Thelma & Louise live! : the cultural afterlife of an American film / edited by Bernie Cook.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Cook, Bernie, 1968-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Thelma & Louise (Motion picture).

Physical Description:

ix, 227 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Thelma and Louise live!

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2007.

Summary:

When they floored their Thunderbird off a cliff rather than surrender to the law, Thelma and Louise became icons of female rebellion, provoking strong reactions from viewers who felt either empowered or outraged by the duo's transgressions of women's traditional roles. The 1991 film quickly became-and continues to be-a potent cultural reference point, even inspiring a bumper sticker that declares, "Thelma & Louise Live!"

In this insightful study of Thelma & Louise, six noted film scholars investigate the initial reception and ongoing impact of this landmark film. The writers consider Thelma & Louise from a variety of perspectives, turning attention to the film's promotion and audience response over time; to theories of comedy and the role of laughter in the film; to the film's soundtrack and score; to the performances of stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis; to the emergence of Brad Pitt as a star and male sex object; and to the film's place in the history of road and crime film genres. Complementing the scholarly analysis is an in-depth interview with screenwriter Callie Khouri by editor Bernie Cook, as well as reviews of Thelma & Louise that appeared in U.S. News & World Report and Time. Offering myriad new ways of understanding the complex interrelations of gender, identity, and violence, Thelma & Louise Live! attests to the ongoing life and still-evolving meanings of this now-classic film.

Contents:

1 "Something's Crossed Over in Me": New Ways of Seeing Thelma & Louise / Bernie Cook 7

2 Getting Hysterical: Thelma & Louise and Laughter / Victoria Sturtevant 43

3 Hearing Thelma & Louise: Active Reading of the Hybrid Pop Score / Claudia Gorbman 65

4 Interplaying Identities: Acting and the Building Blocks of Character in Thelma & Louise / Susan Knobloch 91

5 An Outlaw-Couple-on-the-Run Film for the 1990s / J. David Slocum 122

6 "What All the Fuss Is About": Making Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise / Cynthia Fuchs 146

7 Interview with Callie Khouri, December 19, 2002 / Bernie Cook 168

Toxic Feminism on the Big Screen / John Leo 191

Gender Bender / Richard Schickel 193

Is This What Feminism Is All About? / Margaret Carlson 201

Appendix II Filmographies 205

Callie Khouri 205

Ridley Scott 206.

Notes:

Includes filmography: pages 205-211.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-215) and index.

ISBN:

9780292714656

0292714653

9780292714663

0292714661

OCLC:

82673700