Philip L. Simpson

Kathy Merlock Jackson

One of the most influential thrillers in media history, Jaws first surfaced as a best-selling novel by first-time novelist Peter Benchley in 1974, followed by the 1975 feature film directed by Steven Spielberg at the beginning of his storied career. Jaws is often considered the first "blockbuster," and successive generations of filmmakers have cited it as formative in their own creative development. For nearly 50 years, critics and scholars have studied how and why this seemingly straightforward thriller holds such mass appeal. This book of original essays assembles a range of critical thought on the impact and legacy of the film, employing new perspectives--historical, cinematic, literary, scientific and environmental--while building on the insights of previous writers. While varying in focus, the essays in this volume all explore why Jaws was so successful in its time and how it remains a prominent storytelling influence well into the 21st century.

Essays on the Cultural Influence of Jaws

"This shark, swallow you whole"

When Life magazine unveiled its list of the one hundred most influential Americans of the 20th century, the selection committee was guided by one question: How would our lives be different if each of the honorees did not live? Not surprisingly, Walt Disney made the list. In addition to a complete biography, Jackson explores Disney's impact on American mass media and popular culture by focusing on animation, live-action film, documentary film, television, books, comic books, magazines, sheet music and recordings, theme parks, business, and the over-all Disney vision. A bibliographic essay examines sources of Disney scholarship, including a listing of resources available at the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank, California. Appendices provide a Disney chronology, Disney film and television credits, Disney's awards, and a listing of theme parks.

Walt Disney, a Bio-bibliography

Uses images of children in films as a benchmark to examine broadscale social change. Fascinating study...A lucid, authoritative and never ponderous examination of an important aspect of the cinema as social history. Highly recommended. --FILM REVIEW ANNUAL

A Sociocultural Analysis

Images of Children in American Film

Mark I. West

Although Walt Disney is best known as a filmmaker, perhaps his greatest skill and influence was as a reader. While many would have regarded Felix Salten's Bambi and Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio as too somber for family-oriented animated films, he saw possibilities in them. He appealed to his audience by selecting familiar stories, but transformed them to suit audience sensibilities. Many of the tales he chose to adapt to film went on to become the most read books in America, eventually becoming literary classics. Although much published research has addressed his adaptation process--often criticizing his films for being too saccharine or not true to their literary sources--little has been written on him as a reader: what he read, what he liked, his reading experiences, and the books that influenced him. This collection of essays addresses Disney as a reader and shows how his responses to literature fueled his success. Essays discuss the books he read, the ones he adapted to film, and the ways in which he demonstrated his narrative ability. Exploring his literary connections in reference to his animated and live-action films, nature documentaries, theme park creations, and overall creative vision, the contributors provide insight into Walt Disney's relationships with authors, his animation staff, and his audience.

Essays on the Literary Inspirations

Walt Disney, from Reader to Storyteller

Lisa Lyon Payne

Kathy Shepherd Stolley

The Intersection of Star Culture in America and International Medical Tourism: Celebrity Treatment argues that celebrity cases and media content drive awareness of medical tourism among Americans at a time when the medical system is under intense scrutiny. By popularizing international sites for treatment, procedures not available in the US, and different approaches to patient care, media narratives present options for health care, triggering dialogue on one of America’s most important human welfare issues.

Celebrity Treatment

The Intersection of Star Culture in America and International Medical Tourism

The relationship between humans and animals has always been strong, symbiotic and complicated. Animals, real and fictional, have been a mainstay in the arts and entertainment, figuring prominently in literature, film, television, social media, and live performances. Increasingly, though, people are anthropomorphizing animals, assigning them humanoid roles, tasks and identities. At the same time, humans, such as members of the furry culture or college mascots, find pleasure in adopting animal identities and characteristics. This book is the first of its kind to explore these growing phenomena across media. The contributors to this collection represent various disciplines, to include the arts, humanities, social sciences, and healthcare. Their essays demonstrate the various ways that human and animal lives are intertwined and constantly evolving.

Kathy Merlock Jackson

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