With this volume, David Ehrenstein begins the Front Line dialogue by moving from Jonathan Rosenbaum's narrative concerns (in Film: The Front 1983) and by re-examining the generally accepted history of the avant-garde. To do this he recontextualizes the contributions of such filmmakers as Werner Schroeter, the source and inspiration of the New German Cinema; Luc Moullet, perhaps the boldest filmmaker of the French New Wave; Jack Smith, the ostracized father of the American Underground; Orson Welles, whose work has previously been measured only by Hollywood's standards; and other elusive film artists including Ken Jacobs, Philippe Garrel, Raul Ruiz, Lizzie Borden, Owen Land, Sally Potter, Bruce Conner, Curt McDowell, and the late David Brooks.
In addition, Ehrenstein introduces experimental documentaries. In this section, Ehrenstein treats in depth Joel DeMott and Jeff Kreines's banned Seventeen and Laurence Jarvik's Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die?
The Film: The Front Line volumes provide an opportunity for readers to broaden their film experience. They provide portraits of film artists and a critical dialogue and form an essential information source for anyone wanting to understand the nature of cinema.
