{"title":"David Weir","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Weir\u003c\/strong\u003e explores the intricacies of \u003cem\u003eArts \u0026amp; Culture\u003c\/em\u003e, offering readers a rich tapestry of narratives that delve into historical and cultural themes. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eThe Leopard (Il Gattopardo)\u003c\/em\u003e, reveal a keen insight into societal change and personal identity set against evocative backdrops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect a thoughtful blend of storytelling that illuminates complex characters and the worlds they inhabit. With titles like \u003cem\u003eTrouble in Paradise\u003c\/em\u003e, Weir combines atmospheric detail and profound reflection, making his books a compelling choice for those interested in the interplay of history, art, and human experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-leopard-il-gattopardo-by-david-weir-9781839026157","title":"The Leopard (Il Gattopardo)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLuchino Visconti's \u003cem\u003eThe Leopard\u003c\/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003eIl Gattopardo\u003c\/em\u003e, 1963) tells the story of an aristocratic Sicilian family adjusting to the realities of political and commercial modernity after the unification of Italy during the Risorgimento.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe film, starring Claudia Cardinale, Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon, met with success upon its initial release, winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes and having a successful theatrical run in Europe. Despite this, however, it did not do well with English-speaking audiences, and eventually even fell out of favour with Italian audiences, who took issue with the way Risorgimento history was represented.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Weir's study of the film seeks to understand the film's paradoxical place in Italian film history. He argues that Visconti's use of artifice, narrative and history, all aspects that came to be criticised, were in fact essential to his cinematic art, and can all be understood as strengths of the film. Providing a scene-by-scene analysis of the film, as well as illuminating its relationship to the Lampedusa novel from which it was adapted, Weir suggests that Visconti's film goes beyond mere adaptation, using the form of the novel for cinematic purposes and making \u003cem\u003eThe Leopard\u003c\/em\u003e a cinematic novel in its own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe goes on to situate the film within Visconti's career, questioning whether the uneven reception of the film reflects the paradox of Visconti's social status as a Marxist aristocrat and his position as an auteur director whose films borrowed heavily from the decadent tradition, while at the same time professing allegiance to the Italian Communist Party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47432951267564,"sku":"9781839026157","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781839026157.jpg?v=1774765999"},{"product_id":"trouble-in-paradise-by-david-weir-9781839022036","title":"Trouble in Paradise","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnst Lubitsch’s \u003ci\u003eTrouble in Paradise\u003c\/i\u003e (1932) was released at a critical moment in cinema history, just after the advent of synchronised sound technology and just before the full implementation of the production code. By the time of its release, Lubitsch had already directed more than 50 films, but it was unlike anything he had done before. Aside from being his first non-musical talking picture, the film introduced a level of sophistication and visual subtlety that established the benchmark for classic Hollywood cinema for years to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn his study of the film, David Weir explores its significance within Lubitsch’s career, but also its larger cultural significance within the history of cinema, and the social context of its release during the Great Depression. Paying careful attention to the film itself, Weir discusses its source material, its mise-en-scène and art deco production design, and its inventive use of post-synchronised sound. Drawing on original archival research, Weir traces \u003ci\u003eTrouble in Paradise\u003c\/i\u003e's reception history, including its critical reception, and the effect of the Motion Picture Production Code, which led to the film being denied approval for re-release in 1935.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47600968827116,"sku":"9781839022036","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7ca93cef8fdf9b227af5e994063a2f43.jpg?v=1778019170"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/david-weir.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}