Drawing upon the poststructuralist work of jacques derrida and limited applications of his thought to film scholarship, this project theorises a rigorous but nonprogrammatic model for conducting deconstructive readings of cinematic texts. Choose from 500 different sets of american cinema flashcards on quizlet. The 30 greatest american indie films from personal documentaries to poppulp gamechangers, here are the indie. Geoff kings important book stands with the best scholarship. This is a true advance on previous studies and deepens the readers understanding of how independent films get made and distributed. American independent cinema indie indiewood and beyond pdf american independent cinema. 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. For this reason the book will be an invaluable addition to the literature on independent american cinema.
American independent cinema cinema and media studies. 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. 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. Examination of the emergence, establishment, and transformations of american indie film. Features newly commissioned essays from top film experts and emerging scholars that. As there are many i havent been fortunate enough to. American independent cinema indiana university press. A critical cinema 5 interviews with independent filmmakers. 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. Marked a turning point in american independent cinema 3. Independence is the only true state of art, and if cinema is an art form, then surely all films are independent. The success of these films led to the screening of films by james b. It is a period of rebellion here at lights film school, we talk and teach a lot about independent film but as i gathered my thoughts and research in preparation for a post about independent film financing, i realized that independent is a maddeningly elusive term its used by different people to denote different things. Independent film independence in early and silent american cinema so far as most american film histories and the us patent office are concerned, movies in the united states began with thomas edison 18471931.
Given american independent cinemas rise to prominence over the past two decades, the time is ripe for a comprehensive account of the catalysts behind that rise, as well as an assessment of indie cinemas effect on american film culture and its relationship to the mainstream hollywood industry. Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the filmmakers personal artistic vision is realized. He is the author of numerous books on american film topics, including american independent cinema 2005. Where hollywood meets independent cinema 2009 and indie 2. 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. Indiewoodhollywoodnt is an online publication devoted to the maintenance, presentation, and ideology of independently produced cinema. Next i used customary film studies techniques to analyze five indie films, and five model hollywood films to compare them to. American independent cinema an introduction yannis tzioumakis american independent cinema yannis tzioumakis a substantial and insightful examination of the infrastructure of independent american cinema.
The fact that hollywood also looms so large, as effectively an american national cinema, also seems to give added resonance to the notion of independent. It refers to media conglomerates taking over the film industry and during this time, tv and other entertainment mediums became more popular outlets for entertainment. American independent cinema by geoff king goodreads. The independent sector has produced many of the most distinctive films to have appeared in the us in recent decades. While megabudget spectacles and potential tentpole films collapsed under the weight of. At different times, independent has referred to everything from monogram westerns to otto preminger prestige pictures to exploitation and drivein movies to the products of the indie minimajors. Pdf american independent cinema maxi gramajo academia. This chapter is therefore a useful sketch of catalysts within both the indie scene and the world of hollywood that have shaped independent cinema. This is a true advance on previous studies and deepens the readers understanding of how independent. 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. Pdf american independent cinema ryan watson academia. 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 independence of american independent cinema, or exactly what kind of production qualifies for the term, is constantly under. The 50 greatest american independent movies empire celebrates independence day the independent way. American independent cinema has been an important creative and cultural media entity for the past fifteen years. 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 thesis achieves a deconstructive interrogation of american national identity by analysing its representation in contemporary independent cinema. American independent film as a critical cultural movement sherry b. Ordered chronologically, beginning with independent filmmaking in the studio era examining both toprank and lowend independent film production, moving to.
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. Here we will explore the economic, aesthetic, and ideological transformations in american film from the social upheavals of the 60s and 70s to the contemporary era of conglomeration, globalization, and digital media. Featured, amazon prime, american independent cinema, based on a true story, biographical, bluray, drama, dvd, film independent spirit awards, streaming movies, svod 02092020 022020 sean axmaker. John cassavetes, born december 9, 1929, new york, new york, u. The meaning of independence in the indie era has a specific relation to the other term in its.
Change and continuity in contemporary indie film 2012 claire molloy is professor of film, television and digital media at edge hill university. Pdf download sound technology and the american cinema perception representation modernity film and read full ebook. American independent cinema has always been a notoriously difficult concept to define. Change and continuity in contemporary american indie film, introduction. Magic mike 2012 was an underdog success story of 2012. Readers will develop an understanding of the complex dynamic relations between independent and mainstream american cinema. 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.
For a good overall history of the movies, including both hollywood and extra or antihollywood, see. Cambridge core film american independent cinema by yannis tzioumakis. Founded in new york city yet globally focused, we are a collective of passionate film professionals constantly navigating the technological highways of the digital age while remaining faithful of the economically dilapidated back alleys of the anti. In 1897, save dada made two short films, but the fathers of indian cinema were dada saheb phalke who in 19 made the first feature length silent film. Most of his films were painstakingly made over many months or years and were financed by cassavetess acting, which was. In the sundancemiramax era, indie has assumed a role in american culture as the alternative cinema.
One of the main aims of this book is to chart the contours of american independent cinema within these coordinates. I then further researched theories on film genre, which i. A substantial and insightful examination of the infrastructure of independent american cinema. Thursday, june 9, by noon via collect it assignment for the essay, you may analyze one or two films screened over the past three weeks winters bone, the puffy chair, humpday, inland empire, another earth, natural selection, high road or. An international center for the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video with a particular focus on american independent and avantgarde cinema and its precursors found in classic european, soviet and japanese film. The 50 greatest american independent movies movies empire. Makes you think the selfish giant, locke more later makes you ask questions is associated with critical success film more as art and cultural expression 4. American independent cinema, often called indie cinema, has no clear historical starting point and no single definition. This is why we dont talk about independent opera companies, or independent ballerinas. Bigger than life is an american deluxe color cinemascope film made in 1956 directed by nicholas ray and starring james mason, who also cowrote and produced the film, about a school teacher and family man whose life spins out of control upon becoming addicted to cortisone the film costars barbara rush as his wife and walter matthau as his closest friend, a fellow teacher. Articulations of independence in american cinema geoff king if.
The institutionalisation of american independent cinema. American independent cinema archives stream on demand. Pages in category american independent films the following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 4,523 total. In the spirit of the rep, below are my six favorite independentarthouse theaters in the country. A companion to american indie film features a comprehensive collection of newly commissioned essays that represent a stateoftheart resource for understanding key aspects of the field of indie.
I analyzed how the films were shot and edited and how their narratives were structured. Rediscover classic works of independent cinema as the sundance film festival presents films from the vaults of the sundance collection at ucla. 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. 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. A companion to american indie film wiley online books. This is primarily because the label independent has been widely used since the early years of american cinema by filmmakers, film critics, industry practitioners. As indie movies achieved success, the meaning of the term independent became blurred, and the boundary between the aesthetic and. A companion to american indie film features a comprehensive collection of newly commissioned essays that represent a stateoftheart resource for understanding key aspects of the field of indie films produced in the united states takes a comprehensive and fresh new look at the topic of american indie film. American independent film essay 2 length and due date length. King is professor of film studies at brunel university and author of. American independent cinema request pdf researchgate. An american entertainment company known for distributing independent and foreign films. Learn american cinema with free interactive flashcards. American independent cinema and the history of the american film industry.
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