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Refocus: the Films of Albert Brooks

Christian B Long editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Edinburgh University Press

Published:31st May '23

£25.99

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Refocus: the Films of Albert Brooks cover

Offers the first book-length investigation Albert Brooks' more than six-decade comedy career Situates Albert Brooks' films in their cultural contexts, including representations of class, gender, religion, and race Assesses Albert Brooks' critical reputation and relative popularity, including his influence on contemporary filmmakers and comedians Analyses every film written and directed by Albert Brooks, as well as a number of his acting and voice-over roles, his stand-up comedy albums, his talk show appearances, and his writing, both short-form and novelistic This is the first sustained critical collection on Albert Brooks, one of the key but under-examined figures in American stand-up, television comedy and Hollywood film comedy. Analysing every film written and directed by Albert Brooks, including Real Life (1979), Modern Romance (1981) and Lost in America (1985), as well as a number of his acting and voice-over roles, his stand-up comedy albums, talk show appearances and writing, the book argues that Albert Brooks not only merits a wider viewership, both critical and popular, but also that his career offers a useful lens through which to understand American film and culture since the late 1960s.

"This collection of essays makes the case for Albert Brooks's multi-faceted significance as a pioneer of meta-comedy, a satirist of baby-boomer complicity, and a prophet of fail culture. America has spent the last half century trailing Brooks. This book catches up with him." -Robert J. King, Columbia University

ISBN: 9781474434287

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

280 pages