Mickey Spillane on Screen

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Mickey Spillane on Screen

A Complete Study of the Television and Film Adaptations

Films, cinema Television Literature: history and criticism Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers Crime and mystery fiction

Authors: Max Allan Collins, James L. Traylor

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Language: English

Published by: McFarland

Published on: 4th May 2012

Format: LCP-protected ePub

Size: 222 pages

ISBN: 9780786492428


Mid-20th Century Mystery Fiction

In the mid-20th century, Mickey Spillane was the sensation of not just mystery fiction but publishing itself. The level of sex and violence in his Mike Hammer thrillers (starting with I, the Jury in 1947) broke down long-held taboos and engendered a near hysterical critical backlash. Nonetheless, Spillane's influence has been felt—reflections of Hammer are visible in nearly every subsequent tough guy of fiction and film, including James Bond, Dirty Harry, Shaft, Billy Jack, and Jack Bauer.

Spillane's fiction came to the screen in a series of films that include Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and The Girl Hunters (1963) with the author himself playing his private eye. These films, and television series starring Darren McGavin and Stacy Keach respectively, are examined in a lively, knowledgeable fashion by Spillane experts. Included are cast and crew listings, brief biographical entries on key persons, and a lengthy interview with Spillane.

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