Close-up : great cinematic performances / edited by Murray Pomerance and Kyle Stevens.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pomerance, Murray, Author.

Contributor:

Pomerance, Murray, 1946- editor.

Stevens, Kyle, editor.

Series:

International film stars

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Motion picture acting.

Motion picture acting--Case studies.

Motion pictures--History.

Motion pictures.

Motion pictures--History--Case studies.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (321 pages).

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2018]

Summary:

Analyses what makes an acting performance excellent, through a range of examples from American filmThis two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director’s style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force.This volume focuses on American cinema, including case studies of key performances from actors like Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Whoopi Goldberg, Cary Grant, Oscar Isaac, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Sidney Poitier, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sellers, Kristen Stewart, and Ethel Waters, amongst many others.Read the introduction (pdf)ContributorsBrenda Austin-Smith, University of ManitobaRebecca Bell-Metereau, Texas State UniversityCharles Ramírez Berg, University of Texas at AustinJanet Bergstrom, UCLAJohn Bruns College of CharlestonAlex Clayton, University of BristolShonni Enelow, Fordham UniversityAnna Everett, University of California, Santa BarbaraLucy Fischer, University of PittsburghLester D. Friedman, Hobart and William Smith CollegesFrances Gateward, California State University NorthridgeDavid Greven, University of South CarolinaJason Jacobs, University of QueenslandElliott Logan, University of Queensland, BrisbaneDouglas McFarland, Flagler College, Saint AugustineAdrienne L. McLean, University of Texas at DallasR. Barton Palmer, Clemson UniversityHomer B. Pettey, University of ArizonaMurray Pomerance, Ryerson University William Rothman, University of MiamiSteven Rybin, Minnesota State University, MankatoKyle Stevens, Appalachian State UniversityGeorge Toles, University of ManitobaDaniel Varndell, University of WinchesterTimotheus Vermeulen, University of OsloRick Warner, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Close-up: great American performances

1 Ethel Waters in Th e Member of the Wedding

2 Irene Dunne in Th e Awful Truth

3 Cary Grant in His Girl Friday

4 Janet Gaynor in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

5 Katharine Hepburn in Th e Lion in Winter

6 Bett e Davis in Dangerous

7 James Stewart in Vertigo

8 Carole Lombard in To Be or Not to Be

9 James Mason in Lolita

10 Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun

11 Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success

12 Peter Sellers in Th e Pink Panther

13 Richard Burton in Th e Spy Who Came in fr om the Cold

14 Jerry Lewis in Th e King of Comedy

15 Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night

16 Gene Hackman in Th e Conversation

17 Gena Rowlands in Gloria

18 Jack Nicholson in Th e Passenger

19 Dustin Hoff man in Rain Man

20 Elliott Gould in Th e Long Goodbye

21 Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco

22 Whoopi Goldberg in Th e Color Purple

23 Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine

24 Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year

25 Kristen Stewart in Clouds of Sils Maria

The cast

The contributors

Index

Notes:

"Analyses what makes an acting performance excellent, through a range of examples from world cinema. What actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium's specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director's style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force"--Page 4 of cover.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-4744-1702-7

1-78684-832-5

1-4744-1701-9

OCLC:

1306540722