Down and dirty pictures : Miramax, Sundance, and the rise of independent film

It wasn't so long ago that the Sundance Film Festival was an inconsequential event somewhere in Utah, and Miramax was a tiny distributor of music documentaries and soft-core trash. Today, of course, Sundance is the most important film festival this side of Cannes, and Miramax has become an industry giant, part of the huge Disney empire. Likewise, the directors who emerged from the independent movement, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and David O. Russell -- who once had to max out their credit cards to realize their visions on the screen -- are now among the best-known directors in Hollywood. Not to mention the actors who emerged with them, like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ethan Hawke, and Uma Thurman. "Down and Dirty Pictures" chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers and of the twin engines -- Sundance and Miramax -- that have powered them. As he did in his acclaimed "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls," Peter Biskind profiles the people who took the independent movement from obscurity to the Oscars, most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax an indie powerhouse. Biskind follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality. He charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. As in "Easy Riders," Biskind's incisive account is loaded with vibrant anecdotes andoutrageous stories, all of it blended into a fast-moving narrative. Redford, the Weinsteins, and the directors, producers, and actors Biskind profiles are the people who reinvented Hollywood, making independent films mainstream. But success invariably means compromise, and it remains to be seen whether the indie spirit can survive its corporate embrace. Candid, mesmerizing, and penetrating, "Down and Dirty Pictures" is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world and where it's headed. It wasn't so long ago that the Sundance Film Festival was an inconsequential event somewhere in Utah, and Miramax was a tiny distributor of music documentaries and soft-core trash. Today, of course, Sundance is the most important film festival this side of Cannes, and Miramax has become an industry giant, part of the huge Disney empire. Likewise, the directors who emerged from the independent movement, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and David O. Russell -- who once had to max out their credit cards to realize their visions on the screen -- are now among the best-known directors in Hollywood. Not to mention the actors who emerged with them, like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ethan Hawke, and Uma Thurman. Down and Dirty Pictures chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers and of the twin engines -- Sundance and Miramax -- that have powered them. As he did in his acclaimed Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Peter Biskind profiles the people who took the independent movement from obscurity to the Oscars, most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax an indie powerhouse. Biskind follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality. He charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. As in Easy Riders, Biskind's incisive account is loaded with vibrant anecdotes and outrageous stories, all of it blended into a fast-moving narrative. Redford, the Weinsteins, and the directors, producers, and actors Biskind profiles are the people who reinvented Hollywood, making independent films mainstream. But success invariably means compromise, and it remains to be seen whether the indie spirit can survive its corporate embrace. Candid, mesmerizing, and penetrating, Down and Dirty Pictures is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world and where it's headed In this "dishy...superbly reported" ( Entertainment Weekly ) New York Times bestseller, Peter Biskind chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers who reinvented Hollywood—most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax Films an indie powerhouse. As he did in his acclaimed Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Peter Biskind "takes on the movie industry of the 1990s and again gets the story" ( The New York Times ). Biskind charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. He follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality. Likewise, the directors who emerged from the independent movement, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and David O. Russell, are now among the best-known directors in Hollywood. Not to mention the actors who emerged with them, like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ethan Hawke, and Uma Thurman. Candid, controversial, and "sensationally entertaining" ( Los Angeles Times ) Down and Dirty Pictures is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world. "...Chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers and of the twin engines - Sundance and Miramax - that have powered them. ...profiles the people who took the independent movement from obscurity to the Oscars, most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax an indie powerhouse. Biskind follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality. He charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. As in Easy Riders, Biskind's incisive account is loaded with vibrant anecdotes and outrageous stories, all of it blended into a fast-moving narrative. Redford, the Weinsteins, and the directors, producers, and actors Biskind profiles are the people who reinvented Hollywood, making independent films mainstream. But success invariably means compromise, and it remains to be seen whether the indie spirit can survive its corporate embrace."--Book jacket

biskind Chronicles The Development Of Independent Filmmaking And Of Its Supporters, The Sundance Film Festival And Miramax Films, By Focusing On The Personalities Involved. The Result Is A Gossipy, And Sometimes Outrageous, Anecdotal Account Of The Machinations Of The Film Industry's Biggest Players. Despite His Breezy Tone, Biskind Offers Some Thoughtful Analysis About The Future Of Independent Film And The Perils Of Its Success. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, Or

the New York Times

if You Are Even A Casual Reader Of Glossy Magazines Or Gossip Pages, You Probably Don't Need Peter Biskind To Tell You That Harvey Weinstein, The Co-chairman Of Miramax Films, Is An Outsize Character: A Big Guy With Big Appetites And A Temper The Size Of Tribeca.

But Mr. Biskind's Absurdly Entertaining New Book, down And Dirty Pictures, Is Here To Tell You That You Don't Know The Half Of It. Mr. Biskind Compares Mr. Weinstein To Nixon, Mussolini, An Undercooked Pancake, Darth Vadar, The Fat Guy Who Projectile Vomits In Monty Python's Meaning Of Life, Even Lizzie Grubman In Reverse-traction Mode. And That's All Before Chapter 1. — dwight Garner

Down and Dirty Pictures chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers and of the twin engines the Sundance Film Festival and Miramax Films that have powered them. Peter Biskind profiles the people who took the independent movement from obscurity to the Oscars, most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax an indie powerhouse. Candid, penetrating and controversial, Down and Dirty Pictures is a must read for anyone interested in the film world. Introduction: The story till now Made in USA 1989 The anger artists 1989 Risky Business 1990-1992 The buying game 1992-1993 He's gotta have it 1993-1994 The house that Quentin built 1994-1995 Pumping up the volume 1995-1996 Swimming with sharks 1996-1997 Ace and Gary 1997 Crossover dreams 1997-1998 The bad lieutenant 1998-1999 The king of New York 1999-2000 All that jazz is gone 2000-2001 Gods and monsters 2001-2002 Postscript: The sweet hereafter. A critical analysis of the rise of independent filmmakers examines the growth of Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, the rise to power of the Weinstein brothers and their company Miramax, and the successful careers of Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, and other independent filmmakers whose work has transformed Hollywood and the. In the late 1980s a generation of filmmakers inspired by the directors of the 1970s began to flower outside the studio system. In the following decade, the independent movement bloomed. In this volume Biskind tells the story of these filmmakers and the independent distributors