Peter Biskind, Sept 2004
068486259X £18.99
Peter Biskind's book arrives in the UK on September 2nd trailing accolades, praise and a complete absence of any litigation, which for a book with so many insider anecdotes and close-to-the-bone character studies is interesting in itself.
Down and Dirty Pictures tears along at the pace of a Miramax business meeting and because Biskind is such an accomplished writer, he takes all the corporate politics and makes them a riveting read - it does help when you are dealing with his particular protagonists.
The Miramax chiefs, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, are famously wary of any media coverage that they themselves don't control. Robert Redford earned himself the nickname 'Ordinary Bob' from Sundance Festival admirers, the handsome actor/director who was pulling out the stops to give untried, independent filmmakers a chance. And Biskind was executive editor of US Premiere magazine so already has an insider's access to the film industry.
The main characters may be cast, but this book's strength lies in the on- and off-the-record stories from the supporting names - those involved in the early days of Miramax and Sundance.
These people know exactly what it is like to work with the bullying Weinsteins and the spectral Redford and the stories are classy indeed. As Biskind summarises the Weinsteins' dealing in the early days: 'You could have produced a small film on the money Miramax must have spent on Harvey-didn't-mean-it flowers' or the fact that Biskind knows that those trying to curry favour with Redford are called 'Bob whisperers' are great details which come only from first-hand testimony.
The book backs up the stories with lots of well-researched details on individual deals with filmmakers, directors and stars and if anything the book should come with warning not to get hung up on the constant names entering and leaving the action.
The book's title may hint at charting the rise of independent film, but if there is one thing Biskind makes clear it's that the fortunes of independent filmmakers rose and fell with the help of Sundance and Miramax.
The chapters dealing with the Miramax story are obviously the more entertaining, with 'The House that Quentin Built' a particular stand out - this is when Miramax was sold to Disney.
However, the Miramax Oscar campaigns, the on-again, off-again relationship with Steven Soderbergh and the outrageous treatment of Todd Haynes around the whole Velvet Goldmine love/hate relationship are also a great read.
It's a testimony to Biskind's storytelling that the huge amount of detail involved - names, years, films, festivals, events, premieres and those all-important Oscar ceremonies - don't get in the way of a good story.
Biskind does make it clear in the foreword that there was some gentle, if that word can be used to describe Harvey, persuasion to leave this particular book aside, but when it became clear Biskind was still going to write it he secured Harvey's participation. Not so with Redford, his lack of participation is obvious and the story of Sundance's role in the US independent film movement suffers because of this.
It is a book not only for movie lovers and purists, who always suspected the Harvey legend was based on fact, but also for those guys who strive to be Tarantino. That the ego had landed was in no doubt, but he did have talent to back that up. This book is a cautionary tale to those lads out there who think a comprehensive knowledge of movie trivia is enough to make them the next 'big thing'.
Joyce Dundas
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