Cult Films: Taboo and Transgression - Softcover

Havis, Allan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0761839674 ISBN 13: 9780761839675

Publisher: University Press Of America, 2007

Synopsis

Cult Films: Taboo and Transgression looks at nine decades of cult films history within American culture. By highlighting three films per decade including a brief summary of the decade's identity and sensibility, the book investigates the quality, ironies, and spirit of cult film evolution. The twenty-seven films selected for this study are analyzed for story content and in their respective transgressions regarding social, aesthetic, and political codes. Characteristic of this book is the notion that many exciting genres make up cult films-including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, film noir, and black comedy. Further, the book reaches out to several foreign film directors over the decades in order to view cult films as an intentional art form. Political and ideological controversies are covered; arresting back-story details that lend perspective on a film fill out the analysis and the historic framework for many film titles. The book, by emphasizing the condensed survey over decades and by choosing outstanding titles, differs from other general studies on cult films.

About this title

About the Author

Allan Havis is Professor of Theatre and Provost Emeritus of Thurgood Marshall College at the University of California, San Diego, USA. He is the author of seventeen full-length published plays and edited the collection American Political Plays and also American Political Plays After 9/11.

Edition details

• Publisher: University Press Of America
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761839674
• ISBN 13: 9780761839675
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128