A 'Toxic Genre': The Iraq War Films

By Martin Barker

Book Overview

Over the last five years, a cycle of films has emerged addressing the ongoing Iraq conflict. Some became well-known and one of them, The Hurt Locker , won a string of Oscars. But many others disappeared into obscurity. What is it about these films that led Variety to dub them a 'toxic genre'? Martin Barker analyses the production and reception of these recent Iraq war films. Among the issues he examines are the borrowing of soldiers' YouTube styles of self-representation to generate an 'authentic' Iraq experience, and how they take refuge in 'apolitical' post-traumatic stress disorder. Barker also looks afresh at some classic issues in film theory: the problems of accounting for film 'failures', the shaping role of production systems, the significance of genre-naming and the impact of that 'toxic' label. A 'Toxic Genre' is fascinating reading for film studies students and anyone interested in cinema's portrayal of modern warfare.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0745331297
• ISBN13: 9780745331294
• Release Date: August 2011
• Publisher: Pluto Press (UK)
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.4"