At a time when debates about social inequality are in the spotlight, it is worth examining how the two most popular media of the 20th and 21st centuries--film and television--have shaped the representation of social classes.
In January 1966, Alan Napier became a household name on ABC's hit series Batman (1966-1968) as Alfred Pennyworth, loyal butler to the show's title character.
This inside look at the production of 20th century television commercials begins with a review of advertising's beginnings going through the 1960s and early 1970s.
The Golden Girls, Designing Women, Living Single, Sex and the City, Girlfriends, Cashmere Mafia and Hot in Cleveland stand out as some of America's favorite television series.
Since the early 2000s, popular culture has experienced a "e;Zombie Renaissance,"e; beginning in film and expanding into books, television, video games, theatre productions, phone apps, collectibles and toys.
Whether it's Sherlock Holmes solving crimes or Sheldon and Leonard geeking out over sci-fi, geniuses are central figures on many of television's most popular series.
Created around the world and available only on the Web, internet "e;television"e; series are independently produced, mostly low budget shows that often feature talented but unknown performers.
Most widely known for his starring role as outlaw Hannibal Heyes in television's Alias Smith and Jones (1971-1973), actor Pete Duel (originally Peter Deuel) led an unpredictable and often tumultuous life, cut short by his highly publicized suicide on New Year's Eve 1971, at the height of his celebrity.
This collection of interviews features American, British and Australian writers, directors and actors recounting their notable work in the action genre and the fun of blowing things up.
Dick Grayson--alter-ego of the original Robin of Batman comics--has gone through various changes in his 75 years as a superhero but has remained the optimistic, humorous character readers first embraced in 1940.
Spartacus, the Thracian gladiator turned rebel leader, endures as a near-mythic hero who fought for the oppressed against a Roman oligarchy built on the backs of slave labor.
Following on author Peter Rollins' motto "e;If it isn't popular, it isn't culture,"e; this collection of new essays considers Vince Gilligan's award-winning television series Breaking Bad as a landmark of Western culture--comparable to the works of Shakespeare and Dickens in their time--that merits scholarly attention from those who would understand early the 21st century zeitgeist.
The Wire's provocative subject matter, layered narrative and explicit critiques of American socio-economic institutions make it one of the most teachable television series in recent years.
In post-9/11 America, while all eyes were on Iraq and Afghanistan, The Wire (2002-2008) focused on the dark realities of those living in America's disintegrating industrial heartlands and drug-ravaged neighborhoods, striving against the odds in its schools, hospitals and legal system.
The Big Bang Theory's mix of humor, nerdy protagonists, sexy female leads and quirky characters have made the series one of CBS's most successful shows and have brought it international acclaim.
One of the most critically-acclaimed television series of all time, Arrested Development is widely hailed as a cutting-edge comedy that broke the traditional sitcom mold.
Created around the world and available only on the Web, internet "e;television"e; series are independently produced, mostly low budget shows that often feature talented but unknown performers.
HBO's Carnivale was a critically-acclaimed, elaborate period narrative set in Depression era America that set the stage for the current explosion of cinematic storytelling on television.
One of the most original shows in the history of television, Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a beloved cult hit built on the back of another cult phenomenon: the bad movie.
One of the great intellectual achievements of the 20th century, Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces is an elaborate articulation of the monomyth: the narrative pattern underlying countless stories from the most ancient myths and legends to the films and television series of today.
Bringing together papers presented at the Academic Conference on Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy from 2005 to 2013, this collection of essays includes Veronica Hollinger's keynote address, "e;The Body on the Slab,"e; and Robert Runte's Aurora Award-winning paper, "e;Why I Read Canadian Speculative Fiction,"e; along with 15 other contributions on science fiction and fantasy literature, television and music by Canadian creators.
Neil Simon is the most successful American playwright on Broadway, and the winner of many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Mark Twain Prize for Humor, and a Kennedy Center Honor for Lifetime Achievement.
One of the first full-length academic projects on the television series Smallville, this collection of new essays explains why the WB/CW series is important to understanding contemporary popular culture.
These new essays examine the many ways that issues of gender and sexuality intersect with other identities and practices--including race, religion, disability, music and education--on the Fox hit program Glee.
With diverse contributions from scholars in English literature, psychology, and film and television studies, this collection of essays contextualizes Fringe as a postmodern investigation into what makes us human and as an examination of how technology transforms our humanity.
This work, first published in 1989, includes discussions of the history of sound effects, the different types of sound effects, creating sound effects from scratch, recording sounds in the studio and field, the advantages of live sounds over tape, knowing why and when to use sound effects, the difference between radio, TV and film sounds, Foleying and the Foley stage, and recording and editing equipment.
Television's Community follows the shenanigans of a diverse group of traditional and nontraditional community college students: Jeff Winger, a former lawyer; Britta Perry, a feminist; Abed Nadir, a pop culture enthusiast; Shirley Bennett, a mother; Troy Barnes, a former jock; Annie Edison, a naive overachiever; and Pierce Hawthorne, an old-fashioned elderly man.
With an output of more than 250,000 minutes annually, and with roughly 5,000 producers and production units, the Chinese are leading the field of animated films.
The millennials, who constitute the largest generation in America's history, may resist a simple definition; nevertheless, they do share a number of common traits and also an ever increasing presence on film and television.
