Douglas Brode

Douglas Brode overturns the idea of Disney as a middlebrow filmmaker by detailing how Disney movies played a key role in transforming children of the Eisenhower era into the radical youth of the Age of Aquarius.

How Disney Created the Counterculture

From Walt to Woodstock

Presents an encyclopedia of TV western actors from 1946 to the present.

Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present

Shooting Stars of the Small Screen

Joe Orsak

"This blend of history and dark fantasy feasts upon vampire lore, reinventing the manner in which real-life monsters in middle-Eastern Europe were transformed into pop culture icons by two of Ireland's great writers. Together again, for the first time, this immortal cast of devils and doppelgangers offers a highly erotic exploration of the vampire's eternal allure"--Provided by publisher.

Or, Once Upon a Time in Transylvania

Virgin Vampires

Leah Deyneka

Almost as long as cinema has existed, vampires have appeared on screen. Symbolizing an unholy union between sex and death, the vampire—male or female—has represented the libido, a “repressed force” that consumed its victims. Early iconic representations of male vampires were seen in Nosferatu (1922) and Dracula (1931), but not until Dracula’s Daughter in 1936 did a female “sex vampire” assume the lead. Other female vampires followed, perhaps most provocatively in the Hammer films of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Later incarnations, in such films as Near Dark (1987) and From Dusk till Dawn (1996), offered modern takes on this now iconic figure. In Dracula’s Daughters: The Female Vampire on Film, Douglas Brode and Leah Deyneka have assembled a varied collection of essays that explore this cinematic type that simultaneously frightens and seduces viewers. These essays address a number of issues raised by the female vampire film, such as violence perpetrated on and by women; reactions to the genre from feminists, antifeminists, and postfeminists; the implications of female vampire films for audiences both gay and straight; and how films reflected the period during which they were created. Other topics include female vampire films in relationship to vampire fiction, particularly by women such as Anne Rice; the relationship of the vampire myth to sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS; issues of race and misogyny; and the unique phenomenon of teen vampires in young adult books and films such as Twilight. Featuring more than thirty photos spanning several decades, this collection offers a compelling assessment of an archetypal figure—an enduring representation of dark desires—that continues to captivate audiences. This book will appeal not only to scholars and students but also to any lover of transgressive cinema.

The Female Vampire on Film

Dracula's Daughters

Among the diverse movies included in this celebration of the decade are A Fish Called Wanda, The Last Temptation of Christ, Amadeus, Platoon, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Dangerous Liaisons. For every film discussed, Brode provides a listing of casts and credits and a detailed summary of the film's story and production history. Hundreds of photographs.

The Films of the Eighties

An anthology of essays that deal with Witchcraft and the figure of the Witch, as they have been presented in motion pictures, television, and popular culture, in order to understand how, why, and when the common anti-Witchcraft/ anti-Witch attitude evolved. Mainstream tales of Witchcraft, including modern movies, novels, TV series, and other examples of our popular culture, more often than not express the traditional notion of a Witch as a wild, dangerous, untamable, “nasty” woman, obsessed with a desire for power to control all around her, in most narratives such a hunger presented as a negative. In truth, The Witch is a symbol of 'threatening evil' only to those men and women who accept a conservative sensibility. For members of either gender who do not, The Witch is perceived as hero and role model. This collection begins with the Biblical figure of Lilith, followed by Morgan le Fey from Arthurian legend/ myth in literature as well as in popular culture, followed by the more contemporary depictions of the Witch that start to appear in the 1960s; for example, in the Bewitched sitcom, the Star Wars franchise, Harry Potter, and even the television show Scooby-Doo. International depictions of the Witch are discussed, including Italy's Dario Argento's films, Suspiria and Inferno. The final section of this collection focuses on the most iconic depictions of the Witch produced during the 21st century, including A Discovery of Witches, Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and the history of the Witch in films by the Walt Disney studio, from its origins more than a century ago to the latest releases, arguing that here, if perhaps surprisingly, we discover the most fair and balanced portraits of Witches in the history of film and TV.

Witchcraft in Movies, Television, and Popular Culture

Something Wicked

Whether you judge by box office receipts, industry awards, or critical accolades, science fiction films are the most popular movies now being produced and distributed around the world. Nor is this phenomenon new. Sci-fi filmmakers and audiences have been exploring fantastic planets, forbidden zones, and lost continents ever since George Méliès’ 1902 film A Trip to the Moon. In this highly entertaining and knowledgeable book, film historian and pop culture expert Douglas Brode picks the one hundred greatest sci-fi films of all time. Brode’s list ranges from today’s blockbusters to forgotten gems, with surprises for even the most informed fans and scholars. He presents the movies in chronological order, which effectively makes this book a concise history of the sci-fi film genre. A striking (and in many cases rare) photograph accompanies each entry, for which Brode provides a numerical rating, key credits and cast members, brief plot summary, background on the film’s creation, elements of the moviemaking process, analysis of the major theme(s), and trivia. He also includes fun outtakes, including his top ten lists of Fifties sci-fi movies, cult sci-fi, least necessary movie remakes, and “so bad they’re great” classics—as well as the ten worst sci-fi movies (“those highly ambitious films that promised much and delivered nil”). So climb aboard spaceship Brode and journey to strange new worlds from Metropolis (1927) to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).

The 100 Greatest Science-Fiction Films

Fantastic Planets, Forbidden Zones, and Lost Continents

Shea T. Brode

This collection of essays looks at the spinoffs of Star Trek and examines themes found in and among those various manifestations.

Franchising the Final Frontier

The Star Trek Universe

As properties of DC comics continue to sprout over the years, narratives that were once kept sacrosanct now spill over into one another, synergizing into one bona fide creative Universe. Intended for both professional pop culture researchers and general interest readers, this collection of essays covers DC Universe multimedia, including graphic novels, video games, movies and TV shows. Each essay is written by a recognized pop culture expert offering a distinct perspective on a wide variety of topics. Even though many of the entries address important social themes like gender and racism, the book is not limited to these topics. Also included are more lighthearted essays for full verisimilitude, including analyses of long forgotten or seemingly marginal aspects of the DC Extended Universe, as well as in-depth and original interpretations of the most beloved characters and their relationships to one another. Highly accessible and approachable, this work provides previously unavailable in-roads that create a richer comprehension of the ever-expanding DC Universe.

Critical Essays

The DC Comics Universe

Disney continues to be one of the dominant forces of popular culture, not only in America, but worldwide. The company’s various films have drawn a mix of admiration and disdain. This collection of essays consider how films produced by Disney represent the best and worst the studio has offered over its nine decade history.

Pedagogical Perspectives on Commercial Cinema

Debating Disney

Provides case, credits, and plot summaries for lesser known films of the 1950s

Lost Films of the Fifties

Carol Serling

Categorizes and analyzes popular episodes of the television program.

The 50th Anniversary Tribute

Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone

Though Elvis Presley's music is widely credited as starting a sea change in American popular culture, his films are often dismissed as superficial. Beyond the formulaic plotlines and the increasingly weaker songs, however, the films are rich with resonance to the changing times in which they were produced (roughly 1955-1970). They were also a means by which Elvis communicated deeply felt autobiographical material to his fan base, although in the guise of lighthearted escapist fare. This work takes a new stand, maintaining that Elvis's 31 Hollywood features and two documentaries reveal a profound statement from the star and auteur. Analyzing each film in detail and exploring the body of work as a whole, Brode reveals the Elvis persona as a contemporary Candide, attempting to navigate an ever changing social and political landscape.

Elvis Cinema and Popular Culture

This pictorial study puts Steven Spielberg's career in focus: from his first feature, "The Sugarland Express", through his phenomenal blockbusters, including "Jaws", Jurassic Park", and "Schindler's List". Photos.

The Films of Steven Spielberg

"Overturns conventional thinking that the Western genre is essentially conservative. Instead, Brode demonstrates that Hollywood liberals used Westerns to espouse a progressive agenda on a range of issues, including gun control, environmental protection, respect for non-Christian belief systems, and community cohesion versus rugged individualism. Doug Brode takes a new look at dozens of Westerns, including Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Red River, 3:10 to Yuma (old and new), The Wild Ones, High Noon, My Darling Clementine, The Alamo, and No Country for Old Men"--

Politics and Religion in Cowboy Movies

Dream West

Though Elvis Presley’s music is widely credited as starting a sea change in American popular culture, his films are often dismissed as superficial. Beyond the formulaic plotlines and the increasingly weaker songs, however, the films are rich with resonance to the changing times in which they were produced (roughly 1955–1970). They were also a means by which Elvis communicated deeply felt autobiographical material to his fan base, although in the guise of lighthearted escapist fare. This work takes a new stand, maintaining that Elvis’s 31 Hollywood features and two documentaries reveal a profound statement from the star and auteur. Analyzing each film in detail and exploring the body of work as a whole, Brode reveals the Elvis persona as a contemporary Candide, attempting to navigate an ever changing social and political landscape.

﻿FROM HELL TO HOLLYWOOD: An Encyclopedia of World War II Films offers the most comprehensive illustrated guide ever assembled for theatrical motion-pictures, English-language and international, dealing with the conflict that consumed America and the globe during the mid-20th century. Though United States official involvement did not begin until December, 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan’s imperial air force, early battles and other precipitous moments, which led to legendary conflicts in Europe and the Pacific, can be traced back through the better part of a decade, many deriving from the unsatisfactory treaties that ended the initial Great War. This book also addresses WWII’s aftermath in America, Asia, and Europe, as varied filmmakers have portrayed that difficult period. In a unique approach to this complex, broad subject, specific films are grouped according to unifying themes that involve varied aspects of ‘The Big Picture.’ These range from training of civilians for a new, updated state-of-the-art armed forces to the impact of warfare on the development of commercial flight, also the unique roles played by spies, People’s Armies, and other misunderstood aspects of the war as writers and directors perceived them then, as well as more recent Revisionist portrayals. Included are hundreds of vivid photos, many never before printed in book form. This work is so immense that it had to be presented in two inter-dependent volumes—a first for Bear Manor Media! DOUGLAS BRODE is a screenwriter, novelist, graphic novelist, produced playwright, multi-award winning journalist, and multi-award winning educator. He created and taught the Film Classics program for The Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University until his retirement. Now Brode concentrates on turning out further books, both fiction and non-fiction. These include Deadlier Than the Male: Femme Fatales in 1960s and 1970s Cinema for Bear Manor Media.

From Hell To Hollywood: An Encyclopedia of World War II Films Volume 1

Film expert Douglas Brode offers a complete, up-to-the-minute examination of Robert De Niro's entire life and career, including such memorable movies as "Copland, Cape Fear, The Deer Hunter, The Godfather Part II", and "Taxi Driver". Color and b&w illustrations.

Douglas Brode

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