Projecting the Holocaust into the Present

The Changing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust Cinema

Nonfiction, History, Jewish, Holocaust
Cover of the book Projecting the Holocaust into the Present by Lawrence Baron, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lawrence Baron ISBN: 9781461641353
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Publication: November 1, 2005
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Language: English
Author: Lawrence Baron
ISBN: 9781461641353
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication: November 1, 2005
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Language: English

Most Holocaust scholars and survivors contend that the event was so catastrophic and unprecedented that it defies authentic representation in feature films. Yet it is precisely the extremity of 'the Final Solution' and the issues it raised that have fueled the cinematic imagination since the end of World War II. Recognizing that movies reach a greater audience than eyewitness, historical, or literary accounts, Lawrence Baron argues that they mirror changing public perceptions of the Holocaust over time and place. After tracing the evolution of the most commonly employed genres and themes in earlier Holocaust motion pictures, he focuses on how films from the l990s made the Holocaust relevant for contemporary audiences. While genres like biographical films and love stories about doomed Jewish-Gentile couples remained popular, they now cast Jews or non-Jewish victims like homosexuals in lead roles more often than was the case in the past. Baron attributes the recent proliferation of Holocaust comedies and children's movies to the search for more figurative and age-appropriate genres for conveying the significance of the Holocaust to generations born after it happened. He contends that thematic shifts to stories about neo-Nazis, rescuers, survivors, and their children constitute an expression of the continuing impact the Holocaust exerts on the present. The book concludes with a survey of recent films like Nowhere in Africa and The Pianist.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Most Holocaust scholars and survivors contend that the event was so catastrophic and unprecedented that it defies authentic representation in feature films. Yet it is precisely the extremity of 'the Final Solution' and the issues it raised that have fueled the cinematic imagination since the end of World War II. Recognizing that movies reach a greater audience than eyewitness, historical, or literary accounts, Lawrence Baron argues that they mirror changing public perceptions of the Holocaust over time and place. After tracing the evolution of the most commonly employed genres and themes in earlier Holocaust motion pictures, he focuses on how films from the l990s made the Holocaust relevant for contemporary audiences. While genres like biographical films and love stories about doomed Jewish-Gentile couples remained popular, they now cast Jews or non-Jewish victims like homosexuals in lead roles more often than was the case in the past. Baron attributes the recent proliferation of Holocaust comedies and children's movies to the search for more figurative and age-appropriate genres for conveying the significance of the Holocaust to generations born after it happened. He contends that thematic shifts to stories about neo-Nazis, rescuers, survivors, and their children constitute an expression of the continuing impact the Holocaust exerts on the present. The book concludes with a survey of recent films like Nowhere in Africa and The Pianist.

More books from Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Cover of the book Surviving Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Libertarianism by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Analyzing Children by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Crossroads by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Thriving with PCOS by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Great Britons of Stage and Screen by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Cybersecurity and Human Rights in the Age of Cyberveillance by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Mobile Devices by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book The Star Trek Universe by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book The Organ Donor Experience by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Women through Women's Eyes by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Disposable Heroes by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Collection Care by Lawrence Baron
Cover of the book Celebrating Intellectual Curiosity by Lawrence Baron
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy