Overview

The 1970s was a pivotal era for crime and criminal justice films in the United States. Many films produced during this period provocatively captured the tumultuous spirit of the era, while also shaping cinematic representations in the decades that followed. This edited volume offers a captivating exploration of the intricate connections between these films and the administration and social perceptions and attitudes toward justice, marginalized individuals, and the complexities of the criminal justice system. Each chapter delves into the intricate connections between these films and the administration of justice, the social construction of justice, as well as the social constructions of marginalized individuals and groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. The contents of this collection provide insightful perspectives on the relationships between past representations and present social and cultural conditions. By examining these crime-based films through a critical lens, this book sheds light on how they have shaped societal perceptions and attitudes towards justice, marginalization, the complexities of the criminal justice system, and the views towards the larger political establishment. This thought-provoking analysis expands our understanding of the enduring influence of these cinematic representations on our collective cultural consciousness.

Full Product Details

Author:   David A. Mackey (Plymouth State University) ,  Eric S. See (Methodist University) ,  Sarah A. See (Methodist University)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
ISBN:  

9798881806620

Pages:   218
Publication Date:   16 April 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  

Table of Contents

Introduction to Crime films of the 1970s: Contemporary perspectives 1. A Clockwork Orange and our parallel societies Robert Heiner 2. Feeling lucky, punk? Reflections on the social and cultural significance of Dirty Harry Eric See, Sarah See, Kaydee Adams, Bertha Llamas, and Cameron See 3. Popeye’s quest for the frog: Social and legal analysis of The French Connection David A. Mackey 4. An offer they should have refused: The Godfather, family, respect, crime Eric See, Andrew Clark, and Kaydee Adams 5. Serpico and the future of the blue code of silence Martin Alan Greenberg 6. Cotton Comes to Harlem Trick Baby, Across 110th Street Declan O’Reilly 7. Death Wish: The social construction of crime, justice, and self-help David A. Mackey 8. Control, urban ecology, and sexual commerce in 1970s America Aaron Hammes 9. Hauntological horrors: Bridging together postwar Americas in The Town That Dreaded Sundown Fernando Gabriel Pagnoni Berns 10. ‘For the money, for the glory, and for the fun’: Reassessing Smokey and the Bandit and the ‘trucker films’ of the 1970s Stephen E. Nepa 11. Systematic suspicion: Offender control and reformation as portrayed in Escape from Alcatraz and Straight Time Kevin E. Courtright and Ihor J. Bemko 12. Dog Day Afternoon: Every Dog has his Day……or Does He? Kevin Swift 13. Shaft: “An African-Hero or a pawn in the Machine” Keith Coleman 14. The Charm of the Con: The Sting and Hollywood’s Love of Con Artists Joshua Wakeham About the Contributors Notes Bibliography Index

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Author Information

David A. Mackey is professor of Criminal Justice at Plymouth State University. Eric S. See is professor and division head of criminal justice and military science at Methodist University. Sarah A. See is assistant professor in the division of criminal justice and military science at Methodist University.

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