Action Figures: Men, Action Films, and Contemporary Adventure Narratives

Gallagher, M.

What accounts for the massive global popularity of action films and adventure literature? How do men and women respond to iconic screen stars such as Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve McQueen, and Charlton Heston? Action genres have been Hollywood's most profitable global exports for most of its history, their male heroes the subject of much fascination and derision. Bestselling literary thrillers, from The Hunt for Red October to Into Thin Air , have also contributed markedly to popular understandings of male activity. Action Figures takes stock of action narratives' many appeals and recognizes how contemporary crises of gender identity manifest themselves in popular commercial texts.

Details

Published by: Palgrave Macmillan

Publication Date: 2006-02-22

Format: Paperback

ISBN-13: 9781349531691

DOI: 10.1057/9781403977236

Dimensions: 216cm x140cm

Pages: 234