New Indie Film Book
"Independent film is a vast and varied territory, and Phil Hall's remarkable book explores every inch of it with wit, intelligence, a sympathetic spirit, and a wide-open mind. Fresh discoveries and surprising revelations abound on every topic from Edison to Aronofsky, Anger to Warhol, the silent era to the Internet age. It's hard to imagine a study more keenly in tune with one of cinema's liveliest, most multifaceted fields." - David Sterritt, Ph.D, chairman, National Society of Film Critics
"An engrossing and informative journey through the diverse landscape of American indie filmmaking - from the silent era to the 21st-century digital world - celebrating the visionaries and rebels that laid the groundwork for the Sundance explosion and beyond." - Steven Puchalski, publisher and editor, Shock Cinema Magazine
The History of Independent Cinema offers a comprehensive odyssey through the long and tumultuous life of American filmmakers who worked outside of the studio system. Beginning with the challenge by feisty independents that brought down Thomas Edison's motion picture monopoly and ending with today's still-expanding digital age, The History of Independent Cinema presents a stunning line-up of larger-than-life men and women who saw barriers and broke them down through sheer talent and raw determination.
The History of Independent Cinema covers all sections of the genre's illustrious existence. The book details the pioneers who redefined the technology of filmmaking - color cinematography, sound films, widescreen and three-dimensional projection and digital video all came from the indie filmmakers. The book also shows how the freedom of independent cinema enabled brave souls to overcome the racial and sexist limits placed behind the camera, and it also celebrates the strong-willed artists who challenged censorship taboos and the Hollywood blacklist.
The History of Independent Cinema also goes beyond theatrical venues to explore the worlds of non-theatrical productions - including corporate-sponsored films that won the Academy Award - and online film distribution. The book also pays tribute to the directors, producers and distributors who created landmark productions that represent the zenith of American filmmaking - as well as the many Hollywood insiders who began their careers on the indie fringe.
Ideal for the dedicated film scholar, the aspiring film student, or the casual film lover, The History of Independent Cinema is a perfect guide to understanding the full depth and scope of this extraordinary sector of the motion picture world.
Phil Hall is a contributing editor for the influential online magazine Film Threat and a journalist whose cinema-related writing has appeared in the New York Times, New York Daily News and Wired Magazine. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies (2004), Independent Film Distribution (2005) and The New PR (2007).
The History of Independent Cinema, a new book by film critic and historian Phil Hall. Retails for $21.95.
The History of Independent Cinema by Phil Hall. 301 pages. $21.95. ISBN: 1-59393-335-5. http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/id404.html
