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Providing an indispensable resource for students and general readers, this book serves as an entry point for a conversation on America's favorite pastime, focusing in on generational differences and the evolution of American identity.In an age marked by tension and division, Americans of all ages and backgrounds have turned to film to escape the pressures of everyday life. Yet, beyond escapism, popular cinema is both a mirror and microscope for our collective psyche. Examining the films that have made billions of dollars through a new lens reveals that popular culture is a vital source for understanding what it means to be an American.
This book is divided into four sections, each associated with a different generation. Featuring such era-defining hits as
Jaws,
Back to the Future,
Avatar, and
The Avengers, each section presents detailed film analyses that showcase the consistency of certain American values throughout generations as well as the constant renegotiation of others. Ideal for any cinephile,
The American Blockbuster demonstrates how complex and meaningful even the summer blockbuster can be.
List of contents
List of Figures
Preface
Introduction
1: Thematic EssaysThe Socialization Process: How Films Define Generational Consciousness
Capitalism and the Film Industry: Creating and Distributing Cinema in the Age of Television
The American Myth Machine: Film as a National Visual Literature
American Religiosity in the Age of Entertainment: Hollywood and American Values
2: Boomers Make the Blockbuster (1975-1982)AlienClose Encounters of the Third KindE.T.: The Extra-TerrestrialThe ExorcistGreaseIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost ArkJawsKramer vs. Kramer9 to 5One Flew over the Cuckoo's NestRockyStar Wars: A New HopeSupermanTootsie3: Xers on a Quest for Identity and Belonging (1983-1998)Back to the FutureBatmanBeauty and the BeastBeverly Hills CopForrest Gump Ghostbusters Home Alone Independence Day Jurassic Park The Lion King Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Terminator 2: Judgment Day Titanic Top Gun Toy Story 4: Millennials and the American Myth Machine (1999-2009)Avatar The Dark Knight The Fast and the Furious Finding Nemo Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Iron ManThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Matrix Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlShrek Spider-ManStar Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom MenaceTransformersTwilightX-Men5: Gen Z Finds Its Heroes (2010-)The Avengers Black Panther The Dark Knight Rises Despicable Me Fast and Furious 7 Frozen The Hunger Games Inception Joker Skyfall Star Wars: The Force Awakens Wonder Woman Zootopia Bibliography
About the Editor and Contributors
Index
About the author
Benjamin Crace, PhD, is a part-time instructor in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Tennessee Technological University.
