ReFocus

Explores the diverse career of director, screenwriter, comic and actor, Elaine May

Spanning from obscurity to notoriety, the films of director, screenwriter, actor and comic Elaine May have recently experienced a long-overdue renaissance. Although she made only four films — A New Leaf (1971), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Mikey and Nicky (1976) and Ishtar (1987) — and never reached the level of acclaim of her frequent collaborator Mike Nichols, May’s work is as enigmatic, sophisticated and unceasingly fascinating as her own complicated, reluctant star persona. This collection focuses both on the films she has directed, and also emphasises her work with other high profile collaborators such as John Cassavetes, Warren Beatty and Otto Preminger.

Case studies

• A New Leaf (Elaine May, 1971)
• The Heartbreak Kid (Elaine May, 1972)
• Mikey and Nicky (Elaine May, 1976)
• Ishtar (Elaine May, 1987)
• American Masters: Mike Nichols (Elaine May, 2016)
• Such Good Friends (Otto Preminger, 1971)
• The Birdcage (Mike Nichols, 1996)
• Primary Colors (Mike Nichols, 1998)

Contributors

• Clem Bastow, University of Melbourne
• Dean Brandum, independent researcher
• Jeremy Carr, Arizona State University
• Samm Deighan, Associate Editor of Diabolique Magazine
• Mark Freeman, Swinburne University
• Allie Hagan, screenwriter
• Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, film critic
• Paul Jeffery, independent researcher
Tim O'Farrell, Victorian College of the Arts
• Maya Montañez Smukler, New School, Otis College of Art and Design, the New York Film Academy and UCLA
• Jake Wilson, freelance writer and film reviewer