinematic success. Thanks to the increasing numbers of moviegoers and domestic films produced, South Korea has become one of the world’s major film markets. In 2001, the South Korean film industry became the first in recent history to reclaim its domestic market from Hollywood and continues to maintain around a 50 percent market share today. High-quality South Korean films are increasingly entering global film markets and connecting with international audiences in commercial cinemas and art theatres, and at major international film festivals. Despite this growing recognition of the films themselves, Korean cinema’s rich heritage has not heretofore received significant scholarly attention in English-language publications. This groundbreaking collection of thirty-five essays by a wide range of academic specialists situates current scholarship on Korean cinema within the ongoing theoretical debates in contemporary global film studies. Chapters explore key films of Korean cinema, from Sweet Dream, Madame Freedom, The Housemaid, and The March of Fools to Oldboy, The Host, and Train to Busan, as well as major directors such as Shin Sang-ok, Kim Ki-young, Im Kwon-taek, Bong Joon-ho, Hong Sang-soo, Park Chan-wook, and Lee Chang-dong. While the chapters provide in-depth analyses of particular films, together they cohere into a detailed and multidimensional presentation of Korean cinema’s cumulative history and broader significance. With its historical and critical scope, abundance of new research, and detailed discussion of important individual films, Rediscovering Korean Cinema is at once an accessible classroom text and a deeply informative compendium for scholars of Korean and East Asian studies, cinema and media studies, and communications. It will also be an essential resource for film industry professionals and anyone interested in international cinema.


Book Synopsis Rediscovering Korean Cinema by : Sangjoon Lee

Download or read book Rediscovering Korean Cinema written by Sangjoon Lee and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2019-12-20 with total page 612 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: South Korean cinema is a striking example of non-Western contemporary cinematic success. Thanks to the increasing numbers of moviegoers and domestic films produced, South Korea has become one of the world’s major film markets. In 2001, the South Korean film industry became the first in recent history to reclaim its domestic market from Hollywood and continues to maintain around a 50 percent market share today. High-quality South Korean films are increasingly entering global film markets and connecting with international audiences in commercial cinemas and art theatres, and at major international film festivals. Despite this growing recognition of the films themselves, Korean cinema’s rich heritage has not heretofore received significant scholarly attention in English-language publications. This groundbreaking collection of thirty-five essays by a wide range of academic specialists situates current scholarship on Korean cinema within the ongoing theoretical debates in contemporary global film studies. Chapters explore key films of Korean cinema, from Sweet Dream, Madame Freedom, The Housemaid, and The March of Fools to Oldboy, The Host, and Train to Busan, as well as major directors such as Shin Sang-ok, Kim Ki-young, Im Kwon-taek, Bong Joon-ho, Hong Sang-soo, Park Chan-wook, and Lee Chang-dong. While the chapters provide in-depth analyses of particular films, together they cohere into a detailed and multidimensional presentation of Korean cinema’s cumulative history and broader significance. With its historical and critical scope, abundance of new research, and detailed discussion of important individual films, Rediscovering Korean Cinema is at once an accessible classroom text and a deeply informative compendium for scholars of Korean and East Asian studies, cinema and media studies, and communications. It will also be an essential resource for film industry professionals and anyone interested in international cinema.


New Korean Cinema

New Korean Cinema

Author: Chi-Yun Shin

Publisher: NYU Press

Published: 2005-09

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 0814740308

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Korean film has been heralded as the “newest tiger” of Asian cinema. In the past year, South Korea became one of the only countries in the world in which local films outsold Hollywood films, and Korean director Park Chan-wook was awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes. New Korean Cinema provides a comprehensive overview of the production, circulation, and reception of this vibrant cinema, which has begun to flourish again in the past decade, following the lifting of repressive government policies. In addition to providing a cultural, historical, and social context for understanding this burgeoning cinema, the book considers the political economy of South Korea's film industry, strategies of domestic and international distribution and marketing, and the consumption of Korean films throughout the world. The volume also includes a glossary of key terms and a bibliography of works on Korean cinema. New Korean Cinema gathers prominent critics from North America, Asia, and Europe to make sense of this exploding film industry. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complex roles played by national and regional cinemas in a global age.


Book Synopsis New Korean Cinema by : Chi-Yun Shin

Download or read book New Korean Cinema written by Chi-Yun Shin and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2005-09 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Korean film has been heralded as the “newest tiger” of Asian cinema. In the past year, South Korea became one of the only countries in the world in which local films outsold Hollywood films, and Korean director Park Chan-wook was awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes. New Korean Cinema provides a comprehensive overview of the production, circulation, and reception of this vibrant cinema, which has begun to flourish again in the past decade, following the lifting of repressive government policies. In addition to providing a cultural, historical, and social context for understanding this burgeoning cinema, the book considers the political economy of South Korea's film industry, strategies of domestic and international distribution and marketing, and the consumption of Korean films throughout the world. The volume also includes a glossary of key terms and a bibliography of works on Korean cinema. New Korean Cinema gathers prominent critics from North America, Asia, and Europe to make sense of this exploding film industry. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complex roles played by national and regional cinemas in a global age.


The Korean Popular Culture Reader

The Korean Popular Culture Reader

Author: Kyung Hyun Kim

Publisher: Duke University Press

Published: 2014-03-07

Total Pages: 471

ISBN-13: 082237756X

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Over the past decade, Korean popular culture has become a global phenomenon. The "Korean Wave" of music, film, television, sports, and cuisine generates significant revenues and cultural pride in South Korea. The Korean Popular Culture Reader provides a timely and essential foundation for the study of "K-pop," relating the contemporary cultural landscape to its historical roots. The essays in this collection reveal the intimate connections of Korean popular culture, or hallyu, to the peninsula's colonial and postcolonial histories, to the nationalist projects of the military dictatorship, and to the neoliberalism of twenty-first-century South Korea. Combining translations of seminal essays by Korean scholars on topics ranging from sports to colonial-era serial fiction with new work by scholars based in fields including literary studies, film and media studies, ethnomusicology, and art history, this collection expertly navigates the social and political dynamics that have shaped Korean cultural production over the past century. Contributors. Jung-hwan Cheon, Michelle Cho, Youngmin Choe, Steven Chung, Katarzyna J. Cwiertka, Stephen Epstein, Olga Fedorenko, Kelly Y. Jeong, Rachael Miyung Joo, Inkyu Kang, Kyu Hyun Kim, Kyung Hyun Kim, Pil Ho Kim, Boduerae Kwon, Regina Yung Lee, Sohl Lee, Jessica Likens, Roald Maliangkay, Youngju Ryu, Hyunjoon Shin, Min-Jung Son, James Turnbull, Travis Workman


Book Synopsis The Korean Popular Culture Reader by : Kyung Hyun Kim

Download or read book The Korean Popular Culture Reader written by Kyung Hyun Kim and published by Duke University Press. This book was released on 2014-03-07 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, Korean popular culture has become a global phenomenon. The "Korean Wave" of music, film, television, sports, and cuisine generates significant revenues and cultural pride in South Korea. The Korean Popular Culture Reader provides a timely and essential foundation for the study of "K-pop," relating the contemporary cultural landscape to its historical roots. The essays in this collection reveal the intimate connections of Korean popular culture, or hallyu, to the peninsula's colonial and postcolonial histories, to the nationalist projects of the military dictatorship, and to the neoliberalism of twenty-first-century South Korea. Combining translations of seminal essays by Korean scholars on topics ranging from sports to colonial-era serial fiction with new work by scholars based in fields including literary studies, film and media studies, ethnomusicology, and art history, this collection expertly navigates the social and political dynamics that have shaped Korean cultural production over the past century. Contributors. Jung-hwan Cheon, Michelle Cho, Youngmin Choe, Steven Chung, Katarzyna J. Cwiertka, Stephen Epstein, Olga Fedorenko, Kelly Y. Jeong, Rachael Miyung Joo, Inkyu Kang, Kyu Hyun Kim, Kyung Hyun Kim, Pil Ho Kim, Boduerae Kwon, Regina Yung Lee, Sohl Lee, Jessica Likens, Roald Maliangkay, Youngju Ryu, Hyunjoon Shin, Min-Jung Son, James Turnbull, Travis Workman


A Companion to the Gangster Film

A Companion to the Gangster Film

Author: George S. Larke-Walsh

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2018-11-20

Total Pages: 510

ISBN-13: 111904166X

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A companion to the study of the gangster film’s international appeal spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia A Companion to the Gangster Film presents a comprehensive overview of the newest scholarship on the contemporary gangster film genre as a global phenomenon. While gangster films are one of America’s most popular genres, gangster movies appear in every film industry across the world. With contributions from an international panel of experts, A Companion to the Gangster Film explores the popularity of gangster films across three major continents, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The authors acknowledge the gangster genre’s popularity and examine the reasons supporting its appeal to twenty-first century audiences across the globe. The book examines common themes across all three continents such as production histories and reception, gender race and sexuality, mafia mythologies, and politics. In addition, the companion clearly shows that no national cinema develops in isolation and that cinema is a truly global popular art form. This important guide to the gangster film genre: Reveals how the gangster film engages in complex and contradictory themes Examines the changing face of the gangster film in America Explores the ideas of gangsterism and migration in the Hispanic USA, Latin America and the Caribbean Discusses the wide variety of gangster types to appear in European cinema Contains a review of a wide-range of gangster films from the Americans, Europe, and Asia Written for academics and students of film, A Companion to the Gangster Film offers a scholarly and authoritative guide exploring the various aspects and international appeal of the gangster film genre.


Book Synopsis A Companion to the Gangster Film by : George S. Larke-Walsh

Download or read book A Companion to the Gangster Film written by George S. Larke-Walsh and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-11-20 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A companion to the study of the gangster film’s international appeal spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia A Companion to the Gangster Film presents a comprehensive overview of the newest scholarship on the contemporary gangster film genre as a global phenomenon. While gangster films are one of America’s most popular genres, gangster movies appear in every film industry across the world. With contributions from an international panel of experts, A Companion to the Gangster Film explores the popularity of gangster films across three major continents, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The authors acknowledge the gangster genre’s popularity and examine the reasons supporting its appeal to twenty-first century audiences across the globe. The book examines common themes across all three continents such as production histories and reception, gender race and sexuality, mafia mythologies, and politics. In addition, the companion clearly shows that no national cinema develops in isolation and that cinema is a truly global popular art form. This important guide to the gangster film genre: Reveals how the gangster film engages in complex and contradictory themes Examines the changing face of the gangster film in America Explores the ideas of gangsterism and migration in the Hispanic USA, Latin America and the Caribbean Discusses the wide variety of gangster types to appear in European cinema Contains a review of a wide-range of gangster films from the Americans, Europe, and Asia Written for academics and students of film, A Companion to the Gangster Film offers a scholarly and authoritative guide exploring the various aspects and international appeal of the gangster film genre.