American Film History: Selected Readings, 1960 to the Present

From the demise of the studio system in the 1960s and the rise of the American underground film at the same time, to the 21st century blockbuster superhero, this authoritative collection of introductory and specialized readings explores the core issues and developments in American cinematic history during the second half of the twentieth–century through to the present day. The student–friendly structure that also invites much deeper scholarly consideration–––divides coverage into the periods 1960–1975, 1976–1990, and 1991 to the present day, with each section opening with an historical overview.

Bringing together a rich and varied selection of contributions by a team of respected authors, The History of American Film: 1960 to the Present combines broader historical, social and political context with detailed analysis of individual films including Midnight Cowboy, Nashville, Cat Ballou, Chicago, Back to the Future, Killer of Sheep, Daughters of the Dust, Nothing But a Man, Ali, Easy Rider, The Conversation, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Longtime Companion, The Matrix, The War Tapes, and the Batman films among many others. Topics explored range from the dismantling of the studio system and the rise of the New Hollywood; the impact of television; genre; and the rise of the new directors; to independent and underground film; the civil rights, feminist and LGBT movements on film; American film after 9/11; and identity politics and culture. Additional online resources such as lists of key concepts, and suggested readings and filmographies for specialized topics, are also available at www.wiley.com/go/lucia.