Back in the Saddle Again: New Essays on the Western - Softcover

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9780851706610: Back in the Saddle Again: New Essays on the Western

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0851706614 ISBN 13: 9780851706610

Publisher: British Film Institute, 1998

The Western is the most important genre in American cinema. Though the production of films may have declined since the 1960s, the Western's influence has spread worldwide, and far beyond the movies. Recently the New Western History, attempting to put the record straight where women, ethnic minorities and other marginalised groups are concerned, has given new impetus to film-makers, while best-selling writers such as Larry McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy have found new stories to tell.

This collection of new essays pays particular attention to areas of the Western hitherto neglected, such as the early silent Western, the singing cowboys of the 1930s and the television Westerns of the 1950s. It examines the perennially urgent topic of Native Americans and looks beyond America to examine the European Western and to consider the significance of Mexico. It also looks at the role of Westerns in magazine advertising and in fashion, and the spate of television documentaries on Western topics.

Specially commissioned for this volume, all the articles throw fresh light on a genre still not accorded its due by the critical establishment.

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About the Author:

Edward Buscombe is the editor of the BFI Companion to the Western (Andre Deutsch) and the author of Stagecoach in the BFI Film Classics series. Roberta Pearson is Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University of Wales, and is currently writing a book entitled Custer's Last Scene: History, Memory, Identity.

From Library Journal:

The recent deaths of cowboy stars Roy Rogers and Gene Autry have refocused attention on the once thriving Hollywood Western. Despite an unfortunate similarity in titles, these two books cover somewhat different ground. Back in the Saddle consists of biographical essays on film and TV Western stars, including early favorites "Bronco Billy" Anderson, Buck Jones, and Tom Mix, singing cowboys Roy Rogers and Tex Ritter, the Western work of film greats Jimmy Stewart and Steve McQueen, plus a look at the enduring popularity of the TV series Gunsmoke and its star, James Arness. There are also chapters on Western character actors and a review of the increasing importance of Native American actors. Back in the Saddle Again examines the rise, fall, and limited rebirth of the Western's popularity with world film audiences. Despite excessively academic titles, some of these essays will interest general readers. Subjects include John Ford's use of Monument Valley locations, brief histories of TV Westerns and singing cowboy films, the changing portrayal of General Custer in Hollywood films, and a critique of little-known German-made Westerns of the 1960s. Most books on Hollywood Westerns are now out of date or out of print. Though neither book is comprehensive, the first should fill some gaps in public library collections while the second should be considered as a supplementary source for academic libraries only.?Stephen Rees, Levittown Regional Lib., PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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