The American West in Film

Download or read book The American West in Film written by Jon Tuska and published by Praeger. This book was released on 1985 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Analyzing Western films from different vantage points and by using different critical methods, Tuska compares the recorded fantasies about the American West with the actual historical events. He deals with the social and psychological aspects of the systematic distortion and misrepresentation of the American past, and the influence of this practice on the national character. Part I investigates the structure of Westerns--the formula Western, the historical romance, and the historical reconstruction. Part II highlights the themes and film characteristics in the directorial efforts of John Ford, Howard Hawks, Henry Hathaway, Anthony Mann, Budd Boethicher, and Sam Pekinpah. Part III examines the use of legends and historical personalities of the American frontier. Part IV investigates Hollywood's misrepresentation of both women and Native Americans in Western films. ISBN 0-313-24603-3 : $29.95.