We recently received a new book called Translating Hollywood: The World of Movie Posters, which is all about how movie posters get different treatments in different countries. The example here shows the American and Polish versions of the Midnight Cowboy poster from 1969. Because the U.S. focuses on the star-system, it shows Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight looking all fancy and rugged on the street corner, while the Polish version "perfectly encapsulates the lust-filled, androgynous sin that was late 60s New York." Personally, I like the Polish movie posters the best because they became a direct response to the post-WWII government. Basically the government controlled culture (arts), though somehow the movie poster (along with theatre posters) were given some creative freedom, resulting in the best movie posters you've ever seen. I learned that from another book called A Century of Movie Posters: From Silent to Art House. This book has way more information about movie posters from around the world, but it doesn't provide side-by-side comparison like Translating Hollywood does. Another book to definitely check out is Art of the Modern Movie Poster. This book is huge, colorful, and pretty much all-around awesome. I suggest taking a look at these books for the different worldviews, great design, and pretty pictures. Also, if you head back to the PN1995.9.P5 section, you'll find a bunch more books about movie posters.
Results tagged “New Books” from Iwasaki Library Blog
Hooray the library is open again! Since people will be trickling in and out, I'm going to go ahead and give you another book recommendation. This time, it's The Complete Essays of Mark Twain. Why should you read this? Because Mark Twain was funny, witty, clever, wore spectacularly dapper white suits, had a killer 'stache, and because without him, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert don't have jobs.
Looking to learn about comic improvisatory theater in Iran? Or political theater in the United States? How about Shared Experience Theater or Five Lesbian Brothers? Or the meaning of deconstruction with respect to drama?
To find the answers to these and a plethora of other questions, turn to The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama! This two-volume work features over 1200 entries on concepts, companies, countries, genres, movements, plays and playwrights from 1860 to the present. The work differs from other reference books on theater in its focus on practice and performance as well as written drama.
Entries have further reading recommendations, so it is easy to find additional materials. And just before the index there is a useful listing of entries by topic or country, making questions like “Who are contemporary playwrights from Malaysia?” a breeze to answer.
And be sure to check out selected entries written by Magda Romanska, Assistant Professor of Performing Arts and Head of Theatre Studies! Look for Denise Boucher. Sarah Anne Curzon, Merrill Denison, Linda Griffiths, Lois Reynolds Kerr and Marjorie Pickthall.