Front cover image for The American Film Musical

The American Film Musical

Presents a study of American film musical. This book combines genre theory with film criticism and history. It is suitable for film enthusiasts and scholars of film, theater, popular culture and communications.
Print Book, English, cop. 1987
Indiana University Press, Bloomington (IN), cop. 1987
x, 386 p. : il. bl. y n
9780253205148, 9780253304131, 9780851702278, 025320514X, 025330413X, 0851702279
758052221
PREFACEI. An Introduction to the Theory of Genre AnalysisGeneral Discourse on MeaningThe Role of Generic Formations in Meaning ProductionThe Role of the CriticToward Objective Evaluation of Subjective CriticismEstablishing a CorpusII. The American Film Musical as Dual-Focus NarrativeIII. The Structure of the American Film MusicalThe film process through a series of paired segments matching the male and female leadsEach separate part of the film recapitulates the film's overall dualityThe basic sexual duality overlays a secondary dichotomyThe marriage which resolves the primary (sexual) dichotomy also mediates between the two terms of the secondary (thematic) oppositionIV. The Style of the American Film MusicalAudio DissolveVideo DissolvePersonality DissolveV. The Problem of Genre HistoryProblems with Current TerminologyTowards a New TerminologyDefining the CorpusReformulating Genre HistoryThe History of the American Film Musical: A New ApproachVI. The Fairy Tale MusicalPrehistorySex as SexSex as BattleSex as AdventureVII. The Show MusicalThe Sources of Show Musical SemanticsBackstage: The Syntax of IllusionTaking it Out of the TheaterSaving the Dying Myth: Reflexivity as ReinforcementVIII. The Folk MusicalElements of the Folk MusicalBuilding a Folk SyntaxA Folk Art in the Age of Mass MediaIX. Genre and CultureThe Fundamental Characteristics of Genre FilmSymbolic SpectatorshipWork and EntertainmentThe Musical's Operational RoleThe Practice of Music in the Age of Electronic ReproductionConclusionBIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTESNOTESYEARLY TABLE OF MUSICALS BY SUBGENREINDEX
Índices