Description
The ability of children to steal scenes and make or break a film by evolving brilliant nostalgia or cloying sentimentality makes them the most dangerous element in any film that depicts childhood. Yet this theme has been constant from the silent era to the present day. Many directors, from Chaplin to Woody Allen, have used it and every generation of film-goer has been drawn to see films about childhood. Here is a book which looks exclusively at this subject. From"Shane" to "Fanny and Alexander", from "Meet me in St. Louis" to "The Exorcist", Neil Sinyard uses a broad spectrum of films - fantasy, horror, musical, melodrame and war - illustrated by an unusual selection of stills, to consider the different themes of childhood - rebellion and delinquency, freedom and education, innocence and experience, and gangs and games.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
ISBN-13
978-0-7134-6147-3 (9780713461473)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Content
Part 1 Dreams of adventure: "The Red Balloon" (1956); "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982). Part 2 Wargames: "Hope and Glory" (1987); "Empire of the Sun" (1987). Part 3 Little horrors: "The Innocents" (1961); "The Nanny" (1965); "The Exorcist" (1973). Part 4 Arresting development: "Mandy" (1952); "L'Enfant Sauvage" (1969). Part 5 The children are watching us: "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944); "A World Apart" (1988). Part 6 Brat packs: "Dead End" (1937); "Stand By Me" (1986). Part 7 Blue remembered hills: "Citizen Kane" (1941); "The Go-between" (1970). Part 8 Artistry and autobiography: "Fanny and Alexander" (1982); "Radio Days" (1987); "Au Revoir, Les Enfants" (1987).