The American film industry of the 1970s was very particular and bold. The period under inspection in this title covers a style named “dirty realism” that came up in roughly the late 1960s and lasted until 1974.
That period of unusual gritty esthetics was part of the American New Wave cinema. Its directors usually rejected conventional narratives and explored deeper psychological and social issues during the 1970s. They focused on the grittier, unglamorous aspects of life, often portraying working-class characters who struggle with existential dissatisfaction, disillusionment, unemployment and social marginalization. The emphasis on the working class characters in these films highlights themes of economic hardship, alienation, and the collapse of the American Dream, making it a key aspect of the dirty realism aesthetic.
Author Peter Stanfield in ten chapters meticulously explores themes related to Hollywood, the film industry, and the cultural shifts in American cinema beginning in 1966 that were peculiarly focused on anti-heroes, counter-culture, and the myths surrounding cult films and actors of that era. Key movies discussed here are classics such as The Hired Hand (1971, Peter Fonda), The Last Movie (1971, Dennis Hopper), The Last Picture Show (1971, Peter Bogdanovich), Five Easy Pieces (1970, Bob Rafelson), Dirty Little Billy (1972, Stan Dragoti), Cisco Pike (1971, Bill Norton), McCabe and Mrs Miller (1971, Robert Altman), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973, Sam Peckinpah), Bonnie and Clyde (1967, Arthur Hill Penn), The Shooting (1966), Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) , and Two-Lane Blacktop (1971, all by Monte Hellman), and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974, Sam Peckinpah).
Directors and actors of the period are presented here in their individual chapters that focus on a specific film or filmmaker’s contribution to the “dirty realism” aesthetic.
The most elaborate sections deal with key figures and actors of the 1960s, namely Dennis Hopper, Sam Peckinpah, Jack Nicholson and Monte Hellman. While the genre’s themes of gritty realism, working-class life, and existential disillusionment already were echoed in British and European cinema through movements like British New Wave, social realism, Italian Neorealism, and parts of the French New Wave before; this American movement explored similar grounds, but added genuine American authenticity, disillusionment, (rural) poverty and countercultural influences. Sam Peckinpah is regarded as the most convincing director by Stanfield, as his “Alfredo Garcia” and “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” exemplify the core of “dirty realism” with their unflinching portrayal of violence, moral ambiguity, and the decay of traditional American ideals. His work is praised for its raw emotional intensity and ability to confront the darker aspects of human nature, particularly through characters who are disillusioned, flawed, and often doomed to failure. And his films embody the spirit of the era, where the myth of the American hero is deconstructed, and authenticity is found in survival and violence exclusively. As the overall theme of the book, apart from excellent movie conclusions and a stunning journey into 1970s film esthetics, is the idea of failure in both film and (then contemporary) culture. Peckinpah’s “Alfredo Garcia” serves as a central metaphor of expectations, failure, alternative approaches, and repeated failure.
Stanfield also mentions an interesting parallel to the visceral qualities of the period films and the broader notion of “guts” in cinema and music during the 1970s. He references Stax Records‘ (Memphis) 1973 promotional campaign, which highlighted the authenticity of its products, specifically its rawness and emotional honesty. Peckinpah’s films are linked to this visceral quality, being as “uncompromising, unyielding, uncensored,” much like the music of Stax Records. This focus highlights the elemental, physical, and authentic contrasts to what was seen as a more commercial or artificial approach in the entertainment industry. As the “dirty real” productions were not mainstream cinema at all.
So movies like “Alfredo Garcia” which is compared to the classic “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” (by Fred C. Dobbs) connect themes of disillusionment, failed dreams, and existential crisis of the American 1970s. Characters like Bennie from “Alfredo Garcia” and from “The Treasure” symbolize individuals pursuing unattainable goals, or unattainable in present time America, driven by illusions of success that finally lead to ruin and death. These characters represent the “beautiful losers” of the American dream, characters doomed to fail despite their relentless efforts.
Nevertheless, looking back, Stanfield concludes that the majority of these once avant-garde filmmakers, initially hailed as auteurs and revolutionaries, ended up being part of the very despised Hollywood system they once sought to critique. As “dirty real” originally was a reaction against both the glossy surface of mainstream entertainment and the romanticized portrayals of American life, particularly in genres like the Western or the road movie.
After “dirty realism,” Hollywood shifted toward high-concept blockbusters, visually driven spectacles, and postmodern storytelling. These styles catered to broader audiences and emphasized spectacle, fantasy, and franchise-building, while retaining some elements of character-driven, existential narratives through neo-noir and indie films. And in the end, argues Stanfield, directors like Robert Altman, Peter Fonda, and Dennis Hopper are experienced as having “fallen from grace,” their later works often failing to match the (creative) ambition of their earlier films. And finally, the remaining artists of the period would be marginalized voices, such as female and African American filmmakers, who would later rise to prominence. The title comes with a select filmography.
A great excursion into what most film buffs would call the best period of American auteur cinema.
Review by Dr. A. Ebert © 2024
Peter Stanfield. Dirty Real: Exile on Hollywood and Vine With the Gin Mill Cowboys. Reaktion Books, 2024, 228 p.
