Descripciones mejoradas de Syndetics:

Christians in the Movies traces the arc of the portrayal in film of Christians from 1905 to the present. For most of the first six decades, the portrayals were favorable and even reverential. By contrast, from 1970 on, Christians have often been treated with hostility and often outright ridicule. This book explores this shift through in-depth reviews and commentaries on 100 important films, as well as briefer discussions of about 75 additional Christian-themed films.

Peter E. Dans examines various causative factors for this change such as the abolition of the Hays Motion Picture Production Code, the demise of the Catholic Legion of Decency, and the associated profound societal and cultural changes. From a look at the real story behind the Scopes trial to portraits of actors, directors and writers most prominently associated with films involving Christians and Christianity, Christians in the Movies provides a great resource for those who wish to select films for showing at churches, universities or for personal viewing and critical examination of the recent cultural movements and thought.

for personal viewing and critical examination of the recent cultural movements and thought.for personal viewing and critical examination of the recent cultural movements and thought.for personal viewing and critical examination of the recent cultural movements and thought.

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Dans (Doctors in the Movies) considers nearly 200 films from 1905 to the present chronologically by decade. In an extended essay on the portrayal of Christians in films (too often negative, he believes), Dans considers the effect of early decency codes, explores differing treatment of Christian groups (e.g., fundamentalists, Catholics), describes the watershed impact of The Passion of the Christ, and meditates on why Christians should care about how they are portrayed in films. The author casts a wide net, including some films not regarded as religious, notably Dead Man Walking and the Godfather movies. Dans gives his approval to diverse films such as Schindler's List, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Robert Duvall's The Apostle. As most of the films are currently available on DVD, this can be read as a film history or a viewing guide. Verdict Dans's critical judgments are generally reliable or provocative, but the lengthy plot summaries seem unnecessary. Because movies are rarely covered from a specifically Christian perspective, the flaws can be forgiven. Students researching depictions of Christians and Christian concerns and people selecting Christian-themed films for churches and other institutions will find valuable information here.-Stephen Rees, Levittown Lib., PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

For these fresh, breezy critical readings of the remarkable history of "Christians in the movies," Dans (Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine; Doctors in the Movies, 2000) opted for the convenience of chronology: each chapter centers on a decade, from 1905 to 2008 (e.g., "The Age of the Epic: The 1950s"). In each chapter, the author introduces the Zeitgeist of the era, covers key films, most with commentary, and adds insightful backstories on relevant characters and theological events. Dans addresses the major religious movies (from director Cecil B. DeMille's biblical epics to blasphemous satires like Robert Altman's MASH), but he also excavates several marvelous, frequently overlooked films such as Frank Capra's The Miracle Woman (1931) and Luis Bunuel's Viridiana (1961). Dans's own passionate Roman Catholic faith opens up debates on the films; he unapologetically skewers anti-Catholic films with wit and insight and lavishes affection on Hollywood films that offer authentic, worthy portrayals of God's human creatures. Dans adds a welcome, stimulating voice to the discussion about those smudged and sterling religious characters created more in the image of Hollywood than in imago Dei. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. T. Lindvall Virginia Wesleyan College

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Peter E. Dans, M.D. is associate professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is the author of Doctors in the Movies.