Was It Yesterday?: Nostalgia in Contemporary Film and Television

by Matthew Leggatt Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

Overview

Explores how nostalgia operates in contemporary US film and television.



Bringing together prominent transatlantic film and media scholars, Was It Yesterday? explores the impact of nostalgia in twenty-first century American film and television. Cultural nostalgia, in both real and imagined forms, is dominant today, but what does the concentration on bringing back the past mean for an understanding of our cultural moment, and what are the consequences for viewers? This book questions the nature of this nostalgic phenomenon, the politics associated with it, and the significance of the different periods, in addition to offering counterarguments that see nostalgia as prevalent throughout film and television history. Considering such films and television shows as La La Land, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Stranger Things, and American Hustle, the contributors demonstrate how audiences have spent more time over the last decade living in various pasts.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"…a valuable contribution to media studies…" — CHOICE

"All 14 of these diverse and often brilliant essays are revelatory because they accept how much is at stake." — Arts Fuse

Library Journal

06/18/2021

This highly academic collection of essays compiled by Leggatt (English and American literature, Univ. of Winchester, UK) questions our often-simplistic assumptions about nostalgia, generally defined as a longing for the past. Using examples from film and TV across genres, from the silent era to today, contributors (mostly academics) investigate nostalgia from the viewpoint of the audience, the cast and crew, and the medium itself; they also consider merchandise and fan cosplay. There exist similar titles that cast a critical eye on issues relating to gender, sexuality, and capitalism in film and TV while weaving in philosophic and psychoanalytic theory, but this work goes further by also examining the role of privilege and systemic racism in yearning for a past that never was. VERDICT A well-researched and scholarly volume that's recommended for academic libraries supporting film studies departments or psychology departments with a strong psychoanalytic focus. Public libraries that support communities in the film industry may find it a helpful addition too.—Kelly Karst, California Inst. of Integral Studies

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178466315
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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