Overview

The noughties witnessed rapid change in Action Cinema, carrying with it the new action stars of the previous decade, and the boundary blurring experimentation of films such as The Matrix, that incorporated not only action but science fiction. The now dominant Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debuted, and the Young Adult fictional worlds of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games further developed the scope of the action sequences. Despite this context, the action genre had still not engaged fully with contemporary social issues. Focusing on a less acknowledged period in Action Cinema history, Gender and Action Films: Road Warriors, Bombshells and Atomic Blondes examines specific action stars such as Michelle Rodriguez, Zhang Ziyi, and Pam Grier to analyse how female stars encounter the male gaze. Split into four parts - 'Star Bodies', 'Transmedia Action', 'Intergenerational Action' and 'Politics and Race', chapter authors prioritise female led action movies and champion a more meaningful interaction and representation between the action genre and contemporary issues of race, sexuality, and gender. Offering novel interpretations of depictions of gender within action movies, this edited collection demonstrates gender portrayal can be developed to incorporate meaningful representation in the wake of the movements such as #Oscarssowhite or #MeToo that have confronted Hollywood. The collection is a must-have for academics, students and lovers of film and media and those interested in gender studies.

Full Product Details

Author:   Steven Gerrard (Leeds Beckett University, UK) ,  Renée Middlemost (University of Wollongong, Australia)
Publisher:   Emerald Publishing Limited
Imprint:   Emerald Publishing Limited
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.401kg
ISBN:  

9781801175159

ISBN 10:   1801175152
Pages:   192
Publication Date:   24 November 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Introduction; Renée Middlemost and Steven Gerrard Part 1. Star Bodies Chapter 1. Road Warriors, Bombshells and Atomic Blondes: The Action Cinema of Charlize Theron; Thomas Sweet Chapter 2. Let Rain Shine: Michelle Rodriguez – Action Star; Steven Gerrard Chapter 3. ‘Musculinity’ and the Empowered Female Body in Haywire (2011); Douglas Rasmussen Part 2. Transmedia Action Chapter 4. Gender, Violence and Empowerment: Reworking the Female Action Hero in Dollhouse; Jessica Ford Chapter 5. All Access Action Heroes – Between Cyberpathy and New Media; Anne Ganzert Chapter 6. Hard Bodies in Virtual Worlds: Assessing the Reception of Abby’s Spectacular Body in The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog, 2020); Dean Bowman Part 3. Intergenerational Action Chapter 7. Dark Fathers and Damaged Sons: The Paternal Betrayal of Jason Bourne; Toby Reynolds Chapter 8. Beyond Actions: Remodelling Heroine-hood in The Grandmaster; Jasmine Yu-Hsing Chen Part 4. Politics and Race Chapter 9. ‘Always Bet on Black’: Wesley Snipes – Action Star; Shelley O’Brien Chapter 10. Dismal Setbacks and Stunning Breakthroughs: A Look at Pam Grier’s Career and How It Changed Hollywood; Dahlia Schweitzer Chapter 11. Playing With Type? Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Rivalry, and Race in Hobbs and Shaw; Renée Middlemost Conclusion; Renée Middlemost and Steven Gerrard

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Author Information

Steven Gerrard is Reader of Film at the Northern Film School, Leeds Beckett University. Renée Middlemost is Lecturer in Communication and Media at the University of Wollongong, Australia. She is the co-founder of FSN Australasia, and a co-editor of Participations.

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