Hollywood’s Indies: Classics Divisions, Specialty Labels, and American Independent Cinema

For almost three decades the big Hollywood studios have operated classics divisions or specialty labels, subsidiaries that originally focused on the foreign art house film market, while more recently (and controversially) moving on to the American 'indie' film market. This is the first book to offer an in depth examination of the phenomenon of the classics divisions by tracing its history since the establishment the first specialty label in 1980, United Artists Classics, to more contemporary outfits like Focus Features, Warner Independent and Picturehouse.This detailed account of all classics divisions examines their business practices, their position within the often labyrinthine structure of contemporary entertainment conglomerates and their relationship to their parent companies. Yannis Tzioumakis examines the impact of those companies on American 'indie' cinema and argues that it was companies such as Fox Searchlight and Paramount Classics (now Paramount Vantage) that turned independent filmmaking to an industrial category endorsed by the Hollywood majors as opposed to a mode of filmmaking practised outside the conglomerated major players and posed as a sustained alternative to mainstream Hollywood cinema. A number of case studies are provided, including such celebrated films as __Mystery Train__, __The Brothers McMullen__, __Broken Flowers__, __Before Sunset__ and many others. For over three decades the major Hollywood studios have operated specialty film divisions, companies that were originally established to focus primarily on the European arthouse film market, before moving on to the burgeoning American independent film market and in the process transforming it in fundamental ways. Hollywood's Indies is the first book to offer an in depth examination of the phenomenon of the studio specialty film labels, by tracing their history since the establishment of the first such division in 1980, United Artists Classics. The book provides a detailed account of these divisions, their business practices, their position within the often labyrinthine structure of contemporary entertainment conglomerates, their relationship to the Hollywood majors and their contribution to independent cinema in the United States. In examining these companies Yannis Tzioumakis provides a fresh perspective on the history of contemporary American independent cinema, which he divides into three periods: the independent, the indie and the indiewood. Each of these eras is characterised by a particular group of studio specialty labels and, to a large extent, by a distinct expression of'independent'filmmaking. A number of case studies are provided, including such celebrated films as Lianna, Mystery Train, The Brothers McMullen, Barcelona, Greenberg, and many others. For Almost Three Decades The Big Hollywood Studios Have Operated Classics Divisions Or Specialty Labels, Subsidiaries That Originally Focused On The Foreign Art House Film Market, While More Recently (and Controversially) Moving On To The American 'indie' Film Market. This Is The First Book To Offer An In Depth Examination Of The Phenomenon Of The Classics Divisions By Tracing Its History Since The Establishment The First Specialty Label In 1980, United Artists Classics, To More Contemporary Outfits Like Focus Features, Warner Independent And Picturehouse. Independent: United Artists Classics (1980 To 1986) ; Triumph Films (1982 To 1985), Universal Classics (1982 To 1984) And Twentieth Century Fox International Classics (1982 To 1985) ; Orion Classics (1983 To 1997) -- Indie: Fine Line Features (1990 To 2005) ; Sony Pictures Classics (1992 To Date) -- Indiewood: Fox Searchlight (1994 To Date) ; Paramount Classics/paramount Vantage (1997 To 2008) ; Focus Features (2002 To Date) ; Warner Independent Pictures (2003 To 2008) And Picturehouse (2005 To 2008). Yannis Tzioumakis. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Copyright 3 Contents 4 Acknowledgements 5 Introduction 8 Section 1 Independent 28 Chapter 1 United Artists Classics (1980 to 1986) 30 Chapter 2 Triumph Films (1982 to 1985), Universal Classics (1982 to 1984) and Twentieth Century Fox International Classics (1982 to1985) 51 Chapter 3 Orion Classics (1983 to 1997) 72 Section II Indie 92 Chapter 4 Fine Line Features (1990 to 2005) 94 Chapter 5 Sony Pictures Classics (1992 to date) 116 Section III Indiewood 138 Chapter 6 Fox Searchlight (1994 to date) 140 Chapter 7 Paramount Classics / Paramount Vantage (1997 to 2008) 163 Chapter 8 Focus Features (2002 to date) 184 Chapter 9 Warner Independent Pictures (2003 to 2008) and Picturehouse (2005 to 2008) 206 Index 234 Hollywood's Indies offers an in depth examination of the phenomenon of the classics divisions by tracing its history since the establishment of the first specialty label in 1980.