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Masculinity In American Movie-Musical Films, Christopher Sparks
Masculinity In American Movie-Musical Films, Christopher Sparks
Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry
My presentation explores the relation between American masculinity and film musicals. I demonstrate how the dominance of the musical at the box office in the middle of the 20th century reflects historical events and technological change. Drawing on both scholarly and popular criticism, I show how the images of masculinity that Americans once encountered on the silver screen have transformed as musicals became marginal to popular culture in the United States. My research considers both classic 20th century musicals, such as Wizard of Oz (1939) and 42nd Street (1933), and more recent experiments with the genre, including …