Holocaust in American Film, Second Edition

Judith E Doneson author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Syracuse University Press

Published:1st Jan '02

Should be back in stock very soon

Holocaust in American Film, Second Edition cover

This work offers insights into how specific films influenced the Americanization of the Holocaust and how the medium per se helped seed that event into the public consciousness. In addition to an in-depth study on films produced for both theatrical release and TV since 1937 - including ""The Great Dictator"", ""Cabaret"", ""Julia"", and the mini-series Holocaust - this work provides an analysis of ""Schindler's List"" and the debate over the merit of Spielberg's vision of the Holocaust. It also examines more thoroughly made-for-television movies, such as ""Escape From Sobibor"", ""Playing For Time"", and ""War and Remembrance"". A special chapter on ""The Diary of Anne Frank"" discusses the evolution of that singularly European work into a universal symbol. Paying special attention to the tumultuous 1960s in America, it assesses the effect of the era on Holocaust films made during that time. It also discusses how these films helped integrate the Holocaust into the fabric of American society, transforming it into a metaphor for modern suffering. Finally, the work explores cinema in relation to the Americanization of the Jewish image.

The author examines an impressive range of films that includes lesser-known examples as well as more widely recognized titles. More importantly, she situates discussion of the films' historical meanings in their critical and social contexts and relies on a thorough presentation of how the films' receptions were activated. It is an admirable piece of scholarship balancing film analysis with historical research, presented in a well-argued, highly readable style. Includes a valuable bibliography on the cultural history of the Holocaust. - Choice

ISBN: 9780815629269

Dimensions: 214mm x 180mm x 17mm

Weight: 435g

288 pages

2nd Revised edition