| Body and Soul: Jazz and Blues in American Film, 1927-63 Contributor(s): Stanfield, Peter (Author) |
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ISBN: 0252072359 ISBN-13: 9780252072352 Publisher: University of Illinois Press OUR PRICE: $22.77 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: June 2005 Annotation: Writing in the late 1930s, New York journalist Joseph Mitchell observed: "Except for the minstrel show, the strip act is probably America's only original contribution to the theater. "In "Body and Soul, Peter Stanfield's arguments echo Mitchell's observation. Stanfield begins by exploring how Hollywood used blackface minstrelsy to represent an emerging urban American theatrical history, and ends with a look at how American film at the close of the studio era represented urban decay through the figure of the burlesque dancer and stripper. In between, Stansfield considers the representation of American urban life in jazz, blues, ballads, and sin-songs and the manner in which the film studios exploited this "gutter" music. Alongside extensive, thought-provoking, and lively analysis of some of the most popular jazz and blues songs of the twentieth century--" "Frankie and Johnny," "St. Louis Blues," "The book contains new work on torch songs, burlesque and strippers, the noir cityscape, the Hollywood Left, and hot jazz. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Performing Arts | Film - History & Criticism - Social Science | Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Music | History & Criticism - General |
| Dewey: 791.436 |
| LCCN: 2004029989 |
| Physical Information: 0.61" H x 6.1" W x 9.04" (0.82 lbs) 232 pages |
| Themes: - Ethnic Orientation - African American |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Writing in the late 1930s, New York journalist Joseph Mitchell observed: "Except for the minstrel show, the strip act is probably America's only original contribution to the theater." In Body and Soul, Peter Stanfield's arguments echo Mitchell's observation. Stanfield begins by exploring how Hollywood used blackface minstrelsy to represent an emerging urban American theatrical history, and ends with a look at how American film at the close of the studio era represented urban decay through the figure of the burlesque dancer and stripper. In between, Stanfield considers the representation of American urban life in jazz, blues, ballads, and sin-songs and the manner in which the film studios exploited this "gutter" music. Alongside extensive, thought-provoking, and lively analysis of some of the most popular jazz and blues songs of the twentieth century--"Frankie and Johnny," "St. Louis Blues," "The Man I Love," "Blues in the Night," and "Body and Soul"--the book contains new work on blackface minstrelsy in early sound movies, racial representation and censorship, torch singers and torch songs, burlesque and strippers, the noir cityscape, the Hollywood Left, and hot jazz. |