The fantasy film

"With celebratory spirit, wicked scholarship, and impish wit, Katherine Fowkes mines the labyrinth of cult classics and box-office hits, striking Fantasy's motherlode right where timeless stories meet popular culture - and where fans and theorists collide. Readers will find this book as illuminating and entertaining as the great films of the genre." Catherine Warren, President, Fantrust Entertainment Strategies & Fantrust.Com. "A lively, informative, and much needed work on contemporary cinema's most lucrative genre. Fowkes's discussion of fantasy films and their constitutive elements - from rabbits to reincarnation and homes to Hogwarts - is a thought-provoking and invigorating read." Harry Benshoff, University of North Texas. "This is a terrific, well-written survey of the fantasy film genre. Theoretically sophisticated and well-grounded historically, it provides illuminating readings of the most popular recent examples of a genre that's never been more robust." Peter Brunette, Reynolds Professor of Film Studies, Wake Forest University, And Film Critic, the Hollywood Reporter. The Fantasy Film provides a clear and compelling overview of this revitalized and explosively popular film genre. Often overlooked by scholars who feel it unworthy of serious consideration, the fantasy genre is also troubled by the difficulty of classifying films that often bear little resemblance to one another and that straddle related genres like horror and science fiction. The recent success of Hollywood blockbuster and independent films alike has sparked critical interest in the fantasy film and re-invigorated discussions of its unique generic qualities. Providing in-depth historical and critical overviews, The Fantasy Film explores the boundaries of fantasy throughout history and the expansion of this important genre in contemporary film. Covering early classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Harvey, recent entries like Spider-Man and Shrek, and blockbuster series such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, this clear and definitive introduction is the ideal companion for film students and scholars alike. --Book Jacket.