Alternative Worlds in Hollywood Cinema: Resonance Between Realms walters The use of alternate realities in cinema has been brought to new heights by such recent films as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Donnie Darko. Alternative Worlds in Hollywood Cinema is the first book to analyze these imaginary realms, tracing their construction and development across periods, genres and history. alternative worlds in hollywood cinema Through an analysis of such landmark films as The Wizard of Oz, It’s a Wonderful Life and Groundhog Day, Walters reveals how unconventional worlds are crucial to each film’s dramatic agenda and narrative structure. This groundbreaking volume unifies decades of divergent work by film scholars and points the way towards a new theoretical framework for understanding fantasy in the context of popular film. Alternative Worlds in Hollywood Cinema will be an essential resource for film studies scholars and movie buffs alike. intellect / www.intellectbooks.com >H7C .,-"&"-)&*%"'%'"& . ,-&-)& *%'%'& %% Cover Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind / Back Pleasantville James Walters is a Lecturer in Film and Television Studies at the University of Birmingham. Alternative Worlds in Hollywood Cinema Resonance Between Realms Alternative Worlds in Hollywood Cinema Resonance Between Realms James Walters ^ciZaaZXi 7g^hida!
[email protected] 8]^XV\d! JH6 First Published in the UK in 2008 by Intellect Books, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3JG, UK First published in the USA in 2008 by Intellect Books, The University of Chicago Press, 1427 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA Copyright © 2008 Intellect Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Cover Design: Gabriel Solomons Copy Editor: Holly Spradling Typesetting: Mac Style, Nafferton, E. Yorkshire ISBN 978-1-84150-202-1/EISBN 978-1-84150-252-6 Printed and bound by Gutenberg Press, Malta. Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 7 9 Chapter One: Establishing Contexts 15 Part One: Imagined Worlds 41 Chapter Two: Imagined Worlds 43 Chapter Three: Making it Home: The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) & The Woman in the Window (Fritz Lang, 1944) 55 Chapte