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ReFocus: The Films of Lawrence Kasdan

Online ISBN:
9781399524094
Print ISBN:
9781399524070
Publisher:
Edinburgh University Press
Book

ReFocus: The Films of Lawrence Kasdan

Brett Davies
Brett Davies

Associate Professor of English

Meiji University
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Published online:
23 January 2025
Published in print:
31 March 2024
Online ISBN:
9781399524094
Print ISBN:
9781399524070
Publisher:
Edinburgh University Press

Abstract

Lawrence Kasdan is the screenwriter of such beloved blockbusters as The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Bodyguard (1992), and The Force Awakens (2015); simultaneously, he has gained critical acclaim as the director of pictures that dissect contemporary American society: Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), The Accidental Tourist (1988), and Grand Canyon (1991). This book is the very first in-depth investigation into his work as a filmmaker who has created some of the most influential films of the past half century, yet has received remarkably little attention within academia. As the first forensic analysis of Kasdan’s canon, the book takes a multi-disciplinary approach to showcase original research and begin an overdue scholarly discourse regarding Kasdan’s influence on American cinema and the wider culture. Through the application of different methodologies, the book demonstrates that Kasdan has made a unique and important contribution to American film, both as writer and director, and the study provides a starting point for scholars to examine his filmography in greater detail. Additionally, ReFocus: The Films of Lawrence Kasdan contributes to debates regarding authorship, genre, and representations of the “1960s generation”; and it acts as an invaluable learning resource in the fields of creative writing, cultural studies, and, especially, film studies.

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