Conspiracy Films

A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious

Add to my list

by Barna William Donovan

Type

Studies

Subject

Genre > Thriller

Keywords

thriller, United States, sociology

Publishing date

2011

Publisher

McFarland & Co

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 282 pages
7 x 10 inches (18 x 25.5 cm)

ISBN

978-0-7864-3901-0

User Ratings

(0 vote)

X

Average rating:

0	rating	= We can do without
0	rating	= Good book
0	rating	= Excellent book
0	rating	= Unique / a reference

Your rating: -

Book Presentation:
For many years, conspiracy theories have been among the most popular story elements in Hollywood films. According to the “conspiracy culture,” Government, Big Business, the Church, even aliens—all of which, bundled together, comprise the ubiquitous “Them”—are concealing some of the biggest secrets in American and world history. From The Manchurian Candidate (1962) to JFK (1991), The Matrix (1999) to The Da Vinci Code (2006), this decade-by-decade history explores our fascination with paranoia. The work paints a vivid picture of several of the more prevalent conspiracy theories and the entertainment they have inspired, not only in theatrical films but also in such television series as The X-Files, Lost and V.

Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

About the Author:
Barna William Donovan is a professor of communications and media studies at Saint Peter’s, the Jesuit College of New Jersey. His articles, columns, and reviews on film and popular culture have been published in academic journals such as Communication Annual and Men and Masculinities as well as various newspapers.

Press Reviews:
“Offers a chronological investigation of conspiracy culture as presented on screen”–Communication Booknotes Quarterly
“Rather than just entertainment, conspiracy media content reflects larger social issues…details how such themes resonate with audiences across the political spectrum…Donovan makes a prediction about the future: that conspiracy-based entertainment is here to stay. They are a natural byproduct of an ever more complex, bureaucratic, and often overwhelming modern world.”–Everyday Sociology

See the publisher website: McFarland & Co