A 'Toxic Genre': The Iraq War Films (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780745331300)

Over the last five years, a cycle of films has emerged addressing the ongoing Iraq conflict. Some became well-known and one of them, The Hurt Locker, won a string of Oscars. But many others disappeared into obscurity. What is it about these films that led Variety to dub them a 'toxic genre'?

Martin Barker analyses the production and reception of these recent Iraq war films. Among the issues he examines are the borrowing of soldiers' YouTube styles of self-representation to generate an 'authentic' Iraq experience, and how they take refuge in 'apolitical' post-traumatic stress disorder. Barker also looks afresh at some classic issues in film theory: the problems of accounting for film 'failures', the shaping role of production systems, the significance of genre-naming and the impact of that 'toxic' label.

A 'Toxic Genre' is fascinating reading for film studies students and anyone interested in cinema's portrayal of modern warfare.

Author: Martin Barker
ISBN-10: 0745331300
ISBN-13: 9780745331300
Publisher: Pluto Press (UK)
Language: English
Published: 08/03/2011
Pages: 216
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.30w x 0.60d

Review Citation(s):
Chronicle of Higher Education 09/09/2011 pg. 16
Choice 02/01/2012