Discussion Questions

1. The article is primarly about the marketing strategies of Miramax, and they talk a lot about how they didn't want to market it as a "starving artist" or "avant-garde" film. The author says that it is impossible to distinguish between the interest created in the film as a result of marketing by Miramax and the interest created by the subject matter and storyline itself (33). Would you agree with that? Or if not, how critical a role did Miramax play? The film was already popular in underground circles before Miramax purchased it. Do you think it could have or would have become such a cultural icon without the Miramax marketing plan? And do you think that this more commercial marketing plan compromises the "indie-nature" of the film?

2. In "The New American Cinema," discusses how "dreams by independents are often the stuff of fantasy and illusion" (314) because even if the film is low budget, it works under the umbrella of the dominant capitalist system. Do you think its possible to still be independent while working within this system or is the idea of independence a myth (that we believe in b/c we like the idea of it)? And if so, how? If everything works within this greater system, what makes some things independent?

3. As some of these indie movies gain more financial backing from big studios (or small studios owned by big ones), do they lose some of their "indieness"? It does seem like much of the credibility of indie movies hinges on the movies being low budget and independent of studios (and I almost feel like those are the only two criteria). Are indie movies more legitimate if they are done without the help of a studio, even if that hurts the overall production quality?

4. After watching Sex, Lies, and Videotape, I have to say I wasn't the least bit impressed. I know its a cult classic, but I honestly didn't think it was any deeper than any big studio drama. Do some movies take on this great importance simply because they're classified as indie, even if they aren't really that special? Or am I missing some great quality in the film?