Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century

Name: Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century
Price: 30.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 3.5 (2 reviews)
ISBN: 9780801035920

By: Craig Detweiler

Product Description

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In Into the Dark, screenwriter and producer Craig Detweiler, examines forty-five 21st century films with thematic theological undertones and offers groundbreaking insight into their scriptural connections and theological applications. Using the wildly popular Internet Movie Database, Detweiler deftly dissects up-to-date productions and opens up lively discussions on anthropology, the problem of evil, sin, interconnectivity, postmodern relationships, ethics, fantasy, and communities in crisis. Notable films include Memento, The Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, United 93, Million Dollar Baby, Little Miss Sunshine and Walk the Line. Into the Dark comes highly recommended for college and seminary students in film, theology, and communications courses as well as pastors, film fans, and others interested in Christianity and the cinema.

Product Information

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Title: Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century
By: Craig Detweiler
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 288
Vendor: Baker Academic
Publication Date: 2008

Dimensions: 9.00 X 6.00 (inches)
Weight: 16 ounces
ISBN: 0801035929
ISBN-13: 9780801035920
Series: Cultural Exegesis
Stock No: WW035920

Publisher's Description

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In this book, Craig Detweiler examines forty-five films from the twenty-first century that resonate theologically--from the Lord of the Rings trilogy to Little Miss Sunshine--offering groundbreaking insight into their scriptural connections and theological applications.

Detweiler writes with the eye of a filmmaker, leads Hollywood and religion initiatives at Fuller Seminary, and even came to faith through cinema. In this book, he unpacks the "theology of everyday life," exploring the Spirit of God in creation, redemption, and "general revelation" through sometimes unlikely filmmakers. It's the first authoritative book that dissects up-to-date movies selected by the popular Internet Movie Database.

This book is recommended for teachers, students, pastors, film fans, and those interested in the intersection of Christianity and culture.

Author Bio

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Craig Detweiler (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor of communication at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He previously served as codirector of the Reel Spirituality Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary. Detweiler has written scripts for numerous Hollywood films, and his social documentary, Purple State of Mind (www.purplestateofmind.com), debuted in 2008. He has been featured in the New York Times, on CNN, and on NPR and is the coauthor of A Matrix of Meanings.

Publisher's Weekly

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Detweiler delivers one of the more successful and substantial theological interpretations of contemporary movies, mining film for spiritual meaning. The author, who is co-director of the Reel Spirituality Institute, contends that film is a powerful tool for society's self-reflection in a postmodern world. Nostalgia, memory and amnesia are three key themes in contemporary film that offer insights about our culture's sense of being lost in this postmodern context without any sense of direction. Detweiler brings his theological expertise to bear on several recent works such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Million Dollar Baby, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Besides their impressive entertainment value, these films and several others are rich in God language and religious significance. Why, some may wonder, do we need to reflect upon films so intensely? The answer is that we don't, but if we are grasping for meaning in our culture, as Detweiler contends, movies are a fine place to start looking for God. (July) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.