In this remarkable sequel to his "Films of the Seventies: A Social History, "William J. Palmer examines more than three hundred films as texts that represent, revise, parody, comment upon, and generate discussion about major events, issues, and social trends of the eighties.Palmer defines the dialectic between film art and social history, taking as his theoretical model the "holograph of history" that originated from the New Historicist theories of Hayden White and Dominick LaCapra. Combining the interests and methodologies of social history and film criticism, Palmer contends that film is a socially conscious interpreter and commentator upon the issues of contemporary social history. In the eighties, such issues included the war in Vietnam, the preservation of the American farm, terrorism, nuclear holocaust, changes in Soviet-American relations, neoconservative feminism, and yuppies.Among the films Palmer examines are "Platoon, The Killing Fields, The River, Out of Africa, Little Drummer Girl, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Silkwood, The Day After, Red Dawn, Moscow on the Hudson, Troop Beverly Hills, "and "Fatal Attraction. "Utilizing the principles of New Historicism, Palmer demonstrates that film can analyze and critique history as well as present it.
- ISBN10 0809318377
- ISBN13 9780809318377
- Publish Date 1 October 1993
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 22 July 2015
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Southern Illinois University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English