Refocus: The Films of Elaine May - (Refocus: The American Directors) by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas & Dean Brandum (Paperback)

About the Book

This collection focuses both on the films Elaine May has directed, and also emphasises her work with other high profile collaborators such as John Cassavetes, Warren Beatty and Otto Preminger.

Book Synopsis

Spanning from obscurity to notoriety, the films of director, screenwriter, actor and comic Elaine May have recently experienced a long-overdue renaissance. Although she made only four films -- A New Leaf (1971), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Mikey and Nicky (1976) and Ishtar (1987) -- and never reached the level of acclaim of her frequent collaborator Mike Nichols, May's work is as enigmatic, sophisticated and unceasingly fascinating as her own complicated, reluctant star persona. This collection focuses both on the films she has directed, and also emphasises her work with other high profile collaborators such as John Cassavetes, Warren Beatty and Otto Preminger.

From the Back Cover

'Academicising elusive Elaine May and her unruly improvs risks landing one in an imaginary Nichols-May routine, but this lively collection fearlessly takes the plunge. Watching the resourceful, mainly Australian contributors confirm or contradict one another as much as any of May's mutually entangled duos is only part of the fun.' Jonathan Rosenbaum, author of Cinematic Encounters Spanning from obscurity to notoriety, the films of director, screenwriter, actor and comic Elaine May have recently seen a long-overdue renaissance. Although she made only four films - A New Leaf (1971), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Mikey and Nicky (1976) and Ishtar (1987) - and never reached the level of acclaim of her frequent collaborator Mike Nichols, May's work is as enigmatic, sophisticated and unceasingly fascinating as her own complicated, reluctant star persona. This collection focuses on the films she has directed and emphasises her work with other high-profile collaborators such as John Cassavetes, Warren Beatty and Otto Preminger. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is an Australian film critic. She has written six books on cult film with a focus on gender politics, and has published in a variety of magazines, journals and edited collections. Dean Brandum gained his PhD at Deakin University and has taught at a number of universities in Melbourne. Cover image: Elaine May directing A New Leaf, 1971 (c) Photofest Cover design: Stuart Dalziel [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN 978-1-4744-4018-9 Barcode

Review Quotes

Academicising elusive Elaine May and her unruly improvs risks landing one in an imaginary Nichols-May routine, but this lively collection fearlessly takes the plunge. Watching the resourceful, mainly Australian contributors confirm or contradict one another as much as any of May's mutually entangled duos is only part of the fun.--Jonathan Rosenbaum, author of Cinematic Encounters

In this compact but authoritative volume, Heller-Nicholas and Brandum have collected an excellent group of essays covering the entire breadth of May's career.--G. A. Foster "Choice"

It's welcome to see a compendium looking to resituate May from the fringes of contemporary American cinema. Between the collection of smart, meaty pieces and their dazzling array of footnotes, we now have something to begin 'passing the ball' to future authors who can continue the May renaissance.--Ian Mantgani "Sight & Sound"

About the Author

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is an Australian film critic. She has written six books on cult film with a focus on gender politics, and has published for fifteen years in magazines, journals, edited collections and home entertainment releases. Alexandra recently co-authored a book on filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, and in 2017 co-curated the "Pioneering Women" program at the 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival which celebrated Australian women's filmmaking in the 1980s and 1990s. Alexandra is also a member of Alliance of Women Film Journalists.

Dean Brandum is an independent film historian. He gained his PhD at Deakin University (Australia) in 2016 for analysis of historical box office takings. He has taught at a number of universities in Melbourne and has written for various publications, generally on the topic of film distribution. His first book Technicolouryawn: Melbourne Drive-ins in 1970 is forthcoming.