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It Don't Worry Me: The Revolutionary American Films of the Seventies
A close look at the maverick filmmakers of the seventies—from Scorsese and Coppola to Spielberg and Lucas—who forever altered the landscape of cinema
The 1970s were a landmark era in American film, during which a cadre of young directors emerged who would effectively slay the old Hollywood and become royalty in the new. It Don’t Worry Me celebrates the enduring genius of the time by scrutinizing the work of ten directors who were prominent—or promising—in that uniquely creative decade and their contributions to this cinematic uprising. While Francis Ford Coppola was taking Hollywood by the horns, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were fashioning the first blockbusters, and Martin Scorsese was marrying old-school movie glamour to a savvy street edginess; Woody Allen forged an irreverent vocabulary for film comedy; Brian De Palma shot delirious horror comedies that trapped audiences between laughter and terror; Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick labored over austere dramas that challenged viewers’ expectations; and Robert Altman rattled off fourteen movies in the space of ten years, several of them masterpieces, most of them a miniature revolution in their own right. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, a young buck named Jonathan Demme kick started his career with a series of snappy comedies and thrillers.
More than just a tribute to past glory, though, It Don’t Worry Me takes a close look at the work of these filmmakers with a contemporary eye, discovering an urgency and innovation still resonant today.
The 1970s were a landmark era in American film, during which a cadre of young directors emerged who would effectively slay the old Hollywood and become royalty in the new. It Don’t Worry Me celebrates the enduring genius of the time by scrutinizing the work of ten directors who were prominent—or promising—in that uniquely creative decade and their contributions to this cinematic uprising. While Francis Ford Coppola was taking Hollywood by the horns, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were fashioning the first blockbusters, and Martin Scorsese was marrying old-school movie glamour to a savvy street edginess; Woody Allen forged an irreverent vocabulary for film comedy; Brian De Palma shot delirious horror comedies that trapped audiences between laughter and terror; Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick labored over austere dramas that challenged viewers’ expectations; and Robert Altman rattled off fourteen movies in the space of ten years, several of them masterpieces, most of them a miniature revolution in their own right. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, a young buck named Jonathan Demme kick started his career with a series of snappy comedies and thrillers.
More than just a tribute to past glory, though, It Don’t Worry Me takes a close look at the work of these filmmakers with a contemporary eye, discovering an urgency and innovation still resonant today.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 10, 2017
One of the best books on movies I've read.
October 31, 2022
Indulgent bait and switch book. You think you are getting some sort of analysis of 1970s cinema. Instead, you get a hipster author who purposely spends time emphasizing directors second tier films to show you how much a of devoted hipster fan he is. We are not going to talk about Spielberg's Jaws but instead focus on his T.V. movie Duel and on Sugarland Express. We are going to emphasize Mean Streets over Taxi Driver for Scorsese. We are deep diving into American Graffiti instead of Star Wars. We are going to trash Carrie. We are going to denigrate The Long Goodbye. The writer is mean spirited in his analysis and uses the deep cuts to show how clever and non-mainstream he is. Ooooh! He's as rebellious as 70s cinema! Pass on this.
April 20, 2025
This examination of a variety of significant film directors (Spielberg, Scorcese, Altman, Kubrik etc) & their significant films of the 1970s is certainly of interest to film buffs. And the author writes about them with intelligence & insight. Unfortunately, I can't find any biographical info about Mr Gilbey. I really wanted to ascertain how old he was when this book was published (2005) because what I did find frustrating was the amount of condescension he pours on those films from these directors he doesn't like. It felt like he might have been 30 or under, & presumably having never directed a film himself, when he was presenting his opinions as facts. So, the certainty that only he could identify the difference between a classic & a turkey got a bit insulting. But still of interest.
April 29, 2021
Thought-provoking in parts, with some interesting views on Francis Ford Coppola in particular, but very little of this book lingered with me.
It deliberately unmoors itself from both the history of the era of 70s film, and the stories (and gossip) around the productions themselves (the latter done, it seems, as an inexplicably snide pop at Peter Biskind's (superior) Easy Riders, Raging Bulls).
The pure criticism that's left lacks a consistent central thesis and, packaged as a selection of synopses of the filmographies of key directors, felt a bit thin. Some nicely crafted passages and interesting conclusions but overall it is difficult to work out the purpose of this book.
It deliberately unmoors itself from both the history of the era of 70s film, and the stories (and gossip) around the productions themselves (the latter done, it seems, as an inexplicably snide pop at Peter Biskind's (superior) Easy Riders, Raging Bulls).
The pure criticism that's left lacks a consistent central thesis and, packaged as a selection of synopses of the filmographies of key directors, felt a bit thin. Some nicely crafted passages and interesting conclusions but overall it is difficult to work out the purpose of this book.
January 4, 2023
KSKS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2012
It's easiest to read a book of criticism when the critic shares your opinions. For the most part, I tended to approve of his assessments, though there were definitely major exceptions, especially his negative comments around Apocalypse Now. He hit on the major filmmakers and it was nice to add some perspective around people who are often overlooked like Johnathan Demme. The best part of the book was the insight offered into the different perspectives of the various filmmakers and how that affected their craft.
I "discovered" films like Thieves Like Us from this book and am glad that I did. Not essential reading, but a fairly breezy read for fans of 70s cinema.
I "discovered" films like Thieves Like Us from this book and am glad that I did. Not essential reading, but a fairly breezy read for fans of 70s cinema.
February 10, 2014
Gilbey offers some fresh perspectives on the film directors of the 1970s.
July 18, 2016
I agree with the reviews by 'Justinbwood' and 'Alex.'
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews