John Paizs's Crime Wave
- Description
- Detail & Specs
By Jonathan Ball
208 Pages
John Paizs’s ‘Crime Wave’ examines the Winnipeg filmmaker’s 1985 cult film as an important example of early postmodern cinema and as a significant precursor to subsequent postmodern blockbusters, including the much later Hollywood film Adaptation. Crime Wave’s comic plot is simple: aspiring screenwriter Steven Penny, played by Paizs, finds himself able to write only the beginnings and endings of his scripts, but never (as he puts it) “the stuff in-between.” Penny is the classic writer suffering from writer’s block, but the viewer sees him as the (anti)hero in a film told through stylistic parody of 1940s and 50s B-movies, TV sitcoms, and educational films.
In John Paizs’s ‘Crime Wave,’ writer and filmmaker Jonathan Ball offers the first book-length study of this curious Canadian film, which self-consciously establishes itself simultaneously as following, but standing apart from, American cinematic and television conventions. Paizs’s own story mirrors that of Steven Penny: both find themselves at once drawn to American culture and wanting to subvert its dominance. Exploring Paizs’s postmodern aesthetic and his use of pastiche as a cinematic technique, Ball establishes Crime Wave as an overlooked but important cult classic.
FAQ
How much is shipping?
When checking out online you will be presented various shipping options with the exact shipping charge for each option, which is automatically calculated based on your shipping address.
Do you offer exchanges?
In the case of an exchange of an online order, the customer is responsible for all shipping charges from and to the customer's location. Please contact tiffshop@tiff.net prior to sending back any products.
What is your return policy?
All online orders are FINAL SALE. We offer an exchange-only policy for all non-sale, undamaged and unused goods within 14 days of purchase with the original receipt. See full policy here.
Do you offer any discounts?
Members receive 15% online and in-person at the TIFF Shop and up to 30% off on Member Shopping Days.
Shipping Info
Shipping
From Toronto directly to your door. We ship across Canada and around the world.
Fulfillment
We process each order by hand. Please allow for a slight delay in order fulfillment.
International Orders
International customers are responsible for any custom charges, duties, or taxes charged to them by their country.
About us
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film.
Every purchase you make directly supports TIFF and helps us create a more informed and connected world through the power of film.
We’re dedicated to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema and creating transformational experiences for film lovers and creators of all ages and backgrounds.