Bøker i Refocus: The American Director-serien

The first academic study on the work of Wes Craven.

Illuminating the industrial, cultural, and aesthetic significance of the later years of one of American cinema's most influential auteurs, this anthology combines scholarly essays, original interviews with Robert Altman's collaborators, and previously unseen photographs from the Robert Altman Papers held at the Special Collections Research Center, University of Michigan Library. The book considers post-1970s Altman as a way to rethink and reconceive his authorship, expanding our understanding of the development of Altman's personal aesthetic and production practices; his adaptation of existing source material; the representation of sex, gender, and identity in his films; his relation to the changing landscape of American independent cinema; and his unfinished projects. Interviews with key Altman collaborators like Alan Rudolph, Ira Deutchman, and Anne Rapp highlight their contributions to Altman's career. Rather than place aside the extensive work on Robert Altman to date, this comprehensive book offers texture and depth to previous ways of thinking about Altman's creativity and contribution to American cinema. Lisa Dombrowski is a Professor of Film Studies and Professor of East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University Justin Wyatt is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Journalism, and Film/Media at the University of Rhode Island

Susan Seidelman's career is one of firsts, yet little is written about her. This collection begins filling that gap while opening the door for additional scholarship, making this a valuable text for years to come. As the first volume dedicated entirely to her work, ReFocus: The Films of Susan Seidelman includes never before published archival material and an interview with insights into her process and thoughts on #timesup and the future of the industry. Seidelman's first feature film, Smithereens, was the first American independent film to compete for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982. Her talent for casting became an asset to her films since she first insisted on Madonna for Desperately Seeking Susan early in her fame. Seidelman directed Meryl Streep and John Malkovich in their first comedy features, Roseanne Barr in her first feature film and Laverne Cox in one of her earliest features. Susan Santha Kerns is Associate Professor of Cinema and Television Arts at Columbia College Chicago.

Mary Harron's diverse career includes cult films like I Shot Andy Warhol, American Psycho and The Notorious Bettie Page, as well as a range of network and cable television episodes. This is the first book to examine an overlooked filmmaker in relation to feminist cinema. It discusses the dialectical dynamics within her wide-ranging body of work, and it argues that Harron's work has a distinguishing approach to stylistic and aesthetic choices prompted by cultural contexts, controversial subject matter and production limitations. Each chapter provides an in-depth study on Harron's creative approaches to film and television production, with chapters offering close readings of each of her 5 narrative features, and her work in television and promotional film. With scholarly approaches from the fields of cinema, television, gender, fashion, death and celebrity studies, this is a long-awaited introduction to a groundbreaking figure in contemporary cinema. Kyle Barrett is a Lecturer and filmmaker in Screen and Media Studies at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

The first book on the renowned and notorious cult filmmaker Roberta Findlay