This is the first major collection of criticism on black american cinema. Ortner, universityofcalifornia, losangeles in the late 1980s, american independent film broke out of the tiny art houses specialty theaters of a few major american cities and became a much stronger presence in american public culture. Her first feature film script, the first full moon, was a 2011 sundancerawi screenwriters lab participant and 2012 dubai film connectionfestival project. What is the current state of american independent cinema. American independent cinema an introduction yannis tzioumakis american independent cinema yannis tzioumakis a substantial and insightful examination of the infrastructure of independent american cinema.
Examines crisis, transition and metamorphosis in american independent cinema anna backman rogers argues that american independent cinema is a cinema not merely in crisis, but also of crisis. American independent cinema edinburgh university press. Sep 25, 20 the world of experimental or avantgarde vanguard cinema has a history just as rich as narrative film it could be said that the two run on parallel tracks. A guided tour across a decade of american independent cinema by john pierson free pdf d0wnl0ad, audio books, books to read, good books to read, cheap books, good books. That is a traditional hollywoodstyle movie industry. While usually associated with european filmmakers, america has its own rich tradition of avantgarde and experimental filmmakers. American independent film as a critical cultural movement sherry b. Cambridge core film american independent cinema by yannis tzioumakis. She starred in the journey, the first american independent film shot in armenia winner, audience award milan film festival, 2002. American independent cinema indie indiewood and beyond pdf american independent cinema.
American independent cinema is a pretty broad term, lets look at the term from 3 different definitions. From the prestige films of cagney productions to recent, ultralow budget cult hits, such as clerks and the blair witch project, american independent cinema has produced some of the most distinctive films ever made. This is primarily because the label independent has been widely used since the early years of american cinema by filmmakers, film critics, industry practitioners, trade publications, academics and cinema fans, to the extent that any attempt towards a definition is almost certainly destined to raise objections. American independent cinema indiana university press. Geoff king is professor of film studies at brunel university and author of five books focused on the independent sector, including american independent cinema 2005, indiewood, usa. An inspiration to european filmmakers and to mainstream hollywood, us independent cinema has blossomed in the late 80s and 90s with an enormous variety of idiosyncratic and challenging cinema coming to the fore. Rona murray places modern independent cinema within the general history of american independent cinema. Geoff king is professor of film studies at brunel university london, uk. Generally speaking, there are two separate ways to distinguish an american independent film from studio. As a cinema which often explores the rite of passage by explicitly drawing on american cinematic heritage, from the teen movie to the western, american independent films deal in images of crisis. This introduction to american independent cinema offers both a comprehensive industrial and economic history of the sector from the early twentieth century to the present and a study of key individual films, filmmakers and film companies. Anna backman rogers argues that american independent cinema is a cinema not merely in crisis, but also of crisis. Contemporary american independent cinema 1980s to date 7.
The introduction, conclusion and first two chapters are the most satisfying sections of the book. This is a true advance on previous studies and deepens the readers understanding of how independent films get made and distributed. Sight and sound magazine has captured much of the excitement of this vital, intelligent and often quirky cinema as it happened. American independent cinema request pdf researchgate. Markers of distinction in contemporary studio film. Change and continuity in contemporary american indie film 2014 and quality hollywood. A wide variety of examples are included but within a framework that offers.
In american independent cinema, geoff king argues that independence can be defined partly in industry terms but also according to formal and aesthetic strategies and by distinctive attitudes toward social and political issues, suggesting that independence is a dynamic rather than a fixed quality. The american independent sector has attracted much attention in recent years, an. The presence of hollywood majors in the market was not surprising. Decade of american independent cinema by john pierson for online ebook. Very loosely defined as any film that doesnt use narrative cinematic technique to achieve its goals, the. Pdf american independent cinema maxi gramajo academia. This book, part of a new series of sight and sound. May 06, 2020 american independent cinema indie indiewood and beyond pdf american independent cinema. An independent film, independent movie, indie film or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies.
This study partakes of that conversation, but from the per. American independent cinema in the age of the conglomerates part 4. The principal focus of american independent cinema is on the particular versions of independent cinema that came to prominence from the mid 1980s with the appearance of milestone. American independent cinema, often called indie cinema, has no clear historical starting point and no single definition.
We will begin by examining the early work of john cassavetes, the father of american independent film before turning to the burgeoning of independent cinema that began in the late 1980s. This is primarily because the label independent has been widely used since the early years of american cinema by filmmakers, film critics, industry practitioners, trade publications, academics and cinema fans, to the extent that any attempt towards a definition is almost certainly destined to raise. He is the author of three books on independent filmmaking, including american independent cinema. Examines crisis, transition and metamorphosis in american independent cinema. Where hollywood meets independent cinema 2009 and indie 2. Edited and written by leading authors in the field, american independent cinema. Poison as independent film by coren idle and bo kim powerpoint pdf clip 1 clip 2 poison as new queer cinema. In the late 1980s, american independent film broke out of the tiny art houses specialty theaters of a few major american cities and became a much stronger presence in american public culture. A companion to american indie film wiley online books. The traditional definition is what one would read about in a filmhistory textbook. I analyzed how the films were shot and edited and how their narratives were structured. In the late 1960s and early 70s, a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence in american cinema. The institutionalisation of american independent cinema 9. Independent filmmakers see themselves as challenging the hegemony of hollywood, eschewing entertainmentfantasy, pleasure, happy endingsand offering instead harsh and edgy stories about.
This chapter shows how the independent feature project ifp not only contributed to this evolution but indeed set many of the foundations for it. Beginning with the work of john cassavetes, she blends detailed textual analysis with an exploration of creative talent and the moneymen who hope to exploit its commercial potential. This title questions the supposed autonomy of this cinema and asks if independent film can possibly survive in the face of the massproduction and profit of hollywood includes bibliographical references and index. This american new wave swept into the 1970s, bringing us major studiobacked sensations like the godfather 1972, american graffiti 1973, and taxi driver 1976. Their work was thematically complex, formally innovative, morally ambiguous, antiestablishment, and rich in mythic resonance.
Change and continuity in contemporary indie film 2012 claire molloy is professor of film, television and digital media at edge hill university. It was during this time that independent film became especially difficult to define. Deliberately eclectic and panoramic, the new american cinema brings together thirteen leading film scholars who present a range of theoretical, critical, and historical perspectives on this rich and pivotal era in american cinema. Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the filmmakers personal artistic vision is realized. The rough guide to american independent film rough guide. American independent cinema archives stream on demand.
From independent to indie a companion to american indie. This significant survey of latin american cinema includes exploitation titles, melodramas, historical epics, comedies, musicals, noirs and horror films, and features an array of iconic film stars including maria felix, dolores del rio, pedro. American independent cinema cinema and media studies. The 50 greatest american independent movies movies empire. This collection of essays provides the first comprehensive survey of hollywood and independent films from the midsixties to the present. As john berra contends in declarations of independence, the supposedly alternative film scene employs the same production techniques as its hollywood counterparts and may find an uncritical audience in fans.
Jul 19, 2018 pdf download sound technology and the american cinema perception representation modernity film and read full ebook. John cassavetes, born december 9, 1929, new york, new york, u. The author looks at a range of indie types from ultra low budget to more mainstream fare, as well as looking at the films of directors such as. Pdf american independent cinema ryan watson academia. Zimmermann and scott macdonald showcase its history and legacy, amply demonstrating how the relationships created at the annual flaherty seminar have been instrumental in transforming american media history. For this reason the book will be an invaluable addition to the literature on independent american cinema. Hence, male directors, producers, writers, and cinematographers all use the camera as an instrument to look at women. A substantial and insightful examination of the infrastructure of independent american cinema. The main argument revolves around the idea that independent american cinema has developed alongside mainstream hollywood cinema with institutional, industrial and economic changes in the latter shaping and informing the former. American independent cinema in the age of media convergence epilogue. Inventing american indie cinema before qt was even born, writerdirector john cassavetes debut feature is a rough hewn landmark and one of the most influential indies of all time. I then further researched theories on film genre, which i. Independent filmmakers see themselves as challenging the hegemony of hollywood, eschewing entertainmentfantasy, pleasure, happy endingsand. Request pdf on jan 1, 2005, geoff king and others published american independent cinema find, read and cite all the research you need.
Mar 11, 2020 john cassavetes, born december 9, 1929, new york, new york, u. American independent cinema and the history of the american film industry. Next i used customary film studies techniques to analyze five indie films, and five model hollywood films to compare them to. This book argues that independence can be defined partly in industry terms but also according to formal and aesthetic strategies and by distinctive attitudes towards social and political issues, suggesting that independence is a dynamic rather than a fixed quality. It adopts a broad definition of us indie film including material on tarantino, the coen brothers and gus van sant. This is a true advance on previous studies and deepens the readers understanding of how independent. An introduction yannis tzioumakis from the prestige films of cagney productions to recent, ultralow budget cult hits, such as clerks and the blair witch project, american independent cinema has produced some of the most distinctive films ever made. He is the author of numerous books on american film topics, including american independent cinema 2005, indiewood, usa. This is a superb breakdown of american independent cinema that concentrates on the last two decades and covers key themes of industry involvement, genre, form, narrative and social political vision. From pasteur and alfred russel wallace to james allison, meet some of the trailblazers of science, who were ahead of their time.
Pages in category american independent films the following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 4,533 total. American independent cinema has been an important creative and cultural media entity for the past fifteen years. Featured, africanamerican cinema, american independent cinema, bluray, classic, comedy, criterion channel, dvd, film history, netflix, silent film 02292020 02292020 sean axmaker the legacy of films made by and for africanamerican audiences before hollywood integrated its casts is largely unknown to even passionate films buffs. Most broadly, the term refers to films made outside the hollywood system, although some scholars date independent cinema from 1908, when enterprising filmmakers defied the nearmonopoly of the motion picture patents company, formed by thomas a. The introduction opens in a logical place by addressing how. For the majority of people with a basic knowledge of american cinema, independent filmmaking consists of lowbudget projects made by mostly young. Addresses main genres, key films and prominent directors by looking at the aesthetic characteristics of indie films, as well as the social and institutional contexts primarily its relationship to hollywood cinema that led to the creation and important impact of this filmmaking practice. Representational analysis of women the hollywood film industry itself has been and continues to be to a large extent maledominated. American independent cinema has always been a notoriously difficult concept to define. This title questions the supposed autonomy of this cinema and asks if independent film can possibly survive in the face of the massproduction and profit of hollywood. What fascinated the french critics was when an american director took a genre movie with a basic story.
A guided tour across a decade of american independent. Where hollywood meets independent cinema 2009, indie 2. Find out how to expand your audience engagement through ovee. This book is organized around three main points of. Contemporary quality american independent cinema was rarely too far away from hollywood. Studying american independent cinema columbia university. This essay discusses two slacker films, richard linklaters slacker 1991 and kevin smiths clerks 1994, which defined the slacker phenomenon in the 1990s and constituted two important landmarks in american independent film. Readers will develop an understanding of the complex dynamic relations between independent and mainstream american cinema. Independent lens independent documentary films pbs.
American independent cinema by geoff king pdf, ebook read. Ordered chronologically, beginning with independent filmmaking in the studio era examining both toprank and lowend independent film production, moving to. From the pioneering work of oscar micheaux and wallace thurman to the hollywood success of spike lee, black american filmmakers have played a remarkable role in the development of the american film, both independent and mainstream. American independent cinema is certainly a cinema in crisis, but it is also a cinema of crisis. The rough guide is the essential companion for anyone interested in american independent, lowbudget and maverick filmmaking. Classics divisions, specialty labels and the american film market 2012. As a cinema which often explores the rite of passage by explici. Combining the words of legendary independent filmmakers with a detailed history of the flaherty, patricia r. Most of his films were painstakingly made over many months or years and were financed by cassavetess acting, which. English 345 addresses this question by examining the narrative, stylistic, industrial and cultural aspects of contemporary u. Examination of the emergence, establishment, and transformations of american indie film. Connecting you to new and targeted communities, this digital platform lets you screen your film and lead a conversation, engage with panelists, and answer poll questions from any desktop or mobile device. It was the way american directors rose above and beyond the genres that fascinated their european counterparts hillier 32. Ortner, universityofcalifornia, losangeles in the late 1980s, american independent film broke out of the tiny art houses specialty theaters of a few major american cities and became a much.
From sex, lies and videotape in the 1980s to the blair witch project and new queer cinema in the 1990s and the ultralow budget digital video features of the 2000s, indie films have thrived, creating a body of work that stands out from the dominant hollywood mainstream. However, even a quick look makes it apparent that what constitutes an independent film is very much a question of definition. The independent sector has produced many of the most distinctive films to have appeared in the us in recent decades. For the majority of people with a basic knowledge of american cinema, independent filmmaking consists of the lowbudget projects of mostly young filmmakers. Unfortunately, this text covers a lot of critical ground without digging very deeply into it, leaving crucial questions unexplored. This comprehensive introduction draws on key films, filmmakers, and film companies from the early twentieth century to the present to examine the factors that. He also coedits the series american indies, which has published five volumes since 2009. This comprehensive introduction draws on key films, filmmakers, and film companies from the early twentieth century to the present to examine the factors that shaped this vital and.
1281 785 1215 931 688 567 28 1463 1201 1529 1153 1263 1379 420 154 1298 455 878 38 92 772 1168 713 650 1366 797 305 974 1255 1255