Alternative Cinema in the Age of Ancillaries

- The classic, historic question “What is cinema?” becomes the ensuing question “Where is cinema?”

- How is film language impacted by various “post –celluloid” modes of production and exhibition, and what are the consequences for an experiential theory of the medium.

- “Ancillaries” – home video expanded from 4,5 million subscribers in 1980 to 140 million in 2004.

- During the 1980s and 1990s the Hollywood majors were purchased from their conglomerate parent companies and taken over by companies more focused on communication and leisure, and per-unit production costs inflated quickly.

- The growth of global markets pushed the Hollywood high concept “blockbuster” more fully toward action /adventure.

- 1984-1994 – the great decade of the “New American independent” cinema.

- This “New” American independent film was based on the culture of art cinemas, repertory theatres, and university film series, then expanding into mainstream distribution through “crossover”

- Spike Lee’s NYU student film “Joe’s bed-stuy”, at new directors/ new films series at museum of Modern Art, 1983. “She’s gotta have it”, 1986.

- Doku –drama: “The Thin Blue Line”, Errol Morris? 1988

- Docu – comedy: “Roger and Me”, Michael Moore, 1989.

- The festival becomes to the independent or alternative film as mass simultaneous release and an advertising build –up is to the high concept film.

- “Sex, Lies and Videotape” Bob and Harvey Weinstein purchased rights foe it at Sundance Festival and then entered it in the mail competition at Cannes (where it won the Palme D’Or)

- Produced on $1,2 million budget (much ofit provided by pre-selling the ancillary rights to its distribution to RCA/Columbia home video and Virgin video), it earned a $ 100 million global gross on its theatrical release.

- “Roger and Me” was financed in part by Bingo, a bailout for British TV rights from Channel F, promoted with lint rollers, and eventually acquired by time –warner for twenty times its cash value, after its world premiere at Telluride.