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Modern American Independent Cinema FIS 497.002

Modern American Independent Cinema FIS 497.002. Instructor: Rob Goald. Definitions. ‘Independent adj 1.Free from influence or control of others 2.not dependent on anything else for function or validity 3. not relying on the support, esp. financial support, of others.

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Modern American Independent Cinema FIS 497.002

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  1. Modern American Independent CinemaFIS 497.002 Instructor: Rob Goald

  2. Definitions • ‘Independent adj 1.Free from influence or control of others 2.not dependent on anything else for function or validity 3. not relying on the support, esp. financial support, of others. • ‘Cinema n1. A place designed for showing films. 2.the cinema the art or business of making films. Collins new English Dictionary

  3. Definitions/2 • Independent film is a term that contemporary cinephiles may associate with the relatively recent phenomena of Sundance & Miramax, but the concept has existed since the dawn of cinema.

  4. A Brief History of American Independent Cinema

  5. 1910-1954: the beginnings • At one extreme was United Artists formed in 1919 as an independent by Fairbanks, Chaplin, Pickford and Griffith. • At the other extreme was Oscar Micheaux(1884-1951) who made and distributed his own films. • Micheaux was the D.W. Griffith of race cinema. • Also its Edward D. Wood, Jr.

  6. Early Independents • Brothers Roy and Walt Disney ran a little animation studio in the back of a real estate office in Hollywood in the 1920s. • David O. Selznick (Gone with the Wind, 1939) and Samuel Goldwyn (The BestYears of Our Lives, 1946) thrived as independent producers.

  7. Poverty Row Studios • In 1935, Republic Pictures was formed as a merger of several “Poverty Row” Studios. • “Poverty Row”: low budget, B grade genre pics made by indies at Sunset and Gower in L.A. called “Gower Gulch”. • Monogram Pictures (1931-1953)made Westerns, action- adventure and Jackie Chan pics. • Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) under Leon Fromkess backed pics in the 1940s by Edgar G. Ulmer known as the Mayor of Poverty Row. • Director/writer Samuel Fuller left Warners to direct for Lippert Productions and hit it big with Steel Helmet,(1951)

  8. The 1950s and 1960s: Do It Yourself • Little Fugitive (1953)becomes a hallmark of the NY-based school of indie and an archive of 1950s Brooklyn. • The film is a key link between Italian neo-realism and The French New Wave. • Village Voice film critic,Jonas Mekascalled the film the start ofThe New American Film Movement • On the Bowery(1956): Lionel Rogosin’s film was loosely structured around a new arrival to Manhattan who loses his suitcase and bearings. • Real improvs from tramps and drug addicts of the Bowery employs documentary techniques and inspired Cassavetes.

  9. John Cassavetes: Indie Godfather • There’s an old line about Andy Warhol’s The Velvet Underground. • John Cassavetes(1929-89)similarly had a disproportionate influence on indie filmmaking compared to his commercial success. • His oeuvre is the foundation stone of the First Wave of American independent filmmaking and the ultimate declaration of independence. • “Patron Saint of independent filmmaking” ………Manohla Dargis of NY Times

  10. Oeuvre of John Cassavetes • *Shadows(1959): a family portrait and an interracial love story. • Faces(1968): hit a groove with explosive, action driven portraits of personal and domestic crisis. • A Woman Under the Influence(1974):2nd mortgaging his house, the portrait of a loving but disturbed wife and mother went on to earn $16 million and Oscar nominations for actress Rowlands and Cassavetes himself.

  11. Shadows(1959) 81 minutes, B&W • Cassavetes’ directorial debut revolves around an interracial romance between Lelia (Lelia Goldoni), a light-skinned black woman living in NYC with her two brothers, and Tony (Anthony Ray), a white man. • Shot in and around Times Square and evolved from Cassavetes’ acting workshops. • The raw spontaneity and emotional volatility • The dialogue: erratic rhythms of real speech.

  12. Shadows(1959)/2 • Shot on location with a cast and crew made up primarily of amateurs. • Film broke every rule of how a film should be made • Cassavetes raised the $40,000 budget himself • Appeared on a radio show( “Jean Shepard’s Night People”) and urged listeners to send $2 for an “advance ticket”. • $2,500 raised in a week according to Ray Carney. • To shot quickly Cassavetes flooded the set with light and fitted performers with battery powered mikes. • Guerilla production techniques made possible by more portable camera equipment. • He lacked permits to shoot in NYC and small crews had to stay one step ahead of the NYPD • He gave inspiration to a new generation of filmmakers that you could make a movie on your own • The film is a visionary work that is widely considered the forerunner of theindependent film movement.

  13. American International Pictures(AIP) • Founded by a lawyer, Samuel Z. Arkoff and a sales manager, James H. Nicholson in 1956. • Dedicated to releasing independently produced, low-budget films packaged as double features and attracting the teenage demographic(18-24 yrs.) • Films aimed at the 19 yr old male!

  14. The ARKOFF Formula • Action (exciting, entertaining drama) • Revolution (novel or controversial themes and ideas) • Killing (a modicum of violence) • Oratory (notable dialogue and speeches) • Fantasy (acted-out fantasies common to the audience) • Fornication (sex appeal, for young adults) Acronym=A-R-K-0-F-F

  15. Roger Corman: “King of the Bs” • Pumped out scares and titillation at record speeds for drive-in specialists AIP. • Genres: Sci-Fi Schlock and soapy youth gone wild dramas. • “Little Shop of Horrors”(1960)shot in two days and featured a young Jack Nicholson • Corman is probably best known for his filmings of various Edgar Allen Poe stories. • In 1970, Corman founded New World Pictures which became a small independently owned production/distribution studio. • Roger Corman School of Film includes James Cameron, Joe Dante, Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola etc.

  16. Herschell Gordon Lewis: “Godfather of Gore” Known for grisly drive-in shockers such as: • Blood Feast(1963) • Two Thousand Maniacs(1964)

  17. Independent Directors of New American Cinema • George A. Romero’s: Night of the LivingDead(1968): stunned audiences with visceral horrors • Russ Meyer: Known as the “Soft Porn King”: Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) • Andy Warhol: Lonesome Cowboys(1967) • Paul Morrissey: Flesh(1968)

  18. Independent Documentarists • D.A. Pennebaker: Don’t Look Back(1967) • Frederick Wiseman: Titicut Follies(1967) • The Maysles Brothers: Salesman(1967) • Barbara Kopple: Harlan County, USA (1976)

  19. The Late 60s and Early 1970s: New Hollywood

  20. The 1970s: New Hollywood • Young directors were recruited to infuse new blood into the ageing studio system. • Leftist director/cameraman Haskell Wexler shot Medium Cool(1969) for Paramountusing footage of police brutality at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. • Director Robert Altman’s Mash(1970) was released by Fox.

  21. First Wave of The Modern Indie • Indie film came into cultural and economic prominence with the release of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda’s biker odyssey Easy Rider(1969). • Produced by Bert (“The Monkees”) Schneider for BBS Productions. Distributed by COLUMBIA PICTURES. Story was a road trip about two hippies riding across the USA with a stash of “coke” concealed in their gas tanks. Fonda had appeared in Wild Angels(1966 d. Corman) and edited by Monte Hellman. • Hopper, while granted creative autonomy, still depended on a company with a Hollywood connection (BBS) funding the 340k pic (estimated)

  22. Easy Rider(1969) • Traded studio shooting and rigid scripting for real locations, improvised dialogue, episodic narrative. • As theorist Bela Balazs explains: “The camera carries my eye into the picture itself. I look at things from within the space of the film…..My consciousness is identified with the characters of the film and I look at the world from their POV”.

  23. BBS Productions Bert Schneider’s company became a key player in the NEW HOLLYWOOD producing: • Bob Rafelson’s: Five Easy Pieces(1970) • Bob Rafelson’s: King of MarvinGarden’s(1972) • Jack Nicholson’s: Drive He Said(1972) • Peter Bogdanovich’s: The Last Picture Show(1971) • Peter Davis’ doc.: Hearts and Minds(1974)

  24. Universal’s Youth Unit • Set up in 1969, following the success of Easy Rider(1969) produced: • Dennis Hopper’s: The Last Movie(1971) • Peter Fonda’s: The Hired Hand(1971) • Monte Hellman’s: Two Lane Blacktop(1971)

  25. Francis Ford Coppola • Coppola met Corman at UCLA film school and got the chance to direct a murder mystery called Dementia 13(1963) • Coppola formed American Zoetrope in 1969 and put up 20k of his own money to fund his breakthrough film, Rain People(1969) • He then went on to make The Godfather films and The Conversation(1974) for Paramount during the reign of Robert Evans.

  26. Martin Scorsese • Another Corman apprentice, won entry into the DGA via AIP funded Boxcar Bertha(1972), but was reamed by Cassavetes {“you just spent a year of your life making a piece of shit”} who he had worked for as a sound editor on Minnie &Moskowitz(1971)from Universal’s Youth Division. • Scorsese proceeded to make MeanStreets(1973)his breakthrough film.

  27. Cassavetes With Up & Coming • Steven Spielberg worked as a PA on Cassavete’s Faces(1968) • Another of the 1970s “Movie Brat” generation was Brian DePalma who blew up the Indie Godfather at the end of The Fury(1978) • Brian DePalmamade 3 movies in the late 60’s and early 70s with $ from friends and family: (1)Greetings(1968) (2)The Wedding Party(1969) (3) Hi, Mom(1970). He discovered DeNiro!

  28. Brian De Palma • Foremost an Alfred Hitchcock acolyte, his boldly derivative breakthrough film: Sisters(1973) had a score from Bernard Herrmann. • Phantom of the Paradise(1974)produced by Edward R Pressman.

  29. Edward R. Pressman • Producer extraordinaire. • Discovered director/writer/ producer Terrence Malick and funded his breakthrough movie Badlands(1973) • Produced many mainstream films, but is known for supporting Indies such as: (1)Charles Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger(1990) (2)Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant (1992) (3)James Toback’s Fingers (1978)starred Mean Streets’ lead Harvey Keitel.

  30. Bob Shaye & Ben Barenholtz • Barenholtzran the Elgin Theater in the Chelsea district of Manhattan • Shaye, bought for 10k John Water’sPink Flamingos(1972) for NEW LINEPICTURES (founded in 1968) and it became the first “Midnight Movie” sensation at the Elgin. Sympathy for the Devil & Reefer Madness • Barenholtz started LIBRA FILMS and released two landmark indies: • David Lynch’s Eraserhead(1977) and • John Sayles’ Secaucus 7(1979)

  31. Overlooked Masterpieces of the ’70s • Cinephiles regard the 1970s with awe and reverence preceding the blockbuster age, however, a few masterpieces have not received their due including: • Robert Kramer’s Ice(1969) • John Avildsen’s Joe(1970)- Sarandon • John Berry’s Claudine(1974)-blacklisted director’s return with Diahann Carroll

  32. Beyond Blaxploitation: The LA School • Melvin Van Pebbles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song (1971) kicked started a string of Blaxploitation movies including: Gordon Parks’ Shaft(1971) & Superfly(1972) • UCLA’S young black filmmakers made the honest look at African American culture stand up to the test of heartfelt, serious filmmaking: • Charles Burnett: Killer of Sheep(1977) • Julie Dash, Daughters of the Dust (1991) • Billy Woodberry, Bless Their Little Hearts(1984) • Haile Gerima, Bush Mamma (1979)

  33. A Decade Under the InfluenceProduced and DirectedbyRichard LaGravanese and Ted Demme

  34. Plot Summary/1 Decade Film • A compendium of interviews and excerpts from the films of the late sixties and early 70s that were a counter movement to the big Studio Films of the late sixties. Directed by Ted Demme, it is obviously a labor of love of the films of the period, but it gives short shrift to the masterpieces of the times.Many of the filmmakers of this period were influenced by Truffaut, Antonioni, Fellini, Bergman, and of course John Cassavetes. Unfortunately the documentary logging in at 138 minutes is too short!The film is rich with interviews and opinions of filmmakers. Some of the people interviewed are: Martin Scorsese, Francis Coppola, Robert Altman, Peter Bogdonovich, Ellen Burstyn, and Roger Corman, Bruce Dern, Sydney Pollack, Dennis Hopper, and Jon Voight.

  35. Plot Summary/2 Decade • Bruce Dern has a moment of truth when he says that he and Jack Nicholson may not have been as good looking as the other stars that came before them but they were "interesting". This summarizes the other areas of this period of filmmaking in American history.The filmmakers were dealing with a lack of funding from the Studios because they were expressing unconventional attitudes about politics, sex, drugs, gender and race issues, and Americas involvement in overseas conflicts like the Vietnam War.An interview with Francis Coppola is enlightening with his saying that he got the chance to make The Conversation because the producers knew he had been trained by Roger Corman to make a movie with nothing so they bankrolled his film.

  36. Plot Summary/3 Decade • Another interview is with Jon Voight who was directed by Hal Ashby in Coming Home a clear anti-war film about a crippled soldier immersing himself back into society after his facing battle. Voight talks about how his working methods helped him achieve an emotional telling point when Ashby said that they were doing a rehearsal take and it ended up being the take used in the film- it was better because it was so un-rehearsed and not drained of its freshness by being over-rehearsed.There are also many fine excerpts from Al Pacino's break-through film The Panic in Needle Park, and interviews from Dennis Hopper on the making of Easy Rider, and interviews from Sydney Pollack about making films.The documentary is a jumping off point for any film lover who wants to see examples of what the new voices in film were like in the Seventies. Many of the Sundance Folks, where this film made a big splash, are unaware of just how much the Independent Film Maker today owes to the films of John Cassavetes, Milos Foreman, William Friedkin, and Roger Corman.

  37. The American New Wave

  38. 1984: The Second Wave • John Sayles, David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch,Spike Lee, and the Coen Bros. all examples of directors of The Second Wave aka The American New Wave (as opposed to The French New Wave) • Stranger Than Paradise(1984): Jarmusch’s not much- doing film, but a milestone in the developing indie scene, cost only $110,000 and cheapest film to win Camera d’Or at Cannes. -Distributed by Island-Alive.

  39. Selected Oeuvre of Jarmusch • Down by Law(1986)107 min, b/w This is his true breakthrough film, a comic road movie about 3 Louisiana jailbirds which was a key moment in the new American Wave/Cinema. “It’s a sad and beautiful world”– Benigni • Mystery Train (1989)ameditation on storytelling which featured Japanese Elvis fans and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

  40. Selected Oeuvre of Jarmusch • Night on Earth(1991)oddball taxi rides in L.A., NYC, Paris, Rome Helsinki • Dead Man (1995) • Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) • Coffee and Cigarettes(2003) • Broken Flowers(2005)

  41. As Jarmusch Puts It: • “In a film when someone takes a taxi, you see them get in, then there’s a cut, then you see them get out. So in a way the content of this film is made up of things that would usually be taken out. It’s similar to what I like about Stranger than Paradise or Down by Law, the moments between what we think of as significant.”

  42. Jarmusch on Independent Film • “Independent films are completely controlled by the film-makers artistically, and commercial films are to some degree controlled by financial investment. That’s the difference. And it’s not about quality because there are great films that are commercially orientated-Blade Runner, The Terminator, Lawrence of Arabia-and there are a lot of bad independent films”.

  43. Jarmusch on Independent Film • “We are outlaws, because we don’t do it for a studio, we’re not there to make your product for you, we’re there to make films for our soul. If people find them we’re happy. But if they don’t that’s not our problem. We’re not salesmen.”

  44. Different Than Hollywood Style • Narrative obliqueness is part of a broader aesthetic of the minimalist and deadpan that became the Jarmusch trademark. • Influenced by various works of international art cinema. • What a mainstream feature would show with flourish is often left implicit or at a degree of remove. e.g. Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986)

  45. Second Wave Philosophy • Second Wave found directors carving out their own niche within a limited market from which they could build proper careers. • Earning critical acclaim but not actively pursuing financial reward, thereby ensuring their ‘independent status’ as their films did not challenge their studio rivals

  46. More Second Wave Stuff • Emergence of home video as a competitor of theaters meant there was a greater need for product. • Indies helped swell the coffers of video retailers with new product beyond the ‘B- movies’ and allowed indies to be seen in smaller cities that lacked art-house cinemas.

  47. John Sayles (1950-) • Known for conscience raising cinema (e.g. Return of the Secaucus 7, 1979) Matewan(1987) Lone Star(1996) • $32,000/year for 5 years started 1983 from MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. Liberal humanist filmmaking with shaggy ensemble narrative that doubles as an oral history of a community. • Started as a screenwriter for Corman-wrote Piranha(1978) and even wrote Jurassic Park IV. • Showed a penchant for stories of the estranged. • Lianna(1983) stale marriage solved by lesbianism

  48. Sundance Rising • The U.S. Film Festival, later to take the name of Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute formed in 1978. • Miramax Films formed in 1979 by Bob abd Harvey Weinstein. • Independent Feature Project (IFP) formed also in 1979 by producer Sandra Schulberg to aid, develop and promote indie film talent.

  49. Independent Feature Project (IFP) • IFP's role in independent film. After debuting with a program in the 1979 New York Film Festival, the nonprofit IFP has evolved into the nation's oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers, and also the premier advocate for them. • Since its start, IFP has supported the production of 7,000 films and provided resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers' voices that otherwise might not have been heard. IFP believes that independent films broaden the palette of cinema, seeding the global culture with new ideas, kindling awareness, and fostering activism..

  50. Independent Film Project • Currently, IFP represents a network of 10,000 filmmakers in New York City and around the world. • Through its workshops, seminars, conferences, mentorships, and Filmmaker magazine, IFP schools its members in the art, technology, and business of independent filmmaking (there are special programs to promote racial, ethnic, religious, ideological, gender, and sexual diversity). • IFP builds audiences by hosting screenings, often in collaboration with other cultural institutions-and also bestows the Gotham Awards™, the first honors of the film awards season. When all is said and done, IFP fosters the development of 350 feature and documentary films each year

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