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9780810891562

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Reviews

This volume focuses on the history of the ABC network's made-for-TV 'Movie of the Week,' which ran for six seasons, from 1969 to 1975. The prologue gives an overview of this aspect of television history, and the growth and then demise of this type of production is documented in the chapters (each covering a season). Appendixes include both an alphabetical and a chronological list of the movies. A concise bibliography and an index complete the volume. This title would be helpful and support studies that focus on film and television, and public libraries might consider this an interesting selection for the circulating shelves. Booklist Michael McKenna's book breaks important scholarly ground by treating the series in both breadth and depth. The first half offers an interpretive history of the series in roughly 180 pages: a chapter per season, and a page or two of text apiece for the films that McKenna judges to be the most significant of that season. The second half uses another 180 pages to provide a chronological listing and alphabetical filmography of all 243 films aired in the series. The two pieces of the book reinforce one another: the second providing an authoritative guide to the series and the first making a case for its social and aesthetic significance...The ABC Movie of the Week: Big Movies for the Small Screen recovers films both individually and collectively. McKenna notes, in a brief epilogue, that he wrote it in an attempt to save the films from historical oblivion. He has, unequivocally, succeeded. The Journal of American Culture

This volume focuses on the history of the ABC network's made-for-TV 'Movie of the Week,' which ran for six seasons, from 1969 to 1975. The prologue gives an overview of this aspect of television history, and the growth and then demise of this type of production is documented in the chapters (each covering a season). Appendixes include both an alphabetical and a chronological list of the movies. A concise bibliography and an index complete the volume. This title would be helpful and support studies that focus on film and television, and public libraries might consider this an interesting selection for the circulating shelves. * Booklist * Michael McKenna's book breaks important scholarly ground by treating the series in both breadth and depth. The first half offers an interpretive history of the series in roughly 180 pages: a chapter per season, and a page or two of text apiece for the films that McKenna judges to be the most significant of that season. The second half uses another 180 pages to provide a chronological listing and alphabetical filmography of all 243 films aired in the series. The two pieces of the book reinforce one another: the second providing an authoritative guide to the series and the first making a case for its social and aesthetic significance. . . .The ABC Movie of the Week: Big Movies for the Small Screen recovers films both individually and collectively. McKenna notes, in a brief epilogue, that he wrote it in an attempt to save the films from historical oblivion. He has, unequivocally, succeeded. * Journal of American Culture *

This volume focuses on the history of the ABC network's made-for-TV 'Movie of the Week,' which ran for six seasons, from 1969 to 1975. The prologue gives an overview of this aspect of television history, and the growth and then demise of this type of production is documented in the chapters (each covering a season). Appendixes include both an alphabetical and a chronological list of the movies. A concise bibliography and an index complete the volume. This title would be helpful and support studies that focus on film and television, and public libraries might consider this an interesting selection for the circulating shelves. Booklist

This volume focuses on the history of the ABC network's made-for-TV 'Movie of the Week,' which ran for six seasons, from 1969 to 1975. The prologue gives an overview of this aspect of television history, and the growth and then demise of this type of production is documented in the chapters (each covering a season). Appendixes include both an alphabetical and a chronological list of the movies. A concise bibliography and an index complete the volume. This title would be helpful and support studies that focus on film and television, and public libraries might consider this an interesting selection for the circulating shelves. Booklist Michael McKenna's book breaks important scholarly ground by treating the series in both breadth and depth. The first half offers an interpretive history of the series in roughly 180 pages: a chapter per season, and a page or two of text apiece for the films that McKenna judges to be the most significant of that season. The second half uses another 180 pages to provide a chronological listing and alphabetical filmography of all 243 films aired in the series. The two pieces of the book reinforce one another: the second providing an authoritative guide to the series and the first making a case for its social and aesthetic significance...The ABC Movie of the Week: Big Movies for the Small Screen recovers films both individually and collectively. McKenna notes, in a brief epilogue, that he wrote it in an attempt to save the films from historical oblivion. He has, unequivocally, succeeded. Journal of American Culture

Author Information

Michael McKenna teaches history at Farmingdale State College. His primary research interests are urban history and American popular culture, particularly television programming.

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