New American Cinema

This collection of essays provides the first comprehensive survey of Hollywood and independent films from the mid-60s the present. Deliberately eclectic and panoramic, The New American Cinema brings together thirteen leading film scholars who present a range of theoretical, critical, and historical perspectives on this rich and pivotal era in American cinema. The essays are divided into three sections: "Movie and Money," "Cinema and Culture," and "Independents and Independence." The first section focuses on the economics of the industry and looks at the connection between the film business and the finished product. Topics include a look at the economic conditions that make the amateur renaissance of the 1970s possible, the distribution of both studio and independent films, and the recent spate of mergers and acquisitions that have come to characterize the new Hollywood. The second part of The New American Cinema deals with the political and cultural significance of war and Vietnam films (Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Born on the Fourth of July), "male rampage" films (Rambo, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard), women's psychothrillers (Silence of the Lambs), special effects pictures (2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars), and historical representations (Oliver Stone's JFK). The final section casts a keen eye on films produced and exhibited outside the commercial mainstream and focuses on such topics as the financial realities of "indoe" films; the influence of the independent filmmaker John Cassavettes on Coppola, Altman, and Scorcese; the stereotyping of African Americans in mainstream cinema; and the films of independent women filmmakers. With its range of topics and breadth of critical appraoches this anthology illuminates the volatile mix of industrial process and artistic inspiration that comprises American moviemaking. This innovative collection will be invaluable for students and teachers alike.