The pioneering anthropologist Sherry B. Ortner combines her trademark ethnographic expertise with critical film interpretation to explore the independent film scene in New York and Los Angeles since the late 1980s. Not Hollywood is both a study of the lived experience of that scene and a critical examination of America as seen through the lenses of independent filmmakers. Based on interviews with scores of directors and producers, Ortner reveals the culture and practices of indie filmmaking, including the conviction of those involved that their films, unlike Hollywood movies, are "telling the truth" about American life. These films often illuminate the dark side of American society through narratives about the family, the economy, and politics in today's neoliberal era. Offering insightful interpretations of many of these films, Ortner argues that during the past three decades independent American cinema has functioned as a vital form of cultural critique.
- 349 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
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Information
Publisher
Duke University Press BooksYear
2013Print ISBN
9780822354260
9780822354109
eBook ISBN
9780822399681
58
CHAPTER
1
One
final
point
before
moving
on.
As
discussed
earlier,
skeptics
have
challenged
the
discourse
of
‘‘independence’’
as
at
best
false
consciousness
and
at
worst
self-serving
ideology.
The
same
question
might
be
raised
about
(my)
taking
the
rhetoric
of
honesty
and
truthfulness
at
face
value.
The
argument
can
be
made
that
the
harsh
realism
and
disturbing
repre-
sentations
of
at
least
some
independent
films
are
more
about
shocking
the
older
generation
than
about
telling
the
truth
about
contemporary
society.
Young
independent
filmmakers
who
make
particularly
shocking
or
un-
pleasant
films
are
sometimes
portrayed
as
bad
boys
or
girls
who
are
just
seeking
attention.
As
with
the
arguments
about
the
discourse
of
‘‘indepen-
dence,’’
there
is
no
doubt
some
truth
to
these
charges.
But
to
follow
out
that
point
would
be
to
write
a
different
book.
My
purpose
throughout
is
the
ethnographer’s
purpose
anywhere—to
maintain
a
critical
eye
and
ear,
yes,
but
at
the
same
time
to
take
what
people
say
seriously
and
see
where
that
takes
us.
We
turn
next
to
the
first
film
chapter,
where
I
will
seek
to
understand
what
is
perhaps
the
most
prominent
feature
of
many
independent
films:
their
darkness,
or
what
indie
people
call
their
‘‘edge.’’
Table of contents
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Notes for the Reader
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. Making Independence
- Chapter 2. Dark Indies
- Chapter 3. Making the Scene
- Chapter 4. Moral Ambiguity
- Chapter 5. Making Value
- Chapter 6. Film Feminism
- Chapter 7. Making Films
- Chapter 8. Politics
- Chapter 9. Conclusions
- Filmography
- Notes
- References
- Index
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Yes, you can access Not Hollywood by Sherry B. Ortner in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Social Sciences & Film History & Criticism. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.