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Screening the Afterlife
Screening the Afterlife is a unique and fascinating exploration of the ‘last things’ as envisaged by modern filmmakers. Drawing on a range of films from Flatliners and What Dreams May Come to Working Girl and The Shawshank Redemption , it offers the first comprehensive examination of death and the afterlife within the growing field of religion and film. Topics addressed Students taking courses on eschatology will find this a stimulating and thought provoking resource, while scholars will relish Deacy’s theological insight and understanding.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2011
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August 27, 2017
Movies and religion are a good mix. I'm personally less enthralled about theology, but I liked Deacy's book because he was willing to address horror, at least to a small extent. The idea of the afterlife, of course, lends itself to such genres as horror. Much of the discussion is summarized in the subtitle. Deacy uses theological methods to discuss eschatology, death, and life after death in mostly popular films.
The benefit in using popular films is that readers can reasonably be expected to have seen enough of them to make sense of the discussion. This is an academic book, of course, so the argument isn't as easily presented as it would be in a trade book.
A number of topics are addressed in a useful way—reincarnation, heaven, hell, purgatory, and even demons to some extent. The focus, however, is on a theological interpretation of these things. Movies are used as a springboard for this material and they are occasionally criticized for presenting ideas incorrectly. That's one of the less endearing aspects of a theological treatment.
My blog post on the book: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World, talks a bit more about this religious aspect.
The benefit in using popular films is that readers can reasonably be expected to have seen enough of them to make sense of the discussion. This is an academic book, of course, so the argument isn't as easily presented as it would be in a trade book.
A number of topics are addressed in a useful way—reincarnation, heaven, hell, purgatory, and even demons to some extent. The focus, however, is on a theological interpretation of these things. Movies are used as a springboard for this material and they are occasionally criticized for presenting ideas incorrectly. That's one of the less endearing aspects of a theological treatment.
My blog post on the book: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World, talks a bit more about this religious aspect.
Displaying 1 of 1 review