John Sayles, Filmmaker: A Critical Study of the Independent Writer-Director: With a Filmography and a Bibliography

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"writing with intelligence and in scholarly fashion, Ryan captures...the essence of Sayles' filmmaking quality"

Book Description
In 1980, art house audience word of mouth about an unusual new movie, Return of the Secaucus Seven, launched the career of director John Sayles and with him the era of the independent filmmaker. Sayles has remained a maverick, writing, directing, editing and even acting in his own films. He has directed such diverse films as The Brother from Another Planet, Matewan, Eight Men Out, Passion Fish, and Lone Star, and received two Academy Award nominations. Here is the chronicle of Sayles' career-his inauspicious beginning and his work in fiction, theatre, music videos and television. A chapter is devoted to each of his feature films: funding, plot, important characters, and a look at the language, setting, and politics. Sayles' technical development-his camera work, editing, musical arrangement and mise-en-scne-is also traced.

About the Author
Jack Ryan is an assistant professor in the Department of English at the Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.


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A thorough and lovingly presented study of the work of American independent filmmaker John Sayles (Matewan, the Secret of Roan Inish). The 11 diverse feature films of this intelligent, conscientious writer, director, editor, and sometimes actor are explicated as an introduction for the general reader and cinema audience. Includes some black and white movie stills. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.


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