Alternative worlds in films such as The Wizard of Oz; Itrsquo;s a Wonderful Life; Donnie Darko and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind offer similarities and resonances to our world; but provide a way for filmmakers to address the human condition by forming a sincere and serious connection with everyday life. An illuminating new book explores the history; background and meaning of films that feature alternative worlds ndash; films in which characters cross back and forth between another world and our own; which bring out correspondences and resonances between the worlds they depict. The popularity of such films suggests a need to engage with important themes during troubling times; as well as to be entertained and transported; says author James Walters ndash; rather than merely constituting part of the wider trend of adults finding comfort in books and films ostensibly for children. The films discussed in the book use the fantasy of an alternative world to debate a series of universal conditions associated with human experience: insecurity; ambition; loneliness; apprehension; bravery; vanity; inarticulateness; anxiety; ambiguity; introversion; love; and so on. Because these films are often viewed as Hollywood lsquo;productrsquo; they donrsquo;t always have the intellectual cachet of European films dealing with similar themes; but Walters suggests that there is complexity and depth behind these superficially light films. Traditionally; Realist cinema has dealt with weighty issues; but increasingly films featuring alternative worlds offer an engaging way of dealing with lsquo;seriousrsquo; content and issues. In each of the films discussed the flight from the real world results in characters having to face reality again; equipped with new knowledge and experience; enabling them to find a way of living there from that day on.
#2692295 in eBooks 2013-12-01 2013-12-01File Name: B01A27TH68
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A great bookBy Christopher AlexanderThis is an incredible book about an amazing painting. And when you learn the backstory on how the book came to be; it all comes together for a beautiful work.I have seen Las Meninas up-close and in-person three times. It truly is one of my favorite paintings in Spain. Its so hard to describe how or why it captures me; but Im clearly not alone. If youve seen the painting; youll understand. If you havent; youll need to find a copy to look at; since curiously; this book only had one tiny photo of it.While the book is about Las Meninas and what the painting might mean; it is so much more than this. In reading the initial reviews; I simply the thought the book would dissect the painting; trying to analyze what different components might mean. Instead; the role of the painting in Spanish history plays a prominent role; and we learn what the piece has for National pride. Its role in the broader world of art is also highlighted.The book is an easy read and it flows well. Again; make sure you have seen a good copy of the painting---if not the original---as you might otherwise get a bit lost or confused with some of the discussion.This is a really good book. I suspect Ill read it more than once.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. His book beautifully captures the experienceBy CustomerI was attracted to Las Meninas in the same way Michael Jacobs was. His book beautifully captures the experience.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. There is ample evidence that the viewer is directly in front of the open door at the back (and for good reason! ) SadlyBy domingo barreresThe inventive mathematical structure of the painting LAS MENINAS offers compelling evidential clues to invite decoding its possible content. But Foucaults and Jacobs insistence in placing the viewer in front of the mirror and thus fictionally occupying the place where the royals stood is just plain wrong. There is ample evidence that the viewer is directly in front of the open door at the back (and for good reason!) Sadly; but consequently; many other evidentiary clues are overlooked. Still; the book may be interesting in its anecdotal and historical contingencies
