Down and Dirty Pictures

Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film

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by Peter Biskind

Type

Studies

Subject

Genre > Independent cinema

Keywords

independent cinema, New Hollywood, Sundance

Publishing date

2005

Publisher

Simon & Schuster

1st publishing

2004

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 560 pages
6 ¼ x 9 ¾ inches (16 x 24.5 cm)

ISBN-10
ISBN-13

0-684-86258-1
978-0-684-86258-3

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Book Presentation:
A critical analysis of the rise of independent filmmakers examines Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, the success of Miramax, and the careers of independent filmmakers whose work has transformed Hollywood and the film industry.

In this “dishy…superbly reported” (Entertainment Weekly) New York Times bestseller, Peter Biskind chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers who reinvented Hollywood—most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax Films an indie powerhouse.

As he did in his acclaimed Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Peter Biskind “takes on the movie industry of the 1990s and again gets the story” (The New York Times). Biskind charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. He follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality.

Likewise, the directors who emerged from the independent movement, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and David O. Russell, are now among the best-known directors in Hollywood. Not to mention the actors who emerged with them, like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ethan Hawke, and Uma Thurman.

Candid, controversial, and “sensationally entertaining” (Los Angeles Times) Down and Dirty Pictures is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world.

About the Author:
Peter Biskind is the author of three previous books, including Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. He is a contributor to Vanity Fair and formerly the executive editor of Premiere magazine. He lives with his family in Columbia County, New York.

See the publisher website: Simon & Schuster