Synopses & Reviews
John Sayles is a filmmaker of many faces: the writer/director of authentically independent films rooted in good talk, character study and social reflection (
The Return of the Secaucus Seven,
Baby, It's You,
Brother from Another Planet,
Matewan, and
Passion Fish). He has also crafted vibrant, sardonic projects for Roger Corman (
Piranha,
Alligator and
The Lady in Red), as well as working as a screenwriter-for-hire (
The Hollowing,
Apollo 13).
Recent films such as City of Hope and Lone Star exhibit his great gifts as he follows his characters' complex journeys towards self-honesty and personal truth.
Twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, he has also written novels, short stories, a book on low-budget film-making, and created the television series Shannon's Deal.
In Sayles on Sayles, Gavin Smith takes Sayles step by step through the trajectory of his career and film-making practice, and in the process illuminates the work of the one of the truly authentic US independent film-makers.
Gavin Smith is a contributing editor to Film Comment.
About the Author
Gavin Smith is a contributing editor to
Film Comment.