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Contemporary Hollywood Cinema STEvE NEALE & MURRAY SMITH (eds), 1998 London and New York, Routledge pp. xxii + 338 illus.
Routledge's recent publications on film are distinguished by many things, not least of which is their predilection for sexy, stylish covers. The image that adorns the cover of this book is a close-up of John Travolta in mid-twist with Uma Thurman, one of the most celebrated set pieces of Tarantino's tour de force Pulp Fiction. It is easy to see why this particular image has been chosen since it encapsulates many of the ideas discussed within this volume: the sophisticated intertextuality of contemporary Hollywood, putting Travolta back on the dance floor nearly 20 years since he made his initial appearance on it, in a scene which gives the nod to Godard's Bande A Part which was itself influenced by the classical Hollywood musical. And, of course, a carefully chosen Chuck Berry hit plays all the while, reminding us of the central role that music plays in today's Hollywood both in terms of aesthetics and marketing opportunities. Moreover, Pulp Fiction is an example of a new kind of cross-over film that blurs the definition between art film and blockbuster thriller as well as the product of `major independent' Miramax, an important new market presence made even more powerful by its alliance with Disney. As is made clear by just looking at the multiple ideas thrown up by just one film, contemporary Hollywood provides an embarrassment of riches for the scholar in a variety...