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Just got my new Norton Anthology of Am. Lit. in the mail, 4th Edition, Vol.
2, and noticed right away the inclusion of Mamet's screenplay "House of
Games."  The write-up on the back mentions it as an "increasingly important
literary form."  Been asking around the Swedish and English departments
here at the U of Karlstad if anyone has even heard of anyone anywhere using
a screenplay as a literary source in a non film/theatre studies classroom,
and I've yet to find an affirmative.
 
Naturally, everyone agrees that the use of a dramtic text (stage) in
literary studies is ancient and respectable.
 
No one I've talked to so far wants to fight it, afterall, these are the
days of the all-embracing canon restructuring, but most seem hesitant as
well.  These are the types of replies so far: "But screenplays are not
meant to be read," "Isn't there a lot of camera techno-babble?" "I suppose
this is another specialty arena we now have to consider including,"  and
"But how can you separate production from text?"  Most have never read a
published screenplay, not even a Bergman.
 
I'd like to hear from anyone out there with knowledge and/or experience of
the screenplay as a literary text.   Can anyone suggest books or articles
that pick up the issue?
 
Marcus Richey            [log in to unmask]
University of Karlstad, Sweden      English, American Studies