Resources for study of The Presidency in Film and Television:



       I. Film & History Conference in 2000



In November 2000, Film & History (www.filmandhistory.org) conducted a

conference on The Presidency in Film and Television in Los Angeles,

concurrent with the controversial presidential election.  The meeting was

quite a success with such senior scholars as John E. O'Connor, Don

Staples, Gary Edgerton, Martin A. Jackson, Frank Manchel participating

along with new comers to the field.  A few filmmakers participated as well,

sharing their work on Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge.  A good time

was had by all, esp. since the registration included a behind-the-scenes

tour of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.



In preparation for this meeting, John Shelton Lawrence of Berkeley California

prepared an elaborate filmography of presidential films and this list is on

the

Film & History web site.  Here are the directions, just to be "absolutely

clear."



       Go to Film & History via www.filmandhistory.org

       Click to H-NET web site

       Click at bottom on Journals, Announcements and Web Resources

       Click on Film & History League Conference for 2000

       Click on New! Check our Filmography of Presidential Films

       Click on Film & History League Filmography



Sorry for making this task so circuitous!



       In any case, John Shelton Lawrence has set up a grid which gives

the Title of the Film, the Genre of the film, a Review Citation, the President

involved, and a Plot summary.  The list can be printed out and will serve

any serious student/scholar interested in this topic.  (Thanks, John, for your

good and lasting work!)



       II.  Two Volumes on the Topic in the Works Right Now.



The conference generated two volumes on the Presidency in Film....



The American Presidency in Film.  Eds. Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor.

       Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 2003



The West Wing:  The American Presidency as Television Drama.

       Eds. Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor.

       Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2003



Both of these manuscripts are in their final days of preparation and

       should be available in the spring of 2003 at the latest.



       III.  Other matters.



Look through the Film & History Web site for other items related to

The presidency in film.  There is an essay by Peter Rollins on the topic

and other materials mentioned--but some not mentioned--above.



This topic is a fertile on.  Indeed, _In the Line of Fire_, which makes so

much

use of the Lincoln Memorial and calls its assassination suspect "Booth,"

 was on television last night.  The American President has been on television

constantly and was run against the Superbowl this year.....Just last week

Aaron Sorkin, the creative force behind The West Wing, was featured by

The New Yorker as a commentator on Tom Brook's presentation of the White

House...The interest is increasing...



Happy Research!



Peter C. Rollins



Film & History

www.filmandhistory.org

[log in to unmask]



PS:  The 2002 Film and History League conference is fully described

on the web site.  Topic is THE AMERICAN WEST(S) IN FILM, TELEVISION,

AND HISTORY.  Location is Kansas City, Missouri, the Gateway to the West

during years of settlement---all three overland routes began in Kansas City.

Deadline for proposals is 15 August.

       See web site for details on this next event.



----

For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives:

http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html