- Description
- 1 online resource (ix, 157 pages) : illustrations, portraits.
- Summary
- "The aim of this short volume is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the generic and thematic elements of contemporary superhero films. Terence McSweeney examines the codes and conventions of the superhero genre, laying out the syntactic and semantic elements common to most (if not always all) of the exemplars of the genre. Though one of the most prominent features of these films has been their malleability and amorphousness -encompassing, in varying proportions, the fantastic and the realistic; the comedic and the tragic; animation and live action; children's and adult films, occasionally all in the same film - it nonetheless can be shown to constitute a distinct and cohesive genre. McSweeney's then takes a look at some of the most prominent thematic issues at play in mainstream superhero films: political-ideological functions of the films; gender and racial representation (or lack thereof); and the myth-building tendency that has sustained various superhero franchises. Beginning with the Batman and Superman series - both created just before the US's entry into WWII, and and used as a vehicle for political messaging - McSweeney shows how superheroes' jingoistic roots still color the films today. Likewise, the films frequently trade in a reactionary conception of traditional gender norms. These trends have begun to change somewhat in recent years, with films like Wonder Woman (herself a product of the same nationalism as Batman and Superman) and Black Panther acting gestures towards more equal representation, though overall the superhero genre remains essentially conservative. Finally, McSweeney will compare the dominant US superhero genre with its iterations around the world, including in-depth case studies of the Indian series "Krrish" and the British film SuperBob"--
- Series Statement
- Short cuts
- Uniform Title
- Contemporary superhero film (Online)
- Alternative Title
- Contemporary superhero film (Online)
- Subject
- Bibliography (note)
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Includes filmography.
- Access (note)
- Access restricted to authorized users.
- ISBN
- 9780231549790
- LCCN
- 2020011038
- OCLC
- ssj0002432013
- Author
McSweeney, Terence, 1974-
- Title
The contemporary superhero film [electronic resource] : projections of power and identity / Terence McSweeney.
- Imprint
New York : Wallfower Press, [2020]
- Series
Short cuts
- Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Includes filmography.
- Access
Access restricted to authorized users.
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