Joel Schumacher - director, screenwriter and producer of American cinema

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

American film director, producer and screenwriter J. Schumacher was born in New York on August 29, 1939. The father died when the child was not even four years old. The mother had to run the household alone and earn a living herself. The family overcame difficulties, Joel grew up and also began to earn extra money. Gradually, prosperity appeared in the family, and he was able to go to school.

Career start

Young Schumacher chose Parsons School, where they taught design. Joel then entered the Institute of Fashion and Clothing Technology. After receiving a diploma, he got a job in an advertising agency and took up the design of the facades and interiors of fashion stores. However, young Schumacher constantly dreamed of cinema, he was attracted by the romance of the filming process, communication with Hollywood stars, and, of course, a good income.

Joel Schumacher retired from the advertising business and moved from New York to Los Angeles. In Hollywood, he began to work in his speci alty, a costume designer. Schumacher quickly moved forward in the design of film projects. The directors appreciated the talented specialist and literally overwhelmed him with work.

Soon Joel Schumacher proved himself to be a capable screenwriter. According to the plot he proposed, a low-budget film "Car Wash" was shot, which unexpectedly did well at the box office. After such a successful debut, Joel wrote several more scripts that were made into films. Schumacher became a Hollywood man, wrote extensively, his stories were novel, and the storytelling was compelling and meaningful.

Career director

In 1981, Joel Schumacher made his first film as a director. It was a picture in the genre of a satirical comedy called "The Incredibly Shrunken Woman." The next film St. Elmo's Light, directed by Schumacher, not only did well at the box office, but also served as a start to a big movie for a whole group of young, aspiring actors.

The film "The Lost Boys", filmed by Joel in 1987 in the genre of horror (horror film), made the famous actor Sutherland. Later, this performer played along with Julia Roberts in the film Flatliners, filmed in 1990. Joel Schumacher, whose films became popular and expected by the public even before they were released, wrote one script after another and immediately filmed the best of them. His image as a director was constantly growing and strengthening, the administrative elite of Hollywood could not get enough of the success of new film projects.

Best Film

In 1993, Joel Schumacher made one of the most notable films of his entire career as a director. It was a psychological thriller "I've had enough!" starring Michael Douglas. The picture was created on the highest note of nervous tension. It was a cinematic masterpiece.

Then followed by two more successful film projects: the film "The Client", based on the novel by John Grisham, and the film "A Time to Kill". In 1995, the leadership of the Warner Brothers film studio suggested that Schumacher shoot a new version of Batman with the expectation of a higher degree of artistry and minimization of bloody scenes. Schumacher created a feature-length feature film "Batman Forever" starring Val Kilmer. The film was an impressive box office success, although critical reception was muted.

Golden Raspberry

Nevertheless, the director was offered to shoot a sequel called "Batman and Robin", which was done. Against all expectations, the new film failed miserably, and Joel Schumacher received a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award. This meant that he was jokingly recognized as the worst director for Batman & Robin.

Schumacher was not at all upset and soon made two more films: "Flawless" (starring Robert de Niro) and "8 millimeters" with Nicolas Cage. These films were not particularly successful.

In 2000, Joel Schumacher directed the film "Tigerland" about the Vietnam campaign. The dramatic plot gave an opportunity to prove himself to the actor of Irish origin, Colin Farrell,for which the film became the debut Hollywood project. Three years later, the director met Colin again, already in the film "Phone Booth".

Film "House of Cards"

In 2013, Joel Schumacher wrote the screenplay for a television series called House of Cards.

In the center of the plot - the political events unfolding around the election of the President of the United States and the appointment of the Secretary of State. The film "House of Cards" tells about the dishonesty of American politicians.

Director and music

In 2004, Schumacher tried his hand at a musical film project called "The Phantom of the Opera" in the wake of Andrew Lloyd's Webber musical. The film was nominated for three Oscars and three Golden Globes, but no real prizes were awarded to its creators.

Director Joel Schumacher is currently working on new projects. At 77 years old, he is full of energy and ready to work on.