Page 251 - Alternative Europe Eurotrash and Exploitation Cinema Since 1945

C H A P T E R 2 1
T H E T A S K S O F T H E E U R O P E A N U N D E R G R O U N D :
A L E T T E R T O L U I S B U N U E L

Benjamin Halligan

INTRODUCTION: T I M E L E S S N E S S OR CONTEMPORANEITY AS 'TRUTH'

My dear Luis,

Yesterday, something that Jean-Luc Godard once said came to mind. When asked, in late February
1968, what he thought of the New American Cinema, or the so-called 'underground' and 'is there an
equivalent in Europe?', he replied:

I'm aware of the existence of the underground cinema. ... To me, however, the term
'underground' is silly, because the only true underground in the world today is North
Vietnam. Instead of underground, I would prefer a term such as 'Third World Cinema.
Why? Well, because to me the underground is to the cinema of Hollywood what the new

revolutionary politics is to the established order.1

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