The cinema of isolation: a history of physical disability in the movies

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“Offers an historically detailed examination of how Hollywood has depicted the physically disabled experience …thoughtfully argued and well documented…Anyone interested in how mainstream movies have shaped our images of the world ought to carefully read this fine book.” –Douglas Gomery, author of The Hollywood Studio System “I enjoyed this book from its terrific title to its skillful interweaving of movie history with disability history…It makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of where America gets its myths and stereotypes of disability.” –Joseph Shapiro, author of No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement Filmmakers have often encouraged us to regard people with physical disabilities in terms of pity, awe, humor, or fear–as “Others” who somehow deserve to be isolated from the rest of society.In this first history of the portrayal of physical disability in the movies, Martin Norden examines hundreds of Hollywood films (and notable international ones), finds