American independent cinema history pdf

Primer, science fiction sound design, and american independent cinema nessa johnston, university of glasgow abstract. It is a contribution which is due almost entirely to the black independent filmmaker. As the title implies, bearmanor medias the history of independent cinema covers the centurylong development of american filmmaking outside the bigstudio lots now, who were those independents. Early depictions of african american men and women were confined to demeaning stereotypical images of people of color. Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the. So too is the cinema of richard linklater, whose movement between independent film and the studio system, between genres, european and american cinema, politics and philosophy is a product of versatility and variation. They are searching for the next reservoir dogs or blair witch project. The american independent sector has attracted much attention in recent years, an upsurge of. In his book american independent cinema, king 2005 discusses indies in. The official cinema of the world has run out of breath.

As one of the first movies to be produced outside of the hollywood studio system, john cassavetes selffinanced shadows 1959 is a pioneering movie in the history of american independent cinema. Throughout the course we will learn how to develop a historical appreciation of film based on a survey of cinematic traditions contained. The dominant style of american cinema is the classical hollywood cinema, which developed from 19 to 1969 and characterizes most films made there to this day. Our approach to film history history as story part one. That first show was just a show of a series of visuals, moving. By showing the multivalence of the postsocialist conditions in contemporary chinese society, their films. Topics include the continuing influence of the french new wave, the new german cinema of the 70s and the new hollywood of the 70s, american independent film of the 80s, and the resurgence of chinese filmmaking since 1980. In movie history the big studios have managed to learn from indie films while still being in opposition with them. In this segment, stehlik and rosenbaum discuss the history of american independent cinema and its relationships with film movements around the. The transformation of american independent cinema from a marginal sector of the us film industry in the 1980s into the popular indie cinema in the 1990s and 2000s did not only affect fiction.

Jan 02, 2014 the success of these films led to the screening of films by james b. This, the ideal textbook and general read on indie cinema, shows 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. Monday 1 pm4 pm and by appointment course description this writing. 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. 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. American independent cinema and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. American independent cinema as a discourse that expands and contracts when socially authorised institutions. According to wikipedia, a cartel is a formal agreement.

Primer is a very low budget sciencefiction film that deals with the subject of time travel. American independent cinema by geoff king overdrive. Race film is a designation applied to films produced for africanamerican audiences, between about 1910 and 1950. High school students today are often habitual and uncritical consumers of a vast array of media productions. Takes a comprehensive and fresh new look at the topic of american indie film. In this episode we discuss the studio system and its impact. Sample syllabus this syllabus is provided as a sample.

During the first decades of the 20th century, many films depicted a nostalgic and idealized vision of life in the antebellum. Indie, indiewood and beyond opinions people have not but left their overview of the action, or otherwise not make out the print nevertheless. I analyzed how the films were shot and edited and how their narratives were structured. The 1960s and beyond 188 from animal comedies to ironic romantic comedies 190 geek comedy 191 serious jokes 194 select filmography 194 chapter 9 war and cinema 195 a world of. 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.

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. In december 1908, the motion picture patents company was created by thomas a. Making some searches i found this gold nugget in wikipedia about independent film history. The market share of local hong kong productions has been declining, falling to only 30 per cent of 1997 in 2006, and the market has gradually been taken over by foreignlanguage films. Indian cinema thus has more than a hundred years of history, like the european or american film industry. Film, history, film, media, mass communication, twentieth century american history edinburgh university press. Well, as author and film critic phil hall explains, they range from those fleeing the thomas edison east coast oligopoly back in the early 1900s all the way to john cameron mitchell in the. The independent sector has produced many of the most distinctive films to have appeared in the us in recent decades. 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 book is a thorough and perceptive discussion of one aspect of the political history of american film, grounded in an impressively broad reading of developments in the early sound area and focused on the ways that fascism figures within more recent productions in the american cinema. The independent sector has produced many of the most distinctive films to have appeared in the u. For many young people, film and television are important sources of historical knowledge and form the basis of their.

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. 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 and ardeshir irani who in 1931 made indias first talking film. This introduction to american independent cinema offers both a comprehensive industrial and economic history of the sector from the early twentieth century to t. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Institute for economic development policy discussion paper series 200805, university of birmingham. Representing race, class, gender, and sexuality in the movies, 2nd edition is a lively introduction to issues of diversity as represented within the american cinema.

A brief history of film music by olajide paris each month in know the score writer and composer olajide paris will step out of the scoring stage and explore, in detail, some important aspect of movie music. Given american independent cinema s 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 cinema s effect on american film culture and its relationship to the mainstream hollywood industry. After nigerias independence in 1960, the cinema business rapidly expanded, with new cinema houses being established. Lively, comprehensive survey, beginning with the emergence of david lynch, charles burnett, and victor nunez in the 1970s and proceeding to the end of the 1990s. A companion to american indie film wiley online books. Ordered chronologically, beginning with independent filmmaking in the studio era examining both toprank and lowend independent film production, moving to. For a good overall history of the movies, including both hollywood and extra or antihollywood, see.

The cinema of the united states has had a large effect on the film industry in general since the early 20th century. Email citation lively, comprehensive survey, beginning with the emergence of david lynch, charles burnett, and victor nunez in the 1970s and proceeding to the end of the 1990s. Next i used customary film studies techniques to analyze five indie films, and five model hollywood films to compare them to. Cinema as a witness to history and a product of history. Theoretically savvy and uptodate, the volume satisfyingly redresses the gender imbalance of earlier indie film. Learn about the development of the first viable motionpicture camera and other technological advances and discover directors and movies that made key contributions to the film industry. Other readings may be distributed via photocopy, pdf, or email. Codependence and symbiosis, or what lessons should academic researchers learn from the history of american independent cinema.

Cambridge core film american independent cinema by yannis tzioumakis. History of film offers an exhaustive, even if very selective, overview of cinema history, and explores the basic tools for analyzing the art of film. Combining the words of legendary independent filmmakers with a detailed history of the flaherty, patricia r. American independent cinema has always been a notoriously difficult concept to define. Features newly commissioned essays from top film experts and emerging scholars that. Idea and history in chinas independent cinema, 19882008, wang xiaoping offers a comprehensive survey and trenchant critique of chinas independent cinema by the sixthgeneration auteurs. Learn about the rise of the studio system with ministry of cinema. Generally speaking, there are two separate ways to distinguish an american independent film from studio. It is morally corrupt, aesthetically obsolete, thematically superficial, and temperamentally boring. Also known as edison trust, it was formed as a cartel. As a cinema which often explores the rite of passage by explici. 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. Theory trilogy attempts to both synthesize the state of affairs in historical. However, there came a significant influx of american, indian, chinese and japanese films.

Film critic jonathan rosenbaum on the history of american. Request pdf on jan 1, 2005, geoff king and others published american. Cinema was shown for the first time in india by the lumiere brothers on july 17, 1896 at the watson hotel in mumbai. American independent cinema cinema and media studies. You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming, wrote poet pablo neruda. Indie, indiewood and beyond until now in regards to the ebook we now have american independent cinema. New hollywood, sometimes referred to as the american new wave, or the hollywood renaissance, refers to a movement in american film history from the mid1960s to the early 1980s, when a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence in the united states. Reviews american eccentric cinema restores politics to the core of the indie agenda, deftly tracing the contours of some of the most critically and popularly successful films of the contemporary era as symptoms of but also challenges to the anxieties and divisions of neoliberal society. Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the filmmakers personal artistic vision is realized. American independent film as a critical cultural movement sherry b. Duke university library exhibits introduction from. A short history of black us indie cinema from silent pioneer oscar micheaux via blaxploitation and spike lee to the sensational acclaim for moonlight, we chronicle the rise of the black american. Today hollywood studios search for independent films that could possibly make it big on a low budget, often times found at a film festival.

The beginning of film making history began when some movie makers and producers decided to run away from east coast and from thomas edison who was reigning without wanting to share his technology and newly created industry. I then further researched theories on film genre, which i. Despite this barrier, american cinema has seen the development of what could be called a black film aesthetic films made from the perspective of african americans. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. American independent cinema timeline 1970s by jonathan. 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. Early cinema 1 the invention and early years of the cinema, 1880s1904 the invention of the cinema early filmmaking and exhibition 2 the international expansion of the cinema, 19051912 film production in europe the struggle for the expanding american film industry. Provides a comprehensive overview of the industrial, sociocultural, and aesthetic factors that contribute to cinematic representations of race, class, gender, and sexuality includes over 100 illustrations.

Rebellious in spirit and creatively adventurous, their unexpected box office success and wider cultural impact made them the progenitors of the new hollywood revolution. The collection also discusses black sexuality on screen, and the role of black women in independent cinema and as spectators. 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. But it was two new films in particular, bonnie and clyde and the graduate, that, with hindsight, make 1967 such a significant year in american cinema. However, even a quick look makes it apparent that what constitutes an independent film is very much a question of definition. The rough guide to american independent film rough guide. History of the motion picture, history of cinema from the 19th century to the present. Favoring an approach influenced by theatre, cassavetes cast amateur actors and friends in a semiimprovised character study about three siblings. African americans have had a long and rather complex history in the american motion picture industry. As we explain in our expanded definition, the borders of the racefilm industry are complicated and porous, but race filmmakers nevertheless constituted a distinct community of practice. The rough guide to american independent film rough guide reference jessica winter on. 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. Where hollywood meets independent cinema 2009 and indie 2. Linklater certainly disproves the assumption of idleness as a defining characteristic of the slacker ethos.

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 draws upon both american cinema of the 1970s and the various waves of european filmmaking, but recuperates these tropes to the point of often being obsolete. Global cinema minor independent filmmakers with a detailed history of the flaherty, patricia r. American independent cinema edinburgh university press. John cassavetes, born december 9, 1929, new york, new york, u. Students will need to utilize netflix, hulu, andor amazon to stream video titles on. Free uk delivery on eligible this introduction to american independent cinema offers both a comprehensive industrial and economic history of the sector from the early twentieth century to from the prestige films of cagney productions to recent, ultralow budget cult hits, such as clerks and the blair witch project, american independent cinema. The rough guide is the essential companion for anyone interested in american independent, lowbudget and maverick filmmaking. American independent cinema request pdf researchgate. This was just six months after their first show in paris. Cowboy which is a very important american film in history of cinema.

Postsocialist conditions ideas and history in chinas. Fascism and millennial american cinema leighton grist. Pdf american independent cinema ryan watson academia. According to the respective introductions and cover announcements, the blackwell film.

Pdf american independent cinema maxi gramajo academia. 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 indie indiewood and beyond pdf american independent cinema. It was natural that film in the 1960s would reflect that decades tremendous social and cultural upheaval.

Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. A short history of american screen comedy 173 silent comedy 173 early sound comedy 177 screwball comedy 179 after the screwball 184 alienation and selfreflection. To understand the forces shaping this particular notion of independence, however, a number of different historical roots and predecessors have also to be. Black films matter how african american cinema fought back. Oct, 2016 for the first time, mainstream cinema and tv audiences were getting honest, intelligent portrayals of both modern africanamerican life and us history from a black perspective the type of. A groundbreaking collection, with an allstar feminist cast of editors and contributors, indie reframed taps the many benefits of examining womens agency in the production and distribution practices of independent cinema. 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. Readers will develop an understanding of the complex dynamic relations between independent and mainstream american cinema. 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 history of independent cinema in the us from an industrial perspective this introduction to american independent cinema offers both a comprehensive. The book looks at the deepreaching history of american indie cinema in all its guises. American independent cinema and the history of the american film industry.