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Cinematic Terror: A Global History of Terrorism on Film
Cinematic Terror takes a uniquely long view of filmmakers' depiction of terrorism, examining how cinema has been a site of intense conflict between paramilitaries, state authorities and censors for well over a century. In the process, it takes us on a journey from the first Age of Terror that helped trigger World War One to the Global War on Terror that divides countries and families today.
Tony Shaw looks beyond Hollywood to pinpoint important trends in the ways that film industries across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East have defined terrorism down the decades. Drawing on a vast array of studio archives, government documentation, personal interviews and box office records, Shaw examines the mechanics of cinematic terrorism and challenges assumptions about the links between political violence and propaganda.
Tony Shaw looks beyond Hollywood to pinpoint important trends in the ways that film industries across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East have defined terrorism down the decades. Drawing on a vast array of studio archives, government documentation, personal interviews and box office records, Shaw examines the mechanics of cinematic terrorism and challenges assumptions about the links between political violence and propaganda.
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
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February 10, 2017
A terrific book by Tony Shaw who is an expert at covering the intersection of film and politics.
In this book, he looks at how terrorism has been covered by movies from the assassination of William McKinley to our post-9/11 era. He has a global perspective, looking at films from Bollywood as well as Hollywood. He goes beyond the "usual suspects" as well, digging up films that have faded from memory, such as "Exodus" and "Michael Collins," or not usually considered movies about terrorism, such as "Ashes and Diamonds" and, surprising but he makes a good case for it, "Cloverfield."
In all, a wide-ranging and fair-handed look at an important subject.
In this book, he looks at how terrorism has been covered by movies from the assassination of William McKinley to our post-9/11 era. He has a global perspective, looking at films from Bollywood as well as Hollywood. He goes beyond the "usual suspects" as well, digging up films that have faded from memory, such as "Exodus" and "Michael Collins," or not usually considered movies about terrorism, such as "Ashes and Diamonds" and, surprising but he makes a good case for it, "Cloverfield."
In all, a wide-ranging and fair-handed look at an important subject.
Displaying 1 of 1 review