A 'toxic Genre' the Iraq War Films

ISBN-13: 9780745331294 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 216 str.

Martin Barker

Opis

Over the last five years, a cycle of films has emerged addressing the ongoing Iraq conflict. Some became well-known and one of them, "The Hurt Locker," won a string of Oscars. But many others disappeared into obscurity. What is it about these films that led "Variety" to dub them a 'toxic genre'?
Martin Barker analyses the production and reception of these recent Iraq war films. Among the issues he examines are the borrowing of soldiers YouTube styles of self-representation to generate an authentic Iraq experience, and how they take refuge in apolitical post-traumatic stress disorder. Barker also looks afresh at some classic issues in film theory: the problems of accounting for film failures, the shaping role of production systems, the significance of genre-naming and the impact of that 'toxic' label.
"A 'Toxic Genre'" is fascinating reading for film studies students and anyone interested in cinema's portrayal of modern warfare."