Description

A
groundbreaking exploration of trans images in film and the emerging political
possibilities of the new trans cinema movement.

For
over a century, trans images have appeared in cinema, often as harmful cultural
objects shaped by the zeitgeist-from Christine Jorgensen to Candy Darling to
sensationalised guests on The Jerry Springer Show. These representations
frequently cast trans bodies in abject forms: as corpses, jokes, tragic
martyrs, or even monsters. But now, a new wave of trans cinema is emerging from
the margins, creating its own film language in direct response to this history.

Corpses,
Fools, and Monsters provides a radical
history of trans images in film, analysing the works of trans directors like
Isabel Sandoval, Silas Howard, and the Wachowski Sisters. It explores trans
representation in everything from pre-talkie films and Ed Wood’s B-movies to
Oscar-winners, body horror, and slashers. Beyond reassessing notable films and
portrayals, the book highlights overlooked filmmakers and films, showcasing
those who are pushing trans cinema into the mainstream in the twenty-first
century.

Key Features:

– A
critical history of trans representations in cinema

–
In-depth analysis of notable trans filmmakers, including Isabel Sandoval, Silas
Howard, and the Wachowski Sisters

–
Exploration of diverse film genres, from body horror to Oscar-winning dramas

–
Focus on both historical and emerging trans cinema movements

–
Brings attention to underappreciated films and artists that challenge
traditional portrayals

Publisher Review

"A sorely-needed and comprehensive audit of twentieth-century trans film history... a deeply engrossing, thoughtful, and often recuperative examination of transness in film." "A thoughtful, revelatory, and rewarding read from two of the most essential critics working today." "As timely as it is vigorous, brave, and intelligent... Gardner and Maclay have written one of the most important - and exciting - works of long-form film criticism of this century thus far." "Gardner and Maclay reach into the guts of the trans film image, into the disreputable world of mondo movies, into unfortunate prestige pictures and forgotten radical Cinema verite and bring all of it to a present moment teeming with possibilities. This is an untold history treated with wit and intelligence and a humane, searching tone." "A superb work of film history... lively and thoroughly researched, a treasury of astute film criticism, and a portrayal of the highways and byways of trans (legal; medical; political) that is both engaged and dispassionate. A definitive treatment of the subject." "An invaluable tour through the history of trans images on film, ranging from international and underground landmarks, to Oscar winners and beyond. The perfect gift for your well-meaning cis cinephile friends who have a lot to learn." "An instant classic in the field of queer film studies... Gardner and Maclay illuminate the diverse and complex ways that the medium has charted the history of their community over the past century, carefully analyzing a wide range of Hollywood movies as well as films that deserve to be much more widely known." "Traversing carnival sideshows, secret mountain communes, defunct medical facilities, lush European teahouses, and blockbuster cyberpunk simulations, Corpses, Fools, and Monsters is a crucial resource for the modern filmgoer, highlighting the importance of archival care and intergenerational dialogue in the trans community." "Well-researched and endlessly readable, Caden Mark Gardner and Willow Maclay have created something crucial for our times that will no doubt become one of the classic texts of cinema history and criticism." "A powerful intervention to the often fraught concept of representation, one that shines through its nuanced and thoughtful prose. Moving, invigorating, and readable. I devoured it with immense joy." "Corpses, Fools and Monsters is the work of passionate movie-lovers renegotiating their own bad romance." "A benchmark in queer cinematic writing. I left Corpses, Fools, and Monsters both enlightened and optimistic about the trans film image-and about the future of film criticism in general." "Mixing tender and rigorous research into a largely hidden archive with lyrical and polemical close readings of everything from silents to slashers, this wonderful book excavates the history of the moving image to discover its potential future."