The Indie Cinema Revolution
American Independent Movies of the 1990s
The years from 1987 to 1999 was a banner year for independent filmmakers in America. Hollywood finally invited young directors to join their party, resulting in a tidal wave of revolutionary new films. This period brought forth some of the most exciting independently-produced films.
Unique films such as Do the Right Thing, Fargo, Boogie Nights, The Player, and Pulp Fiction were produced in the 1990s. What caused this huge shift in filmmaking and film viewers? What were the lasting effects of these changes? In this class we’ll watch some hidden gems from this period and discuss the mystery of this prolific decade.
Arrangements for viewing the films will be through a private streaming service. There are no additional costs for accessing the films. Each weekly two-hour class will be conducted through Zoom.
Registration will be at PCC
Here is a tentative list of some films being considered for this class:
- Title (Year) Director
- American Psycho (2000) Mary Harron
- Bamboozled (2000) Spike Lee
- Best in Show (2000) Christopher Guest
- Bob Roberts (1992) Tim Robbins
- Bottle Rocket (1996) Wes Anderson
- Boys Don't Cry (1999) Kimberly Peirce
- Citizen Ruth (1996) Alexander Payne, Laura Dern
- Cradle Will Rock (1999) Tim Robbins
- Death to Smoochy (2002) Danny De Vito
- Defending Your Life (1991) Albert Brooks
- Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Gus Van Sant
- Ed Wood (1994) Tim Burton, Johnny Depp
- Fargo (1996) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) Terry Gilliam
- Fearless (1993) Peter Weir, Jeff Bridges
- Following (1999) Christopher Nolan
- Gas Food Lodging (1991) Allison Anders
- Gods and Monsters (1998) Bill Condon
- Grace of My Heart (1996) Allison Anders
- Hard Eight (1996) P.T. Anderson
- Heavy (1995) James Mangold
- House of Games (1987) David Mamet
- Jackie Brown (1997) Quentin Tarantino
- Kundun (1997) Martin Scorsese
- Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) Uli Edel
- Lock, Stock Two Barrels (1998) Guy Ritchie
- Lone Star (1996) John Sayles
- Matewan (1987) John Sayles
- Matilda (1996) Danny De Vito
- Mother (1996) Albert Brooks
- Naked (1993) Mike Leigh
- Pi (1998) Darren Aronofsky
- Pollock (2000) Ed Harris
- Raising Arizona (1987) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- Requiem for a Dream (2000) Darren Aronofsky
- Secrets & Lies (1996) Mike Leigh
- Serial Mom (1994) John Waters
- Seven Years in Tibet (1997) Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Short Cuts (1993) Robert Altman
- Sling Blade (1995) Billy Bob Thornton
- Storytelling (2001) Todd Solondz
- The Fisher King (1991) Terry Gilliam, Jeff Bridges
- The Grifters (1990) Stephen Frears
- The Hours (2002) Stephen Daldry
- The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- The Player (1992) Robert Altman, Tim Robbins
- The Spanish Prisoner (1997) David Mamet
- To Die For (1995) Gus Van Sant
- True Romance (1993) Tony Scott (Quentin Tarantino)
- Twelve Monkeys (1995) Terry Gilliam
- Waiting for Guffman (1997) Christopher Guest
- Wild at Heart (1990) David Lynch, Laura Dern, Nicolas Cage