Joseph E. Levine was one of the most recognizable figures in postwar American cinema; he pioneered saturation opening techniques, revolutionized art-film marketing, and was hugely successful as a producer. He dealt in every conceivable type of film, from art house to exploitation to blockbusters, and became the most famous film promoter in America. This book is the first to fully investigate Levine’s life and work, detailing his extraordinary career in the film industry and focusing on what he called his “peculiar talent” for movie exploitation and showmanship. Based on extensive archival rese ... More

Joseph E. Levine was one of the most recognizable figures in postwar American cinema; he pioneered saturation opening techniques, revolutionized art-film marketing, and was hugely successful as a producer. He dealt in every conceivable type of film, from art house to exploitation to blockbusters, and became the most famous film promoter in America. This book is the first to fully investigate Levine’s life and work, detailing his extraordinary career in the film industry and focusing on what he called his “peculiar talent” for movie exploitation and showmanship. Based on extensive archival research and interviews with many of Levine’s collaborators, it positions Levine as the most versatile film promoter and self-promoter of his generation. It details Levine’s tough upbringing in the slums of Boston and his subsequent journey from provincial movie exhibitor to the best-known movie showman in America. The book also shows how Levine was able to capitalize on emerging cultural trends while also maintaining his reputation as a maverick by fiercely guarding his independence and deliberately provoking condemnations from cultural commentators. It acts as a corrective to the many histories of postwar American cinema that either ignore or underestimate Levine’s achievements and influence. His multifarious appetites ensured that his presence was felt in all genres and that his influence is still with us today is testament to his position as one of the most important pioneering figures in America postwar cinema.