The New Hollywood cinema antihero: The findings of a macro study towards a nuanced definition of complex heroes
Author(s) (CIMS)
Robert King
Year Publication
2017
Publisher
Working Papers Film & TV Studies, CIMS-Centre for Cinema and Media Studies, Department of Communication Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent – Belgium
ISBN
9789090302508
Pages
55p.
Language
English
Content
This working paper presents an overview of a macro study of 220 films over an eleven-year period. The findings it details are taken from my research on the evolution of the antihero as a character and narrative construct during a period of social, political, and economic flux in American history. These findings demonstrate how diverse conflicted protagonists challenge narrative binaries and simplistic archetypes during a period of innovation in filmmaking. Moreover, the working paper clearly demonstrates that important work is needed to understand the evolution of antiheroes during a period of Hollywood renaissance.