Jack Sargeant

Jack Sargeant (12 March 1968) is a writer specialising in cult film, underground film, and independent film, as well as subcultures, true crime, and other aspects of the unusual. In addition he is a film programmer and an academic.

Biography

Since 1995 Jack Sargeant has written and contributed to numerous books on underground film, including: "Deathtripping: The Cinema of Transgression", about Cinema of Transgression filmmakers such as Richard Kern and Nick Zedd, "Naked Lens: Beat Cinema", and "Cinema Contra Cinema", a collection of essays on alternative film. He is the editor of the journal "Suture", and has co-edited two volumes "Lost Highways: An Illustrated History of the Road Movie" (with Stephanie Watson) and "No Focus: Punk on Film" (with Chris Barber). In 2007 "Deathtripping" was republished by Soft Skull Press.

He has contributed to numerous books on subjects ranging from Andy Warhol movies to road rage and car crash songs and his work has been included in collections such as Mikita Brottman's "Car Crash Culture", Mendick & Harper's "Underground USA", Wollen & Kerr's "Autopia", among others.

He has also authored and edited true crime books including "Born Bad, Death Cults", "Bad Cop Bad Cop", and "Guns, Death Terror"'. These books have featured contributions from Monte Cazazza, Michael Spann, Andrew Leavold, John Harrison, Simon Whitechapel, Chris Barber, and others.

Jack has written introductions for Joe Coleman's "Book of Joe" and photographer Romain Slocombe's "Tokyo Sex Underground".

He has contributed to publications such as Headpress as well as Panik, The Wire, Fortean Times and Bizarre magazine, as well as academic journals such as "Senses of Cinema" and "M/C".

Between 2001-2003 he was film editor at large for Sleazenation. Jack has written cover notes for DVDs by various underground and independent filmmakers, including the British Film Institute's DVD release of Kirby Dick's film "Sick: The Life And Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist".

Jack has appeared in numerous film and TV documentries on culture and film, as well as having cameos in underground films. He has also appeared on recordings by the experimental group I/O.

He has promoted and organized shows for filmmakers and artists at the Horse Hospital in London and Cinematheque in Brighton, UK, and has also toured film festivals in America, Europe, and Australia, including the New York Underground Film Festival, the Chicago Underground Film Festival, Melbourne Underground Film Festival, Brisbane International Film Festival, and Sydney Underground Film Festival. In 2002 and 2003 he collaborated with Simon Kane on The Salon, an annual event that has featured performances by David Tibet, Cosey Fanni Tutti, and Cotton Ferox.

He is currently curating the Revelation - Perth International Film Festival 2008.

Bibliography

Deathtripping: the Extreme Underground, revised third edition NYC, Soft Skull, 2007.

No Focus: Punk On Film, (co-edited with Chris Barber), Headpress, 2006.

Bad Cop / Bad Cop, (as editor), London: Virgin Books, 2003.

Guns, Death, Terror, (as editor), London: Creation Books, 2002.

Death Cults, (as editor), London: Virgin Books, 2002.

Lost Highways: A History of the Road Movie, (co-edited with Stephanie Watson) London: Creation Books, 2000.

Deathtripping: The Cinema of Transgression revised second edition, London: Creation Books, 2000.

Cinema Contra Cinema, Berchem: Fringecore, 1999.

Suture 1, London: Creation Books, 1998.

, London: Creation Books, 1997.

Born Bad, London: Creation Books, 1996.

Deathtripping: The Cinema of Transgression, London: Creation Books, 1995.

Major book contributions:

‘Harry Crosby’, Straight to Hell: 20th Century Suicides, ed. Namida King, London: Creation Books, 2004.

The Headpress Guide to Modern Culture, ed. David Kerekes, Stockport: Critical Vision, 2004.

‘Knee Deep in the Mud, Blood and Tears’, The Book of Joe, Joe Coleman, San Francisco: Last Gasp / Los Angeles: La Luz de Jesus Gallery , 2003.

‘Sticks & Bones: Weapons Training’, Search & Destroy: the Vietnam War & Film, ed. Jack Hunter, London: Creation Books, 2003.

‘Voyeurism, Sadism and Transgression: Screen Notes and Observation on Warhol’s Blow Job and I, A Man’, Underground USA: Filmmaking Beyond the Hollywood Cannon, ed. Xavier Mendick & Steven Jay Schneider, London: Wallflower, 2002.

‘Squealing Wheels and Flying Fists’, Autopia, eds. Peter Wollen and Joe Kerr, London: ReAktion Books, 2002.

‘Violence and Vinyl: Car Crashes in 1960s Pop’, Car Crash Culture, ed. Mikita Brottman, New York: Palgrove / St Martins Press, 2001.

Introduction to William S Burroughs' Unforgettable Characters: Lola La Chata and Bernabe Jurado, Brisbane: Xochi Press, 2001.

Introduction to Tokyo Sex Underground, Romain Slocombe, London: Creation Books, 2001.

Introduction to Butchershop in the Sky, James Havoc, London: Creation Books, 2000.

‘Bringing Out The Dead’, Addicted: The Myth and Menace of Drugs in Film, ed. Jack Stevenson, London: Creation Books, 2000.

‘Towards The Medical’, Body Probe, ed. David Wood, London: Velvet Books, 1999.

‘Rope of Flesh: Mudhoney Deconstructed’, Necronomicon Book Two, ed. Andy Black, London: Creation Books, 1998.

Film & TV appearances

"Llik Your Idols", documentary interviewee, France 2007

"Russ Meyer: King of Sexploitation", documentary interviewee, Ireland / UK, Channel 5, 2004.

"100 Sexiest Moments", documentary interviewee, Channel 4, UK, 2003.

"Love & Anarchy: The Wild World of Jaimie Leonarder", documentary interviewee, Pagan Films, SBS, Australia, 2002.

"Debbie Does Damnation", cameo, Eric Brummer, 2001

"Fear, Panic And Censorship", documentary interviewee, Channel 4, October, 2000.

"New Apocalyptic Literature" Jack Sargeant & Stuart Swezey as documentary subject, Denmark, 1999.

"X-Tripping", interviewee and research advisor on documentary on underground film and culture, Channel 4, 1998.

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/llikyouridols Official Myspage page] for "Llik your idols", a documentary about the Cinema of Transgression featuring Jack Sargeant
* [http://www.3ammagazine.com/litarchives/2003/feb/interview_jack_sergeant.html 3:AM Magazine interview]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jack_sargeant Official Myspace page] for Jack Sargeant
* [http://www.jacktext.net www.jacktext.net] Jack Sargeant website
* [http://www.suff.com.au/news-august.html#Interview%23] Interview for Sydney Underground Film Festival