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Traditionally, university students have gained access to world religions by reading primary texts. Discovering World Religions at 24 Frames Per Second takes students beyond the written page, offering an exploration of the same religious traditions through the study of feature films. The many definitions of religion are examined along with its various components, including doctrine, myth, ethics, ritual, and symbol. Specific religious traditions, including Hinduism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, popular religion, and Shinto are examined. Biographical sketches of directors whose films tend to focus on a particular religious tradition are also included, such as Zhang Yimou, Hayao Miyazaki, Deepa Mehta, and Akira Kurosawa.

Discovering World Religions at 24 Frames Per Second is unique in the area of religion and film studies in that it isn't just a collection of essays. Instead it provides the introductory student with the necessary background information on the various religions before looking at how their ideas can be understood not through texts but through the cinematic medium. To keep the conversation fresh, most of the films used in the book were made within the last decade. Furthermore, examples range from popular, mainstream fare, such as Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to lesser-known foreign films, such as The Wooden Man's Bride and The Great Yokai War . Several films with a "cult-like" following are also discussed, including Fight Club, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away , and Jacob's Ladder . This book is also unique in that instead of drawing upon the Judeo-Christian tradition, it draws from Eastern traditions.

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CHOICE Review

Traversing the globe in identifying significant, accessible films as diverse as Fight Club and Kung Fu Panda, Fielding (religious studies, Univ. of Nebraska, Omaha) looks at how these works shed light on various religious traditions, particularly those of the East and Southeast Asia, e.g., Sikhism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. In defining religious terms, the author finds certain elements common to most religions. As background, he discusses the doctrines, myths, ethics, rituals, symbols, and sacred spaces of various traditions, identifying key characteristics that would enable one to recognize their presence in visual texts. Of particular salience is his coverage of religious iconography and symbols--e.g., bestiaries--that help interpret religious and cultural meanings within films. Fielding provides introductory chapters to the religions of India, Japan, and China, interspersing knowledgeable overviews with analyses of pertinent films. For example, he probes the Hindu meanings in films as dissimilar as Water and The Guru. The study culminates in a creative look at the syncretism of hybrid films like Star Wars. This work stands as a solid prolegomenon to the study of film amid world religious traditions. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, professionals, general readers. T. Lindvall Virginia Wesleyan College

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Julien R. Fielding is a part-time lecturer at the University of Nebraska.