Description
Book SynopsisDelving into almost one hundred years of rarely glimpsed history,
Cinema Ann Arbor melds interviews, deep archival research, and over four hundred images into a vivid history of film in one extraordinary town. These stories, told in exquisite detail, are firsthand accounts of the people who created Ann Arbor’s twentieth-century film scene.
Trade Review“Frank Uhle’s
Cinema Ann Arbor is a whopping big gift—to historians, archivists, and film lovers of every shape. Mind-bogglingly comprehensive, it is also deeply emotional for all the lucky folks, like me, who wandered through Ann Arbor’s magical portal into a life in the movies. Priceless, delightful, and necessary.” —Lawrence Kasdan, writer, producer, and filmmaker
“An invaluable and brilliantly detailed history of a unique regional film culture that touched the world, continuing to influence the lives of those who’ve been a part of it in any way. An absolute joy to read.” —Elliot Wilhelm, Curator of Film, Detroit Institute of Arts
“Peek inside the robust legacy of student-powered cinema groups that enriched the cultural scene both on campus and off. This enthralling saga recounts the dynamic moxie, gutsy programming, lucrative operations, and many colorful characters that sustained Ann Arbor’s incredibly rich cinema culture for nearly a century.” —Leslie Raymond, director, the Ann Arbor Film Festival
“Frank Uhle’s deeply researched and spectacularly informative book is an essential read for all movie lovers. Seeing thought-provoking art films on the U of M campus before the advent of videotapes, DVDs, and streaming was always a special event for me, and
Cinema Ann Arbor perfectly captures the pioneering spirit of film presenters who kept me spellbound in the dark.” —Martin Bandyke, morning drive host on Ann Arbor’s 107one
“If you love movies, history, campus life, or just a good, original yarn, you’ll love
Cinema Ann Arbor.” —John U. Bacon, best-selling author,
The Great Halifax Explosion“Longtime Ann Arborite and confirmed cinephile Frank Uhle leaves no stone unturned in this impressively researched and seemingly comprehensive local history. Copiously illustrated with page after page of rare documents and never-before-seen photographs,
Cinema Ann Arbor is the culmination of years of research and numerous interviews with participants. An enjoyable read with cameos by Robert Altman, Ken Burns, Frank Capra, Maya Deren, Sam Fuller, Molly Haskell, Pauline Kael, Harold Lloyd, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, and a number of others you might not have guessed played roles in the rich and varied history of film culture in Ann Arbor, Michigan.” —Matthew Solomon, author of
Disappearing Tricks: Silent Film, Houdini, and the New Magic of the Twentieth CenturyTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION VIII
CHAPTER 1 PIONEERING PRESENTERS 2
CHAPTER 2 POST-WAR EVOLUTION 18
CHAPTER 3 CINEMA GUILD BREAKS OUT 34
CHAPTER 4 THE ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL 50
CHAPTER 5 DOUBTFUL MOVIES 78
CHAPTER 6 BEYOND BUTTERFIELD 92
CHAPTER 7 IF THEY’RE DOING IT, WHY CAN’T WE? 110
CHAPTER 8 REVOLUTIONARIES AND RIPOFFS 134
CHAPTER 9 NEW PERSPECTIVES 158
CHAPTER 10 PERFECTION, NOT PROJECTION 178
CHAPTER 11 CULT MOVIES AND CAMPUS VISITORS 192
CHAPTER 12 A LIBERATING EFFECT 208
CHAPTER 13 THE RENEGADES RUNNING THE ASYLUM 234
CHAPTER 14 BENDING TO THREATS 268
CHAPTER 15 A DESCENT INTO DISAPPOINTMENT 284
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 305
BIBLIOGRAPHY 311
PHOTO CREDITS 317
INDEX 321
