New Books in Film
This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field.
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851
Dave Itzkoff, “Mad as Hell: The Making of Netwo...
Clearly prophetic, “Network” was a controversial film that was reviled by television studios and networks, yet became one of the best films of its time. Dave Itzkoff, culture reporter for The New York Times,
62 min
852
Paul Seydor, “The Authentic Death and Contentio...
Sam Peckinpah’s career as a writer and director was also filled with controversies, but his reputation has not diminished, more than thirty years after his last film. Paul Seydor began in academics before becoming a highly regarded film editor who knew...
67 min
853
Tom Hertweck, “Food on Film” (Rowman and Little...
Movies and television shows often include scenes of eating, either as a side activity of the actors or as an integralpart of a scene. University of Nevada, Reno Professor Tom Hertweck compiled 14 essays in his collection,
67 min
854
Hugo Frey, “Nationalism and the Cinema in Franc...
Hugo Frey‘s new book, Nationalism and the Cinema in France: Political Mythologies and Film Events, 1945-1995 (Berghahn Books, 2014) distinguishes between a national cinema (films made in France) and a nationalist cinema motivated by the specific agenda...
59 min
855
Chris Morgan, “The Comic Galaxy of Mystery Scie...
While there are many well known cult television shows still revered by fans, MST3K continues to have an incredibly large following with a thriving following 25 years after its final episode. Chris Morgan‘s book The Comic Galaxy of Mystery Science Theat...
52 min
856
Kathryn Cramer Brownell, “Showbiz Politics: Hol...
We are all aware how important professional movie makers are to modern campaigns. Many trace this importance to John F. Kennedy’s presidential victory in 1960. Yet, as Kathryn Cramer Brownell shows in her new book Showbiz Politics: Hollywood in America...
67 min
857
Joan Kramer and David Heeley, “In the Company o...
There are a variety of great documentaries about famous films and film artists. Two of the most successful producers of these movies are Joan Kramer and David Heeley. Their book In the Company of Legends (Beaufort Books,
66 min
858
Raluca Lucia Cimpean, “The JFK Image: Profiles ...
Even long after his death, President John F. Kennedy continues to be a popular figure. In addition to documentaries, his influence appears in television and film. In her book The JFK Image: Profiles in Docudrama (Rowman and Littlefield, 2014),
63 min
859
Norma Jones, Maja-Bajac-Carter, Bob Batchelor, ...
While there are a number of studies of how women are represented in popular culture, Norma Jones, Maja Bajac-Carter, Bob Batchelor’s collection of essays Heroines of Film and Television: Portrayals in Popular Culture (Rowman and Littlefield,
64 min
860
Steven Awalt, “Steven Spielberg and Duel: The M...
Steven Spielberg’s long career as a filmmaker began with television. In addition to episodes of popular TV series, he also directed one of the most popular made for television movies of all time, Duel. In Steven Spielberg and Duel: The Making of a Film...
61 min
861
Kutter Callaway, “Scoring Transcendence: Contem...
For many people, filmgoing is a moment to submerge themselves in a new world of meaning and experience a different reality. While film is prominently defined by its ‘moving images’ these alone are not usually able to fully move a viewer.
56 min
862
John Wiley Jr., “The Scarlett Letters: The Maki...
Margaret Mitchell’s blockbuster novel was released in 1936 to great acclaim. It immediately drew interest from Hollywood hoping to turn it into an epic film. After its sale, Mitchell began a large series of letters related to the making of the film.
60 min
863
Guy Westwell, “Parallel Lines: Post-9/11 Americ...
The United States and the world underwent a fundamental change because of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In addition to major wars, the event has brought up themes of security, torture, and the overall issue of terrorism in the 21st centu...
54 min
864
Glen Jeansonne and David Luhrssen, “War on the ...
War has been a constant topic for feature films since the invention of the motion picture camera. These events made for interesting stories and dynamic visual representations. In their book, War on the Silver Screen: Shaping America’s Perception of His...
58 min
865
Dick Lehr, “The Birth of a Nation” (PublicAffai...
Many books on film discuss the artistic aspects of movies, often as they relate to social and political events that affected the filmmakers. In his book The Birth of a Nation: How a Legendary Filmmaker and a Crusading Editor Reignited America’s Civil W...
50 min
866
Bruce Babington, “The Sports Film: Games People...
One of the most enduring film genres is the sports movie. From the earliest attempts at narrative motion pictures to the present day, movies devoted to athletic competition are both popular and lasting. In The Sports Film: Games People Play (Wallflower...
58 min
867
Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper, “19...
When television began to grow in popularity, broadcasters had to come up with programming to fill the day. Growing from the Flash Gordon movie serials, science fiction shows geared towards young people filled the air in the 1950s,
64 min
868
Laura Mattoon D’Amore, “Smart Chicks on Screen”...
One of the continuing issues of the entertainment industry is the treatment of women in movies and television. Even with a larger number of female writers, producers, and directors, roles often follow stereotypical and negative conventions.
63 min
869
Bridget Conor, “Screenwriting: Creative labor a...
Bridget Conor’s new book, Screenwriting: Creative Labor and Professional Practice (Routledge, 2014), looks closely at the creative practice and profession of screenwriting for film and television in the US and UK.
48 min
870
Chris Taylor, “How Star Wars Conquered the Univ...
When George Lucas first began to write “The Star Wars”, as it was originally known, he had no idea that it would become his main life’s work. Beginning as a modern Flash Gordon-style space adventure, the eventual series would become arguably the most s...
63 min
871
Bryn Upton, “Hollywood and the End of the Cold ...
While the Cold War ended in 1991 with a whimper, not a bang, it still affects popular culture in many ways. In his book. Hollywood and the End of the Cold War: Signs of Cinematic Change (Rowman and Littlefield, 2014),
56 min
872
Hideaki Fujiki, “Making Personas: Transnational...
Stardom has a history. Hideaki Fujiki‘s new book traces that history through a story of the transformations of Japanese film stars in the early twentieth century. Taking a deeply transnational approach to understanding the imbrication of film stardom a...
71 min
873
M. Gail Hamner, “Imaging Religion in Film: The ...
When we watch film various visual elements direct our understanding of the narrative and its meaning. The subjective position of each viewer informs their reading of images in a multitude of ways. From this perspective,
54 min
874
Travis Vogan, “Keepers of the Flame: NFL Films ...
Last weekend was the NFL Draft, the annual event when teams select college players who have shown the talent to advance to the professional ranks. Staged at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, broadcast live on two cable networks,
49 min
875
Donald T. Critchlow, “When Hollywood Was Right”...
It seems that everyone in Hollywood is on the political Left. “Seems” is the operative word here, because there are actually Republicans in pictures, at least according to this website. (NB: I have no idea whether the folks who created this list know w...
55 min