The American Film Musical [Paperback]

... a model of genre criticism and probably the best overall analysis of the film musical to date.
Journal of Popular Films and Television

The American Film Musical is a truly admirable book which is well worth making a song and dance about. It will immediately assume biblical authority for all who are seriously interested in the dream-factory's most lavish fantasies, and it may even come to stand as a landmark in our understanding of Hollywood as a whole.... Altman's book is thorough, well informed and warmly good-humored. It has brought the study of musical films out of the dark ages. Times Literary Supplement

... an important addition to both literature and film collections.... a landmark study.
Library Journal

Altman's important study of the American film musical combines genre theory with film criticism and history.... Recommended... Choice

The American Film Musical is at once the most advanced statement on genre theory and the most complete treatment of the American musical. Altmans unique interweaving of theory, history, and criticism represents an original and challenging contribution to film studies. Illustrated with over 200 frame enlargements and production stills.

PREFACE

I. An Introduction to the Theory of Genre Analysis
General Discourse on Meaning
The Role of Generic Formations in Meaning Production
The Role of the Critic
Toward Objective Evaluation of Subjective Criticism
Establishing a Corpus

II. The American Film Musical as Dual-Focus Narrative

III. The Structure of the American Film Musical
The film process through a series of paired segments matching the male and female leads
Each separate part of the film recapitulates the films overall duality
The basic sexual duality overlays a secondary dichotomlH