Hollywood Auteur: Francis Coppola

Hollywood Auteur details the struggle between art and commerce in Hollywood filmmaking as exemplified by the career of Francis Coppola. Amid the dealmaking, creative compromise, and collaboration of modern American filmmaking, Coppola's career demonstrates how problematic the term "auteur" is in this milieu. Chown assesses the romanticism surrounding the cult of film directors in general and Coppola in particular. He argues that, ultimately, the idea that the actual "personal vision" of one director can be expressed in big-budget Hollywood films is highly suspect. Yet, the weight of this insightful volume suggests that Coppola may have an individualistic genius in the management of his career. Chown concludes that Coppola's status as a role model for a generation of young filmmakers and directors is well earned.Jeffrey Chown is the author of 'Hollywood Auteur: Francis Coppola', published 1988 under ISBN 9780275929107 and ISBN 0275929108.