{"product_id":"9780813573960","title":"Matinee Melodrama: Playing with Formula in the Sound Serial","description":"Long before Batman, Flash Gordon, or the Lone Ranger were the stars of their own TV shows, they had dedicated audiences watching their adventures each week. The difference was that this action took place on the big screen, in short adventure serials whose exciting cliffhangers compelled the young audience to return to the theater every seven days.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMatinee Melodrama \u003c\/i\u003eis the first book about the adventure serial as a distinct artform, one that uniquely encouraged audience participation and imaginative play. Media scholar Scott Higgins proposes that the serial’s incoherent plotting and reliance on formula, far from being faults, should be understood as some of its most appealing attributes, helping to spawn an active fan culture. Further, he suggests these serials laid the groundwork not only for modern-day cinematic blockbusters like \u003ci\u003eStar Wars \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRaiders of the Lost Ark\u003c\/i\u003e, but also for all kinds of interactive media that combine spectacle, storytelling, and play.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e As it identifies key elements of the serial form—from stock characters to cliffhangers—\u003ci\u003eMatinee Melodrama \u003c\/i\u003edelves deeply into questions about the nature of suspense, the aesthetics of action, and the potentials of formulaic narrative. Yet it also provides readers with a loving look at everything from \u003ci\u003eZorro’s Fighting Legion \u003c\/i\u003eto \u003ci\u003eDaredevils of the Red Circle\u003c\/i\u003e, conveying exactly why these films continue to thrill and enthrall their fans. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Rutgers University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47118608990448,"sku":"9780813573960","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780813573960_p0.jpg?v=1763742332","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780813573960","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}