Down and Dirty Pictures

Miramax, Sundance and the Rise of Independent Film

By: Peter Biskind

Narrated by: Phil Gigante

Length: 23 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Down and Dirty Pictures chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers and of the twin engines - the Sundance Film Festival and Miramax Films - that have powered them. Peter Biskind profiles the people who took the independent movement from obscurity to the Oscars, most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax an indie powerhouse.

Candid, penetrating and controversial, Down and Dirty Pictures is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world.

©2004 Peter Biskind (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In Down and Dirty Pictures, Biskind takes on the movie industry of the 1990s and again gets the story....Peter Biskind captures his era as John Dunne did that of the Zanucks." ( The New York Times)
"Dishy, teeming, superbly reported...packed with lively inside anecdotes...[a] juicy and fascinating expose." ( Entertainment Weekly)

Sloppy book seems sleazier than its subjects

Peter Biskind delivers another juicy read, and that goes a long way, even if the book seems relentlessly one-track-minded about painting Harvey Weinstein and Robert Redford in the most unflattering possible light. Biskind must have decided what he wanted to hear before going into any interview, so his extensive reporting merely corroborates his opening thesis -- that Harvey's a boor and Redford's a control freak.

Still, it's fun to hear all that dirt, even if (in Harvey's case) it amounts to little more than chain smoking, binge eating and verbal abuse, invariably followed up with some form of apology a day later. There's none of the "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" sleaze here, even though Harvey's reputation is surrounded by revolting abuse-of-power anecdotes in real life (guess the lawyers couldn't clear that stuff).

Phil Gigante gives a lively performance to the material, taking greater care to capture the voices of his characters (back-woods Billy Bob Thornton, the Redford drawl, the belligerent Harvey, etc.) than the pronunciation of their names (David Linde, for instance, features prominently and is always called "Lind" rather than "Lind-ee"). He botches many of the names, but then, Biskind's loose with his facts, and that's a far graver transgression.

The Rise and Fall of Indie Film

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is a must read for any fan of Miramax and/or Sundance.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Down and Dirty Pictures?

The Weinstein stories are incredible.

What does Phil Gigante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Phil Gigante's range as a storyteller is perfect and his representations of the parties involved in the narrative are spot on!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Miramax Sucks, Sundance Blows

Any additional comments?

This is a revelation.

Fascinating...but a terrible narrator.

It's an impressive collection of "inside" stories from all sources regarding the rise of Sundance and Miramax. The only knock is that, since it's a kind of oral history, there are many different voices of remarkable people throughout. My apologies to the narrator, but I found his takes on the likes of Spike Lee, Matt Damon and many others to be silly, distracting, and occasionally insulting.
Once you get past that it's a fascinating look into the independent film culture and the origins of some of Hollywood's biggest names and companies.

If you liked independent movies from the nineties, Check this out.

There’s a little too much detail, but lots of insight to the independent movie business and what jerks/assholes the Weinstein’s were before any sex assaults.

Enthralling history of 90s cinemas

Would you consider the audio edition of Down and Dirty Pictures to be better than the print version?

Yes, I love the narrator and he does great accents

Who was your favorite character and why?

Billy Bob Thornton and Harvey Weinstein threatening to stab each other forks

What does Phil Gigante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Voices,

Any additional comments?

Please more Peter Biskind books especially Gods and Monsters or My lunches with Orson Welles

The Dirt on Weinstein ; and pretentious Redford

The author must be sitting somewhere saying "Told you so!".
It's easy to listen to. It gave me a much greater respect for how brave Rose McGowan had to be standing up to Weinstein. kudos to Farrow telling the story too. This author did a great job making you feel like you were following them down a dark rabbit hole of the independent films industry. Danger on all sides....
Enjoy, I know I did.

For the independent film lover!

Any additional comments?

This is an incredibly insightful book about the inner workings of Miramax and Sundance. It is a little like seeing how sausage is made, as it takes some of the glamour out of the movies you love.

The accents that Phil Gigante does for each player range from unobtrusive to hilariously awful. It's something you can listen past, but each time Matt Damon or Spike Lee "spoke", I burst out laughing. This is a small distraction, however. The book is over 23 hours long and when it ended, I immediately started it again. If you have interest in independent or smaller movies, you will find this book completely entertaining.

Excellent

Would you consider the audio edition of Down and Dirty Pictures to be better than the print version?

I don't know.

What other book might you compare Down and Dirty Pictures to and why?

I don't know.

What does Phil Gigante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

See my review below.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was excellent.

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It’s ironic that the men behind some of the most thoughtful, critically acclaimed independent films of the 90s (The Crying Game, Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, etc) - the Weinstein brothers, are at base a couple of bullies. It’s also ironic that independent film icon, Robert Redford, used his influence at Sundance to take promising projects (A River Runs Through It and Quiz Show) away from other Sundance filmmakers . Although some might complain that author Biskind portrays the Weinsteins and Redford negatively, there is no lack of evidence for his point of view. He names names; it’s good, solid journalism. Phil Gigante’s narration is excellent. He gives dozens of people distinctive voices, and his characterizations of Harvey and Bob Weinstein are particularly memorable

not as good as EASY RIDERS...

A very listenable book with a good vocal performance. The book, unlike its predecessor EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS, focuses not on indie cinema so much as on Miramax and Harvey Weinstein in particular. The stories about Harvey, while interesting, are repetitive and rather draining.

High Gossip

A great insight into the secret machinations of the movie biz. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in how the great films of the 90s and early 2000s made it to the silver screen.