CONTENTS -- ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS -- TABLES -- CASE STUDIES -- FIGURES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- INTRODUCTION PROBLEMS OF DEFINITION AND THE DISCOURSE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA -- Part I AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN THE STUDIO YEARS (MID-1920s-LATE 1940s) -- 1 INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING IN THE STUDIO ERA: TENDENCIES WITHIN THE STUDIO SYSTEM -- 2 INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING IN THE STUDIO ERA: THE POVERTY ROW STUDIOS (1930-50s) -- Part II THE TRANSITIONAL YEARS (LATE 1940s-LATE 1960s) -- 3 INDEPENDENCE BY FORCE: THE EFFECTS OF THE PARAMOUNT DECREE ON INDEPENDENT FILM PRODUCTION -- 4 AN AUDIENCE FOR THE INDEPENDENTS: EXPLOITATION FILMS FOR THE NATION'S YOUTH -- Part III CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA (LATE 1960s-PRESENT) -- 5 THE NEW HOLLYWOOD AND THE INDEPENDENT HOLLYWOOD -- 6 AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA IN THE AGE OF THE CONGLOMERATES -- 7 MINI-MAJORS AND MAJOR INDEPENDENTS -- 8 THE INSTITUTIONALISATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA -- EPILOGUE FROM INDEPENDENT TO 'SPECIALTY' CINEMA -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX.