John Cassavetes

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie 1976 Cinema of Outsiders Emanuel levy

Attempts to define Independent Cinema

Places our Contemporary Understanding of Independent Film in Historic Context 2 Different conceptions of indie film

How they are Financed Their Spirit of Vision Media Curator Bill Horrigan Distinguishes two other ideas of Indies

Those that are acceptable at Sundance Those that are virtually unshowable:

Maya Deren Jonas Mekas Stan Brakhage Kenneth Anger Andy Warhol Sex Lies and Videotape Steven soderbergh 1989

Discovered at Sundance and made the term Independent more widely known--possibly into a marketing tool What indie films aren’t:

Not Avant Garde Experimental Underground With few exceptions itÕs not edgy and doesnÕt present any formal experimentation or or serious challenges to dominant culture What Indie Films Are

A Type of Film Marketed to the Public as Such:

Alternative, Different, Thoughtful, etc.

Made for less than most Hollywood Films (but not always)

At best visionary,personal, and specialized. 5 Codes to Deconstruct Indies

Cultural Artistic Cinematic (Inter-textual) Either theyare similar to other films or they aren’t Narrative (The manner in whichstories are told or they type of stories that are told.) Umberto Eco Works are not created by their authors, but by other works. They speak to each other independent of the authors’ intention.

•Films create a text •Communicate Ideology Criteria for levy’s selection of indies

According to Historical Eras Filmmakers with durability and track records Acclaimed by Critics for Artistic Merits Curatorial Decisions not based on statistics Forces Behind Indie Cinema

The Need for Self Expression Hollywood’s move away from serious, mid range films mega blockbusters increased the need for other types of films (MEET JOE BLACK: 90 MIL) success of Bonnie and Clyde, 1967 and Easy Rider, 1969 brought about movie makers of the 70’s like: Scorsese, Altman, Allen, Coppola Increased financing opportunities Blood Simple, Coen Brothers, 750,000 production made 5 million Greater demand for visual media (home video)

1987 Video sales outnumbered box office sales (1, 040, 000 to 1, 030, 000)

Increased overall interest in films

Supportive audiences (Boomers)

Decline of Foreign Language Films Supportive Audiences

College Students

Singles/Childless Couples

Discriminating Viewers

Informed Viewers

Frequent Moviegoers Since 1970’s Teens have been the most reliable movie goers

They can make or break movies during the opening weekend In 1976 before the teen epidemic: The two leading movies were: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and All the President’s Men In 1977 the highest grossing movie was Star Wars and in 1986 Top Gun Hollywood targeting kids between the ages 12-20 In 1990’s teen moviegoers were outnumbered by middle aged boomers between the ages 40-49 Decline of the Foreign Language Film

Which came first? Does it matter?

Indies have captured the art house audience in the 90’s Foreign made up for 2% of movie sales

People don’t want to read subtitles? OUTSIDERS Ethnic Minorities Gays and Lesbians Women (not in terms of populace) Anyone who doesn’t belong in mainstream Artistic Innovation Existing Conventions Violated Plays against audiences expectations Most American Filmmakers go out of their way to fulfill those expectations Revolutionary Innovations Disrupt routine patterns and involve deliberate changes in film language Cassavetes

•One of the First Modern American

Filmmakers •Mutual Respect with the French New Wave Cinema (rejection of classical

•cinematic style, social upheaval, and auteur

theory Shadows

•Used his money from acting and took a hand held 16mm camera and shot

•Made for 40,000 dollars and edited at United Artists in 2 weeks

•He decided he would only work on his own from that point forward -vision compromised Husbands

•Marital Problems/Harsh Realism •Shadows 8 months to shoot 2 years to

•edit •actors’ free interpretation of the script

•art of acting/complexity of relationships •feelings people can’t express •mistaken as improvisational

•precise scripts/rough camera •long takes that are meant to expose the shakiness of middle class life

•not easily categorized or liked

•disturbing/erratic •no one is left indifferent Theatrical and Cinematic theatrical pacing

Long takes draw attention to the shots themselves because they defy are expectations for quicker edits

Close-ups allow for microscopic scrutiny of characters’ performance as well as emotional states •Explore emotional messiness and people’s

tolerance for personal and social disorder •inventive mise en scene, actor driven

•writing

•performances over script/actors over stars •held onto freedom of self expression in hostile studio environment •Teddy: needy, oversensitive artist

•self-parody of Cassavetes himself

•character study

•hunger for class

• false veneer of politeness and seductive blather

• self as constantly in flux—provisional, unknowable, yet susceptible to the immediate claims of duty • Film Generates Suspense

• Story of getting caught up in the mob

• time-consuming and inconvenient ways that everyone, bit player to star, asserts his or her right to be taken seriously, are not impediments to the plot, but are the plot.