Overview

This third volume of the successful Directory of World Cinema series to focus on American independent filmmaking presents in-depth essays on forty-four filmmakers who have primarily worked outside the mainstream or on its industrial margins. Contributors offer close analyses of the work of both widely acknowledged auteurs and little-known provocateurs who deserve much wider recognition. Major names discussed include Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, Dennis Hopper, Sofia Coppola, and Darren Aronofsky, with attention also paid to cult directors like Larry Cohen, Zalman King, and Ti West. The resulting book is both a who’s who of contemporary independent cinema in America and a reminder that the ways of making films outside the studio system are incredibly varied—and can be powerfully effective.

Full Product Details

9781783206568

Table of Contents

Reviews

'Forty-four individuals representing a cross section of American independent cinema are considered in well-written essays by scholars and writers of film. Contributors critically analyze the body of work of filmmakers who range from those who helped define the independent label, such as John Cassavetes; to fan favorites, such as Quentin Tarantino; to lesser-known artists, such as Alice Wu.' -- L. K. Garcia * Choice *

Intellect is very quickly establishing itself in the first-book-to-reach-for market with its Directory of World Cinema series. . . . A particular strength of these volumes is the manner with which historical teleology is disrupted in favor of a more cohesive thematic exploration. This volume also includes pieces on John Waters, David Lynch, Charlie Kaufman, and Stuart Gordon, as well as appendixes providing recommended reading, online sources, and a Test Your Knowledge quiz. . . . [This is] a very handy volume that is great as a starting point or for those new to particular aspects of a national cinema. --Scott Wilson Media International Australia (05/15/2011)

Intellect is very quickly establishing itself in the first-book-to-reach-for market with its Directory of World Cinema series. . . . A particular strength of these volumes is the manner with which historical teleology is disrupted in favor of a more cohesive thematic exploration. This volume also includes pieces on John Waters, David Lynch, Charlie Kaufman, and Stuart Gordon, as well as appendixes providing recommended reading, online sources, and a Test Your Knowledge quiz. . . . [This is] a very handy volume that is great as a starting point or for those new to particular aspects of a national cinema. --Scott Wilson Media International Australia (05/15/2011) Intellect is very quickly establishing itself in the first-book-to-reach-for market with its Directory of World Cinema series. . . . A particular strength of these volumes is the manner with which historical teleology is disrupted in favor of a more cohesive thematic exploration. This volume also includes pieces on John Waters, David Lynch, Charlie Kaufman, and Stuart Gordon, as well as appendixes providing recommended reading, online sources, and a Test Your Knowledge quiz. . . . [This is] a very handy volume that is great as a starting point or for those new to particular aspects of a national cinema. --Scott Wilson Media International Australia (05/15/2011)

Author Information

John Berra is a lecturer in Film and Language Studies at Renmin University of China. He is the author of Declarations of Independence: American Cinema and the Partiality of Independent Production (2008); editor of the Directory of World Cinema: American Independent volumes 1, 2 and 3; editor of the Directory of World Cinema:Japan volumes 1, 2 and 3; co-editor of World Film Locations: Beijing (2012) and World Film Locations: Shanghai (2014); and co-editor of the East Asian Journal of Popular Culture. He has also contributed to Electric Shadows: A Century of Chinese Cinema (2014). He is also a contributor to magazines, including Electric Sheep and Film International.

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