John Sayles and James Cameron: Mastering Autonomy in Mainstream and Independent American Cinema
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)
Department
Literature and Languages
Date of Award
Spring 2018
Abstract
The objective of the present work is to show that directors James Cameron and John Sayles have in common the same approach to filmmaking in terms of control over the production processes, and by doing so, I show that they create overlapping areas between mainstream and independent cinema. Cameron works within the studio system, while Sayles self-produces his works. Their films are very different in audience size, budget, and aesthetics. These differences ascribe Cameron to mainstream cinema and Sayles to independent cinema. In this dissertation, I determine that they have some original traits in common that may be overlooked at first glance: on one side, their stubborn demand for creative independence; on the other, their attention toward contemporary cultural, social, and political instances. In order to reach these conclusions, I delve into two pairs of films by Cameron and Sayles that were produced approximately in the same time span, Cameron's The Terminator (1984) and Sayles's The Brother from Another Planet (1984), and Cameron's Avatar (2009) and Sayles's Amigo (2010).
Advisor
Gerald Duchovnay
Subject Categories
Arts and Humanities | Film and Media Studies
Recommended Citation
Morazzano, Luca, "John Sayles and James Cameron: Mastering Autonomy in Mainstream and Independent American Cinema" (2018). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 467.
https://digitalcommons.tamuc.edu/etd/467
