Mind-Game Film: Distributed Agency, Time Travel, and Productive Pathology

Thomas Elsaesser's book "The Mind-Game Film" explores the Hollywood mind-game film, its challenges, and its impact on perception of reality and political intervention. It demonstrates how the film has adapted to include new twists and revisions and how it challenges us to question the dominant powers' intent to program both body and mind.

Format: Hardback
Length: 322 pages
Publication date: 20 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book is a culmination of Thomas Elsaesser's profound and unwavering exploration of the Hollywood mind-game film over the past two decades. Elsaesser delves into the intricate challenges and constraints faced by Hollywood, as well as the broader philosophical landscape that shapes American cinema today. Through a comprehensive analysis, he demonstrates how Hollywood has adapted and evolved, incorporating new twists and turns while revisiting past concerns as film navigates the 21st century. By examining examples such as Minority Report, Mulholland Drive, Source Code, and Back to the Future, Elsaesser explores how mind-game films engage us, playing with our perception of reality and fostering skepticism and self-doubt. Moreover, he highlights the film's tendency to intervene in complex ways in the political realm, questioning the dominant powers' intent to program both body and mind.

The Mind-Game Film is a prescient and captivating work that will captivate students, scholars, and enthusiasts of media studies, film studies, philosophy, and politics alike. It offers a deep understanding of the genre's evolution, its philosophical implications, and its impact on contemporary society. Elsaesser's meticulous research and insightful analysis make this book an essential addition to the literature on cinema and popular culture.

Weight: 771g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780415968119