The definitive analysis of one of cinema's most successful filmmakers.
No filmmaker has achieved Peter Jackson's particular combination of cult horror origins, art cinema acclaim, and blockbuster dominance. This book provides the first comprehensive examination of his entire career, from early splatter films, to the art cinema breakthrough Heavenly Creatures, to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, and beyond. Written by Barry Keith Grant, an internationally known film critic and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, this book delivers thoughtful close readings of every Jackson film.
Tracing Jackson's trajectory through detailed textual analysis, Grant examines how he mobilizes the conventions of Hollywood film genres to speak to audiences in his home country of New Zealand, as well as engage audiences around the world.
This volume examines the nature of Jackon's film authorship in the context of contemporary blockbuster filmmaking and the age of the internet. Coverage extends from his fiction films to his documentary work, including They Shall Not Grow Old, The Beatles: Get Back, and Now and Then.
Readers will also discover:
- Close readings of all fiction films from Bad Taste through The Hobbit trilogy, analyzing Jackson's distinctive approach to genre and spectacle
- Analysis of documentary restoration work that previous studies have overlooked, including acclaimed projects for the Imperial War Museum and Apple Corps
- Examination of Jackson's films within the broader context of New Zealand cinema history and the country's emergence as a filmmaking hub
- Discussion of film authorship theory applied to contemporary blockbuster production, franchise filmmaking, and digital-age audience engagement
- Contextual analysis situating Jackson's work within Hollywood conventions while identifying his distinctly New Zealand cinematic voice and perspective
Film scholars, graduate students, cinephiles and fans of American cinema, Hollywood, New Zealand film, horror, fantasy, and film authorship will find this volume indispensable. Peter Jackson: Film Authorship in Global Hollywood offers the comprehensive critical treatment that one of cinema's most commercially successful directors has long deserved.
'Comprehensive in its coverage with nuanced close readings, Barry Keith Grant's meticulously researched book masterfully demonstrates how Jackson's films have negotiated between Hollywood in its global context and New Zealand's national culture without loss of authenticity, ensuring that it will remain the standard work on Jackson for the foreseeable future.'
–Dr Alistair Fox, University of Otago