Masculinity and film performance: male angst in contemporary American cinema

Abstract

Masculinity and Film Performance is a lively and engaging study of the complex relationship between masculinity and performance on and off screen, focusing on the performance of 'male angst' in American film and popular culture during the 1990s and 2000s. Building on theories of film acting, masculinity, performance, and cultural studies, this book establishes a framework for studying screen masculinity and provides close analysis of a range of performers and performance styles. It also examines the specific social, cultural, historical and political contexts that have shaped and affected the performance of masculinity on screen, such as the aging of the baby boom and the launch of Viagra onto the marketplace, the 'Iron John' and 'Wild Man' phenomenon, and the racially marked fatherhood crisis. Drawing from an array of illuminating film and actor case studies, including Bill Murray, Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas, Will Smith, William H. Macy, Denzel Washington, Broken Flowers, Far From Heaven, Pleasantville, Magnolia, and Wonder Boys, Masculinity and Film Performance offers a significant contribution to the emerging field of screen performance studies.

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