NONFICTION

Not Hollywood: Independent Film at the Twilight of the American Dream

by Sherry B. Ortner
Duke Univ. 2013. 352p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780822354109. $39.95. pap. ISBN 9780822354260. $24.95. FILM
COPY ISBN
Ortner (anthropology, Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Anthropology and Social Theory: Culture, Power, and the Acting Subject) examines the complex relationship among the independent film scene, mainstream Hollywood, and contemporary American society. The book is also a study of patterns that can be seen in a selection of independent films, from the dearth of happy endings to the relative abundance of morally ambiguous leading characters. While this eclectic technique of combining interviews and plot points occasionally leads Ortner to stray into territory more familiar to (and arguably better served by) film studies, it also supports her thesis that independent film has played a key role in shaping and critiquing social reality and cultural capital since the late 1980s.
VERDICT An original interpretation of film and public culture that addresses the nexus of anthropology and film studies. Best suited for anthropologists interested in contemporary visual culture and film professionals looking for perspective outside the film industry.
Reviewed by Robin Chin Roemer, American Univ. Lib., Washington, DC , Mar 01, 2013
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NONFICTION

Twenty-Nine Goodbyes: An Introduction to Chinese Poetry
by Billings, Timothy
NONFICTION

The Coit Tower Murals: New Deal Art and Political Controversy in San Francisco
by Cherny, Robert W.
NONFICTION

A City Full of Hawks: ‘On the Waterfront’ Seventy Years Later—Still the Great American Contender
by Rebello, Stephen
NONFICTION

The Five Ranks of Zen: Tozan’s Path of Being, Nonbeing, and Compassion
by Wick, Gerry Shishin
NONFICTION

Religions of Early India: A Cultural History
by Davis, Richard H.
NONFICTION

South Side Impresarios: How Race Women Transformed Chicago’s Classical Music Scene
by Ege, Samantha
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?