Classical masculinity and the spectacular body on film : the mighty sons of Hercules / Daniel O'Brien, University of Southampton, UK.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Brien, Daniel, 1967- author.

Contributor:

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Hercules (Roman mythological character)--In motion pictures.

Hercules.

Hercules (Roman mythological character).

Masculinity in motion pictures.

Heroes in motion pictures.

Mythology, Classical, in motion pictures.

Human body in motion pictures.

Hercules, Roman mythological character.

Herakles?.

Local Subjects:

Hercules, Roman mythological character.

Herakles?.

Physical Description:

vii, 191 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Summary:

"The cinema has often showcased the muscular male body, most notably in genres invoking classical Greco-Roman culture, whether peplum, epic or sword-and-sorcery. This book reassesses the classically-inflected action film as a significant cinematic form, often marginalized in media studies, that transcends such reductive labels as camp or kitsch. The focus is on the depiction of heroic masculinity, often characterized as reactionary or fascist, yet far more varied and contradictory, especially in relation to femininity and non-whiteness. These diverse representations of masculinity offer a major contribution to debates on maleness within and beyond academia that has been largely unexplored. In particular, Hercules in his many incarnations is one of the most important mythopoetic figures, on a par with King Arthur, Robin Hood, Tarzan and James Bond, informing popular cultural interpretations of manliness and the exaggerated male form"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

Part I. Men as Men Should be: 1. Hercules Unchained ; 2. Hercules Reformed ; 3. Hercules Diminished ; 4. Hercules Rebooted ; 5. I'm Spartacus!

Part II. Taming the Women with Love or Death: 6. The Loves of Hercules ; 7. The Temptress from Beyond ; 8. Fight Like a Man

Part III. This This of Darkness: 9. White Man's Burden? ; 10. Doom's Children ; 11. This is Sparta!

Coda.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 177-186) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

ISBN:

1137384700

9781137384706

OCLC:

881655995

Publisher Number:

99963559132