Customer Reviews

Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As someone who has been relieved by the rise of indepenedent film in recent years, Peter Biskind certainly reveals the spirit behind that rise but also the spit behind the walls of the leading independent producers, the Weinsteins and Mr Redford.

If you are a lover of film, you will greatly enjoy reading the behind the scenes manouvering and infighting behind scripts, endings, and actors. Biskind's brilliant research and matter-of-fact writing will reveal much of the business in his chapters, so if you do not want to know too much and like to enjoy just the film itself, keep walking by this book.

However, if you do like to know the decisions that create film, and especially independent film, this is the book of the year. Soderbergh and Tarantino feature prominently, along with Hawke and Damon. Good Will Hunting is looked at closely, as the script of two young men, their first, rose to Oscar fame through Miramax's direction.

The books prominent questions include: is now the time for a new indie movement with the Weinsteins and Redford becoming formulaic and looking for hidden blockbusters, more than hidden art; and who will fill the void if these two studios do go for bigger-grossing goals; and should the men and women behind films suggesting humane themes be of a certain moral character?

In the end, the accomplishemnts of the indies are explored and they are amazing: sex, lies..pulp fiction, good will...Biskind, being a believer in the force of film, plays the gadfly to hopefully protect genuine indie enthusiasm and creations and their futures. The book is as provocative as it is historical. I highly suggest it for lovers of the medium.

Down and Dirty Pictures by Peter Biskind is an excellent look at the world of independent films. To an outsider, this might not seem like a terribly interesting or important subject. However, Biskind makes it clear that independent films is where most of the creativity in filmmaking is nowadays and also this is the most consistently profitable area of movies today.

There have been numerous ultra low budget indie flicks that were bought by Harvey Weinstein's Miramax and turned into monster hits. These include Reservoir Dogs, sex lies and videotape as well as The Crying Game. Weinstein is the true kind of both Holloywood and of the independent film sector.

Biskind paints both Weinstein and his chief competitor, Robert Redford as being profit-crazed would-be moguls whose activities threaten to turn the world of independent films into just another facet of the mundane Hollywood culture.

Down and Dirty Pictures is an excellent book about an under-publicized area of the film industry by a longtime entertainment reporter. It is recommended reading to everyone who is interested in the world of movies.

Although I really loved Peter's narrative, I couldn't help thinking how well does he really know the people he is describing. I loved his story telling of the indepentent movie arena in the 90's but quite frankly his portrayal of the Weinsteins, I found off the mark. A much more honest appreciation of the moguls can be found in Looking For Harvey Weinstein. The funniest and most positive book I've read this year.

If you are not in the business of making movies this long exposition on the politics of the industry is a total dud.
Who cares ( outside of the industry ) about the machinations of deal making, money raising, back slapping and back stabbing in the indie film world. In fact, I have close friends and relatives ( in the film making business ) who were also bored to tears. Thumbs down.

Yes, it's hard to put down. Yes, it's entertaining. Yes, it reads like a high brow version of the National Enquirer. This book is fun, but it's a hack job. Biskind is notorious for taking massive liberties with his material, and he's clearly out to ruffle feathers -- though that's arguably half the fun. And no doubt, I'm sure the beating Harvey W. takes is well deserved.

The ultimate tragedy of this book is its misguided focus. One could easily come away from Down & Dirty Pictures with the impression that indie film is all about business. Big business. Really big business. Pages upon pages upon pages are spent investigating the finer details of acquisition and distribution. Pages upon pages upon pages are spent following the rising and falling careers of various unlikable executives, and their bad-boy behavior. But what about the films? What about the filmmakers? What about the passion associated with the original indie movement? What about films truly made outside the Hollywood system?

Biskind blows by the formative years of indie film in the introduction. Hardly more than a mention of filmmakers like Cassavetes, Jarmusch, Hartley, even Spike Lee. And folks like Caveh Zahedi, forget it. We do however hear about Robert Redford, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon. We hear about Weinstein and Katzenberg. We hear about Universal and Disney and Fox.

The book is subtitled, "the rise of independent film" -- but it's not about independent film at all. It's about studios. It's about executives. It's about MONEY. This book is about selling out. And in the end, the biggest sellout of all is Peter Biskind.

Biskind has written another fascinating book about the film industry, again focusing on a few colourful personalities to drive the narrative. Down and Dirty Pictures is an entertaining read (although at times it delves into possibly a little too much detail), but I was left with the feeling that its tight focus (particularly on the Weinsteins and Redford) meant that a great deal relevant to the topic was left unexplored.
Nevertheless, fascinating, informative and highly entertaining.

Peter Biskind writes in great detail and depth about the rise and bladning out of Mirimax Pictures. Oh, also notes a little about Sundance, Alliance and October films. Apparently Biskind is trying to sew up the whole Indie film movement that rose up in the 90s, but really this book is an excuse to pretty much fire up and roast Harvey Weinstein.

Not that Weinstein is a bad choice of subject, he is practically a caricature to begin with and with Biskind's in dept interviewing the stories about Weinstein are endless. I would have to say that is the main gripe I have with the book. It is ironic that a book that obviously needed a stronger editor goes on and on (and on) about "Harvey Scissorhands" and the damage he did to films.

Biskind shows no mercy, and little objectivity, with Weinstein. He notes how 'ol Scissor hands cut up "Cinema Paradiso" much to everyone's chagrin. But he doesn't mention that the "uncut" version was later released to almost universal critical pans.

Yet, clearly, in the end, Biskind does much to support the argument that the Weinstein brother's did as much damage as good to the indie film world (and movies in general). It is a fascinating read, although towards the end the repeated examples of Harvey blowing his lid become tedious. That and Biskind's habit of reconstructing conversations and putting the "f" bomb every third word. People may really speak that way in Hollywood, but for the reader it becomes tedious.

The stuff about Sundance and October films seems pretty thin (maybe there simply wasn't much to report). Redford comes across as a sort of uncaring jerk, but hey, think about how many vanity record labels and films imprints have been run into the ground by egotistical stars.

Interesting stuff, makes me want to check out "Easy Riders..." also by Biskind.

Biskind has topped his previous book and that one was great. In this book he exposes the reader to the behind-the-scenes stories behind Miramax, Sundance
and the indie film scene and exposes what a bunch of jerks
Redford, the Weinstein's and Tarantino are. This book should be required reading for all film students.

Harvey Weinstein likes to tell people he will do them bodily harm. He likes say these things in loud voices while breaking things. Harvey Weinstein is genius who is charming to people he wants to work with and he is passionate about movies.
His brother, Bob Weinstein, is better looking, makes more money and younger. This book is not about Bob Weinstein.
Robert Redford is an aloof, modern day Hamlet who couldn't run a video store nevermind a film festival/ski resort.
There, I've summed up the book for you. That's basically all there is. I thought there would be more detailed stories about movies and people, but either there isn't much dirt, or it is under rug swept.

The inside scoop about how Miramax and Sundance operate and the pros and cons of robert redofrd and harvey weinstein. The coverage given to Miramax is more in depth, which is almost comforting because the Sundance material read as boring material to me. Some great words from former employees. A great read.