Independent Classics

What's the difference between a "Classic Indie" and and "Independent Classic?"

As mentioned in our previous collection, "Classic Indies," the bright line we have drawn between the two is Sundance. Well, not Sundance per se but rather what it stands for.

In the late 1960s and early 70s, Hollywood was in pretty rough shape. People just weren't going to movies like they used to. In keeping with the cultural changes of the time, foreign and arthouse films were becoming increasingly popular with younger audiences. In a bid to regain their box office numbers, some intrepid Hollywood producers decided to take a chance on a few younger directors whose tastes were more in tune with "the kids." These filmmakers, more adventurous and edgy than standard Hollywood fare, were dubbed the "New Hollywood" and renewed the hunger for the American filmmaking auteur. One of the shining stars of the New Hollywood (Robert Redford) played a pivotal role in founding the Sundance Film Festival which has catapulted numerous independent filmmakers into the spotlight and helped to shape what we now think of as "indie film."

There were of course some independently made films before Sundance that have become classics of modern cinema. We've collected some of those films here. We're not talking about foreign films or films that were made "for art's sake," as good as some of those might be. These are films that were made without financial backing from a major studio and had to compete in American theaters, where Hollywood is king, and still managed to succeed. We've chosen 1980 as the line in the sand. Sundance was around but had yet to become the "Institute" or give out any awards. These are the real independent classics.