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:

1 online resource (240 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Thelma and Louise live!

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2007.

Language Note:

English

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 of 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:

"I can see clearly now" / Bernie Cook

"Something's crossed over in me" : new ways of seeing Thelma & Louise / Bernie Cook

Getting hysterical : Thelma & Louise and laughter / Victoria Sturtevant

Hearing Thelma & Louise : active reading of the hybrid pop score / Claudia Gorbman

Interplaying identities : acting and the building blocks of character in Thelma & Louise / Susan Knobloch

An outlaw-couple-on-the-run film for the 1990s / J. David Slocum

"What all the fuss is about" : making Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise / Cynthia Fuchs

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

Toxic feminism on the big screen / John Leo

Gender bender / Richard Schickel

Is this what feminism is all about? / Margaret Carlson.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes filmography: p. 205-211.

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

ISBN:

0-292-79465-7

OCLC:

648674444