1 option
Wonderful design : glamour in the Hollywood musical / Lloyd Whitesell.
LIBRA PN1995.9.M86 W55 2018
Available from offsite location
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Whitesell, Lloyd, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Musical films--United States--History and criticism.
- Musical films.
- United States.
- Genre:
- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
- Physical Description:
- 255 pages ; 24 cm
- Place of Publication:
- New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2018]
- Summary:
- As one of the most beloved and beguiling genres of entertainment, the film musical wears its style ostentatiously. The genre allows for hyperbolic expression, extravagant sonic and visual decor, and extremely stylized forms of movement and performance. By staging a glittering spectacle, byreleasing a current of lush sentiment, by unveiling a world of elegance and romance, the film musical woos us with patterns, textures, finesse and sensory display.In this book, author Lloyd Whitesell asks what, exactly, makes film musicals so glamorous. As he argues, glamour projects an aura of ethereality or sophistication by way of suave deportment, sensuous textures, elevated styles, and aesthetically refined effects. Glamour, in other words, is whatunites "Cheek to Cheek" from Top Hat and the title song from Beauty and the Beast, each a sonic evocation of luxury, sparkle, grace, and finesse. Whitesell redirects our attention from visual cues like sequins and evening gloves to explore how glamour resides in the sonic. Discussing dozens ofmusical numbers, analyzing ingenious orchestration, and appraising the distinctive styles of favorite musical stars, Whitesell illuminates fundamental traits of the genre, its aesthetic strategies, and cultural ambitions.
- Contents:
- Part I Discerning Glamour
- 1 Style Modes p. 3
- 2 Concepts and Parameters p. 27
- Part II Artifice
- 3 A Sonic Lexicon p. 47
- 4 Viewing Patterns p. 75
- Part III Allure
- 5 Tropes of Desire p. 103
- 6 Beautiful Uselessness p. 125
- Part IV Enchantment
- 7 Stardust p. 161
- 8 Tricks of the Light p. 189.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Includes filmography.
- ISBN:
- 9780190843823
- 0190843829
- 9780190843816
- 0190843810
- OCLC:
- 1019840348
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.