Cultivating Extreme Art Cinema

Using paratextual theory to address the accusations of gimmickry often directed towards extreme art films, Cultivating Extreme Art Cinema: Text, Paratext, and Home Video Culture focuses upon the DVD and Blu-ray object, analysing how sleeve designs, blurbs, and special features shape the identity of the film and prepare the audience for a particular type of cinematic experience. The book discusses the complex interactions that take place on these commercial artefacts, the ways they communicate to both 'highbrow' and 'lowbrow' audiences, and the manner in which they breach tradition taste distinctions. Including case studies of features like Cannibal Holocaust, Funny Games and Antichrist, the book explores the complicated dichotomies between art and exploitation films to present a fluid history of extreme art cinema.

“In a deft move, Hobbs looks outside the films of extreme art cinema themselves to determine how their paratextual surroundings play starring roles in establishing "extremity" or relative lack thereof. The result is a refreshing and perceptive consideration of film cultures and textualities.”

--Jonathan Gray, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Simon Hobbs is a Lecturer in Visual Culture at the University of Portsmouth. He has published in the areas of extreme art film, exploitation film and paratextual studies. His work has appeared in Transnational Cinemas and Cine-excess, as well as various edited collections.

'In a deft move, Hobbs looks outside the films of extreme art cinema themselves to determine how their paratextual surroundings play starring roles in establishing "extremity" or relative lack thereof. The result is a refreshing and perceptive consideration of film cultures and textualities.'Jonathan Gray, University of Wisconsin, MadisonUsing paratextual theory to address the accusations of gimmickry often directed towards extreme art films, Simon Hobbs focuses upon the DVD and Blu-ray object, analysing how sleeve designs, blurbs and special features shape the identity of the film and prepare the audience for a particular type of cinematic experience. Cultivating Extreme Art Cinema discusses the complex interactions that take place on these commercial artefacts, the ways they communicate to both 'highbrow' and 'lowbrow' audiences, and the manner in which they breach tradition taste distinctions. The book includes case studies of features like Cannibal Holocaust, Funny Games and Antichrist, exploring the complicated dichotomies between art and exploitation films to present a fluid history of extreme art cinema. Simon Hobbs is a Lecturer in Visual Culture at the University of Portsmouth.Cover image: Arno Frisch in Benny's Video, Michael Haneke Shown, 1992

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