Action Speaks Louder: Violence, Spectacle, and the American Action Movie (Wesleyan Film)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 400 pages
• Published by: Wesleyan; Rev Exp edition April 27, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0819568015
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0819568014
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 11.2 ounces

Product Review
"[A]n intelligent, coherent and frequently illuminating study of a genre that has become firmly entrenched in pop culture."--Geoffrey Berkshire, Variety

"[A]n intelligent, coherent and frequently illuminating study of a genre that has become firmly entrenched in pop cultureThe book encourages the idea that, although some action films may be 'mindless,' our reaction to them doesn't have to be."--Geoffrey Berkshire, Variety

Product Review
"Eric Lichtenfeld accomplishes the impossible, putting action films under the microscope without robbing them of their ability to startle and amuse us. His marriage of popcorn and the provocative produces what can only be called a roller-coaster read." (Steven E. de Souza, screenwriter, Die Hard )

Reader Reviews
Considering how dominant the action film is in American popular culture, it's pretty astounding how little serious scholarship there's been about this important genre, outside of feminist rants (albeit justifiable), or overly intellectualized, post-modern deconstructions written by and for the miniscule audience of academics. ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER is the rare book which is written for the rest of us - for the educated, curious movie-goer who wants to think more seriously about movies we know and might even love. While he's not above placing films in their historical context, or speculating about their larger meanings and their influences on society, author Lichtenfeld never loses sight of the fact that these movies are commercial enterprises - mass entertainments made within the confines of a commercial marketplace. He explores creative choices made by filmmakers and writers, and the book is peppered with interviews. Aware that form is content, Lichtenfeld delves into the stylistic features of the movies. He also explores how technological advances patently change the nature of these movies. ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER combines the details fans love (think of a great DVD commentary) with serious scholarship. And best of all, it's highly readable (think extended New Yorker article) - not bogged down by the obfuscating, post-modern jargon that dominates academia. Highly recommended.