NEWS FROM INTELLECT

Declarations of Independence: American Cinema and the Partiality of Independent Production
by John Berra
John Berra explores the controversy of Independent American cinema, using directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderberg as examples of those who have also flourished in the mainstream circuit. This comprehensive book profiles the industry, questioning the supposed autonomy of independent cinema and asking if independent film can possibly survive in the face of the mass-production and profit of Hollywood. Praise for the book: ‘There has long been a gap in the film literature marked American Independent Cinema. John Berra's handsome and generous new study fills it to repletion. Prodigiously well-informed, economically literate, lengthy in its reach […] and infectiously enthusiastic in excellent prose, he has made an addition to the best literature of film without ever lapsing into the jargon of Theory.’ – Professor Fred Inglis, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Sheffield. While the survival of American independent cinema may be in question, it is reassuring to know that the efforts of those involved are celebrated: The Los Angeles Film Festival from June 19th-28th 2008 explores the work of independent filmmakers.

Hong Kong New Wave Cinema 1976 – 2000
by Pak Tong Cheuk
If you’re interested in film you’ll also be pleased to hear about Pak Tong Cheuk’s new book. Tong presents a comprehensive picture of the films made in this vibrant era and the complexity of issues they tackle such as East-West conflict, colonial politics, the struggle of women in a modernizing Asian city and identity crisis, all portrayed in visually striking ways. The book explores the development of TV and film industries in Hong Kong during the 1960s and 1970s, the elevated quality of cinema during this period and the entry of Hong Kong filmmakers, such as Tsui Hark and Ann Hui, into the mainstream and Hollywood in the 1990s. His study of the celebrated golden age of Hong Kong film contextualises 'New Wave' and describes its wide-reaching effects upon contemporary cinema in Hong Kong, the greater China region and far beyond. Praise for Hong Kong New Wave Cinema; ‘an interesting and detailed look at one of the most vital movements in the film industry during the latter part of the twentieth century.’ – Neil Koch, HKFilm.net.

Lovefuries: The Contracting Sea; The Hanging Judge; Bite or Suck
by David Ian Rabey
Fans of David Ian Rabey’s The Wye Plays can now get hold of the dramatist’s second volume of plays, Lovefuries, (part of Intellect’s Playtext series) Hailed as a fierce, pioneering Welsh playwright, David Ian Rabey is well known for his innovative, extreme drama that pushes the boundaries of contemporary theatre. Lovefuries offers a triple helping of powerful performance
pieces that dare to challenge the subjects of grief and sexual abuse and defy national and personal pressures to keep silent. David Ian Rabey reflects on one of the plays from the collection, The Hanging Judge; 'I think there may be a Hanging Judge in us all-an internalised voice…which mocks our achievements, dismisses our worth and is witheringly reductive of all possibilities.' Theatre in Wales describes the collection: ‘The struggle is fierce, suspenseful, and genuinely surprising in its outcome.’