John C. Lyden's Books

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

Argues that popular films perform a religious function in our culture The first edition of Film as Religion was one of the first texts to develop a framework for the analysis of the religious function of films for audiences. Like more formal religious institutions, films can provide us with ways to view the world and the values to confront it. Lyden argues that the cultural influence of films is analogous to that of religions, so that films can be understood as representing a “religious” worldview in their own right. Thoroughly updating his examples, Lyden examines a range of film genres and individual films, from The Godfather to The Hunger Games to Frozen, to show how film can function religiously.

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312

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NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1479802077

ISBN 13

9781479802074

Film as Religion

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Film as Religion

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2003 Film as Religion argues that popular films perform a religious function in our culture. Like more formal religious institutions, films can provide us with ways to view the world and values to confront it. Lyden contends that approaches which interpret films only ideologically or theologically miss the mark in understanding their appeal to viewers. He develops an alternative method which shows how films can be understood as representing a “religious” worldview in their own right. Lyden surveys the state of the study of religion and film, offering an overview of previous methods before presenting his own. Rather than seeking to uncover hidden meanings in film detectable only to scholars, Lyden emphasizes how film functions for its audiencesᾹthe beliefs and values it conveys, and its ritual power to provide emotional catharsis. He includes a number of brief cases studies in which he applies this method to the study of film genres—including westerns and action movies, children's films, and romantic comedies—and individual films from The Godfather to E.T., showing how films can function religiously.

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299

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NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0814765173

ISBN 13

9780814765173

The Politics of Big Fantasy

The Ideologies of Star Wars, The Matrix and The Avengers

By: John C. McDowell

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The Politics of Big Fantasy

The Ideologies of Star Wars, The Matrix and The Avengers

By: John C. McDowell

Bringing critical attention to a particular set of science fiction and fantasy films--Larry and Andy Wachowski's The Matrix, George Lucas' Star Wars saga, and Joss Whedon's Avengers--this book utilizes a wide-ranging set of critical tools to illuminate their political ideologies, while also examining any resistant and complicating turns or byways the films may provide. What they all have in common ideologically is that they--or at least the genres they belong to--tend to be regarded as belonging to politically conservative frames of sociocultural reference. With the Star Wars saga, however, this idea is shown to be superficial and weak.

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231

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476618208

ISBN 13

9781476618203

Identity Politics in George Lucas' Star Wars

By: John C. McDowell

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Identity Politics in George Lucas' Star Wars

By: John C. McDowell

George Lucas spoke about the didactic role of cinema and about his own work being presented through the "moral megaphone" of the film industry. A considerable body of scholarship on the six-part Star Wars series argues (unconvincingly) that the franchise promoted neo-conservatism in American culture from the late 1970s onward. But there is much in Lucas' grand space opera to suggest something more ideologically complex is going on. This book challenges the view of the saga as an unambiguously violent text exemplifying reactionary politics, and discusses the films' identity politics with regard to race and gender.

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209

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McFarland

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ISBN 10

147662450X

ISBN 13

9781476624501

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Page Count

312

Publisher

NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1479802077

ISBN 13

9781479802074

Film as Religion

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John Lyden

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Film as Religion

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John Lyden

Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2003 Film as Religion argues that popular films perform a religious function in our culture. Like more formal religious institutions, films can provide us with ways to view the world and values to confront it. Lyden contends that approaches which interpret films only ideologically or theologically miss the mark in understanding their appeal to viewers. He develops an alternative method which shows how films can be understood as representing a “religious” worldview in their own right. Lyden surveys the state of the study of religion and film, offering an overview of previous methods before presenting his own. Rather than seeking to uncover hidden meanings in film detectable only to scholars, Lyden emphasizes how film functions for its audiences?the beliefs and values it conveys, and its ritual power to provide emotional catharsis. He includes a number of brief cases studies in which he applies this method to the study of film genres—including westerns and action movies, children's films, and romantic comedies—and individual films from The Godfather to E.T., showing how films can function religiously.

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Page Count

299

Publisher

NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0814751814

ISBN 13

9780814751817

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Film as Religion, Second Edition

Myths, Morals, and Rituals

By: John C. Lyden

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Solve jigsaw puzzle

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Page Count

312

Publisher

NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1479855928

ISBN 13

9781479855926

Book's by John C. Lyden

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Film as Religion

Film as Religion

The Politics of Big Fantasy

The Politics of Big Fantasy

Identity Politics in George Lucas' Star Wars

Identity Politics in George Lucas' Star Wars

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Film as Religion

Film as Religion

Film as Religion, Second Edition

Film as Religion, Second Edition

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