Filming the Gods examines the role and depiction of religion in Indian cinema, showing that the relationship between the modern and the traditional in contemporary India is not exotic, but part of everyday life. Concentrating mainly on the Hindi cinema of Mumbai, Bollywood, it also discusses India's other cinemas. Rachel Dwyer's lively discussion encompasses the mythological genre which continues India's long tradition of retelling Hindu myths and legends, drawing on sources such as the national epics of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana; the devotional genre, which flourished at the height of the nationalist movement in the 1930s and 40s; and the films made in Bombay that depict India's Islamicate culture, including the historical, the courtesan film and the 'Muslim social' genre. Filming the Gods also examines the presence of the religious across other genres and how cinema represents religious communities and their beliefs and practices. It draws on interviews with film stars, directors and producers as well as popular fiction, fan magazines and the films themselves. As a result, Filming the Gods is a both a guide to the study of film in religious culture as well as a historical overview of Indian religious film.
Filming the Gods examines the role and depiction of religion in Indian cinema, showing that the relationship between the modern and the traditional in contemporary India is not exotic, but part of everyday life. Concentrating mainly on the Hindi cinema of Mumbai, Bollywood, it also discusses India's other cinemas. Rachel Dwyer's lively discussion encompasses the mythological genre which continues India's long tradition of retelling Hindu myths and legends, drawing on sources such as the national epics of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana; the devotional genre, which flourished at the height of the nationalist movement in the 1930s and 40s; and the films made in Bombay that depict India's Islamicate culture, including the historical, the courtesan film and the 'Muslim social' genre. Filming the Gods also examines the presence of the religious across other genres and how cinema represents religious communities and their beliefs and practices. It draws on interviews with film stars, directors and producers as well as popular fiction, fan magazines and the films themselves. As a result, Filming the Gods is a both a guide to the study of film in religious culture as well as a historical overview of Indian religious film.
Deflecting the attention from Hollywood, Stars in World Cinema fills an important gap in the study of film by bringing together Star Studies and World Cinema. A team of international scholars here bring their expertise and in-depth knowledge of world cultures and cinema to the study of stars and stardom from six continents, exploring their cultures, their local history and their global relevance. Chapters look at the role of acting, music, singing, painting and martial arts in the making of stars from Australia's indigenous population, Austria, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Japan, North and South Korea, Nigeria, the Philippines, the former Soviet Union, Spain, North and South America. Since the very beginnings of cinema, actors and stars have been central to its history and have been one of the medium's defining characteristics. They have also been fundamental to the marketing of cinema and have played a major part in the reception of films in many cultures. Stars in World Cinema examines stardom and the circulation of stars across borders, analysing how local star systems or non-systems construct stardom around the world. Contributors put into practice their local knowledge of history, language and cultural systems, to consider issues of hybridity, boundary crossing, the mobility of stardom, and embodied spectatorship, in order to further the understanding of stars in light the of recent interest in reception theory. Rooted in a multidisciplinary and polycentric approach, this book throws light on unexpected connections between stars and stardoms from different parts of the world, cutting across chronology, geographies and film history.
This book offers a comprehensive view of the 100 most significant films ever produced in Bollywood. Each entry includes cast and crew information, language, date of release, a short description of the film’s plot, and most significantly, the importance of the film in the Indian canon.
Christianity has been present in India since at least the third century, but the faith remains a small minority. Even so, Christianity is growing rapidly in parts of the subcontinent, and has made an impact far beyond its numbers. Yet Indian Christianity remains highly controversial, and it has suffered growing discrimination and violence. This book shows how Christian converts and communities continue to make contributions to Indian society, even amid social pressure and violent persecution. In a time of controversy in India about the legitimacy of conversion and the value of religious diversity, Christianity in India addresses the complex issues of faith, identity, caste, and culture. It documents the outsized role of Christians in promoting human rights, providing education and healthcare, fighting injustice and exploitation, and stimulating economic uplift for the poor. Readers will come away surprised and sobered to learn how these active initiatives often invite persecution today. The essays draw on intimate and personal encounters with Christians in India, past and present, and address the challenges of religious freedom in contemporary India.
We Are So Quick to Say We Want “More” of God, but Is That Really True? As strange as it may sound, the most misunderstood, misrepresented, and potentially the most feared person in Christianity may very well be God Himself. Even seasoned Christians often view God as frightening, untrustworthy, and distant. But nothing could be further from the truth. Author and filmmaker Darren Wilson takes a funny yet poignant romp through Scripture, revealing a long-time Christian’s hang-ups and fears of a God he was supposed to love. Wilson looks at questions such as: Is God selfish, silent, distant, and constantly disappointed in you? How do you love someone you can’t see and who has the power to punish you at any moment? How can a loving God throw people into hell simply for not believing in Him? Wilson encourages readers to be honest with themselves and with God. He challenges us to face the things many Christians struggle with but are too afraid to talk about because everyone else seems to have this faith thing figured out. He believes God isn’t afraid of our questions, doubts, fears, or even our anger. The secret to peace and friendship with God lies in understanding who He really is.
This first in-depth Ryan work has two parts: The biographical provides behind-the-scenes information and never-before-published interviews with Ryan's children. The reference part contains a filmography (70+ films: plot lines, themes, technical aspects, casts, credits, criticism), and a listing of stage appearances, television performances, narrations, guest appearances, recordings and videocassettes.
This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. It is funded by Knowledge Unlatched. Filming the End of the Holocaust considers how the US Government commissioned the US Signal Corps and other filmmakers to document the horrors of the concentration camps during the April-May 1945 liberation. The evidence of the Nazis' genocidal actions amassed in these films, some of them made by Hollywood luminaries such as John Ford and Billy Wilder, would go on to have a major impact at the Nuremberg Trials; they helped to indict Nazi officials as the judges witnessed scenes of torture, human experimentation and extermination of Jews and non-Jews in the gas chambers and crematoria. These films, some produced by the Soviets, were integral to the war crime trials that followed the Holocaust and the Second World War, and this book provides a thorough, close analysis of the footage in these films and their historical significance. Using research carried out at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the US National Archives and the film collection at the National Center for Jewish Film at Brandeis University, this book explores the rationale for filming the atrocities and their use in the subsequent trials of Nazi officials in greater detail than anything previously published. Including an extensive bibliography and filmography, Filming the End of the Holocaust is an important text for scholars and students of the Holocaust and its aftermath.
The religious imagination is alive and well in the movies. Contrary to those who criticize Hollywood, popular movies very often have metaphorically represented God on the screen. From Clint Eastwood as an avenging angel in Pale Rider and Nicolas Cage as a lovesick angel in City of Angels to Jessica Lange as an angel of death in All That Jazz, and from George Burns as God in Oh, God! to Audrey Hepburn in Always to pure white light in Fearless and Flatliners, God is very much present in the movies.
What does it mean to pursue an intimate relationship with God? intimacy, obedience, and the miraculous as a blueprint for all believers. Combining sound biblical teaching with keen insight and compelling personal accounts from others, Dr. Clark invites us to go deeper by exploring the following questions: How do we achieve true intimacy in our relationship with God? What does it mean to express faith that results in the miraculous? What does the Bible say about the balance between obedience and grace? A clear understanding of the integral relationship between intimacy and obedience provides a framework in today’s world for glorifying God, particularly through the miraculous, as Dr. Clark has so profoundly demonstrated during his many years of ministry. He longs for you to renew your knowledge of God’s deep love for His children and how fervently God desires a life of intimate friendship with you.
Saymour Lincoln's story gives us a fascinating look into the world of a young man trying to survive the tumultuous streets of Ghent in Belgium. A talented skateboarder with a lust for smoking weed, he made the mistake of 'frying his brains" by drinking liquid LSD. Arrested after running naked through the streets, he woke up naked in a police cell and was then sent for psychiatrist treatment. Unfortunately, pictures went viral on Facebook and he had to deal with the fallout; achieving widespread notoriety as "that crazy naked guy". He battles to save his reputation while studying for a degree on Social Work; while dealing with a life fuelled by Marijuana and the challenges facing a celebrated skateboarder and observer of human nature. Will Saymour make it in the end?
