Edinburgh University Press Shoe Reels: The History and Philosophy of Footwear in Film (Films and Fashions)

In his famous interpretation of Vincent Van Gogh's painting A Pair of Peasant's Shoes (1886), Heidegger argues that shoes tell us all we need to know about the world of the person who walks in them. In the case of Van Gogh's painting, we learn this not through a description of the pair of shoes, nor by a report on how to make shoes, but by looking at the shoes. Heidegger thus gestures towards the power of the visual arts to show us human truths through images of footwear and the feet they conceal or reveal, a power that finds its fullest expression in the cinema. From Chaplin's meal of boots (The Gold Rush, 1925), through Powell and Pressburger's Red Shoes (1948) and Dorothy's ruby slippers (The Wizard of Oz, 1939), to Julia Roberts' pvc thigh-highs (Pretty Woman, 1990), Marty McFly's power-lacing Nikes (Back to the Future, 1985) and the slim, spike-heeled stiletto that graces the poster for The Devil Wears Prada (2006), shoes are not only some of the cinema's most enduring icons; they also serve as characterisations, plot devices, soundtracks, metaphors and philosophical touchpoints. This book anaylses their significnace through a range of approaches drawn from the fields of Film Studies, Philosophy, Cultural History, Fashion, Cultural Studies and Politics. From the Inside Flap Examining the special relationship between footwear and film, Shoe Reels is an illuminating exploration of images of shoes in cinema. The book considers the narrative and aesthetic functions of shoes, asking why they are so memorable, and what their wider cultural resonance might be. Written by experts from a range of disciplines, including film and television studies, philosophy, history and fashion, this ambitious collection covers cinema from its origins to the present day, and spans a global range of films from the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. Elizabeth Ezra is Professor of Cinema and Culture at the University of StirlingCatherine Wheatley is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at Kings College London From the Back Cover Examining the special relationship between footwear and film, Shoe Reels is an illuminating exploration of images of shoes in cinema. The book considers the narrative and aesthetic functions of shoes, asking why they are so memorable, and what their wider cultural resonance might be. Written by experts from a range of disciplines, including film and television studies, philosophy, history and fashion, this ambitious collection covers cinema from its origins to the present day, and spans a global range of films from the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. Elizabeth Ezra is Professor of Cinema and Culture at the University of Stirling Catherine Wheatley is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at King's College London About the Author Professor Elizabeth Ezra is Professor of Cinema and Culture at the University of Stirling. King's College London Catherine Wheatley is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at King's College London