Underground Film Journal

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Jack Sargeant: Deathtripping Revised

By Mike Everleth ⋅ August 20, 2007

Deathtripping book cover with Kembra Pfahler in orange makeup and a fright wig

Underground film scholar Jack Sargeant just let us know that his classic text on the Cinema of Transgression movement of the 1980s, Deathtripping, is coming out with a new edition this December. Originally published in the mid ’90s, the updated, revised version is being published by Soft Skull Press, the same publisher featured in the underground film Horns and Halos. Here’s a breakdown of what’s in the book from the Soft Skull website:

* A brief history of underground/ trash cinema
* Discussions of seminal influences such as Andy Warhol, Jack Smith, George and Mike Kuchar
* Interviews with key film-makers, such as Richard Kern, Nick Zedd, Cassandra Stark, Beth B, Tommy Turner, plus associates such as Joe Coleman, Lydia Lunch and Lung Leg.
* Notes and essays on transgressive cinema, philosophy of transgression, manifestos.
* Film index, bibliography

My knowledge of the Transgression movement is extremely limited, so I’m really excited to get my paws on this and get a review up on the Underground Film Journal.

There’s also a film out now about Transgression called Llik Your Idols, directed by Angelique Bosio, which just played at the Chicago Underground Film Festival and will most likely be playing the festival rounds (it’s playing in L.A. in Sept.). Keep a look out for it!