I am not really a ‘fan’ kind of a guy. Someone who would wait for hours to get a glimpse the favorite star or move heaven and earth for an autograph – can’t say if it is good or bad! Although the first question that popped in my mind was why anyone would write a book about Brad Pitt – a question the editors were tormented with by many of their peers – I couldn’t resist putting my hands on _Deconstructing Brad Pitt. I am sure there are many like me, who will be at least a bit curious and interested in what this book is all about.
Well . . . It is not steamy account of ‘Never before seen’ or heard news bits about Brad Pitt. On the contrary, the book is an edited volume of essays written by film scholars and academics. The essays in the book cover various aspects of Brad Pitt’s career and literally deconstruct the characters that he has played in various blockbusters and not so popular films.
Christopher Schaberg is Associate Professor of English at Loyola University New Orleans, USA, and author of The Textual Life of Airports: Reading the Culture of Flight (2013).Robert Bennett is Associate Professor of English at Montana State University, USA.
_Deconstructing Brad Pitt
Editors: Christopher Schaberg and Robert Bennett
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic (September 25, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1623561795
ISBN-13: 978-1623561796
_Deconstructing Brad Pitt begins with a long introduction where the editors describe how they came about writing a book on Brad Pitt. Movies and actors or characters have a profound influence on many people in a very subtle way. A dialogue here, a quote there – things that stick with us and live much beyond the playing time of the movie. The first essay in the book, Making Montana by Ben Leubner talks about this influence and how it changed the fortunes of the state of Montana after Brad Pitts’ role in the movie A River Runs Through It and a couple other movies. The focus of many essayists remains on Fight Club and discussions about different aspects of the film. Michele White moves away from the films and explores the ‘Brangelina’ phenomenon and how people and press decode this concept.
I think _Deconstructing Brad Pitt is an interesting read for literary enthusiasts and students of Media and Film studies. At the same time, the essays also examine how films affect culture and shape our society, and therefore will entertain readers interested in social sciences. However, the book is not for Brad Pitt fans who do not care much about critical analysis of his films or things that shaped his popular public image.