"An earlier edition of this work was published in Great Britain in 2015."--Title page verso.

An accessible and balanced account of the eighties tracks the transformation of America in the context of Ronald Reagan's policies and convictions and in terms of the broader global, political, social, economic, and cultural trends that allowed Reagan to accomplish much of his agenda.

In this remarkable sequel to his Films of the Seventies: A Social History, William J. Palmer examines more than three hundred films as texts that represent, revise, parody, comment upon, and generate discussion about major events, issues, and social trends of the eighties. Palmer defines the dialectic between film art and social history, taking as his theoretical model the "holograph of history" that originated from the New Historicist theories of Hayden White and Dominick LaCapra. Combining the interests and methodologies of social history and film criticism, Palmer contends that film is a socially conscious interpreter and commentator upon the issues of contemporary social history. In the eighties, such issues included the war in Vietnam, the preservation of the American farm, terrorism, nuclear holocaust, changes in Soviet-American relations, neoconservative feminism, and yuppies. Among the films Palmer examines are Platoon, The Killing Fields, The River, Out of Africa, Little Drummer Girl, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Silkwood, The Day After, Red Dawn, Moscow on the Hudson, Troop Beverly Hills, and Fatal Attraction. Utilizing the principles of New Historicism, Palmer demonstrates that film can analyze and critique history as well as present it.

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. Provides an overview of the 1980s in America. The Eighties provides an account of the politics and foreign policy of the era and describes some of the major social, technological, and cultural changes that took place. Palermo’s goal is to deepen students’ understanding of the 1980s and pique their curiosity to learn more about the decade. Learning Goals Upon completing this book readers will be able to: Consider the following questions: What were the legacies of the Reagan Administration and the profound changes in domestic and foreign policy in the ‘80s? What technological, cultural, and economic transformations begun in the 1980s have had lasting effects? Why have many of the public policy decisions of the 1980s continued to be tried in later decades? What can we learn about the role of government, free markets, and America’s place in world affairs today by looking back on the 1980s? Note: MySearchLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab, please visit: www.mysearchlab.com or you can purchase a ValuePack of the text + MySearchLab (at no additional cost): ValuePack ISBN-10: 0205840116 / ValuePack ISBN-13: 9780205840113.

Totally Awesome: The Greatest Cartoons of the Eighties is the ultimate guide to '80s cartoon nostalgia, featuring the art, toys, and inside story behind icons like He-Man, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, and the Thundercats. For an entire generation of kids weaned on the intoxicating excitement of eighties cartoons, the decade can be summed up with two words: Totally Awesome! With a thriving Saturday morning network schedule, a full complement of weekday syndicated programming, and the removal of guidelines that prevented cartoons from being based on toys, the 1980s enjoyed an unprecedented TV animation boom that made household names of a host of colorful characters. From He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to The Transformers, G.I. Joe, and The Muppet Babies, eighties cartoons would have such a huge impact on an entire generation that decades later they have become pop culture touchstones, revered by fans whose young minds were blown by their vivid visuals and snappy storytelling. In this deluxe book, Andrew Farago, a respected cartoon historian and child of the eighties, provides an inside look at the history of the most popular cartoons of the decade, as told by the writers, animators, voice actors, and other creative talents who brought life to some of the era’s most enduring animated shows. Also featuring Thundercats, Inspector Gadget, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and many more cartoon classics, Totally Awesome is a treasure trove of eighties animation nostalgia that will take fans back to a time of unlimited imagination and unparalleled adventure.

John Ehrman offers analysis of the transformation in American politics & society that marked the years of the Reagan presidency during the 1980s. He considers the fundamental shifts in American attitudes & examines the way Reagan built a right wing consensus around key policies.

In this volume in the Viewpoints on American Culture series, senior and junior scholars, as well as one former Reagan official and a leading record executive, assess the cultural, social, economic, and political significance of the 1980s.