O Lucky Lindsay Anderson!

What is the course about?

In the 1950s Lindsay Anderson emerged as a prominent figure in the British film industry as one of the founders of the Free Cinema movement, which challenged the prevailing commercialism in British cinema and created a platform for personal and independent filmmaking. He, alongside fellow filmmakers Karel Reisz and Tony Richardson, sought to capture the raw realities of working-class life in their documentaries such as his most renowned O Dreamland (1953) and Everyday Except Christmas (1957). His unflinching camera lens explored and critiqued Covent Garden and the seaside resort of Margate, capturing both the mundane and the surreal, to reveal the contrasts within society. He sparked a new wave of creativity and paved the way for the British New Wave of the 1960s.

What will we cover?

- Anderson’s early work in film criticism at Sequence and Sight & Sound, which resulted in his groundbreaking manifesto ‘Stand Up! Stand Up!’
- The key influences on Anderson: Directors Jean Vigo, John Ford and Humphrey Jennings were his heroes, as well as the neo-realist films of directors like Vittorio De Sica, with these influences finding their way into Anderson’s own filmmaking style, e.g. his scathing critique of British public school life in If…(1968), inspired by the French poetic realism of Jean Vigo’s Zero for Conduct (1933) which in turn also inspired Francois Truffaut’s Les Quatre Cents Coups (400 Blows 1959).
- He became deeply influenced by the works of playwrights Bertolt Brecht and Anton Chekhov which hovered over his Royal Court Theatre productions.
- Anderson also influenced others: e.g. Scorsese named his Taxi Driver Travis after Travis in If…(1968).

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Distinguish between the Free Cinema Movement and the British New Wave
- Distinguish Lindsay Anderson from his contemporary directors
- Outline the underlying challenges to narrative and aesthetic convention in his key films.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is a course for those who are interested in cinema. No previous experience or film study is necessary but those who have studied previously will extend that knowledge.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Opening lecture illustrated by film clips followed by small group discussions feeding back to the whole group. No outside work necessary.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

No other costs. Please bring a notepad and/or other appropriate note-taking device.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Please look at the City Lit website for other courses in Film, TV and Media Studies: https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/history-culture-and-writing.