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Underground film

January 01, 1970

An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style, genre or financing.

Notable examples include: John Waters' Pink Flamingos, David Lynch's Eraserhead, Andy Warhol's Blue Movie, Rosa von Praunheim's Tally Brown, New York, Frank Henenlotter's Basket Case, Nikos Nikolaidis' Singapore Sling, Rinse Dreams' Café Flesh, and Jörg Buttgereit's Nekromantik.

Definition and history edit

The first printed use of the term "underground film" occurs in a 1957 essay by American film critic Manny Farber, "Underground Films."[1] Farber uses it to refer to the work of directors who "played an anti-art role in Hollywood." He contrasts "such soldier-cowboy-gangster directors as Raoul Walsh, Howard Hawks, William Wellman," and others with the "less talented De Sicas and Zinnemanns [who] continue to fascinate the critics." However, as in "Underground Press", the term developed as a metaphorical reference to a clandestine and subversive culture beneath the legitimate and official media.

In the late 1950s, "underground film" began to be used to describe early independent film makers operating first in San Francisco, California and New York City, New York, and soon in other cities around the world as well, including the London Film-Makers' Co-op in Britain and Ubu Films in Sydney, Australia. The movement was typified by more experimental filmmakers working at the time like Shirley Clarke,[2] Stan Brakhage, Harry Everett Smith, Maya Deren, Andy Warhol,[3] Kenneth Anger,[4] Jonas Mekas, Ken Jacobs, Ron Rice, Jack Smith, George and Mike Kuchar, and Bruce Conner.

By the late 1960s, the movement represented by these filmmakers had matured, and some began to distance themselves from the countercultural, psychedelic connotations of the word, preferring terms like avant-garde or experimental to describe their work.

Having been embraced most emphatically by Nick Zedd and the other filmmakers associated with the New York–based Cinema of Transgression and No Wave Cinema of the late 1970s to early 1990s, the term would still be used to refer to the more countercultural fringe of independent cinema.

Latter-day cinema edit

In the early 1990s, the legacy of the Cinema of Transgression carried over into a new generation, who would equate "underground cinema" with transgressive art, ultra-low-budget filmmaking created in defiance of both the commercialized versions of independent film offered by newly wealthy distributors like Miramax and New Line, as well as the institutionalized experimental film canonized at major museums. This spirit defined the early years of underground film festivals (like the New York Underground Film Festival, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Boston Underground Film Festival, Sydney Underground Film Festival,[5] Hamilton Underground Film Festival, Toronto's Images Festival, and others), zines like Film Threat, as well as the works of filmmakers like Craig Baldwin, Jon Moritsugu, Carlos Atanes, Johnny Terris, Sarah Jacobson, and Bruce La Bruce. In London the Underground resurgence emerged as a movement of Underground cinema clubs which included the radical open access group the Exploding Cinema.

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the term had become blurred again, as the work at underground festivals began to blend with more formal experimentation, and the divisions that had been stark ones less than a decade earlier now seemed much less so. If the term is used at all, it connotes a form of very low budget independent filmmaking, with perhaps transgressive content, or a lo-fi analog to post-punk music and cultures.

A recent development in underground filmmaking can be observed through the Lower East Side based film production company ASS Studios. Founded in 2011 by writer Reverend Jen and filmmaker Courtney Fathom Sell, the group avoided most modern methods of production, choosing to shoot all of their work on an outdated Hi 8 format and usually with no-budget. Utilizing many New York based performers, their work generally contained camp elements and taboo themes. These films were commonly screened at venues & bars in and around New York City.[6][7]

Underground versus cult edit

The term "underground film" is occasionally used as a synonym for cult film (as in the case of films like Eating Raoul).[8] Though there are important distinctions between the two, a significant overlap between these categories is undeniable. The films of Kenneth Anger, for example, could arguably be described as underground[9] while a studio film like Heathers (New World Pictures) may have a cult following, but could not be accurately described as an underground film.[10]

Criticism edit

Film critic Pauline Kael called most underground cinema "a creature of publicity and mutual congratulations on artistry".[11]

Notable underground cinema figures edit

List is incomplete.[12]

Further reading edit

  • Farber, Manny (1957). "Underground Films". Commentary.[13]
  • Wheeler Winston Dixon, The Exploding Eye: A Re-Visionary History of 1960s American Experimental Cinema, Albany: SUNY UP, 1998.
  • Sheldon Renan,An introduction to the American underground film, New York : Dutton, 1967
  • Jack Sargeant, Naked Lens: Beat Cinema, London : Creation Books, 1997, 1999.
  • Jack Sargeant, Deathtripping: The Cinema of Transgression, London : Creation Books, 1995, 2000.
  • P Adams Sitney, Visionary Film: The American Avant Garde 1943 - 1978, Galaxy Books, 1979
  • Jack Stevenson, Desperate Visions: Camp America; London : Creation Books, 1996
  • Duncan Reekie, Subversion: The Definitive History of Underground Cinema ; London : Wallflower Press 2007.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Farber, Manny (1957). "Underground Films". Commentary.
  2. ^ Underground Film: A Critical History|Underground Film Journal
  3. ^ The Black Hole Of The Camera: The Films Of Andy Warhol|Underground Film Journal
  4. ^ "Kenneth Anger: Magician of Underground Cinema" 23 September 2014 The Third Eye
  5. ^ Sydney Underground Film Festival
  6. ^ Macaulay, Scott. "COURTNEY FATHOM SELL: SO YOU WANNA BE AN UNDERGROUND FILMMAKER? - Filmmaker Magazine".
  7. ^ "Trolling the LES with Rev Jen". Vice.
  8. ^ 10 Odd and Obscure Cult Movies Worth Seeking Out - Taste of Cinema
  9. ^ Kenneth Anger|Underground Film Journal
  10. ^ Heathers: An oral history|Entertainment Weekly
  11. ^ Film since World War Two - Pauline Kael 1968:Pacifica Radio Archives-Internet Archive
  12. ^ 50 Underground Filmmakers Everyone Should Know-Flavorwire
  13. ^ Shepherd, Duncan (May 25, 2006). . San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 20 October 2023.

External links edit

  • Underground Film Journal

January 01, 1970
underground, film, underground, film, film, that, mainstream, either, style, genre, financing, notable, examples, include, john, waters, pink, flamingos, david, lynch, eraserhead, andy, warhol, blue, movie, rosa, praunheim, tally, brown, york, frank, henenlott. An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style genre or financing Notable examples include John Waters Pink Flamingos David Lynch s Eraserhead Andy Warhol s Blue Movie Rosa von Praunheim s Tally Brown New York Frank Henenlotter s Basket Case Nikos Nikolaidis Singapore Sling Rinse Dreams Cafe Flesh and Jorg Buttgereit s Nekromantik Contents 1 Definition and history 2 Latter day cinema 3 Underground versus cult 4 Criticism 5 Notable underground cinema figures 6 Further reading 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksDefinition and history editThe first printed use of the term underground film occurs in a 1957 essay by American film critic Manny Farber Underground Films 1 Farber uses it to refer to the work of directors who played an anti art role in Hollywood He contrasts such soldier cowboy gangster directors as Raoul Walsh Howard Hawks William Wellman and others with the less talented De Sicas and Zinnemanns who continue to fascinate the critics However as in Underground Press the term developed as a metaphorical reference to a clandestine and subversive culture beneath the legitimate and official media In the late 1950s underground film began to be used to describe early independent film makers operating first in San Francisco California and New York City New York and soon in other cities around the world as well including the London Film Makers Co op in Britain and Ubu Films in Sydney Australia The movement was typified by more experimental filmmakers working at the time like Shirley Clarke 2 Stan Brakhage Harry Everett Smith Maya Deren Andy Warhol 3 Kenneth Anger 4 Jonas Mekas Ken Jacobs Ron Rice Jack Smith George and Mike Kuchar and Bruce Conner By the late 1960s the movement represented by these filmmakers had matured and some began to distance themselves from the countercultural psychedelic connotations of the word preferring terms like avant garde or experimental to describe their work Having been embraced most emphatically by Nick Zedd and the other filmmakers associated with the New York based Cinema of Transgression and No Wave Cinema of the late 1970s to early 1990s the term would still be used to refer to the more countercultural fringe of independent cinema Latter day cinema editIn the early 1990s the legacy of the Cinema of Transgression carried over into a new generation who would equate underground cinema with transgressive art ultra low budget filmmaking created in defiance of both the commercialized versions of independent film offered by newly wealthy distributors like Miramax and New Line as well as the institutionalized experimental film canonized at major museums This spirit defined the early years of underground film festivals like the New York Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival Boston Underground Film Festival Sydney Underground Film Festival 5 Hamilton Underground Film Festival Toronto s Images Festival and others zines like Film Threat as well as the works of filmmakers like Craig Baldwin Jon Moritsugu Carlos Atanes Johnny Terris Sarah Jacobson and Bruce La Bruce In London the Underground resurgence emerged as a movement of Underground cinema clubs which included the radical open access group the Exploding Cinema By the late 1990s and early 2000s the term had become blurred again as the work at underground festivals began to blend with more formal experimentation and the divisions that had been stark ones less than a decade earlier now seemed much less so If the term is used at all it connotes a form of very low budget independent filmmaking with perhaps transgressive content or a lo fi analog to post punk music and cultures A recent development in underground filmmaking can be observed through the Lower East Side based film production company ASS Studios Founded in 2011 by writer Reverend Jen and filmmaker Courtney Fathom Sell the group avoided most modern methods of production choosing to shoot all of their work on an outdated Hi 8 format and usually with no budget Utilizing many New York based performers their work generally contained camp elements and taboo themes These films were commonly screened at venues amp bars in and around New York City 6 7 Underground versus cult editThe term underground film is occasionally used as a synonym for cult film as in the case of films like Eating Raoul 8 Though there are important distinctions between the two a significant overlap between these categories is undeniable The films of Kenneth Anger for example could arguably be described as underground 9 while a studio film like Heathers New World Pictures may have a cult following but could not be accurately described as an underground film 10 Criticism editFilm critic Pauline Kael called most underground cinema a creature of publicity and mutual congratulations on artistry 11 Notable underground cinema figures editList is incomplete 12 Usama Alshaibi Kenneth Anger Gregg Araki Carlos Atanes Michel Auder Scott Barley Carmelo Bene Jean Pierre Bouyxou Stan Brakhage Jorg Buttgereit Pierre Clementi Bruce Conner Tony Conrad Shirley Clarke Tonino De Bernardi Storm de Hirsch Maya Deren Marian Dora Robert Downey Sr Rinse Dream Stephen Dwoskin Matt Farley James Fotopoulos Hollis Frampton Dmitrii Frolov Curtis Harrington Herk Harvey Ian Hugo Straub Huillet Ken Jacobs Sarah Jacobson Richard Kern Peter Kubelka George Kuchar Gregory Markopoulos Jonas Mekas Marie Menken Annette Michelson Jon Moritsugu Otto Muehl Paul Morrissey Gunvor Nelson Nikos Nikolaidis Damon Packard Luther Price Joel Potrykus Yvonne Rainer Jesse Richards Peter Rinaldi Jacques Rivette Carolee Schneeman Paul Sharits P Adams Sitney Michael Snow Ray Dennis Steckler Chick Strand Chester Novell Turner Stan Vanderbeek Agusti Villaronga Andy Warhol John Waters Nicholas Watson Nick Zedd Thierry ZenoFurther reading editFarber Manny 1957 Underground Films Commentary 13 Wheeler Winston Dixon The Exploding Eye A Re Visionary History of 1960s American Experimental Cinema Albany SUNY UP 1998 Sheldon Renan An introduction to the American underground film New York Dutton 1967 Jack Sargeant Naked Lens Beat Cinema London Creation Books 1997 1999 Jack Sargeant Deathtripping The Cinema of Transgression London Creation Books 1995 2000 P Adams Sitney Visionary Film The American Avant Garde 1943 1978 Galaxy Books 1979 Jack Stevenson Desperate Visions Camp America London Creation Books 1996 Duncan Reekie Subversion The Definitive History of Underground Cinema London Wallflower Press 2007 See also editMicrocinema No Wave Cinema Experimental film Remodernist film Cinema of Transgression Grupo Cine Liberacion an Argentine film movement No budget film Chicago Underground Film Festival New York Underground Film Festival Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival Boston Underground Film Festival New Haven Underground Film Festival Hamilton Underground Film Festival Anthology Film ArchivesReferences edit Farber Manny 1957 Underground Films Commentary Underground Film A Critical History Underground Film Journal The Black Hole Of The Camera The Films Of Andy Warhol Underground Film Journal Kenneth Anger Magician of Underground Cinema 23 September 2014 The Third Eye Sydney Underground Film Festival Macaulay Scott COURTNEY FATHOM SELL SO YOU WANNA BE AN UNDERGROUND FILMMAKER Filmmaker Magazine Trolling the LES with Rev Jen Vice 10 Odd and Obscure Cult Movies Worth Seeking Out Taste of Cinema Kenneth Anger Underground Film Journal Heathers An oral history Entertainment Weekly Film since World War Two Pauline Kael 1968 Pacifica Radio Archives Internet Archive 50 Underground Filmmakers Everyone Should Know Flavorwire Shepherd Duncan May 25 2006 Debt You can t very well look a man in the eye on a daily basis when you re stealing from him San Diego Reader Archived from the original on 17 June 2006 Retrieved 20 October 2023 External links editUnderground Film Journal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Underground film amp oldid 1212202383, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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