Split screen nation : moving images of the American West and South

337 Pages·2017·11.448 MB·English

by  Courtney, Susan

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SPLIT SCREEN NATION
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SPLIT SCREEN
NATION
Moving Images of
the American West and South
Susan Courtney
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1
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Press in the UK and certain other countries.
Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
© Oxford University Press 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
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prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted
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rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the
above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the
address above.
You must not circulate this work in any other form
and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Courtney, Susan, 1967– author.
Title: Split screen nation : moving images of the American West and South /
Susan Courtney.
Description: New York : Oxford University Press, 2017. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016033952 (print) | LCCN 2016049603 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780190459963 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780190459970 (pbk. : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780190459987 (updf)
Subjects: LCSH: Motion pictures—Social aspects—United States—History—20th century. |
Motion pictures—Political aspects—United States—History—20th century. |
West (U.S.)—In motion pictures. | Southern States—In motion pictures.
Classification: LCC PN1995.9.S6 C68 2017 (print) | LCC PN1995.9.S6 (ebook) |
DDC 302.23/4309730904—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016033952
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Paperback printed by WebCom, Inc., Canada
Hardback printed by Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., United States of America
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In memory of Robbins Barstow, whose film, Family Camping
through Forty- Eight States, transformed my thinking
about mid-t wentieth- century screen culture.
And for Bob, Chloe, and Mia—m y own exceptional
road trip family, and so much more.
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CONTENTS
List of Illustrations  ix
Preface  xiii
Acknowledgments  xv
About the Companion Website  xix
PART 1: PROJECTING REGION, IMAGINING NATION
Teaser (Hollywood): Easy Rider Calls for a Genealogy  3
Introduction: Split Screen Nation 7
PART 2: REMAPPING THE NATION ON MULTIPLE SCREENS
Teaser (16mm and Archive.org): Camera Road Trip 39
1. Screen Maps for Model Citizen- Spectators  41
2. Frontier Vistas and Plantation Sutures: Hollywood Forms
of the American Paradox  81
INTERSTITIAL TEASER (Multimedia): “John Wayne” versus
“Tennessee Williams”  115
PART 3: THE LEAKY SOUTH
Teaser (TV): Enjoying the “Southern Decadence Blues” with Hugh Hefner  123
3. How the South Became Sexually Perverse in the Civil Rights Era  127
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PART 4: THE EMPTY WEST
Teaser (Media Saturation): Robert Frank’s Postcards from the Edge 187
4. Expanding Views of a Filmic Proving Ground  191
Epilogue: Walking/ Looking into the Toxic Cloud 255
Notes  267
Index  301
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ILLUSTRATIONS
In addition to the 85 black-a nd- white illustrations in this book, listed below, the complete
set of all figures (over 400, the majority in color) referenced throughout the text are easily
accessed at the companion website: . Figures viewable only on the website are indicated
in the text by the symbol .
T1.1 Poster for Easy Rider (1969)
T2.1– T2.3 Family Camping through Forty- Eight States: Travel Experiences by the
Barstow Family of Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA, 1954–1961 (2000)
DIRECTOR: Robbins Barstow. ACCESS: Library of Congress; Internet Archive (in two
parts), https:// archive.org/ details/ barstow_ americas_ history, and https:// archive.org/
details/ barstow_ americas_ wonderlands 
1.3, 1.7, and 1.8 How to Go Places (1957)
SPONSOR:  Chevrolet Division, General Motors. PRODUCTION:  Jam Handy
Organization. ACCESS: Library of Congress/ Prelinger Collection; Internet Archive,
https:// archive.org/ details/ HowtoGoP1954 
1.22, 1.30, and 1.31 America for Me (1953)
SPONSOR:  Greyhound Lines. PRODUCTION:  Jerry Fairbanks Productions.
ACCESS: Library of Congress/ Prelinger Collection; Internet Archive, https:// archive.
org/ details/ 0655_ America_ For_ Me 
1.53– 1.55, 1.62, 1.63, 1.68, 1.69, 1.71, 1.76, 1.82, and 1.83 Family Camping
through Forty- Eight States: Travel Experiences by the Barstow Family of Wethersfield,
Connecticut, USA, 1954– 1961 (2000)
DIRECTOR: Robbins Barstow. ACCESS: Library of Congress; Internet Archive (in two
parts), https:// archive.org/ details/ barstow_ americas_ history and https:// archive.org/
details/ barstow_ americas_ wonderlands 
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