Synopses & Reviews
Margaret Dickinson's history of oppostional film is a pioneering account of an important by little documented aspect of modern British Cinema: the often extreme form of independent cinema that accompanied the radical politics of the 1960s and 70s.
During the 70s an organized independent film and video movement emerged (including such filmmaking groups as London Filmmakers' Co-op, Cinema Action, Amber, Liberation Films and Sheffield Co-op). This avant-garde exerted an increasing influence within the British media mainstream--changing attitudes and practice, and enabling cross-over work by filmmakers such as Peter Greenaway and Sally Potter. This oppostional sector revolutionized British media, especially during the formation of Channel Four at the start of the 1980s, even as the political landscape at large was shifting dramatically to the right.
Organized into three parts, Rogue Reels provides the first overview of the various strands of politicized filmmaking that emerged in postwar Britain. Part I is a concise history of the movement. Part II collects key texts and documents form the period 1971-92. Part III is made up of seven oral histories of the most influential production houses. Recuperating the radical tradition of postwar filmmaking (which continues to impact on today's media culture), Rogue Reels raises urgent issues of policy and practice.
Mixing narrative with first-hand accounts, and the important statements and documents of this movement the book provides the first overview of the different strands of filmmaking that are still impacting on avant-garde and mainstream practice.
Synopsis
This history of counter-cultural political cinema mixes narrative with first-hand accounts, and the important statements and documents of this movement. The book provides an overview of the different strands of film-making that are still impacting avant-garde and mainstream practice.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [319]-325) and index.
About the Author
Margaret Dickinson is a freelance filmmaker and critic (Sight and Sound, Screen) who was closely involved with political and avant-garde film in the '70s and '80s.
Table of Contents
Part 1 A short history: hope deferred, 1945-65--confrontation and community, 1966-74--assault on the mainstream, 1974-80--paradoxical success, 1980-90--a chronology. Part 2 Texts and documents, 1971-92: introductory notes, Margaret Dickinson--film journals in Britain and France, Claire Johnston--notes on political cinema, Jim Pines--a reflection on the history of the London film-makers' co-op, Malcolm Le Grice--etats genereaux du cinema, Simon Hartog--nationalizing the film industry, ACTT Nationalization Forum Report--black films in white Britain, Jim Pines--notes, London Women's Film Group--patterns of discrimination, ACTT--letter, Steve Dwoskin et al--independent film-making in the 70s, 1976 IFA Conference Organizing Committee--polemic, First Festival of Independent British Cinema--introduction, Phil Hardy et al--memory, phantasy, identity - days of hope and the politics of the past, Colin MacCabe--"Penthesilea", Mary Kelly--"The Nightcleaners part 1", Claire Johnston--perils of film policy, Simon Hartog--the Independent Film-makers Association and the Fourth Channel, John Ellis--Channel Four - innovation or ITV2?, IFA--the IFA and the ACTT - a piece of paper, Simon Hartog--grant-aided workshop production declaration, ACTT--the IFA - film club/trade association, Frank Abbott--"so that you can live (for Shirley)", Michael Channan--sins of commission, Rod Stoneman--doing without the broadcast media, Julian Petley--post modernism and the populist tendency, Jez Welsh--sexual identity - questions of difference, Kobena Mercer. Part 3 Oral history: introductory notes and comments--contemporary films--plato films--angry arts film society and liberation films--amber--cinema action--Sheffield action--Sheffield co-op--black audio film collective.