In 2020, when the pandemic had the world in lockdown, I formed a group on Facebook called the Red Screen Society. The purpose was to bring like-minded film writers together to create a joint publication or ezine that would address the world’s ills using film journalism as a weapon of defense.
The idea emerged from my frustrations as a volunteer with the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and from seeing firsthand how utterly broken America’s political system was. I was also horrified by the attacks Sanders and his supporters received from many fellow film writers employed by major outlets. These neoliberals, who considered themselves progressive, championed the new Red Scare by labeling their opposition on the left and right “Putin Puppets” or “Useful Idiots.”
Making things worse were the writers who remained silent, allowing the ugliness to fester until it infected the entirety of American discourse. This new Cold War had a chilling effect. Self-censorship became the new normal. Many film critics, fearful of losing job opportunities in a shrinking market and terrified of reducing their audience numbers on social media, chose to remain silent or ignore what was happening. I watched shell-shocked as they continued engaging politely with some of the most vile anti-socialist, xenophobic, and bigoted red baiters imaginable. Meanwhile, witless conservatives across the country began to claim that this capitalist hellscape we’re currently living in was the result of some imaginary communist cabal. I was reliving the era of the Hollywood Blacklist that I’d read about in countless history books, and it terrified me.
I wanted the Red Screen Society to be an antidote to all the ugliness and ignorance I was seeing. The goal was to encourage film criticism that championed leftist and socialist ideals, encouraged reflection, and supported outside-the-box thinking. And in doing so I thought the Red Screen Society could offer some pushback against the fascism being exhibited by liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans who spent their evenings looking for Russian and Chinese invaders under their beds because MSNBC and Fox News were telling them to be afraid. Very afraid.
That fear has now infected every corner of modern American society, and the only way I know how to fight it is to shine some light in those dark corners. You can’t ignore the darkness because it will only grow more menacing, and you can’t try to stomp it out of existence because darkness will always be part of our lives. You have to examine it and declaw it so the threat is minimized. I learned this early on from my father, who would turn on the lights and open the door wide whenever I told him there was a monster in my closet.
I hoped the Red Screen Society could be a light. A warm, welcoming, innovative, and inspiring flame in what has increasingly become a very dark and shuttered world. I believe that art, music, literature, and film can be instruments of change and transformation. They can illuminate paths forward in this current climate of fear.
Here’s what I wrote on Facebook to encourage discussion when I first launched the Red Screen Society:
Like most self-identified old-school leftists, I believe that until we address significant issues impacting our shared world such as endless wars, economic disparity, environmental degradation, and limited access to healthcare and higher education, we’ll never be able to tackle issues like racism, crime, and gender disparity.
It’s not that I think racism, crime, and gender disparity aren’t huge problems. They are. But when you keep a populace ignorant by limiting access to higher education and keep them sick and angry by refusing to provide healthcare while limiting opportunities for economic advancement, things like racism, crime, sexism, and homophobia take root. The American culture wars are the result of centuries of capitalist policies designed to keep us fighting amongst ourselves instead of fighting the powers that be.
I mention all this because the following is a sample of some of the ideas I have spinning around in my head and topics that I personally think are important at the moment. But what subjects spark your interest? What issues would you like to explore further? What would you like to write or read? I would love to hear from all of you!
Some content ideas:
– A historical look back on the Hollywood Red Scare & how it has started to manifest again.
– Hitler’s Hollywood support during WWII & how it shaped the American film industry.
– Deep dives into the Pentagon’s working relationship with Hollywood.
– The demonization of Russia and China by the U.S. Government & how Russian and Chinese people have been portrayed in Hollywood films.
– An overview of Spaghetti westerns focusing on their anti-capitalist themes.
– How corporate advertising in Hollywood films normalizes the worst aspects of capitalism & shapes our politics.
– Horror films critical of capitalism. A few examples include White Zombie, They Live, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween III, etc.
– An overview of science fiction and horror films that advocate for environmental protection. Examples include Phase IV, Prophecy, Silent Running, Soylent Green, Aniara, etc.
– A critical look at biographical films about American presidents and what they overlook or get wrong.
– An overview of Czech New Wave cinema with a focus on its anti-totalitarianism themes. Too many critiques of Czech cinema are written by people who don’t know the difference between communism and totalitarianism.
– Deep dives into labor unions in cinema. Examples include Norma Rae, How Green Was My Valley, On the Waterfront, Harlan County USA, The Molly Maguires, etc.
– An overview of films about censorship and the freedom of expression. Examples include Fahrenheit 451, Lenny, Howl, All the President’s Men, Citizenfour, The Post, etc.
– An overview of films that advocate for the importance of education and funding public schools. Examples include To Sir with Love, Halls of Anger, Up the Down Staircase, Stand and Deliver, Blackboard Jungle, etc.
– Profiles of politically radical or activist film actors past and present such as Bela Lugosi, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Robert Ryan, Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Jean Seberg, Marsha Hunt, Stanley Baker, Gian Maria Volonté, Paul Robeson, Danny Glover, etc.
– Profiles of politically radical and activist directors past and present such as Orson Welles, Joseph Losey, Jean-Luc Godard, Sergio Leone, Ken Loach, Haskell Wexler, Charles Burnett, Oliver Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci, Boots Riley, Peter Watkins, John Sayles, Eloy de la Iglesia, Pier Pasolini, John Carpenter, Koji Wakamatsu (thanks Max), etc.
Regrettably, the Red Screen Society did not progress as planned. I’m terrible at managing myself much less anyone else and I struggled with promoting group participation. I also lacked the necessary funds to create a website or print publication. Despite talented writers within the group, including Samm Deighan, editor of Revolution in 35mm, I couldn’t fulfill my ambitions. Many members left without an explanation or became inactive while others remained optimistic and encouraging. In the end, I failed to make the Red Screen Society a reality. But the idea of using film journalism to examine our political history, inspire change, and explore ways in which we might forge new paths toward a better future remained.
So, when editor Andrew Nette invited me to contribute to Revolution in 35mm: Political Violence and Resistance in Cinema from the Arthouse to the Grindhouse, 1960–1990, I didn’t hesitate. His proposal led me to delve into student protest films from the 1960s and 70s, a topic I had often written about for my blog, Cinebeats, and Turner Classic Movies. Although I am passionate about the period between 1960 and 1979, writing the piece was more challenging than expected.
I was extremely ambitious and made a list of nearly 200 films I planned to watch in preparation. I also compiled an extensive reading list that I tackled in record time. However, when it came to writing, I hit a roadblock. I had become too emotionally invested in the material.
A deep melancholia had set in, and the distressing realities of our current era got the best of me. I began grappling with what cultural theorist Mark Fisher described as “The Slow Cancellation of the Future” while I contemplated how the U.S. government had been responsible for crushing progressive change in America and the world at large. Assault on student radicals during the 1960s and attacks on George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign eerily mirrored what had been done to the Bernie Sanders campaigns in 2016 and 2020. The wounds from those losses were still raw, and my anger and frustration were still a source of pain.
I was also reeling from the impact of the pandemic and mourning the loss of someone who had been an important influence on my film writing. My insecurities about my abilities began to bubble over and imposter syndrome set in. In short, I was a wreck.
This whirlwind of ideas, pressures, and emotions overwhelmed me for a time but I eventually managed to pull myself together and complete my contribution to the book. Afterward, I was still left with thousands of words, numerous ideas, and stacks of research materials that didn’t have a home. Much of it probably belongs in the trash. However, some things might be worth exploring more and sharing.
In the spirit of fostering ideas, exploring hidden history, and furthering the conversation around revolution, resistance, and radical change, I plan to share some of this material here from time to time. I hope you’ll join me. Beats and Transgressions might not be the bright flame I dreamed of igniting while creating the Red Screen Society, but it could be a small spark.
Revolution in 35mm: Political Violence and Resistance in Cinema from the Arthouse to the Grindhouse, 1960–1990 is scheduled for release in August from PM Press and is currently available for pre-order.
This post was originally published on Substack and I hope you’ll join me there. I’ll be sharing subscriber-only content and you can get some neat perks including custom-printed postcards and digital wallpapers.
CINEBEATS 
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