Cinema Wars - by Douglas M Kellner (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Cinema Wars explores the intersection of film, politics, and US culture and society through a bold critical analysis of the films, TV shows, and documentaries produced in the early 2000s

• Offers a thought-provoking depiction of Hollywood film as a contested terrain between conservative and liberal forces
• Films and documentaries discussed include: Black Hawk Down, The Dark Knight, Star Wars, Syriana, WALL-E, Fahrenheit 9/11 and other Michael Moore documentaries, amongst others
• Explores how some films in this era supported the Bush-Cheney regime, while others criticized the administration, openly or otherwise
• Investigates Hollywood's treatment of a range of hot topics, from terrorism and environmental crisis to the Iraq war and the culture wars of the 2000s
• Shows how Hollywood film in the 2000s brought to life a vibrant array of social protest and helped create cultural conditions to elect Barack Obama

From the Back Cover

Cinema Wars explores the intersection of film, politics, and US culture and society through a bold analysis of the films, TV shows, and documentaries produced in the early 2000s. From No Country for Old Men to The Passion of the Christ and Hollywood depictions of 9/11, Douglas Kellner's fascinating exploration of contemporary cinema demonstrates that in a time of unparalleled cultural turbulence and military conflict, Hollywood film has been a contested terrain between conservative and liberal forces.

Examining a wide range of films, genres, and filmmakers, Cinema Wars documents how many popular films have reproduced conservative and militarist discourses that replicate the positions of the Bush-Cheney regime, while others have criticized and satirized the conservative administration. From historical dramas like Good Night, and Good Luck to provocative documentaries such as Bowling for Columbine and An Inconvenient Truth, Kellner shows how Hollywood film in the 2000s has brought to life a vibrant array of social protest and helped create the cultural conditions for the election of Barack Obama.

Review Quotes

"Notwithstanding the lack of surprise, Kellner is always challenging and provocative, and for that reason alone, Cinema Wars is worth reading." (Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, 1 June 2011)

"This volume will be a valuable source ... .The provocative political stances taken and wide range of films discussed here will stimulate debate for academics and students alike." (Times Higher Education, February 2010)

About the Author

Douglas Kellner is George Kneller Chair of Philosophy of Education at UCLA. He is the author of many books on social theory, politics, history, and culture, including Camera Politica: The Politics and Ideology of Contemporary Hollywood Film, co-authored with Michael Ryan, and Media Spectacle and the Crisis of Democracy. He is the co-editor of Media and Cultural Studies Keyworks (Wiley-Blackwell 2006). Kellner's most recent book is Guys and Guns Amok: Domestic Terrorism and School Shootings from the Oklahoma City Bombings to the Virginia Tech Massacre. His website is at www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/kellner.html.