Download or read book The Psychology of Joss Whedon written by Joy Davidson and published by BenBella Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2007-12-01 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First there was “Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; then its spin-off “Angel"; then the cult hit “Firefly"; and its follow-up film, “Serenity." They all had two things in common: their creator, Joss Whedon … and their surprising psychological depth. Revisit the worlds of Joss Whedon … with trained psychologists at your side. What are the psychological effects of constantly fighting for your life? Why is neuroscience the Whedonverse's most terrifying villain? How can watching Joss's shows help you take on your own psychological issues? It's all the best parts of Psych 101—without Professor Walsh. * Robert Kurzban explains how Mal's morals are a form of evolutionary pornography, and why we like to watch * Thomas Flamson explores free will in the Whedonverse—with prophecies, sacred duties and the long arm of the Alliance, does anyone actually have any? * Carole Poole demonstrates how Buffy and Spike's season six relationship could be considered metaphor for narcissistic personality disorder—and concludes that Buffy may have been better off continuing it * Bradley J. Daniels looks at River's Alliance-altered brain, and the real effects of “stripping" the amygdala * Mikhail Lyubansky shows why, psychologically, death really is Buffy's gift * And editor Joy Davidson takes on Angel's mommy issues—how the course of his whole extraordinary existence can be traced back to the woman who made him a vampire

Download or read book The Psychology of Joss Whedon written by Joy Davidson and published by Smart Pop. This book was released on 2007-11-10 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First there was “Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; then its spin-off “Angel"; then the cult hit “Firefly"; and its follow-up film, “Serenity." They all had two things in common: their creator, Joss Whedon … and their surprising psychological depth. Revisit the worlds of Joss Whedon … with trained psychologists at your side. What are the psychological effects of constantly fighting for your life? Why is neuroscience the Whedonverse's most terrifying villain? How can watching Joss's shows help you take on your own psychological issues? It's all the best parts of Psych 101—without Professor Walsh. * Robert Kurzban explains how Mal's morals are a form of evolutionary pornography, and why we like to watch * Thomas Flamson explores free will in the Whedonverse—with prophecies, sacred duties and the long arm of the Alliance, does anyone actually have any? * Carole Poole demonstrates how Buffy and Spike's season six relationship could be considered metaphor for narcissistic personality disorder—and concludes that Buffy may have been better off continuing it * Bradley J. Daniels looks at River's Alliance-altered brain, and the real effects of “stripping" the amygdala * Mikhail Lyubansky shows why, psychologically, death really is Buffy's gift * And editor Joy Davidson takes on Angel's mommy issues—how the course of his whole extraordinary existence can be traced back to the woman who made him a vampire

Download or read book The Psychology of Joss Whedon written by Joy Davidson and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2007-11-10 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First there was “Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; then its spin-off “Angel"; then the cult hit “Firefly"; and its follow-up film, “Serenity." They all had two things in common: their creator, Joss Whedon … and their surprising psychological depth. Revisit the worlds of Joss Whedon … with trained psychologists at your side. What are the psychological effects of constantly fighting for your life? Why is neuroscience the Whedonverse's most terrifying villain? How can watching Joss's shows help you take on your own psychological issues? It's all the best parts of Psych 101—without Professor Walsh. * Robert Kurzban explains how Mal's morals are a form of evolutionary pornography, and why we like to watch * Thomas Flamson explores free will in the Whedonverse—with prophecies, sacred duties and the long arm of the Alliance, does anyone actually have any? * Carole Poole demonstrates how Buffy and Spike's season six relationship could be considered metaphor for narcissistic personality disorder—and concludes that Buffy may have been better off continuing it * Bradley J. Daniels looks at River's Alliance-altered brain, and the real effects of “stripping" the amygdala * Mikhail Lyubansky shows why, psychologically, death really is Buffy's gift * And editor Joy Davidson takes on Angel's mommy issues—how the course of his whole extraordinary existence can be traced back to the woman who made him a vampire

Download or read book The Psychology of Superheroes written by Robin S. Rosenberg and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2008-02-09 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This latest installment in the Psychology of Popular Culture series turns its focus to superheroes. Superheroes have survived and fascinated for more than 70 years in no small part due to their psychological depth. In The Psychology of Superheroes, almost two dozen psychologists get into the heads of today's most popular and intriguing superheroes. Why do superheroes choose to be superheroes? Where does Spider-Man's altruism come from, and what does it mean? Why is there so much prejudice against the X-Men, and how could they have responded to it, other than the way they did? Why are super-villains so aggressive? The Psychology of Superheroes answers these questions, exploring the inner workings our heroes usually only share with their therapists.

Download or read book Power and Control in the Television Worlds of Joss Whedon written by Sherry Ginn and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2012-01-23 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since the premiere of the small-screen incarnation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997, the television worlds of Joss Whedon--which have grown to include Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse--have acquired a cult following of dedicated fans and inspired curious scholars. The quest for power and control over humans and other animals is a constant theme running throughout all four series. This study explores the myriad natural and supernatural methods Whedon's characters use to achieve power and control over unsuspecting friends and foes, including witchcraft and other paranormal means, love, aggression, and scientific devices such as psychosurgery and psychopharmacology. A catalog of characters and a complete list of episodes for each series completes this valuable addition to the growing body of scholarship on television's "Whedonverse."

Download or read book Joss Whedon and Religion written by Anthony R. Mills and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a collection of new essays on the religious themes in, and the implications of, the works of Joss Whedon, creator of such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, and more recently writer and director of the box-office hit Marvel's The Avengers. The book addresses such topics as ethics, racism, feminism, politics, witchcraft, spiritual transformation, identity, community, heroism, apocalypse, and other theologically significant themes of Whedon's creative enterprises. The disciplinary approaches vary as well; history, theology, philosophy of religion, phenomenology, cultural studies, and religious studies are all employed. The various essay authors differ in that some are clearly believers in God, some are clearly not, and others leave that matter aside.

Download or read book The Whedonverse Catalog written by Don Macnaughtan and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-06-04 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Director, producer and screenwriter Joss Whedon is a creative force in film, television, comic books and a host of other media. This book provides an authoritative survey of all of Whedon's work, ranging from his earliest scriptwriting on Roseanne, through his many movie and TV undertakings--Toy Story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/Serenity, Dr. Horrible, The Cabin in the Woods, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.--to his forays into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The book covers both the original texts of the Whedonverse and the many secondary works focusing on Whedon's projects, including about 2000 books, essays, articles, documentaries and dissertations.

Download or read book The Philosophy of Joss Whedon written by Dean A. Kowalski and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2012-01-27 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every generation produces a counterculture icon. Joss Whedon, creator of the long-running television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is famed for his subversive wit, rich characters, and extraordinary plotlines. His renown has only grown with subsequent creations, including Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and the innovative online series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Through premises as unusual as a supernatural detective agency run by a vampire and a Western set in outer space, Whedon weaves stories about characters forced to make commonplace moral decisions under the most bizarre of circumstances. The Philosophy of Joss Whedon examines Whedon's plots and characterizations to reveal their philosophical takes on the limits of personal freedom, sexual morality, radical evil, and Daoism.

Download or read book Joss Whedon vs the Horror Tradition written by Kristopher Karl Woofter and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-11-29 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although ostensibly presented as “light entertainment,” the work of writer-director-producer Joss Whedon takes much dark inspiration from the horror genre to create a unique aesthetic and perform a cultural critique. Featuring monsters, the undead, as well as drawing upon folklore and fairy tales, his many productions both celebrate and masterfully repurpose the traditions of horror for their own means. Woofter and Jowett's collection looks at how Whedon revisits existing feminist tropes in the '70s and '80s “slasher” craze via Buffy the Vampire Slayer to create a feminist saga; the innovative use of silent cinema tropes to produce a new fear-laden, film-television intertext; postmodernist reflexivity in Cabin in the Woods; as well as exploring new concepts on “cosmic dread” and the sublime for a richer understanding of programmes Dollhouse and Firefly. Chapters provide the historical context of horror as well as the particular production backgrounds that by turns support, constrain or transform this mode of filmmaking. Informed by a wide range of theory from within philosophy, film studies, queer studies, psychoanalysis, feminism and other fields, the expert contributions to this volume prove the enduring relevance of Whedon's genre-based universe to the study of film, television, popular culture and beyond.

Download or read book Whedonistas written by Various and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). By discussing the impact of Whedon's work, their involvement with his shows' fandoms and why they adore the worlds he's created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon's rich, fantastical worlds. Essay topics include Sharon Shinn (Samaria series) and Emma Bull (Territory) elaborating on the perfection of Firefly, Jeanne Stein (the Anna Strong Chronicles) revealing Buffy's influence on Anna Strong, and Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watcher's Guide) relating on-the-set tales of Spike menacing her baby daughter while Riley made her hot chocolate.Other contributors include Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Elizabeth Bear (Chill), Catherynne M. Valente (Palimpsest), Maria Lima (Blood Lines), Jackie Kessler (Black and White), Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics), Sarah Monette (Corambis), and Lyda Morehouse (AngeLINK Series). Also featured is an exclusive interview with television writer and producer Jane Espenson.

Download or read book Joss Whedon as Philosopher written by Dean Kowalski and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2017-11-29 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Dean Kowalski argues that filmmakers can “do” philosophy when creating a fictional narrative film, and utilizes a careful and extensive analysis of Joss Whedon’s fictive creations—Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and The Cabin in the Woods (among others)—to establish this thesis. This book appeals to many different readers. For the many admirers of Whedon’s fictive creations, it offers one of the most comprehensive analyses of his corpus. It reprises many examples and dialogue passages from the far corners of the so-called “Whedonverse.” You’ll get a chance to re-experience your favorite dramatic moments, and think about them in novel ways. For popular culture scholars, it offers illustrations of various philosophical theories, explains how those theories pertain to relevant data points in Whedon’s oeuvre, and assesses whether, or to what extent, they have real-world application. For philosophers of film, it explicates crucial issues germane to the film-as-philosophy debate, but also expands them to television—all in the attempt to demonstrate why it is that Whedon ought to be included among those rare filmmakers who engage the philosophical process via their artistry.

Download or read book Sexualities in the Works of Joss Whedon written by Lewis Call and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2020-05-26 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joss Whedon's works, across all media including television, film, musicals, and comic books, are known for their commitment to gender and sexual equality. They have always encouraged their audiences to love whomever, and however, they wish. This book is a history of the sexualities represented in the works of Joss Whedon and it covers all of Whedon's genres, including fantasy, horror, science fiction, westerns, superhero stories, and Shakespearean comedy. Unique for its consideration of the entire arc of Whedon's two-decade career, from the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first season in 1997 through the conclusion of its twelfth (comic book) season in 2018, this book examines in detail both better-known queer sexualities of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and lesser-known non-normative sexualities. The book includes chapters on Whedon's sexually dominant women and submissive men, sexual pluralism on Firefly, disabled sexualities in Whedon's superhero narratives, zoophilia in Buffy, queer and heteronormative sexualities in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the subversion of the sexual tropes of slasher films in The Cabin in Woods, and dominance and submission in Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing.

Download or read book The Amber Fury written by Natalie Haynes and published by Corvus. This book was released on 2023-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A dark psychological page-turner about an inexperienced teacher who builds a powerful - and ultimately dangerous - connection with her students. The Secret History meets Notes on a Scandal.

Download or read book The Psychology of Dexter written by Bella Depaulo and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2010-09-07 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Peek inside the mind of Dexter Morgan—police forensic analyst, family man, serial killer, and the star of Showtime’s most-watched series—with essays from seventeen psychologists and avid fans. Aimed at Dexter devotees and armchair psychologists, The Psychology of Dexter takes on the psychological complexities of the popular series with an eye towards insight and accessibility. It analyzes not just the title character, but his family, coworkers, and even his viewers. What makes Dexter tick? What makes a show about a serial killer so appealing to those of us at home. And do we need to be worried about our own Dark Passengers? From the implications of faking normalcy (could it be behind Dexter’s still-in-progress emotional growth?) to where the show weighs in on the psychological debate between nature and nurture, this book gives fans a peek inside Dexter’s psyche. Think you know Dexter? The Psychology of Dexter will make you think again.

Download or read book The Psychology of Twilight written by E. David Klonsky and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You've read the books. You've seen the films. Now get inside the heads of your favorite Twilight characters (just like Edward can!) in The Psychology of Twilight. Explore the minds and motives of Bella, Edward, Jacob, and more with a deeper look at the series that's captured the hearts—and psyches—of millions. Find out: • How Edward and Jacob match up in an evolutionary psychology smackdown for Bella's—and our—affection • Whether Bella's motorcycle-riding and cliff diving in New Moon are suicidal—or her salvation • Why vampires and werewolves aren't so different after all (at least psychologically) • The emotional appeal of love stories like Bella and Edward's • Why being a part of Twilight fandom is good for your psychological health Snuggle up on the closest chaise, and get ready to revisit the Twilight Saga—with some professional help.

Download or read book The Psychology of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo written by Robin S. Rosenberg and published by BenBella Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2011-12-06 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lisbeth Salander, heroine of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels, is one of the most compelling, complex characters of our time. Is she an avenging angel? A dangerous outlaw? What makes Salander tick, and why is our response to her—and to Larsson's Millennium trilogy—so strong? In The Psychology of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 19 psychologists and psychiatrists attempt to do what even expert investigator Mikael Blomkvist could not: understand Lisbeth Salander. • What does Lisbeth's infamous dragon tattoo really say about her? • Why is Lisbeth so drawn to Mikael, and what would they both need to do to make a relationship work? • How do we explain men like Martin Vanger, Nils Bjurman, and Alexander Zalachenko? Is Lisbeth just as sexist and as psychopathic as they are? • What is it about Lisbeth that allows her to survive, even thrive, under extraordinary conditions? • How is Lisbeth like a Goth-punk Rorschach test? And what do we learn about ourselves from what we see in her?

Download or read book Joss Whedon s Big Damn Movie written by Frederick Blichert and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-03-26 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Joss Whedon's television show Firefly (2002-2003) was cancelled, devoted fans cried foul and demanded more--which led to the 2005 feature film Serenity. Both the series and the film were celebrated for their melding of science fiction and western iconography, dystopian settings, underdog storylines, and clever fast-paced dialogue. Firefly has garnered a great deal of scholarly attention--less so, Serenity. This collection of new essays, the first focusing exclusively on the film, examines its depictions of race, ableism, social engineering and systems of power, and its status as a crime film, among other topics.