Greetings! As one of the two editors of this issue of The Projector, I welcome you.

What is independence? It can be many things to many people; to film studies majors, it generally signifies a separation from the traditional Hollywood studio system. But, like independent and Hollywood cinemas, the term “independence” permutates constantly. In this issue, I use the phrase “independent cinema” to discuss those filmmakers who, even while under the studio system, refuse to completely conform to a typical Hollywood standard of cinema.

I have therefore taken a very broad view of independent cinema here. Rather than looking specifically at a classical study of American independent films or filmmakers, I have opted to include views on early filmmakers and independent thinkers like Lois Weber, fiercely independent American-British directors like Terry Gilliam, and more “traditional” indie filmmakers such as Lizzie Borden and Jim Jarmusch. Also included is a look at the glorification of the maverick criminal in early 1970s crime dramas.

I would like to thank my contributing authors for the time they put into revising and submitting their own work: Stacie Mills, Amanda Schaub, and Anne Marie Sweeney. Without you, there would be only one paper in this issue—my own. Thank you much.

I hope you enjoy reading and learning from these works as much as I have.

Anna Maurya McKibben -Editor.

Amanda Schaub—Lizzie Borden: Born Woman

Stacie Mills—Criminal Ideology in The Godfather, Butch Cassidy, and Dog Day Afternoon

Anne Marie Sweeney—Lois Weber: Woman Filmmaker

Anna McKibben—Terry Gilliam: Fantastic Auteur