Suicide Movies

1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-0-88937-390-7
Verlag: Hogrefe Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 298 Seiten, Format (B × H): 159 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 658 g

How is suicide portrayed in the cinema and what does it mean for suicide prevention? The first-ever comprehensive study of film suicide analyzes more than 1,500 film suicides.
The portrayal of suicide in cinema can impact public understanding and effective prevention of suicide. This book presents the first-ever comprehensive analysis of how suicide has been portrayed in films over 110 years, based on a thorough evaluation of more than 1,500 film suicides – 1,377 in American films, 135 in British films.
One striking finding is that while the research literature generally attributes suicide to individual psychiatric or mental health issues, cinema and film solidly endorse more social causes.
In a compelling blend of social science and humanities approaches, the authors use quantitative methods, as well as the voices of scriptwriters, directors, actors, and actresses, dozens of illustrative frame-grabs, and numerous case examples to answer core questions such as: Are we guilty of over-neglecting social factors in suicide prevention and research? Do cinematic portrayals distort or accurately reflect the nature of suicide in the real world? Has film presentation of suicide changed over 110 years? What are the literary roots of cinema portrayals?
This unique book makes fascinating reading for all concerned with suicide prevention, as well as areas such as sociology, film and media studies, and mass communication.

Zielgruppe

All concerned with suicide research and prevention, as well as fields such as film and media studies, social psychology, sociology, clinical psychology, and psychiatry

Autoren/Hrsg.

Stack, Steven

Bowman, Barbara

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Theater- und Filmwissenschaft | Andere Darstellende Künste Filmwissenschaft, Fernsehen, Radio Filmgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften Medien & Gesellschaft, Medienwirkungsforschung
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Mediensoziologie
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Medienwissenschaften Film, Video, Foto
• Geisteswissenschaften Theater- und Filmwissenschaft | Andere Darstellende Künste Filmwissenschaft, Fernsehen, Radio Filmgattungen, Filmgenre
• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychotherapie / Klinische Psychologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Theater- und Filmwissenschaft | Andere Darstellende Künste Filmwissenschaft, Fernsehen, Radio Filmtheorie, Filmanalyse

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments, Preface

Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1: The Neglect of Social Patterns in Suicide
Chapter 2: Finding and Categorizing the Suicide Movies

Part II: Individual Causes of Suicide in the Cinema
Chapter 3: Traditional Psychiatric Motives for Suicide in Film
Chapter 4: The Psychopath and Suicide: A Nontraditional Psychiatric Factor
Chapter 5: Physicality: Pain, Physical Illness, & Disability in Film Suicides

Part III: The Social Causes of Suicide in the Cinema
Chapter 6: Death of a Significant Other
Chapter 7: Strain in Social Relationships: Relationship Breakdown
Chapter 8: Economic Strain and Suicide in the Cinema
Chapter 9: Altruistic Suicide

Part IV: Cross-National Analysis and Conclusion.
Chapter 10: Globalization and the Causes of Suicide: Comparing British to American Films
Chapter 11: Conclusions

References
Subject Index
Film Index