SCHROETER DIRECTORS, 4 EDItION abusive father(a riveting, Oscar-winning James Coburn ), a dying began making 8mm films, 1967; director for TV, from 1970; release man who wallows in alcoholic rage-and whom Wade still deeply fears. of first film to theatres, The Kingdom of Naples, 1978; also director Then Schrader revisited the landscape of Taxi Driver by scripting ctor in several films. Awards: Golden corsese's Bringing out the Dead, only here the loner-hero, Frank Bear, Berlin Festival, for Palermo or Wolfsburg, 1980. Pierce(Nicolas Cage), is a burned-out Manhattan paramedic whose soul has been deadened by all the pain he has witnessed, and who nds himself haunted by hallucinations. Taxi Driver and bringing out Films as director: the Dead offer alternative visions of the manhattan of woody allen: an upper-middle-class playground where crime and creeps mostly are nonexistent, drug-taking is a chic, recreational sport (rather than 1967 Verona(Zwei Katzen)(short) a destroyer of souls ), and an individual,s dysfunction is linked to his 1968 Callas Walking Lucia(short): Callas text mit doppel psyche(and Brooklyn Jewish upbringing )rather than the muck of his beleuchtung(short): Maria Callas portrait(short): Mona present-day environment Lisa(short): Maria Callas singt 1957 Rezitativ und Arie Frank Pierce and Wade Whitehouse are two more Schrader der Elvira aus Ernani 1844 von Giuseppe Verdi(short) characters who are prisoners. Pierces shackles are the slick, danger- La morte d'lsotta; Himmel Hoch(short); Paula-"je ous streets of New York between dusk and dawn, while whitehouse reviens''; Grotesk-Burlesk-Pittoresk (co-d with Rosa lockup is his hometown. Unlike his brother, he has not had the good von Praunheim): Faces(short); Aggressionen(short); to move far, far away, and reinvent himself. Eurasia; Argila; Virginia's Death(short) 1969 Eika Katappa; Nicaragua -G.C. Macnab, updated by rob Edelman 1970 Der Bomber-pilot(for TV): Anglia 1971 Salome(for TV): Macbeth(for TV); Funkausstellung 1971- Hitparade(for TV SCHROETER. Werner 1972 Der Tod der Maria Malibran (The Death of Maria Malibran)(for TV) 1973 Willow Springs(for TV Nationality: German. Born: Georgenthal, Thuringia, 7 April 1945 1974 Der Schwarze Engel(The Black Angel)(for TV) Education: Educated in Bielefeld and Heidelberg, and Naples 1975 Johannas Traum(short) studied psychology at Mannheim: left Munich Television and Film 1976 Flocons dor(Goldfiocken; Goldfakes) Academy after a few weeks. Career: Worked as journalist, then 1978 Regno di Napoli (Neapolitanische Geschwister, Kingdom of 1980 Palermo oder Wolfsburg (Palermo or Wolfsburg): Weisse Reisse(White Journey): Die Generalprobe (La repetition generale: The Dress Rehearsal) 1982 Der Tag der Idioten(Day of Idiots): Das Liebeskonzil(Lov 1983 Der lachende stern(The Smiling Star) 1985 De /Argentine (About Argentina): Der Rosenkonig(Rose 1991 Malin 1996 Poussieres d'amour(Love's Debris)(+cO-sc) 1999 Die Konigin Publications By SCHroetER: book Liebeskonzil. Filmbuch, with Oskar Panizza and Antonio Salines, Munich, 1982 By SCHROETER: articles- Interview with Gerard Courant and Jean-Claude moreau in Cahiers du Cinema(Paris), January 1980 Interview with Alain Carbonnier and Noel Simsolo. in Cinema Paris), March 1984 Interview with A Ilink, in EPD Film, January 1991 Interview, in Kino; Film der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, no. 2, Werner Schroeter with Rosa von Praunheim Interview with P. Kremski, in Filmbulletin(Winterthur), no 5
SCHROETER DIRECTORS, 4th EDITION 884 abusive father (a riveting, Oscar-winning James Coburn), a dying man who wallows in alcoholic rage—and whom Wade still deeply fears. Then Schrader revisited the landscape of Taxi Driver by scripting Scorsese’s Bringing out the Dead, only here the loner-hero, Frank Pierce (Nicolas Cage), is a burned-out Manhattan paramedic whose soul has been deadened by all the pain he has witnessed, and who finds himself haunted by hallucinations. Taxi Driver and Bringing out the Dead offer alternative visions of the Manhattan of Woody Allen: an upper-middle-class playground where crime and creeps mostly are nonexistent, drug-taking is a chic, recreational sport (rather than a destroyer of souls), and an individual’s dysfunction is linked to his psyche (and Brooklyn Jewish upbringing) rather than the muck of his present-day environment. Frank Pierce and Wade Whitehouse are two more Schrader characters who are prisoners. Pierce’s shackles are the slick, dangerous streets of New York between dusk and dawn, while Whitehouse’s lockup is his hometown. Unlike his brother, he has not had the good sense to move far, far away, and reinvent himself. —G.C. Macnab, updated by Rob Edelman SCHROETER, Werner Nationality: German. Born: Georgenthal, Thuringia, 7 April 1945. Education: Educated in Bielefeld and Heidelberg, and Naples; studied psychology at Mannheim; left Munich Television and Film Academy after a few weeks. Career: Worked as journalist, then Werner Schroeter with Rosa von Praunheim began making 8mm films, 1967; director for TV, from 1970; release of first film to theatres, The Kingdom of Naples, 1978; also director for opera and theatre, and actor in several films. Awards: Golden Bear, Berlin Festival, for Palermo or Wolfsburg, 1980. Films as Director: 1967 Verona (Zwei Katzen) (short) 1968 Callas Walking Lucia (short); Callas text mit doppelbeleuchtung (short); Maria Callas porträt (short); Mona Lisa (short); Maria Callas singt 1957 Rezitativ und Arie der Elvira aus Ernani 1844 von Giuseppe Verdi (short); La morte d’Isotta; Himmel Hoch (short); Paula—‘‘je reviens’’; Grotesk—Burlesk—Pittoresk (co-d with Rosa von Praunheim); Faces (short); Aggressionen (short); Neurasia; Argila; Virginia’s Death (short) 1969 Eika Katappa; Nicaragua 1970 Der Bomber-pilot (for TV); Anglia 1971 Salome (for TV); Macbeth (for TV); Funkausstellung 1971— Hitparade (for TV) 1972 Der Tod der Maria Malibran (The Death of Maria Malibran) (for TV) 1973 Willow Springs (for TV) 1974 Der Schwarze Engel (The Black Angel) (for TV) 1975 Johannas Traum (short) 1976 Flocons d’or (Goldflocken; Goldflakes) 1978 Regno di Napoli (Neapolitanische Geschwister; Kingdom of Naples) 1980 Palermo oder Wolfsburg (Palermo or Wolfsburg); Weisse Reisse (White Journey); Die Generalprobe (La Répétition générale; The Dress Rehearsal) 1982 Der Tag der Idioten (Day of Idiots); Das Liebeskonzil (Lovers’ Council) 1983 Der lachende Stern (The Smiling Star) 1985 De l’Argentine (About Argentina); Der Rosenkönig (Rose King); A la recherche du soleil (for TV) 1991 Malina 1996 Poussières d’amour (Love’s Debris) (+ co-sc) 1999 Die Königin Publications By SCHROETER: book— Liebeskonzil. Filmbuch, with Oskjar Panizza and Antonio Salines, Munich, 1982. By SCHROETER: articles— Interview with Gérard Courant and Jean-Claude Moireau, in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), January 1980. Interview with Alain Carbonnier and Noël Simsolo, in Cinéma (Paris), March 1984. Interview with A. Wilink, in EPD Film, January 1991. Interview, in Kino; Film der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, no. 2, 1991. Interview with P. Kremski, in Filmbulletin (Winterthur), no. 5, 1996
DIRECTORS, 4 EDITION SCHROETEI On SCHROETER. books- viewing habits, hence his predilection for fragmentation, non-syn- chronization, extended duration, and deliberately over-the-top acting Schmid, Eva, and Frank Scurla, editors, Werner Schroeter. Filme At its best, this approach to cinema simultaneously involves the 1968-70, Bochum,1971 spectator through the music, whilst distancing through anti-naturalist Jansen, Peter W, and wolfram Schutte, editors, Werner Schroeter, conventions(which should not be confused with Brechtian distanciation Munich. 1980 techniques). Schroeter's cinema of excess and artifice occupies Courant. Gerard. editor. Wemer Schroeter. Paris. 1982 a transitional space between the avant-garde and art cinema, neither Elsaesser, Thomas, New German Cinema: A History, London, 1985 quite abstract nor quite narrative. Music. which is central in all of schroeter's films. is more On SChroeter: articles- important for its content than the mood it conveys: the music comments, but also contradicts at times. Juxtaposing classical with Wenders, Wim, Filme von Werner Schroeter, in Filmkritik(Mu- popular music is a major characteristic of Schroeter's cinema For nich), May 1969; reprinted in Emotion Pictures: Reflections on example, he puts Maria Callas, the opera diva, side by side with the Cinema. London, 1990. Caterina Valente, the German popular singer. This blurs the hierarchi- Grafe, Frieda, ""Schauplatz fur Sprache: Neurasia, in Filmkritik cal distinction between"high"and"low"culture, between art and Munich), no 3, 1970. kitsch. Yet Schroeter has been accused of elitism-of making films Greenberg, Alan, "Notes on Some European Directors, in Amer for‘ culture vultures e his complex system of citing from pop, can Film(Washington, D. C ) voL 3, no. 1, 1977. Corrigan, Timothy, " Werner Schroeter's Operatic Cinema, in Dis- opera, and literature sources demands a high degree of cultural literacy from the spectator. Moreover, with Schroeter one can never course(Berkeley), Spring 1981 Indiana, Gary, ""Scattered Pictures: The Movies of Wermer Schroeter, be quite certain whether he parodies or celebrates in Art Forum(New York), March 1982. Over the years, and thanks to major retrospectives in London, Kuhlbrodt, Dietrich, Werner Schroeter, in Cine Graph. Lexikon Paris, and New York, Schroeter has gained an international cult zum deutschsprachigen film, edited by Hans-Michael Bock following. Though his cinema is marginal in terms of general audi- Munich. 1984. ence appeal, Schroeter has been a seminal presence in the New Bassan, R, and M. Martin, ""Werner Schroeter, in Revue du cinema German Cinema of the 1970s. Fassbinder, Herzog and wenders have (Paris), February 1984 decisive influence on their work. his Corrigan, Timothy, "On the Edge of History The Radiant Spectacle on Syberberg is so apparent that Fassbinder has even leveled charges Schroeter, in Film Quarterly(Berkeley), Summer 1984. Kunze, Barbara, Focusing on the abstract, in World Press Review, Eika Katappa, a radical appropriation of famous nineteenth- Danton,A,"Le desert et les roses, "in Cahiers du Cinema(Paris), idiosyncratic scenes, won the Josef von Stemberg prize(as"the most April 1991 century opera in 1969 at the Mannheim Film Festival and September 1991 provided Schroeter with a major breakthrough. As a consequence he Bernink, M, "" De ruimte van het operateske, in Skrien, February/ entered the world of television, and during the 1970s his films were produced almost exclusively by a small experimental tel evision Kino(Warsaw ), no. 1, 199 department. It is rather ironic that Schroeter's"total cinema"(owing more to the spectacle than to the narrative arts) found a home television Der tod der maria malibran, sublime and bizarre is considered Werner Schroeter's hyper-melodramatic films tend to provoke by many (including Michel Foucault and Schroeter himself)to be one either intense admiration or outraged hostility. He is one of the most of his best films, but it is also the most difficult. The historical figure controversial filmmakers associated with the New German Cinema. of the singer Maria Malibran provides merely a starting point for His emotionally charged, performance-inspired cinema draws on and a dense network of references and allusions encompassing Goethe, radically reinterprets nineteenth-century Italian bel canto opera and Lautreamont, Elvis Presley, and Janis Joplin. With Regno di napoli he music of German Romanticism. Schroeter's central figure is Schroeter shifted towards art cinema. and it became his first commer- ways the outsider-the homosexual, the mad person, the foreigner- and his major theme is the yearning for self-realization through cial release. It was received with an unusual consensus of critical passionate love and artistic creativ acclaim. Many who had regarded Schroeter as a filmmaker of Schroeter's concept of cinema relies on intense stylization, de- fantastic fables were surprised subsequently at his politically hard ploying manneristic prolonged gestures. The characters are framed in hitting documentaries. The Laughing Star is an extraordinary collage sumptuous tableaux compositions, and the visuals are underscored by documentary on Marcos's corrupt regime, while Zum Beispiel a highly manipulated soundtrack. Images, music, and sound n- Argentinien denounces Galtieri's dictatorship aggeratedly to the lyrics or spoken words on the soundtrack. The that could be described as""high camip., as an aesthetic approach synchronized in Schroeter's early films: the performers mime songs, arias, and literary citations(mostly from Lautreamont) give quently been compared to and contrasted with(not always favourably) rise to stories which repeat distilled moments of desire, loss, and death. Rosa von praunheim's much more militant stance. Schroeter insists Schroeter is not interested in reproducing an illusion of reali on the romantic version of homosexuality. In most of his films we get with psychologically motivated actions; instead, he seeks to create the gay historical subtext, rather than thematic treatment. Der visions for a psychic reality. He wants to break with conventional Rosenkonig, an excessive and entrancing hallucinatory fable of
DIRECTORS, 4 SCHROETER th EDITION 885 On SCHROETER: books— Schmid, Eva, and Frank Scurla, editors, Werner Schroeter. Filme 1968–70, Bochum, 1971. Jansen, Peter W., and Wolfram Schütte, editors, Werner Schroeter, Munich, 1980. Courant, Gérard, editor, Werner Schroeter, Paris, 1982. Elsaesser, Thomas, New German Cinema: A History, London, 1989. On SCHROETER: articles— Wenders, Wim, ‘‘Filme von Werner Schroeter,’’ in Filmkritik (Munich), May 1969; reprinted in Emotion Pictures: Reflections on the Cinema, London, 1990. Grafe, Frieda, ‘‘Schauplatz für Sprache: Neurasia,’’ in Filmkritik (Munich), no. 3, 1970. Greenberg, Alan, ‘‘Notes on Some European Directors,’’ in American Film (Washington, D.C.), vol. 3, no. 1, 1977. Corrigan, Timothy, ‘‘Werner Schroeter’s Operatic Cinema,’’ in Discourse (Berkeley), Spring 1981. Indiana, Gary, ‘‘Scattered Pictures: The Movies of Werner Schroeter,’’ in Art Forum (New York), March 1982. Kuhlbrodt, Dietrich, ‘‘Werner Schroeter,’’ in CineGraph. Lexikon zum deutschsprachigen film, edited by Hans-Michael Bock, Munich, 1984. Bassan, R., and M. Martin, ‘‘Werner Schroeter,’’ in Revue du Cinéma (Paris), February 1984. Corrigan, Timothy, ‘‘On the Edge of History: The Radiant Spectacle of Werner Schroeter,’’ in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Summer 1984. Kunze, Barbara, ‘‘Focusing on the Abstract,’’ in World Press Review, April 1991. Danton, A., ‘‘Le desert et les roses,’’ in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), September 1991. Bernink, M., ‘‘De ruimte van het operateske,’’ in Skrien, February/ March 1992. Kino (Warsaw), no. 1, 1997. *** Werner Schroeter’s hyper-melodramatic films tend to provoke either intense admiration or outraged hostility. He is one of the most controversial filmmakers associated with the New German Cinema. His emotionally charged, performance-inspired cinema draws on and radically reinterprets nineteenth-century Italian bel canto opera and the music of German Romanticism. Schroeter’s central figure is always the outsider—the homosexual, the mad person, the foreigner— and his major theme is the yearning for self-realization through passionate love and artistic creativity. Schroeter’s concept of cinema relies on intense stylization, deploying manneristic prolonged gestures. The characters are framed in sumptuous tableaux compositions, and the visuals are underscored by a highly manipulated soundtrack. Images, music, and sound are nonsynchronized in Schroeter’s early films: the performers mime exaggeratedly to the lyrics or spoken words on the soundtrack. The songs, arias, and literary citations (mostly from Lautréamont) give rise to stories which repeat distilled moments of desire, loss, and death. Schroeter is not interested in reproducing an illusion of reality with psychologically motivated actions; instead, he seeks to create visions for a psychic reality. He wants to break with conventional viewing habits, hence his predilection for fragmentation, non-synchronization, extended duration, and deliberately over-the-top acting. At its best, this approach to cinema simultaneously involves the spectator through the music, whilst distancing through anti-naturalist conventions (which should not be confused with Brechtian distanciation techniques). Schroeter’s cinema of excess and artifice occupies a transitional space between the avant-garde and art cinema, neither quite abstract nor quite narrative. Music, which is central in all of Schroeter’s films, is more important for its content than the mood it conveys: the music comments, but also contradicts at times. Juxtaposing classical with popular music is a major characteristic of Schroeter’s cinema. For example, he puts Maria Callas, the opera diva, side by side with Caterina Valente, the German popular singer. This blurs the hierarchical distinction between ‘‘high’’ and ‘‘low’’ culture, between art and kitsch. Yet Schroeter has been accused of elitism—of making films for ‘‘culture vultures’’—since his complex system of citing from pop, opera, and literature sources demands a high degree of cultural literacy from the spectator. Moreover, with Schroeter one can never be quite certain whether he parodies or celebrates. Over the years, and thanks to major retrospectives in London, Paris, and New York, Schroeter has gained an international cult following. Though his cinema is marginal in terms of general audience appeal, Schroeter has been a seminal presence in the New German Cinema of the 1970s. Fassbinder, Herzog, and Wenders have acknowledged him as a decisive influence on their work. His impact on Syberberg is so apparent that Fassbinder has even leveled charges of plagiarism. Eika Katappa, a radical appropriation of famous nineteenthcentury opera scenes, won the Josef von Sternberg prize (as ‘‘the most idiosyncratic film’’) in 1969 at the Mannheim Film Festival and provided Schroeter with a major breakthrough. As a consequence he entered the world of television, and during the 1970s his films were produced almost exclusively by a small experimental television department. It is rather ironic that Schroeter’s ‘‘total cinema’’ (owing more to the spectacle than to the narrative arts) found a home in television. Der Tod der Maria Malibran, sublime and bizarre, is considered by many (including Michel Foucault and Schroeter himself) to be one of his best films, but it is also the most difficult. The historical figure of the singer Maria Malibran provides merely a starting point for a dense network of references and allusions encompassing Goethe, Lautréamont, Elvis Presley, and Janis Joplin. With Regno di Napoli Schroeter shifted towards art cinema, and it became his first commercial release. It was received with an unusual consensus of critical acclaim. Many who had regarded Schroeter as a filmmaker of fantastic fables were surprised subsequently at his politically hardhitting documentaries. The Laughing Star is an extraordinary collage documentary on Marcos’s corrupt regime, while Zum Beispiel Argentinien denounces Galtieri’s dictatorship. Schroeter’s gay sensibility is expressed as an aesthetic approach that could be described as ‘‘high camp.’’ His conception has frequently been compared to and contrasted with (not always favourably) Rosa von Praunheim’s much more militant stance. Schroeter insists on the romantic version of homosexuality. In most of his films we get the gay historical subtext, rather than thematic treatment. Der Rosenkönig, an excessive and entrancing hallucinatory fable of
SCHUMACHER DIRECTORS, 4 EDItION oedipal and homosexual passion, is his most explicit gay film. It also Other Films: narked the beginning of a six-year gap in fiction filmmaking for the director. Only in 1990 did he begin shooting his new film, Malina. 1972 Play It as it Lays( Perry)(costumes); The Last of sheila(ross) During the 1980s Schroeter became much more widely known as costumes) a theatre and opera director, staging a range of productions in 1973 Sleeper(Allen)(costumes): Blume in Love (Mazursky) Germany and in other countries. Some of these works are highly costumes acclaimed, but all are controversial; indeed, his theatre and opera efforts proved even more controversial than his films 1974 Killer Bees(Harrington)(for TV)(production designer) 1975 The Prisoner of Second Avenue( Frank)(costumes) 1976 Sparkle(O'Steen)(sc): Car Wash(Schultz)(sc) -Ulrike Sieglohr 1978 Interiors(Allen)(costumes ); The Wiz(Lumet)(sc) 1986 Slow Burn(Chapman)(for TV)(co-exec pr) 1987 Foxfire(Taylor)(for TV)(co-exec pr) 1995 The Babysitter(Ferland)(exec pr) SCHUMACHER Joel Nationality: American. Born: New York, New York, 29 August Publications 1939. Education: Attended the Fashion Institute of Technology raduated with honors from the Parsons School of Design. Career: By SCHUMACHEr: articles- Worked as design-display artist at Henri Bendel department store while attending the Parsons School of Design, early 1960s; became a fashion designer and opened his own boutique, Paraphernalia. Interview in interview(New York), September 1977 1960s; worked on television commercials and designed packaging Interview with janet maslin. in New york Times. 21 June 1985 and clothing for the Revlon Group, 1960s; moved to Los Angeles and"Joel Schumacher, interview with A Michaels, in Cinefantastique ntered movies as a costume designer 1972 designed costumes for (Oak Park, Illinois), January 1990. The Time of the Cuckoo, presented at the ahmanson Theatre in Los Schumacher's Cat-related Theory, interview with Susan Morgan Angeles, 1974: made directorial debut with made-for-television movie in Interview(New York), July 1990 The Virginia Hill Story, 1974; made theatrical film debut with The " A Movie about Everything That Drives You Nuts, interview with Incredible Shrinking Woman, 1981; executive produced television G. Fuller, in Interview(New York), March 1993 pilot, Now Were Cookin, 1983; directed first stage production, The Last romanov, interview with M. Dargis, in Village voice Speed-the-Plow, in Chicago, 1989; directed music video The Devil (New York), 2 March 1993 Inside for rock group INXS; co-executive produced and directed pilot "A Director, His Life Redeemed, Savors the Summit of Success, episode of the television series 2000 Malibu Road, 1992. Agent: interview with Bernard Weinraub. in New York Times. 3 reative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, Ca March 1993 90212,U.SA Riddle Me This, Batman, interview with B Bibby, in Premiere (New York), May 1995 Visual Flair, a Hip Sensibility, and a Past, interview with Bernard Weinraub. in New York Times. 11 June 1995. Films as director Schumacher, Joel, Long Shot, in Premiere (New York), 1974 The Virginia Hill Story(for TV)(+ sc) *Another schumacher summer interview with Roberts. in dga 1979 Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill(for TV)(+ sc) Magazine (los Angeles), no 3, 1997. 1981 The incredible Shrinking Wome What Is dvD? interview with R. Pandiscio, in Interview(New 1983 D.C. Cab(+sc) 1985 St. Elmo' s Fire(+ co-sc) Holy Split Personalities, interview with Ingrid Sischy, in Inter 1987 The Lost boys view(New York), June 1997. 1989 Cousins The Mayor of Gotham Speaks, interview with M. Miller, in Newsweek(New York), 23 June 1997 1991 Dying Young Radiance and Shadow, interview with Michael Fleming. Movieline(Los Angeles), February 1999 1994 The Client 1996 A Time to kill On SCHUMAChER: articles- 997 Batman robin 999 &MM (+ c0-pr); Flawless (+ SC, co-pr) Talley, Andrea Leon, article in Women's Wear Daily(New York) 000 Tigerland 17-24 October 1975 2001 The Church of the Dead Girls Silverman, Stephen, article in New York Post, 4 August 1987
SCHUMACHER DIRECTORS, 4th EDITION 886 oedipal and homosexual passion, is his most explicit gay film. It also marked the beginning of a six-year gap in fiction filmmaking for the director. Only in 1990 did he begin shooting his new film, Malina. During the 1980s Schroeter became much more widely known as a theatre and opera director, staging a range of productions in Germany and in other countries. Some of these works are highly acclaimed, but all are controversial; indeed, his theatre and opera efforts proved even more controversial than his films. —Ulrike Sieglohr SCHUMACHER, Joel Nationality: American. Born: New York, New York, 29 August 1939. Education: Attended the Fashion Institute of Technology; graduated with honors from the Parsons School of Design. Career: Worked as design-display artist at Henri Bendel department store while attending the Parsons School of Design, early 1960s; became a fashion designer and opened his own boutique, Paraphernalia, 1960s; worked on television commercials and designed packaging and clothing for the Revlon Group, 1960s; moved to Los Angeles and entered movies as a costume designer, 1972; designed costumes for The Time of the Cuckoo, presented at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, 1974; made directorial debut with made-for-television movie The Virginia Hill Story, 1974; made theatrical film debut with The Incredible Shrinking Woman, 1981; executive produced television pilot, Now We’re Cookin’, 1983; directed first stage production, Speed-the-Plow, in Chicago, 1989; directed music video The Devil Inside for rock group INXS; co-executive produced and directed pilot episode of the television series 2000 Malibu Road, 1992. Agent: Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212, U.S.A. Films as Director: 1974 The Virginia Hill Story (for TV) (+ sc) 1979 Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill (for TV) (+ sc) 1981 The Incredible Shrinking Woman 1983 D.C. Cab (+ sc) 1985 St. Elmo’s Fire (+ co-sc) 1987 The Lost Boys 1989 Cousins 1990 Flatliners 1991 Dying Young 1993 Falling Down 1994 The Client 1995 Batman Forever 1996 A Time to Kill 1997 Batman & Robin 1999 8MM (+ co-pr); Flawless (+ sc, co-pr) 2000 Tigerland 2001 The Church of the Dead Girls Other Films: 1972 Play It as It Lays (Perry) (costumes); The Last of Sheila (Ross) (costumes) 1973 Sleeper (Allen) (costumes); Blume in Love (Mazursky) (costumes) 1974 Killer Bees (Harrington) (for TV) (production designer) 1975 The Prisoner of Second Avenue (Frank) (costumes) 1976 Sparkle (O’Steen) (sc); Car Wash (Schultz) (sc) 1978 Interiors (Allen) (costumes); The Wiz (Lumet) (sc) 1986 Slow Burn (Chapman) (for TV) (co-exec pr) 1987 Foxfire (Taylor) (for TV) (co-exec pr) 1995 The Babysitter (Ferland) (exec pr) Publications By SCHUMACHER: articles— Interview in Interview (New York), September 1977. Interview with Janet Maslin, in New York Times, 21 June 1985. ‘‘Joel Schumacher,’’ interview with A. Michaels, in Cinefantastique (Oak Park, Illinois), January 1990. ‘‘Schumacher’s Cat-related Theory,’’ interview with Susan Morgan, in Interview (New York), July 1990. ‘‘A Movie about Everything That Drives You Nuts,’’ interview with G. Fuller, in Interview (New York), March 1993. ‘‘The Last Romanov,’’ interview with M. Dargis, in Village Voice (New York), 2 March 1993. ‘‘A Director, His Life Redeemed, Savors the Summit of Success,’’ interview with Bernard Weinraub, in New York Times, 3 March 1993. ‘‘Riddle Me This, Batman,’’ interview with B. Bibby, in Premiere (New York), May 1995. ‘‘Visual Flair, a Hip Sensibility, and a Past,’’ interview with Bernard Weinraub, in New York Times, 11 June 1995. Schumacher, Joel, ‘‘Long Shot,’’ in Premiere (New York), August 1996. ‘‘Another Schumacher Summer,’’ interview with J. Roberts, in DGA Magazine (Los Angeles), no. 3, 1997. ‘‘What Is DVD?’’ interview with R. Pandiscio, in Interview (New York), May 1997. ‘‘Holy Split Personalities,’’ interview with Ingrid Sischy, in Interview (New York), June 1997. ‘‘The Mayor of Gotham Speaks,’’ interview with M. Miller, in Newsweek (New York), 23 June 1997. ‘‘Radiance and Shadow,’’ interview with Michael Fleming, in Movieline (Los Angeles), February 1999. On SCHUMACHER: articles— Talley, Andrea Leon, article in Women’s Wear Daily (New York), 17–24 October 1975. Silverman, Stephen, article in New York Post, 4 August 1987
DIRECTORS, 4 EDITION SCHUMACHER Joel Schumacher Farrow, Moira, Making Cousins: An Excursion, in New York Major, W, ""Bat out of Hell, in Box Office (Los Angeles), May 1997. Times, 5 February 1989. Pizzello, S,"Heavy Weather Hits Gotham City, in American Lew, Julie, article in New York Times, 16 June 1991 Cinematographer (Holly wood), July 1997. Filmografie, in Segnocinema( Vincenza, Italy), January/Febru- Webster, A, "Filmography, in Premiere(New York), July 1997 ary 1992 Brennan, Susan, article in Newsday (melville, New York), 23 Febru- ry Clark, J, " Joel Schumacher Has Something.. To Say, in Pre- miere(New York ) March 1993 Joel Schumacher's background as a fashion designer, display Lantos, S,""From Rags to Riches, ' in Movieline(Los Angeles), artist, and package designer prepared him for his entry into the film April 1993 industry as a costume designer. Similarly, he was primed for his Biodrowski,.,""Batman Forever, "in Cinefantastique(Forest Park, career as a feature film director by his work as scriptwriter on several Illinois ), no. 4, 1995 features, and especially as scriptwriter-director of two impressive Lantos,S.“ On a wir Los angeles), made-for-television movies: The Virginia Hill Story(a based-on-fact June 1995 hronicle of mobster Bugsy Siegel,s moll, that is a variation on Vaz, MC,"Forever and a Knight, in Cinefex(Riverside, Califor- Warren Beattys Bugsy); and Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill(a well-done comedy-drama spotlighting various characters Reid, C, "Joel Schumacher, Director, 'in Cinefantastique(Forest involved in a talent show at a Southern roadhouse) Park, Illinois). no. 1, 1997. All of Schumacher's films have been generic Hollywood product, Reid, C,""Batman Robin, in Cinefantastique(Forest Park, filled with all the gloss their budgets could buy. His debut feature Illinois), no. 1, 1997 The Incredible Shrinking Woman, a distaff reworking of the 1950s
DIRECTORS, 4 SCHUMACHER th EDITION 887 Joel Schumacher Farrow, Moira, ‘‘Making Cousins: An Excursion,’’ in New York Times, 5 February 1989. Lew, Julie, article in New York Times, 16 June 1991. ‘‘Filmografie,’’ in Segnocinema (Vincenza, Italy), January/February 1992. Brennan, Susan, article in Newsday (Melville, New York), 23 February 1993. Clark, J., ‘‘Joel Schumacher Has Something . . . To Say,’’ in Premiere (New York), March 1993. Lantos, S., ‘‘From Rags to Riches,’’ in Movieline (Los Angeles), April 1993. Biodrowski, S., ‘‘Batman Forever,’’ in Cinefantastique (Forest Park, Illinois), no. 4, 1995. Lantos, S., ‘‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’’ in Movieline (Los Angeles), June 1995. Vaz, M.C., ‘‘Forever and a Knight,’’ in Cinefex (Riverside, California), September 1995. Reid, C., ‘‘Joel Schumacher, Director,’’ in Cinefantastique (Forest Park, Illinois), no. 1, 1997. Reid, C., ‘‘Batman & Robin,’’ in Cinefantastique (Forest Park, Illinois), no. 1, 1997. Major, W., ‘‘Bat out of Hell,’’ in Box Office (Los Angeles), May 1997. Pizzello, S., ‘‘Heavy Weather Hits Gotham City,’’ in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), July 1997. Webster, A., ‘‘Filmography,’’ in Premiere (New York), July 1997. *** Joel Schumacher’s background as a fashion designer, display artist, and package designer prepared him for his entry into the film industry as a costume designer. Similarly, he was primed for his career as a feature film director by his work as scriptwriter on several features, and especially as scriptwriter-director of two impressive made-for-television movies: The Virginia Hill Story (a based-on-fact chronicle of mobster Bugsy Siegel’s moll, that is a variation on Warren Beatty’s Bugsy); and Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill (a well-done comedy-drama spotlighting various characters involved in a talent show at a Southern roadhouse). All of Schumacher’s films have been generic Hollywood product, filled with all the gloss their budgets could buy. His debut feature is The Incredible Shrinking Woman, a distaff reworking of the 1950s
SCOLA DIRECTORS, 4 EDItION science-fiction cult classic The Incredible Shrinking Man. Lily Tomlin plays a results in her beginning to shrink. The film starts out as a wickedly clever spoof of the plight of the American housewife, as Tomlin lly takes up residence in a dollhouse But it soon degenerates into a frantic and silly farce. While The Incredible Shrinking Man is a classic of its kind, The incredible Shrinking Woman became yet another forgettable Hollywood comedy Among Schumacher's better works are Dying Young, the deeply moving chronicle of a fatally ill cancer patient and the woman who befriends him: Cousins. an amiable Americanization of Jean-Charles Tachella's smash-hit French romantic comedy Cousin-Cousine: Flatliners, a fast-paced drama about medical students who make themselves temporarily legally dead so that they may experience afterlife episodes; and Flawless, the well-intentioned and well-acted story of a conservative, retired security guard who suffers a stroke, and is forced to bond with his neighbor, a drag queen. Schumacher also directed two slick but solid adaptations of John Grisham novels: The Client, in which a lawyer represents an eleven-year-old boy whe has come to know more than he ought to about Mafia dealings; and A Time to Kill, about a white lawyer who defends a black man who had shot and killed the two rednecks accused of raping his daughter. And he made the entertaining if special effects-laden Batman Forever, in which the famed superhero goes up against the riddler and Two-Face The second wrung of Schumacher's credits includes D. C. cab a so-so comedy about a taxi company operated by oddballs; The Lost Boys, about a gang of adolescent vampires: St. Elmo's Fire, a brat- pack soap opera; and Batman& robin, a flat, uninspired sequel. &MM Ettore Scola the flashy but unpleasant story of a private detective/family man bent on determining if the star of a snuff film did indeed die on camera. Perhaps Schumacher's most unique work is Falling Down, Films as Director: an allegory featuring Michael Douglas as a stressed-out Modern Man who goes haywire while stuck in traffic on a Los Angeles freeway and 1964 Se permette parliamo di donne(Let's Talk about Women) begins a violence-laden odyssey across the city. Like The Incredible ( co-sc); La congiuntura(+ co-sc) Shrinking Woman, the film is an attempt to make a statement about 1965"ll vittimista"episode of Thrilling(+ co-sc) he perils of contemporary American society. And also like its 1966 L' arcidiavolo(nl diavolo innamorato: The Devil in Love) predecessor, the result is only intermittently successful As the years have gone by, Schumacher's proficiency has allowed 968 l commissario Pepe ( co-sc): Riusciranno i nostri er him to be assigned more prestigious, higher-budgeted projects. In his a trovare il loro amico misteriosamente scomparso in better work, he has been able to combine surface gloss with strong dramatic elements 1970 Dramma della gelosia-Tutti i particolari in cronaca(The Pizza Triangle: A Drama of Jealousy, and Other Things -Audrey E Kupferberg, updated by rob Edelman 1971 Permette? Rocco Papaleo(rocco Papaleo)(+ co-sc) 1972 La piui bella serata della mia vita(+ co-sc) revico-Torino.. Viaggio nel Fiat Nam( SCOLA. Ettor 1974 C'eravamo tanto amati (We All Loved Each Other So Much) 1976 Brutti, sporchi e cattivi(Down and Dirty)(+ co-sc); one Nationality: Italian. Born: Trevico, Avellino, 10 May 1931. Educa- sode of Signori e signore, buonanotte(+ Co-sc) tion: Studied law, University of Rome. Career: Scriptwriter on films 1977 Una giornata particolare(A Special Day)(+ co-sc; one with Ruggero Maccari, from 1953; directed first film, Se permette episode of I nuovi mostri(The New Monsters: Viva Italia!) parliamo di donne, 1964. Awards: Cesar Award, for Ceravamo tanto amal, Best Director, Cannes Festival, for Brutti, sporchi 1979 Che si dice a Roma(+ co-sc) e cattivi, 1976: Special Jury Prize, Cannes Festival, for Una gionata 1980 La terrazza(+ co-s particolari, 1977; Best Screenplay, Cannes Festival, for La terrazza, 1981 Passione d'amore(+ co-sc) 980: Grand Jury Prize for Body of Work, Cannes Festival, 1981 1982 Il mondo nuovo(+co-sc); La Nuit de varennes(+ cO-sc)
SCOLA DIRECTORS, 4th EDITION 888 science-fiction cult classic The Incredible Shrinking Man. Lily Tomlin plays a housewife whose continuous exposure to chemical products results in her beginning to shrink. The film starts out as a wickedly clever spoof of the plight of the American housewife; as Tomlin becomes smaller, she symbolically takes up residence in a dollhouse. But it soon degenerates into a frantic and silly farce. While The Incredible Shrinking Man is a classic of its kind, The Incredible Shrinking Woman became yet another forgettable Hollywood comedy. Among Schumacher’s better works are Dying Young, the deeply moving chronicle of a fatally ill cancer patient and the woman who befriends him; Cousins, an amiable Americanization of Jean-Charles Tachella’s smash-hit French romantic comedy Cousin-Cousine; Flatliners, a fast-paced drama about medical students who make themselves temporarily legally dead so that they may experience afterlife episodes; and Flawless, the well-intentioned and well-acted story of a conservative, retired security guard who suffers a stroke, and is forced to bond with his neighbor, a drag queen. Schumacher also directed two slick but solid adaptations of John Grisham novels: The Client, in which a lawyer represents an eleven-year-old boy who has come to know more than he ought to about Mafia dealings; and A Time to Kill, about a white lawyer who defends a black man who had shot and killed the two rednecks accused of raping his daughter. And he made the entertaining if special effects-laden Batman Forever, in which the famed superhero goes up against the Riddler and Two-Face. The second wrung of Schumacher’s credits includes D.C. Cab, a so-so comedy about a taxi company operated by oddballs; The Lost Boys, about a gang of adolescent vampires; St. Elmo’s Fire, a bratpack soap opera; and Batman & Robin, a flat, uninspired sequel. 8MM is the flashy but unpleasant story of a private detective/family man bent on determining if the star of a snuff film did indeed die on camera. Perhaps Schumacher’s most unique work is Falling Down, an allegory featuring Michael Douglas as a stressed-out Modern Man who goes haywire while stuck in traffic on a Los Angeles freeway and begins a violence-laden odyssey across the city. Like The Incredible Shrinking Woman, the film is an attempt to make a statement about the perils of contemporary American society. And also like its predecessor, the result is only intermittently successful. As the years have gone by, Schumacher’s proficiency has allowed him to be assigned more prestigious, higher-budgeted projects. In his better work, he has been able to combine surface gloss with strong dramatic elements. —Audrey E. Kupferberg, updated by Rob Edelman SCOLA, Ettore Nationality: Italian. Born: Trevico, Avellino, 10 May 1931. Education: Studied law, University of Rome. Career: Scriptwriter on films with Ruggero Maccari, from 1953; directed first film, Se permette parliamo di donne, 1964. Awards: César Award, for C’eravamo tanto amati, 1975; Best Director, Cannes Festival, for Brutti, sporchi e cattivi, 1976; Special Jury Prize, Cannes Festival, for Una giornata particolari, 1977; Best Screenplay, Cannes Festival, for La terrazza, 1980; Grand Jury Prize for Body of Work, Cannes Festival, 1981. Ettore Scola Films as Director: 1964 Se permette parliamo di donne (Let’s Talk about Women) (+ co-sc); La congiuntura (+ co-sc) 1965 ‘‘Il vittimista’’ episode of Thrilling (+ co-sc) 1966 L’arcidiavolo (Il diavolo innamorato; The Devil in Love) (+ co-sc) 1968 Il commissario Pepe (+ co-sc); Riusciranno i nostri eroi a trovare il loro amico misteriosamente scomparso in Africa? (+ co-sc) 1970 Dramma della gelosia—Tutti i particolari in cronaca (The Pizza Triangle: A Drama of Jealousy, and Other Things) (+ co-sc) 1971 Permette? Rocco Papaleo (Rocco Papaleo) (+ co-sc) 1972 La piú bella serata della mia vita (+ co-sc) 1973 Trevico-Torino . . . Viaggio nel Fiat Nam (+ co-sc) 1974 C’eravamo tanto amati (We All Loved Each Other So Much) (+ co-sc) 1976 Brutti, sporchi e cattivi (Down and Dirty) (+ co-sc); one episode of Signori e signore, buonanotte (+ co-sc) 1977 Una giornata particolare (A Special Day) (+ co-sc); one episode of I nuovi mostri (The New Monsters; Viva Italia!) (+ co-sc) 1979 Che si dice a Roma (+ co-sc) 1980 La terrazza (+ co-sc) 1981 Passione d’amore (+ co-sc) 1982 Il mondo nuovo (+ co-sc); La Nuit de Varennes (+ co-sc)