''Seagalogy: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Seagal'' is a book released in 2008 by

Titan Books Titan Publishing Group is the publishing division of the British entertainment company Titan Entertainment, which was established as Titan Books in 1981. The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cine ...

, . It is credited to an author known by the

mononym A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. A mononym may be the person's only name, given to them at birth. This was routine in most ancient societies, and remains ...

Vern. It is the first in-depth study to be published on the complete creative output of

Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal ( ; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician. A 7th-Dan (rank), dan Black belt (martial arts), black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instru ...

. The book makes a careful examination of every Steven Seagal film from 1988's '' Above the Law'' to 2008's ''

Pistol Whipped ''Pistol Whipped'' is a 2008 American action film directed by Roel Reiné. The film stars Steven Seagal, and was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on March 4, 2008. Plot Matt Connor is an unemployed, drinking deadbeat. Once he wa ...

'', as well as providing reviews of some of Seagal's other output: his music, his appearances in commercials and even his energy drink. In 2012, an updated edition of the book was published, incorporating reviews from the intervening years including Seagal's work on the

reality TV Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 199 ...

show '' Steven Seagal: Lawman''.

The book argues that certain specific themes and motifs remain present throughout Seagal's filmography, laying the groundwork for an examination of the films using the

auteur theory An (; , ) is an artist with a distinctive approach, usually a film director whose filmmaking control is so unbounded and personal that the director is likened to the "author" of the film, thus manifesting the director's unique style or thematic ...

. Since the auteur theory usually cites the

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

as the source of a film's particular vision, Vern argues that Seagal's filmography represents an example of what he describes as the "badass auteur": typically an action star whose persona and interests recur throughout their filmography, regardless of director or other creative collaborators. Vern describes themes of government corruption (particularly involving the CIA),

environmentalism Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement about supporting life, habitats, and surroundings. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of green ideology and politics, ecolog ...

, and adoption of foreign cultures as being examples of recurrent motifs in Seagal's films, among a variety of others. The first edition breaks Seagal's career into four chronological "eras", marked by specific differences in style and content. The 2012 updated edition adds a fifth era. These chronological "eras" describe different phases of Seagal's career, and include the "Golden Era" (1988–1991), the period of Seagal's first successes, the "Silver Era" (1992–1997), during which Seagal saw the peak of his fame and made high-profile blockbusters, a "Transitional Period" (1998–2002) during which he made lower-profile or ensemble films, a lengthy "

direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, television series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strat ...

" period (his most prolific to date, 2003–2008) and, in the 2012 updated addition, a "Chief Seagal" period (2009–Present) during which Seagal moved into

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and began reflecting elements of his ''Steven Seagal: Lawman'' persona in his films. The book focuses almost exclusively on Seagal's artistic output at the expense of his career and personal life. Biographical details (for instance, his legal issues with producer Julius R. Nasso) appear only in the context of discussing their possible impact on his artistic choices.

References

2008 non-fiction books Steven Seagal {{Film-book-stub

Contents

References