Author: David Kalat
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
Examines over two dozen Godzilla movies made between 1933 and 1995, emphasizing the cultural differences underlying the changes US distributors have made in the Japanese films. Provides exhaustive data for both versions of each, along with plot synopses, casts, credits, and detailed production notes. Also discusses the various political and social subtexts of the films. No illustrations. c. Book News Inc.
A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series
Author: David Kalat
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
Examines over two dozen Godzilla movies made between 1933 and 1995, emphasizing the cultural differences underlying the changes US distributors have made in the Japanese films. Provides exhaustive data for both versions of each, along with plot synopses, casts, credits, and detailed production notes. Also discusses the various political and social subtexts of the films. No illustrations. c. Book News Inc.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
Examines over two dozen Godzilla movies made between 1933 and 1995, emphasizing the cultural differences underlying the changes US distributors have made in the Japanese films. Provides exhaustive data for both versions of each, along with plot synopses, casts, credits, and detailed production notes. Also discusses the various political and social subtexts of the films. No illustrations. c. Book News Inc.
A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series, 2d ed.
Author: David Kalat
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476632650
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 743
Book Description
This thoroughly updated and revised critical account of the Godzilla movie franchise explores the fascinating story behind Japan's most famous movie monster and its development from black-and-white arthouse allegory to international commercial juggernaut. Reviled by critics but boasting a dedicated cult following, the films of the Godzilla franchise provide a unique window into the national identities of both Japan and the United States. This work focuses on how differences in American and Japanese culture, as well as differences in their respective film industries, underlie the discrepancies between the American and Japanese versions of the films. It features detailed filmographic data for both the American and Japanese versions of each film, including plot synopses, cast, credits, and detailed production notes.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476632650
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 743
Book Description
This thoroughly updated and revised critical account of the Godzilla movie franchise explores the fascinating story behind Japan's most famous movie monster and its development from black-and-white arthouse allegory to international commercial juggernaut. Reviled by critics but boasting a dedicated cult following, the films of the Godzilla franchise provide a unique window into the national identities of both Japan and the United States. This work focuses on how differences in American and Japanese culture, as well as differences in their respective film industries, underlie the discrepancies between the American and Japanese versions of the films. It features detailed filmographic data for both the American and Japanese versions of each film, including plot synopses, cast, credits, and detailed production notes.
The Kaiju Film
Author: Jason Barr
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 078649963X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
The Kaiju (strange monster or strange beast) film genre has a number of themes that go well beyond the "big monsters stomping on cities" motif. Since the seminal King Kong 1933) and the archetypal Godzilla (1954), kaiju has mined the subject matter of science run amok, militarism, capitalism, colonialism, consumerism and pollution. This critical examination of kaiju considers the entirety of the genre--the major franchises, along with less well known films like Kronos (1957), Monsters (2010) and Pacific Rim (2013). The author examines how kaiju has crossed cultures from its original folkloric inspirations in both the U.S. and Japan and how the genre continues to reflect national values to audiences.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 078649963X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
The Kaiju (strange monster or strange beast) film genre has a number of themes that go well beyond the "big monsters stomping on cities" motif. Since the seminal King Kong 1933) and the archetypal Godzilla (1954), kaiju has mined the subject matter of science run amok, militarism, capitalism, colonialism, consumerism and pollution. This critical examination of kaiju considers the entirety of the genre--the major franchises, along with less well known films like Kronos (1957), Monsters (2010) and Pacific Rim (2013). The author examines how kaiju has crossed cultures from its original folkloric inspirations in both the U.S. and Japan and how the genre continues to reflect national values to audiences.
Godzilla on My Mind
Author: William Tsutsui
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 113705557X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
“A stellar book; an entertaining and vivid look at Japanese pop culture, its globalization, and American encounters with Japan.” —Theodore C. Bestor, author of Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World Ever since Godzilla (or, Gojira, as he is known in Japan) crawled out of his radioactive birthplace to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, he has claimed a place alongside King Kong and others in the movie monster pantheon. He is the third most recognizable Japanese celebrity in the United States, and his fan base continues to grow as children today prove his enduring appeal. Now, Bill Tsutsui, a life-long fan and historian, takes a light-hearted look at the big, green, radioactive lizard, revealing how he was born and how he became a megastar. With humorous anecdotes, Godzilla on My Mind explores his lasting cultural impact on the world. This book is sure to be welcomed by pop culture enthusiasts, fans, and historians alike. “Godzilla On My Mind is a good read, well written, occasionally provocative and full of facts that show it to be well researched as well as a labour of love.” —Dr. Dolores Martinez, author of The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture “William Tsutsui’s Godzilla takes a fresh, original, and appealing look at one of our more intriguing pop culture icons. Although informed by careful scholarship, the book is highly accessible. It’s funny, stimulating, and an overall pleasure to read. I’ll never look at Godzilla the same way again!” —Susan Napier, author of Anime from Akira To Princess Mononoke
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 113705557X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
“A stellar book; an entertaining and vivid look at Japanese pop culture, its globalization, and American encounters with Japan.” —Theodore C. Bestor, author of Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World Ever since Godzilla (or, Gojira, as he is known in Japan) crawled out of his radioactive birthplace to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, he has claimed a place alongside King Kong and others in the movie monster pantheon. He is the third most recognizable Japanese celebrity in the United States, and his fan base continues to grow as children today prove his enduring appeal. Now, Bill Tsutsui, a life-long fan and historian, takes a light-hearted look at the big, green, radioactive lizard, revealing how he was born and how he became a megastar. With humorous anecdotes, Godzilla on My Mind explores his lasting cultural impact on the world. This book is sure to be welcomed by pop culture enthusiasts, fans, and historians alike. “Godzilla On My Mind is a good read, well written, occasionally provocative and full of facts that show it to be well researched as well as a labour of love.” —Dr. Dolores Martinez, author of The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture “William Tsutsui’s Godzilla takes a fresh, original, and appealing look at one of our more intriguing pop culture icons. Although informed by careful scholarship, the book is highly accessible. It’s funny, stimulating, and an overall pleasure to read. I’ll never look at Godzilla the same way again!” —Susan Napier, author of Anime from Akira To Princess Mononoke
The Atomic Bomb in Japanese Cinema
Author: Matthew Edwards
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476620202
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 299
Book Description
Seventy years after the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan is still dealing with the effects of the bombings on the national psyche. From the Occupation Period to the present, Japanese cinema had offered a means of coming to terms with one of the most controversial events of the 20th century. From the monster movies Gojira (1954) and Mothra (1961) to experimental works like Go Shibata's NN-891102 (1999), atomic bomb imagery features in all genres of Japanese film. This collection of new essays explores the cultural aftermath of the bombings and its expression in Japanese cinema. The contributors take on a number of complex issues, including the suffering of the survivors (hibakusha), the fear of future holocausts and the danger of nuclear warfare. Exclusive interviews with Go Shibata and critically acclaimed directors Roger Spottiswoode (Hiroshima) and Steven Okazaki (White Light/Black Rain) are included.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476620202
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 299
Book Description
Seventy years after the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan is still dealing with the effects of the bombings on the national psyche. From the Occupation Period to the present, Japanese cinema had offered a means of coming to terms with one of the most controversial events of the 20th century. From the monster movies Gojira (1954) and Mothra (1961) to experimental works like Go Shibata's NN-891102 (1999), atomic bomb imagery features in all genres of Japanese film. This collection of new essays explores the cultural aftermath of the bombings and its expression in Japanese cinema. The contributors take on a number of complex issues, including the suffering of the survivors (hibakusha), the fear of future holocausts and the danger of nuclear warfare. Exclusive interviews with Go Shibata and critically acclaimed directors Roger Spottiswoode (Hiroshima) and Steven Okazaki (White Light/Black Rain) are included.
Japan's Favorite Mon-star
Author: Steve Ryfle
Publisher: ECW Press
ISBN: 1550223488
Category : Godzilla (Fictitious character)
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
Bigger, badder, and more durable than Hollywood's greatest action heroes, Godzilla emerged from the mushroom cloud of an H-bomb test in 1954 to trample Tokyo. More than 40 years later, he reigns as the undisputed monarch of movie monsters, with legions of fans spanning several generations and countless international boundaries.
Publisher: ECW Press
ISBN: 1550223488
Category : Godzilla (Fictitious character)
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
Bigger, badder, and more durable than Hollywood's greatest action heroes, Godzilla emerged from the mushroom cloud of an H-bomb test in 1954 to trample Tokyo. More than 40 years later, he reigns as the undisputed monarch of movie monsters, with legions of fans spanning several generations and countless international boundaries.
Too Funny for Words
Author: David Kalat
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476636524
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
American silent film comedies were dominated by sight gags, stunts and comic violence. With the advent of sound, comedies in the 1930s were a riot of runaway heiresses and fast-talking screwballs. It was more than a technological pivot--the first feature-length sound film, The Jazz Singer (1927), changed Hollywood. Lost in the discussion of that transition is the overlap between the two genres. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd kept slapstick alive well into the sound era. Screwball directors like Leo McCarey, Frank Capra and Ernst Lubitsch got their starts in silent comedy. From Chaplin's tramp to the witty repartee of His Girl Friday (1940), this book chronicles the rise of silent comedy and its evolution into screwball--two flavors of the same genre--through the works of Mack Sennett, Roscoe Arbuckle, Harry Langdon and others.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476636524
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 261
Book Description
American silent film comedies were dominated by sight gags, stunts and comic violence. With the advent of sound, comedies in the 1930s were a riot of runaway heiresses and fast-talking screwballs. It was more than a technological pivot--the first feature-length sound film, The Jazz Singer (1927), changed Hollywood. Lost in the discussion of that transition is the overlap between the two genres. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd kept slapstick alive well into the sound era. Screwball directors like Leo McCarey, Frank Capra and Ernst Lubitsch got their starts in silent comedy. From Chaplin's tramp to the witty repartee of His Girl Friday (1940), this book chronicles the rise of silent comedy and its evolution into screwball--two flavors of the same genre--through the works of Mack Sennett, Roscoe Arbuckle, Harry Langdon and others.
Japan's Green Monsters
Author: Sean Rhoads
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476631344
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 227
Book Description
In 1954, a massive irradiated dinosaur emerged from Tokyo Bay and rained death and destruction on the Japanese capital. Since then Godzilla and other monsters, such as Mothra and Gamera, have gained cult status around the world. This book provides a new interpretation of these monsters, or kaiju-ū, and their respective movies. Analyzing Japanese history, society and film, the authors show the ways in which this monster cinema take on environmental and ecological issues--from nuclear power and industrial pollution to biodiversity and climate change.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476631344
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 227
Book Description
In 1954, a massive irradiated dinosaur emerged from Tokyo Bay and rained death and destruction on the Japanese capital. Since then Godzilla and other monsters, such as Mothra and Gamera, have gained cult status around the world. This book provides a new interpretation of these monsters, or kaiju-ū, and their respective movies. Analyzing Japanese history, society and film, the authors show the ways in which this monster cinema take on environmental and ecological issues--from nuclear power and industrial pollution to biodiversity and climate change.
The Cinema of Generation X
Author: Peter Hanson
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 9780786413348
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
When Steven Soderbergh exploded onto movie screens with sex, lies, and videotape in 1989, it represented more than the arrival of an important new director--it heralded the arrival of an entire generation of important new directors. Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Kevin Smith (Dogma), David Fincher (Fight Club), M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), Ben Stiller (Reality Bites), Michael Bay (Pearl Harbor), and dozens of others are all members of Generation X, the much talked about but much misunderstood successors to baby boomers. This book is a critical study of the films directed by Gen Xers and how those directors have been influenced by their generational identity. While Generation X as a whole sometimes seems to lack direction, its filmmakers have devoted their careers to making powerful statements about contemporary society and their generation's role in it. Each section of the book deals with an aspect of Gen X filmmaking, including the influence of popular culture, postmodern narrative devices, "slackerdom" and the lack of direction, disenfranchisement and nihilism, the ever-evolving role of technology, gender issues and sexuality, the question of race, the influence of older filmmakers, and visions of the future.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 9780786413348
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
When Steven Soderbergh exploded onto movie screens with sex, lies, and videotape in 1989, it represented more than the arrival of an important new director--it heralded the arrival of an entire generation of important new directors. Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Kevin Smith (Dogma), David Fincher (Fight Club), M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), Ben Stiller (Reality Bites), Michael Bay (Pearl Harbor), and dozens of others are all members of Generation X, the much talked about but much misunderstood successors to baby boomers. This book is a critical study of the films directed by Gen Xers and how those directors have been influenced by their generational identity. While Generation X as a whole sometimes seems to lack direction, its filmmakers have devoted their careers to making powerful statements about contemporary society and their generation's role in it. Each section of the book deals with an aspect of Gen X filmmaking, including the influence of popular culture, postmodern narrative devices, "slackerdom" and the lack of direction, disenfranchisement and nihilism, the ever-evolving role of technology, gender issues and sexuality, the question of race, the influence of older filmmakers, and visions of the future.
Giant Creatures in Our World
Author: Camille D.G. Mustachio
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476629978
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
Dismissed as camp by critics but revered by fans, the kaiju or "strange creature" film has become an iconic element of both Japanese and American pop culture. From homage to parody to advertising, references to Godzilla--and to a lesser extent Gamera, Rodan, Ultraman and others--abound in entertainment media. Godzilla in particular is so ubiquitous, his name is synonymous with immensity and destruction. In this collection of new essays, contributors examine kaiju representations in a range of contexts and attempt to define this at times ambiguous genre.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476629978
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 213
Book Description
Dismissed as camp by critics but revered by fans, the kaiju or "strange creature" film has become an iconic element of both Japanese and American pop culture. From homage to parody to advertising, references to Godzilla--and to a lesser extent Gamera, Rodan, Ultraman and others--abound in entertainment media. Godzilla in particular is so ubiquitous, his name is synonymous with immensity and destruction. In this collection of new essays, contributors examine kaiju representations in a range of contexts and attempt to define this at times ambiguous genre.