Description
Certain Hollywood movies are now so deeply woven into the cultural fabric that lines of their dialogue - for example, 'Make him an offer he can't refuse' - have been incorporated into everyday discourse. The films explored in this book, which include The Godfather, Jaws, The Big Lebowski, Field of Dreams and The Village, have become important cultural myths, fascinating windows into the schisms, tensions, and problems of American culture. Hollywood Blockbusters: The Anthropology of Popular Movies uses anthropology to understand why these movies have such enduring appeal in this age of fragmented audiences and ever-faster spin cycles. Exploring key anthropological issues from ritual, kinship, gift giving and totemism to literacy, stereotypes, boundaries and warfare, this fascinating book uncovers new insights into the significance of modern film classics for students of Film, Media, Anthropology and American Cultural Studies.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction2. The Godfather: The Gun, the Pen, and the Cannoli3. Field Of Dreams: Blurring the Lines4. Jaws: The Eyes of the Other5. The Big Lebowski: Timely Masculinities6. The Village: The Political Anthropology of the Possible7. ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex
