{"product_id":"american-film-musical-themes-and-forms","title":"American Film Musical Themes and Forms","description":"\u003cp\u003e   The musical has been called \"the most popular form of entertainment in the world.\" This work examines the subjects, themes, and contemporary relevance of Hollywood musicals through their long popularity, placing each show in historical and political context and analyzing it in detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e   A chapter is devoted to how \u003ci\u003eGolddiggers of 1933\u003c\/i\u003e (1933) and \u003ci\u003eStand Up and Cheer\u003c\/i\u003e (1934) deal with the economic crises of the Depressions. Another addresses race issues by examining the prevalence of blackface minstrelsy in the 1930s and 1940s, looking at productions like \u003ci\u003eSwing Time\u003c\/i\u003e (1936) and \u003ci\u003eDixie\u003c\/i\u003e (1943). Rock and roll culture, which started in the 1950s and threatened America with teenage sex and rebellion, is addressed through such hits as \u003ci\u003eGirl Crazy\u003c\/i\u003e  (1943), \u003ci\u003eBye Bye Birdie\u003c\/i\u003e (1963), and \u003ci\u003eGrease\u003c\/i\u003e (1978).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e   The work also explores dance as a signifier of character, the geography of musicals (such as New York or \"the South\"), fantasy settings, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and the musical biopic (mentioning biographies of such figures as Ziegfeld, Cohan, Rogers and Hart, Cole Porter, and Jerome Kern). A later chapter discusses intertextuality in such shows as \u003ci\u003eSingin' in the Rain\u003c\/i\u003e (1952), which refers to many earlier musicals; \u003ci\u003eKiss Me Kate\u003c\/i\u003e (1953) which refers to \u003ci\u003eTaming of the Shrew\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eAll That Jazz\u003c\/i\u003e (1970) which refers to the life and work of Bob Fosse. The work concludes with an examination of the continuing popularity of the musical with such hits as \u003ci\u003eMoulin Rouge\u003c\/i\u003e (2001) and \u003ci\u003eChicago\u003c\/i\u003e (2002).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e   Instructors considering this book for use in a course may  request an examination copy here.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"McFarland \u0026 Co Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54254557200728,"sku":"9780786418770","price":27.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9780786418770_8ce3a988-db3d-41ff-8818-ad37e7048388.jpg?v=1764939646","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/american-film-musical-themes-and-forms","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}