Youth Culture in Global Cinema

by Shary, Timothy; Seibel, Alexandra

• ISBN13: 9780292714144
• ISBN10: 0292714149
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-01
• Publisher: Univ of Texas Pr

Summary

Coming of age is a pivotal experience for everyone. So it is no surprise that filmmakers around the globe explore the experiences of growing up in their work. From blockbuster U.S. movies such as the Harry Potter series to thought-provoking foreign films such as Bend It Like Beckham and Whale Rider, films about youth delve into young people's attitudes, styles, sexuality, race, families, cultures, class, psychology, and ideas. These cinematic representations of youth also reflect perceptions about youth in their respective cultures, as well as young people's worth to the larger society. Indeed, as the contributors to this volume make plain, films about young people open a very revealing window on the attitudes and values of cultures across the globe. Youth Culture in Global Cinema offers the first comprehensive investigation of how young people are portrayed in film around the world. Eighteen established film scholars from eleven different national backgrounds discuss a wide range of films that illuminate the varied conditions in which youth live. The essays are grouped thematically around the issues of youthful resistance and rebellion; cultural and national identity, including religion and politics; and sexual maturation, including gender distinctions and coming-of-age queer. Some essays engage in close readings of films, while others examine the advertising and reception of films or investigate psychological issues. The volume concludes with filmographies of over 700 youth-related titles arranged by nation and theme.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Youth Culture Shock

Rebellion and Resistance

American Juvenile Delinquency Movies and the European Censors: The Cross-Cultural Reception and Censorship of The Wild One, Blackboard Jungle, and Rebel Without a Cause

The Imported Rebellion: Criminal Guys and Consumerist Girls in Postwar Germany and Austria

Rebels with a Cause: Children versus the Military Industrial Complex

Politics and Style

Chinese "Youth Problem" Films in the 1980s: The Apolitics of Rebellion

The Age of Transition: Angels and Blockers in Recent Eastern and Central European Films

The Sound of the South Bronx: Youth Culture, Genre, and Performance in Charlie Ahearn's Wild Style

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