Hollywood sports movies and the American dream / Grant Wiedenfeld.
| Author/creator | Wiedenfeld, Grant |
| Other author | Oxford University Press. |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2022] |
| Description | 282 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Oxford Scholarship Online |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Introduction: America's civic screen -- Rocky (1976) tenderhearted community and racial modernization in bicentennial America -- Slap shot (1977) deindustrialization, goon masculinity, and Yankee-Doodle patriotism -- The natural (1984) farm crisis and minority culture in a New Deal legend -- White men can't jump (1992) "winning and losing is one big organic globule" --A league of their own (1994) egalitarian women and sideline men -- Ali (2001) actions of the people's champion -- Conclusion. |
| Abstract | "Through the heart of Hollywood cinema runs a surprising current of progressive politics. Sports movies, a genre that has flourished since the mid-seventies, evoke the American dream and represent the nation to itself. Once considered mere credos for Reaganism, on closer view, movies from Rocky (1976) to Ali (2001) dream of democratic participation and recognition more than individual success. In every case, off-field relationships take precedence over on-field competition. Arranged chronologically, this critical study of six major sports films also tells the story of multiculturalism's gradual adoption. The mainstream's first minority heroes are paradoxically white ethnic, rural, working-class men, exemplified by Rocky, Slap Shot (1977) and The Natural (1984); Black, brown, and women characters follow in White Men Can't Jump (1992), A League of Their Own (1992), and Ali. But despite their insistence on community and diversity these popular dramas show limited faith in civic institutions. Hannah Arendt, Jeffrey Alexander, and others inform original analysis and commentary on the political significance of popular culture. Reading these familiar movies from another angle paints a fresh picture of how the United States has imagined democracy since its bicentennial"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-272) and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2021046213 |
| ISBN | 9780197624937 (paperback) |
| ISBN | 9780197624920 (hardcover) |
| ISBN | (epub) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |