# The Myth of an Irish Cinema: Approaching Irish-Themed Films - Hardcover

by **Michael Gillespie** (Author)

For the past seventy years the discipline of film studies has widely invoked the term _national cinema._ Such a concept suggests a unified identity with distinct cultural narratives. As the current debate over the meaning of _nation_ and _nationalism_ has made thoughtful readers question the term, its application to the field of film studies has become the subject of recent interrogation. In _The Myth of an Irish Cinema,_ Michael Patrick Gillespie presents a groundbreaking challenge to the traditional view of filmmaking, contesting the existence of an Irish national cinema. Given the social, economic, and cultural complexity of contemporary Irish identity, Gillespie argues, filmmakers can no longer present Irishness as a monolithic entity.

The book is arranged thematically, with chapters exploring cinematic representation of the middle class, urban life, rural life, religion, and politics. Offering close readings of Irish-themed films, Gillespie identifies a variety of interpretative approaches based on the diverse elements that define national character. Covering a wide range of films, from John Ford's _The Quiet Man_ and Kirk Jones's _Waking Ned Devine_ to Bob Quinn's controversial _Budawanny_ and The Bishop's Story, _The Myth of an Irish Cinema_ signals a paradigm shift in the field of film studies and promises to reinvigorate dialogue on the subject of national cinema.

### Author Biography

**Michael Patrick Gillespie** is the Louise Edna Goeden Professor of English at Marquette University. He is the author of _The Aesthetics of Chaos: Nonlinear Thinking and Contemporary Literary Criticism, "Ulysses" and the American Reader,_ and _Reading William Kennedy,_ the latter published by Syracuse University Press.

**Number of Pages:** 288

**Dimensions:** 1 x 9.2 x 6.3 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** January 19, 2009

## Details

- **Price:** 71.91 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 71.91 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Myth of an Irish Cinema: Approaching Irish-Themed Films - Hardcover
- The Myth of an Irish Cinema: Approaching Irish-Themed Films - Hardcover

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