Long before independent cinema became a label, a movement, or a marketing category, Howard Goldberg was already living it. In the early 1970s, when studio films dominated screens and creative freedom came at a high price, Goldberg was experimenting with film in ways that felt personal, risky, and completely outside the system. His early work did not follow rules because there were no clear rules to follow. Independent cinema, as we know it today, had not yet been defined.
Goldberg’s early experiments with film were not attempts to break into Hollywood. They were acts of necessity and belief, driven by a need to create rather than a plan to be discovered.
Creating Without a Safety Net
In the early years of his career, Goldberg was based in New York, far from the power centers of the film industry. He had studied painting and filmmaking at the Philadelphia College of Art and later attended New York University’s Master of Liberal Arts program. His artistic training was broad, not limited to one medium, and that flexibility shaped his approach to filmmaking.
At the time, Goldberg supported himself primarily through sculpture. This independence allowed him to experiment with film without waiting for approval or funding. He was not tied to studio expectations, audience testing, or commercial formulas. What he had instead was freedom, even if it came with financial uncertainty.
That freedom became the foundation of his early cinematic voice.
Early Visual Thinking and Artistic Influence
Before Goldberg became known as a filmmaker, he was already working as a visual artist. In 1973, he published a fine art book of drawings, a project that revealed his interest in form, movement, and emotional expression. These qualities would later appear in his films, which often feel composed like moving paintings rather than conventional narratives.
His background in visual art influenced how he framed scenes, paced stories, and used silence. Early on, Goldberg treated film as a visual and emotional medium first, not just a storytelling device. This approach set him apart from many filmmakers who entered the medium strictly through writing or theater.
“Apple Pie” and a New Kind of Film Language
Goldberg’s first feature film, Apple Pie (1975), was a direct extension of his experimental mindset. Written and directed by Goldberg, the film rejected traditional structure and embraced discomfort, ambiguity, and emotional tension. It starred Tony Azito, Brother Theodore, Irene Cara, and Veronica Hamel, a cast that reflected Goldberg’s interest in strong personalities rather than recognizable stars.
The film was not designed for easy consumption. Its tone was unsettling at times, humorous at others, and often difficult to define. That unpredictability was intentional. Goldberg was exploring how far he could push character and mood without relying on familiar cinematic patterns.
At the time, this approach made Apple Pie difficult to market. Today, it is one of the reasons the film is admired by independent cinema fans.
Early Recognition Outside the United States
Despite its unconventional nature, Apple Pie found early recognition abroad. The film premiered at the Deauville Film Festival in France, signaling that Goldberg’s work resonated beyond American borders. European audiences, often more open to experimental storytelling, responded to the film’s honesty and originality.
This early international exposure helped preserve the film’s legacy during years when it was largely overlooked in mainstream American cinema. It also reinforced Goldberg’s belief that authentic work would eventually find its audience, even if that process took time.
Experimenting Beyond Feature Films
Goldberg’s early experiments were not limited to narrative features. In 1976, he directed and served as director of photography for Rod Stewart’s music video for the song “Sailing.” At the time, music videos were still developing as an art form, and Goldberg approached the project with the same visual sensitivity he brought to his films.
He also directed a documentary titled Davian (1977), which explored the world of a celebrated New York hair salon. The project reflected Goldberg’s interest in real people, real spaces, and the creative energy of everyday environments.
These projects allowed him to test different storytelling forms while refining his visual instincts.
Crossing Into Literature and Theater
Rather than narrowing his focus, Goldberg expanded it. In 1981, he published a novel, The King of Clubs, adding another dimension to his creative output. A few years later, he brought Buskers, an Off-Broadway musical starring Tony Azito, to the stage, blending music, narrative, and performance.
These ventures were not side projects. They were extensions of the same experimental mindset that drove his early filmmaking. Goldberg viewed creativity as a continuous conversation between mediums, each informing the other.
A Creative Path That Preceded the Movement
By the time independent cinema gained mainstream recognition in the 1990s, Goldberg had already been working independently for decades. Films like Eden and later Jake Squared would benefit from a cultural shift that embraced personal storytelling, but the groundwork had been laid much earlier.
Goldberg’s early experiments with film were not reactions to a trend. They were acts of conviction. He created because he needed to, not because there was a clear market for the work.
Why Goldberg’s Early Work Still Matters
Today, when independent cinema is often packaged and promoted, Goldberg’s early films stand as reminders of what independence originally meant. It meant working without guarantees, trusting intuition, and accepting uncertainty as part of the process.
His early experiments with film offer insight into a creative era defined by risk rather than reward. They also explain why Goldberg’s work continues to attract audiences who value authenticity over polish.
Long before independent cinema was cool, Howard Goldberg was already doing the work. And decades later, those early experiments remain a vital part of his artistic legacy.
