Studying Action-Adventure Cinema

1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-1-906733-34-6
Verlag: Auteur Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 224 Seiten, Format (B × H): 171 mm x 229 mm

Studying Action-Adventure Cinema revisits the roots of action-adventure films and contextualizes the genre, particular with reference to the development of the Western. Wayne O'Brien describes conventions and audience expectations and reproduces diverse case studies that trace the evolution of action-adventure films from the 1970s to today. The volume investigates the impact of action-adventure cinema on the industrial dynamics of Hollywood, considering Star Wars (1977) and its early 1980s sequels, along with Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and its sequels. Since the release of Tim Burton's Batman (1989), comic books have become key contributors to the wider action-adventure genre. O'Brien discusses adaptations of DC and Marvel Comics characters, considering their implications for issues of gender, discrimination, justice, and law. He also features case studies on the representation of masculinity and femininity. Analyzed films include Michael Bay's Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys II (2003) and the Lara Croft and Charlie's Angels's series. A concluding chapter weighs the impact of 9/11 on action-adventure cinema, questioning the effect of real world events on screen representations, particularly in the The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Casino Royale (2006), and Stephen Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005).

Autoren/Hrsg.

O'Brien, Wayne

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Theater- und Filmwissenschaft | Andere Darstellende Künste Filmwissenschaft, Fernsehen, Radio Filmgattungen, Filmgenre
• Geisteswissenschaften Theater- und Filmwissenschaft | Andere Darstellende Künste Filmwissenschaft, Fernsehen, Radio Filmtheorie, Filmanalyse

Über Autor(innen)

O'Brien, Wayne
Wayne O'Brien is director of learning for media and film studies at Smestow School Wolverhampton, U.K, and coauthor of Studying Videogames.

Wayne O'Brien is director of learning for media and film studies at Smestow School Wolverhampton, U.K, and coauthor of Studying Videogames.