Cinema Ann Arbor : how campus rebels forged a singular film culture
Publication Information
Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 2023.
Physical Description
x, 334 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm
Summary
Ann Arbor, long known for its political and cultural activism, has an equally compelling history of engagement with film and media. In their quest to show art and independent films and in their efforts to raise money in the name of artistic freedom, local and campus societies pushed the boundaries of conformity. Delving into almost one hundred years of rarely glimpsed history, Cinema Ann Arbor melds interviews, deep archival research, and over four hundred images into a vivid history of film in one extraordinary town. These stories, told with urgency and exquisite detail, are firsthand accounts of the unforgettable people who created Ann Arbor's magnificent twentieth-century film scene. Featuring interviews with filmmaker Ken Burns, Oscar-nominated editor Jay Cassidy, producer John Sloss, and more, this masterpiece provides insights into how a Midwestern college town developed a robust underground art film community that inspired those across the country. Variety's Owen Glieberman says, "Frank Uhle has captured the moment when cinema became, for a new generation, a kind of religion, with its own rituals and sacred texts and a spirit of exploratory mystery that has all but vanished from the culture." This is a must-have book for cinema and media aficionados, film archivists, and anyone interested in the cultural history of Ann Arbor.
Contents
- 1. Pioneering Presenters
- 2. Post-War Evolution
- 3. Cinema Guild Breaks Out
- 4. The Ann Arbor Film Festival
- 5. Doubtful Movies
- 6. Beyond Butterfield
- 7. If They're Doing It, Why Can't We?
- 8. Revolutionaries And Ripoffs
- 9. New Perspectives
- 10. Perfection, Not Projection
- 11. Cult Movies And Campus Visitors
- 12. A Liberating Effect
- 13. The Renegades Running The Asylum
- 14. Bending To Threats
- 15. A Descent into Disappointment