The Cold War on Film

by Paul Frazier

Overview

The Cold War on Film illustrates how to use film as a teaching tool. It stands on its own as an account of both the war and the major films that have depicted it.

Memories of the Cold War have often been shaped by the popular films that depict it-for example, The Manchurian Candidate, The Hunt for Red October, and Charlie Wilson's War, among others. The Cold War on Film examines how the Cold War has been portrayed through a selection of 10 iconic films that represent it through dramatization and storytelling, as opposed to through documentary footage.

The book includes an introduction to the war's history and a timeline of events. Each of the 10 chapters that follow focuses on a specific Cold War film. Chapters offer a uniquely detailed level of historical context for the films, weighing their depiction of events against the historical record and evaluating how well or how poorly those films reflected the truth and shaped public memory and discourse over the war. A comprehensive annotated bibliography of print and electronic sources aids students and teachers in further research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440872136
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/12/2021
Series:	Hollywood History
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	166
File size:	704 KB

About the Author

Paul Frazier, PhD, is associate professor of history at Gateway Community and Technical College.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction xv

Chronology xxv

1 The Third Man (1949) 1

2 The Manchurian Candidate (1962) 17

3 From Russia with Love (1963) 35

4 The Right Stuff (1983) 51

5 The Hunt for Red October (1990) 67

6 Thirteen Days (2000) 83

7 Charlie Wilson's War (2007) 99

8 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) 113

9 The Americans (2013-2018) 129

10 Bridge of Spies (2015) 143

Bibliography 159

Index 163

Editorial Reviews

Thoroughly researched and written in an informative and accessible style, this is a great resource for students of both film and American history as well as popular culture.” —Booklist Online

“Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, including students in technical programs; general readers.” —Choice

From the Publisher

10/01/2021

In this work about depictions of the Cold War in pop culture, Frazier (history, Gateway Community Coll., KY; Germany at War) covers nine films and one TV series. For each, he offers a plot synopsis, brief critical analysis, and historical background, then delves into the artistic aspects of the work, its cultural context, and its critical reception. Each entry also includes a list of further reading. The earliest of the films that Frazier examines is from the start of the Cold War (The Third Man, 1949), while the latest (Charlie Wilson's War, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridge of Spies, and the FX show The Americans) are from the 21st century. The book is part of ABC-CLIO's "Hollywood History" series, which intends to address the accuracy of films and what they say about the eras in which they were made. This focus sometimes limits Frazier's book; for instance, he doesn't cover Atomic Age monster movies like Them! or communist allegories like Invasion of the Body Snatchers; the most fantastical works are The Manchurian Candidate and From Russia with Love. The USSR produced many great films in the Cold War era, but most didn't deal with contemporary matters and so fall outside Frazier's scope. VERDICT It's difficult to decide whom this volume is suited to. The history is accurate but very brief, while the film discussion is largely consumed by plot synopses. Not recommended.—Robert Mixner, Bartholomew Cty. P.L., Columbus, IN

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