Hollywood Raises Political Consciousness: Political Messages in Feature Films / Edition 1

by Michael Haas

Overview

Feature films are jam-packed with political messages. This volume provides the tools for analyzing the politics embedded in films. Contributors reveal how subliminal messages are a clue to how the public perceives political reality through otherwise entertaining feature films.
The volume is divided into two parts: Part One focuses on defining political films while Part Two looks at how «politics» is defined within films. Contributors find several ways of defining «political films», but agree that while the messages in films may often seem progressive, they are usually quite conservative, with the aim of making as much money as possible for the people financing the films.
The book provides a history of political film and identifies several hundred films with specific political messages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2901433126603
Publication date:	06/24/2014
Pages:	195
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Michael Haas (PhD, Stanford University) is President of the Political Film Society and Adjunct Professor at California Polytechnic University, Pomona. He was previously at the University of Hawai‛i for 35 years. He has edited and authored over 40 books on government and politics. In 2010, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Table of Contents

Contents: Michael Haas: Films Contain Political Messages – Michael A. Genovese: Art and Politics: The Political Film as a Pedagogical Tool – Ernest D. Giglio: Searching for the Political Film – John W. Williams: The Real Oliver North Loses: The Reel Bob Roberts Wins – Hans Noel: Escape from the Bowling Alley: Traditional Associations as the Antagonist in Popular Film – Elizabeth Haas: The Politics of Disaster Films – Andrew L. Aoki: The Blending of a Kaleidoscopic Culture: Films on Asian Americans – Michael Haas: Films about Thailand and Vietnam – Michael A. Genovese: Epilog. Using Political Films in the Classroom – Appendix. Films Nominated by the Political Film Society, 1986–2014.

Editorial Reviews

«It’s indisputable that films contain messages. Most messages have meaning to the sender, some consciously intended, some not. Many of these messages, whether intended or not, have social impact, much of which eventually must be understood as political. I know of no one who has made more of a study of the political impact of the messages we ingest, whether we're aware of it or not, than has Michael Haas.» (Mike Farrell, star of M*A*S*H and Providence and author of «Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist» and «Of Mule and Man»)

«It’s indisputable that films contain messages. Most messages have meaning to the sender, some consciously intended, some not. Many of these messages, whether intended or not, have social impact, much of which eventually must be understood as political. I know of no one who has made more of a study of the political impact of the messages we ingest, whether we're aware of it or not, than has Michael Haas.» (Mike Farrell, star of M*A*S*H and Providence and author of «Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist» and «Of Mule and Man»)

From the Publisher