Down and dirty pictures: Miramax, Sundance and the rise of independent film - Hardcover

BISKIND, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0747565708 ISBN 13: 9780747565703

Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2004

Synopsis

In the late 1980s, a generation of filmmakers inspired by the directors of the 1970s began to flower outside the studio system. In the following decade, the independent movement bloomed. Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, and dozens of lesser-known filmmakers began walking away with prizes at Cannes and eventually at the Academy Awards. Many of these directors were discovered at Robert Redford's Sundance film festival and were scooped up by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, whose company, Miramax, laid waste to the competition. In "Down and Dirty Pictures", Peter Biskind tells the story of the filmmakers and the independent distributors who revitalized Hollywood over the past decade. He follows the growth of Sundance from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film that it became, showing how it succeeded almost despite Redford, whose visionary plans were often thwarted by his quixotic personality. He charts the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul who, with his brother, left a trail of carnage in his wake, yet created an Oscar factory that is the envy of the studios. Candid and penetrating, "Down and Dirty Pictures" is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world and where it's headed.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Biskind is the author of three previous books. Currently a contributor to Vanity Fair, he was formerly the executive editor of Premiere and has written for numerous publications. He lives in Columbia County, New York.

Review

Thoughtful, gossipy, and altogether mesmerizing...A shamelessly good read. The New York Times

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0747565708
• ISBN 13: 9780747565703
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 560