World Cinema through Global Genres

William V. Costanzo is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of English and Film at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York, where he teaches courses in writing, literature, and film studies. Dr. Costanzo has previously published five books on film, writing, and computers, including Reading the Movies (1992), Great Films and How to Teach Them (2004), and The Writer's Eye (2008). He currently serves on the Society for Cinema and Media Studies Teaching Committee.

• Preface ixAcknowledgments xiiiHow to Use This Book xvIntroduction 1Unit I The Warrior Hero 43Chapter 1: The Warrior Hero 45Deep Focus on Chinese Cinemas 79Close-up: The Magnificent Seven 100Close-up: Seven Samurai106Close-up: Sholay 113Close-up: Way of the Dragon 118Unit II The Wedding Film 125Chapter 2: The Wedding Film 127Deep Focus on Indian Cinemas 159Close-up: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 181Close-up: Monsoon Wedding187Close-up: The Wedding Banquet 192Close-up: Wedding in Galilee 197Unit III The Horror Film 203Chapter 3: The Horror Film 205Deep Focus on Japanese Cinemas 254Close-up: Halloween 270Close-up: Suspiria 276Close-up: The Devil's Backbone 282Close-up: Ring 287Unit IV The Road Movie 293Chapter 4: The Road Movie 295Deep Focus on Latin American Cinemas 335Close-up: Thelma & Louise 368Close-up: La Strada 374Close-up: Breathless 379Close-up: The Motorcycle Diaries 386Glossary 392Index 406

"A wonderful textbook as well as a scholarly tour-de-force. Costanzo brings new meaning to the concept of global genres and offers up examples that convincingly demonstrate cinematic border crossings and cultural connections amongst far-flung places." - David Desser, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA "Costanzo revitalizes both world cinema and genre studies with his stimulating, insightful cross cultural approach to warrior heroes, wedding films, horror and road movies. It's a well-written, scholarly work that's as inventive as it is enjoyable." - Diane Carson, Past President, University Film and Video Assn (UFVA) "William Costanzo has cut the clearest path yet through the forest of world cinema. Key genres take us confidently place to place, era to era; while maps, timelines, and surveys of national industries position a rich array of films, many analyzed with real mastery." - Dudley Andrew, Professor of Film and Corporate Literature, Yale University, USA.