Immortal Films: "Casablanca" and the Afterlife of a Hollywood Classic

Barbara Klinger's book explores the history of Casablanca's circulation in the US from the early 1940s to the present, resituating the film in the changing industrial, technological, and cultural circumstances that have defined its journey. It challenges our understanding of its meaning and reputation as a Hollywood classic and a cult film.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Casablanca is one of the most celebrated Hollywood films of all time, its iconic romance enshrined in collective memory across generations. Drawing from archival materials, industry trade journals, and cultural commentary, Barbara Klinger explores the history of Casablanca's circulation in the United States from the early 1940s to the present by examining its exhibition via radio, repertory houses, television, and video. By resituating the film in the dynamically changing industrial, technological, and cultural circumstances that have defined its journey over eight decades, Klinger challenges our understanding of its meaning and reputation as both a Hollywood classic and a cult film. Through this single-film survey, Immortal Films proposes a new approach to the study of film history and aesthetics and, more broadly, to cinema itself as a medium in constant interface with other media as a necessary condition of its own public existence and endurance.

Casablanca is a timeless Hollywood masterpiece that has captured the hearts of audiences for generations. Its iconic romance has become an integral part of our cultural heritage, resonating with people of all ages.

In her comprehensive study, Barbara Klinger delves into the fascinating history of Casablanca's circulation in the United States. Through a meticulous examination of archival materials, industry trade journals, and cultural commentary, she traces the film's journey from its early screenings in the 1940s to its present-day presence on various platforms, including radio, repertory houses, television, and video.

What sets Klinger's work apart is her commitment to contextualizing Casablanca within the dynamic industrial, technological, and cultural landscape that shaped its journey. By resituating the film in the context of its time, she challenges our preconceived notions of its meaning and reputation as both a Hollywood classic and a cult film.

Through her single-film survey, Immortal Films offers a fresh perspective on the study of film history and aesthetics. By focusing on a single film, Klinger highlights the complexities and nuances that make it a masterpiece, and she encourages us to consider cinema as a medium that is constantly in dialogue with other media.

Klinger's study demonstrates the importance of examining films within their historical and cultural contexts. By doing so, we gain a deeper understanding of their significance and relevance, and we can appreciate the enduring power of great films like Casablanca that continue to touch our lives.

Weight: 504g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520296473