The Music of Counterculture Cinema - by Mathew J Bartkowiak & Yuya Kiuchi (Paperback)

About the Book

Films produced in late 1960s and early 1970s America--along with later films focusing on that period--continue to frame our understanding of the counterculture era. The popular and experimental music of the day is central to the counterculture narrative on film, from the utopian Monterey Pop (1968) to the disenchantment of Gimme Shelter (1970). But the musical side of the movement was not monolithic, and a study of contemporary film soundtracks reveals a great deal of complexity. The coinciding struggles to define collective and individual identities based on race, class, gender and generation are well documented in the music of counterculture cinema.

Book Synopsis

Films produced in late 1960s and early 1970s America--along with later films focusing on that period--continue to frame our understanding of the counterculture era. The popular and experimental music of the day is central to the counterculture narrative on film, from the utopian Monterey Pop (1968) to the disenchantment of Gimme Shelter (1970). But the musical side of the movement was not monolithic, and a study of contemporary film soundtracks reveals a great deal of complexity. The coinciding struggles to define collective and individual identities based on race, class, gender and generation are well documented in the music of counterculture cinema.

Review Quotes

"recommended"-Journal of American Culture

"Bartkowiak and Kiuchi have written a smart examination of the intersection of two key popular cultural genres. Recommended"-Choice

"Wilson is a trusted guide with an obvious passion (and knowledge of) the subject...no stone is unturned...The detail here is pretty extraordinary, with fascinating asides and valuable insights from working film composers, including Oscar winners Howard Shore and Alexander Desplat...His vivid descriptions of what the music sounds like and how it makes him feel really inspired me to go and revisit (or discover) the scores he discusses."-Music Magazine.

About the Author

Mathew J. Bartkowiak, formerly an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County, is now a senior manager at Nelson-Jameson, Inc. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of American Studies at Michigan State University. Yuya Kiuchi is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University. His research interests include popular culture, youth culture, African American Studies, technology, and sexuality.