American Life and Movies from the Ten Commandments to Twilight (Pop Culture)

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? In this curious and entertaining book, readers will learn that both are true. Author Daniel Benjamin takes readers on a journey from the gritty realism of post-World War II cinema through the innovations of the 1960s to the blockbuster hits of the 1980s and the very mixed bag of the early twenty-first century. This record of the ever-changing world of American culture is highlighted with a fabulous variety of photographs from the last six decades. Introduction 1950s: trouble brewing under the American dream 1960s: the world unplugged 1970s: from despair to the blockbuster 1980s: the Reagan years 1990s: the independent years 2000s: a troubled time. "Provides a comprehensive look at the history of film in America"--Provided by publisher.