There's No Going Back

The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme

David M. Stewart

• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN:
  9781985902657
• eBook ISBN:
  9781985902671
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film & Video

Jonathan Demme, one of the most influential and dynamic directors of the twentieth century, was a fearless and radical filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer—a compassionate artist, advocate, and humanist who was compelled to tell the stories of marginalized communities. His intense passion and appreciation of music, culture, and art were interwoven throughout his life and extraordinary body of work.

There's No Going Back is the first complete biography of an auteur whose remarkable and versatile career encompassed acclaimed narratives, documentaries, and films spanning nearly five decades. Best known for Melvin and Howard (1980), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993), and Beloved (1998), Demme was an Oscar-winning filmmaker with a recognizable style and voice. He often used that voice to champion women's rights and amplify social and environmental justice issues. Demme was also well regarded for the loyalty, devotion, and collegiality shown to the actors, camera crew, and technical staff he employed in his projects.

Cinephile and journalist David M. Stewart affirms that Demme was more than just a quirky filmmaker or a product of 1970s New Hollywood; he was ceaseless and earnest in his approach to capturing humanity in all its complexities. Drawing from interviews with Demme's collaborators and colleagues, Stewart presents the many facets of the filmmaker's life as seen through the eyes of those who were in his warm, eclectic orbit. There's No Going Back is a compelling and fitting tribute to the brilliance and breadth of the man behind the camera.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword by Joseph B. Atkins
• Preface: Angelic Greetings (November 2023)
• Chapter 1. Monsieur Demme’s Holidays (1944–1959)
• Chapter 2. The Animal Lover and the Alligator (1959–1967)
• Chapter 3. A Road Scholar (1968–1970)
• Chapter 4. A New World (1970–1973)
• Chapter 5. Girls, Guns, and Shampoo (1974–1976)
• Chapter 6. Frequency Issues (1977–1979)
• Chapter 7. Easy Street (1979–1981)
• Chapter 8. Shift in the Breeze (1982–1983)
• Chapter 9. Juggling Act (1983–1984)
• Chapter 10. Something New (1985–1986)
• Chapter 11. Second Chances (1987–1989)
• Chapter 12. Dinner with Friends (1990–1992)
• Chapter 13. Angels Crowding Heaven (1992–1995)
• Chapter 14. Subways, Galleries, and Storefronts (1996–1997)
• Chapter 15. Ghosts at the Door (1997–2000)
• Chapter 16. Losing Control (2000–2004)
• Chapter 17. Heavy Winds (2005–2006)
• Chapter 18. A Creative Marriage (2007–2009)
• Chapter 19. Burning Desires (2010–2013)
• Chapter 20. Flash and Dance (2014–2015)
• Chapter 21. Eagles and Condors (2016–2022)
• Acknowledgments
• Notes
• Index
• About the Author
• Screen Classics
• Illustrations