From the Arthouse to the Grindhouse : Highbrow and Lowbrow Transgression in Cinema's First Century

While there are numerous books on art and exploitation cinema, very few attempt to examine both. Covering the first 100 years of cinematic transgressions, From the Arthouse to the Grindhouse is a collection of numerous essays representing key contributions to overlooked, forgotten, or under-analyzed parts of film history. From cult favorites like Arch Hall Jr. to revered but under-documented marquee names like Lon Chaney, filmmakers both major and minor are covered here. Starting with a section that pairs exploitation pioneers like Dwain Esper alongside cutting edge auteurs like Erich Von Stroheim, the volume documents the bleeding edge of the high/low cultural divide. Other essays examine the sexual melodramas of Weimer German cinema, explore the concept of Borat as a model for the new standardized cult film, and discuss the films of directors Tod Browning, Pier Pasolini, and Peter Watkins. This volume also contains a section devoted to the idea of "reality" inside and outside the documentary sphere, emphasizing audiences' desire to believe that "this is really happening," whether they're horrified or titillated. Addressing many aspects of "transgression" in cinema, these essays suggest that the distance between the venues and the audiences may not be quite as wide as viewers might imagine. --Publisher description Introduction / by John Cline and Robert G. Weiner Early transgressions. Erotica in the service of social hygiene : "sexual enlightenment" melodramas in Austro-Hungarian and Weimer German cinema / Mel Gordon Kicking against the pricks : the perverseness of Erich Von Stroheim / William B. Parrill Two Helens and a host of tricks : Tod Browning's The thirteenth chair / Gary Don Rhodes The prince of exploitation : Dwain Esper / Robert G. Weiner Sexploitation. Fondling your eyeballs : watching Doris Wishman / Rebekah McKendry "The sunshine boys of smut" : exploring cinema's sordid side through the films of Sonney and Friedman / Cynthia J. Miller Waterpower : in celebration of going too far / Jack Sargeant The last film, the last book : Pasolini and Sade / Stephen Barber Exhibition. Horror at the crossroads : class, gender, and taste at the Rialto Cinema (Time Square) in the 1940s / Mark Jancovich and Tim Snelson Japanese grindhouse : the Tobita cinema in Osaka / Johannes Schonherr Grindhouse and beyond / Jack Stevenson Art and grind in Seattle / Dennis Nyback Transgressive stars. The humanist transgressions of Lon Chaney / Rene Searfos The perfect threat : Arch Hall Jr., The sadist, and the ideal teenager / John Cline and Robert G.Weiner Jamie Gillis : the history of a 20th century sexual revolutionary / Michelle Clifford Cult-ural learnings from Borat : a model for the new standardized cult film / Anna Siomopoulos Reality/Documentary. The transgressive toke : art and misdemeanor in deadhead imagery / Emily D. Edwards The real "faces of death" : art shock in des morts / Mark Goodall The small world of the snuff fetish custom video / David Kerekes There is nothing more objectionable than objectivity : the films of Peter Watkins / Nick Muntean It's only a movie? : reality as transgression in exploitation cinema / David Ray Carter. Pt. III. Exhibition Horror at the crossroads : class, gender, and taste at the Rialto Mark Jancovich and Tim Snelson -- Japanese Grindhouse : the Tobita cinema in Osaka Johannes Schonherr -- Grindhouse and beyond Jack Stevenson -- Art and grind in Seattle Dennis Nyback -- pt. IV. Transgressive stars The humanist transgressions of Lon Chaney Rene Searfos -- The perfect threat : Arch Hall Jr., The sadist, and the ideal teenager John Cline and Robert G. Weiner -- The history of a sexual revolutionary : Jamie Gillis Michelle Clifford -- Cult-ural learnings from Borat : a model for the new standardized cult film Anna Siomopoulos -- pt. V. Reality/documentary transgressions The transgressive toke : art and misdemeanor in deadhead imagery Emily D. Edwards -- The real "faces of death" : art shock in Des morts Mark Goodall -- The small world of the snuff fetish custom video David Kerekes -- There is nothing more objectionable than objectivity : the films of Peter Watkins Nick Muntean -- It's only a movie? Reality as transgression in exploitation cinema David Ray Carter Pt. I. Early transgressions Erotica in the service of social hygiene : sexual enlightenment melodramas in Austro-Hungarian and Weimer German cinema Mel Gordon -- Kicking against the pricks : the perverseness of Erich Von Stroheim William B. Parrill -- Two Helens and a host of tricks : Tod Browning's The thirteenth chair Gary Don Rhodes -- The prince of exploitation : Dwain Esper Robert G. Weiner -- pt. II. Sexploitation Fondling your eyeballs : watching Doris Wishman Rebekah McKendry -- Exploring cinema's sordid side through the films of Sonney and Friedman Cynthia J. Miller -- In celebration of going too far : waterpower Jack Sargeant -- The last film, the last book : Pasolini and Sade Stephen Barber This collection of essays represents key contributions to 'transgression cinema:' overlooked, forgotten, or under-analyzed movies that walk the fine line between 'arthouse' and 'grindhouse' film.