CITY ISLAND
2009 | PRODUCER
The Rizzos, a family that doesn't share their habits, hopes, or dreams with one another, find their delicate web of lies disturbed by the arrival of a young ex-con (Strait) -- brought home by Vince (Garcia), a prison guard by day, a hopeful actor by night -- whose arrival changes everything for the better.
Starring: Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Emily Mortimer, Ezra Miller, Alan Arkin
JOLENE
2008 | PRODUCER
A teenage orphan experiences ten formative years through the eyes of five intimate relationships as she makes her way across the country. Based on E.L. Doctorow's critically acclaimed novella. Film is the breakout feature debut performance of Academy Award® nominated Jessica Chastain, and a notable supporting cast.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Francis Fisher, Rupert Friend, Dermot Mulroney, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Vartan, Denise Richards
DRUM
2004 | PRODUCER
The inspiring true story from the South African independence movement of 1950s Johannesburg, a disillusioned young township journalist decides to take extraordinary personal risks to expose the inequities of Apartheid and commits to the ultimate sacrifice to fight the system.
Staring: Taye Diggs, Jason Flemyng, Gabriel Mann
Won the Golden Stallion (Grand Prix) at FESPACO, a first ever for an English language film, and was hailed in Toronto, Sundance, and numerous other international festivals.
PARANOIA: 1.0
2004 | EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
A computer programmer receives mysterious packages inside his apartment, leading him to investigate their origin, that he like others in his building have been insidiously infected with a peculiar form of nanotechnology.
Starring: Jeremy Sisto, Deborah Kara Unger, Bruce Payne, Lance Henrikson, Udo Keir.
Paranoia 1.0 premiered in Sundance 2005, and was acquired by Lionsgate for domestic theatrical distribution.
WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD
1998 | PRODUCER
In his latest film, noted writer/director Adam Rifkin boasts he has the Hollywood system so wired, that he can make a star out of anyone. Hapless wannabe actor (Nick Decker) gets the role and proceeds to blunder his way through tinsel town, along the way, meeting some of Hollywoods biggest stars. Angie Everhart is Nick's hired girlfriend; many notable appearances by some of Hollywood's best known actors and actresses.
LOS ANGELES
2003 | PRODUCER
In the idyllic suburban distopia of Orange, the affable but naive Paul agrees to be a drug courier for Mr. Ball who's about to take delivery of a drug rumored to be "more addictive than air." Against the better judgment of his best friend D., Paul does the deal for quick buck, but the supplier turns and kills D. in the ensuing shootout, but not before promising his dying friend that he'll flush it before Ball puts them in the street..
Now with both cash and the stash, He seeks refuge with a girl he's met, but soon finds they are both imperiled. They go on the lam and quickly discover what's important, and how to solve their predicament.
Starring: Charis Michelson, Dick Van Patten, Michelle Phillips, Alexis Arquette, and Goldie.
Premiered Vancouver International Film Festival. Released internationally under the title: "The Price of Air".
WILDFLOWERS
1999 | PRODUCER
Cally, a troubled 17-year-old who has been raised by her father, and never having known her mother, meets an alluring and mysterious woman named Sabine. Cally becomes obsessed with her without knowing why, and soon finds herself drawn into Sabine's web of memories and myths dredged up from commune life more than a decade ago.
Wildflowers premiered at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. The film won the Grand Prize at SXSW (Austin), and was later hailed in Woodstock, Santa Barbara, Galway, Philadelphia, and numerous other prestige festivals. It was given a limited theatrical release in the U.S. in 2000 and ran as a Lifetime premiere.
Filmed entirely in San Francisco and Marin County, California, the film captures the flavor of a time, alas, long past. Wildflowers features a soundtrack driven by many of Bill Graham's noted artists of the era, including Santana and others, and a live performance by Blues Traveler.
Written and directed by Melissa Painter, and incubated at the Sundance Screenwriting Lab.
Starring: Clea DuVall, Daryl Hannah, Tomas Arana and Eric Roberts.
GLAM
1997 | PRODUCER
Fresh off the bus from the styx to L.A. to visit his cousin, a charismatic writer discovers a world of sex, drugs, crime and violence revolving around a beautiful young woman and her mobster boyfriend.
An insightful cautionary allegory of fame, wealth, self abuse and despair, borne of the mind of writer/director Josh Evans.
The story of Sonny Day, a gainly man who ventures into the depths of Hollywood with only the vaguest whiff of apparent talent. Hustled around by his fast-talking cousin, Sonny soon finds himself exalted as the next big thing. The sharks circle the kill, and it becomes clear that Sonny must escape.
Starring: Tony Danza, Natasha Gregson-Wagner, Valerie Kaprisky, Donal Logue and Jon Cryer.
Film is noted for having been nailed with an NC-17 rating solely for its use of the "F" word 131 times. Producers contested the matter, however it was too difficult to bleep or replace all those F’s, so we had to take the rating. They probably would not have given that to Harvey, though. Ain't it a bitch...
SLEEP EASY, HUTCH RIMES
(2000) PRODUCER
A dark, absurdist thriller reminiscent of early Coen Bros romps.
Small-town insurance man (Weber) receives his comeuppance when his proclivities as a lothario, and best laid plans to cover his own tracks, are toppled by those closest to him.
Starring: Steven Webber, Swoosie Kurtz, Gabriel Mann, Steven Tobolowsky, Gregg Henry, and Gail O'Grady.
BIKINI ISLAND
(1992) PRODUCER
Swimsuit Magazine is holding its annual competition for the prestigious cover shot. Who will win? The girl that survives! Who is murdering the girls of Bikini Island?
Between the popularity of the Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Videos and the filmmaker's respect for Agatha Christie's yarns was borne Bikini Island, a classic mystery thriller with gorgeous girls and a bouncing soundtrack.
Hailed by Pauline Kael as her indie pick of the week in the New York Times, and Showtime's Joe Bob at the Drive-In Top 10 of the Year, the film did brisk video and international business, and led to a sequel, a cable remake and later a television series.
IMDB | FINALE SCENE
French Exit
(1995) PRODUCER
“French Exit”: to make an early exit without saying good-bye (Urban Dictionary).
A movie about parties.
Fun, nicely performed rom-com debut film by writer/director Daphna Kastner. Written by Michael Lerner ("Love & Mercy"). Stars the always great Jonathan Silverman, Madchen Amick, Kurt Fuller, Bruce Nozick, Beth Broderick, and ever adorable Molly Hagen.
Shot during the great El Niño storm sequence of 1994, it rained every single day of the shoot, except the last, when we needed to match the rain of the foregoing 30 days, so we simulated rain with hundreds of feet of garden hose.
Great score and theme song by Emmy Award winning composer Alex Wurman (Temple Grandin, et al). Shot masterfully by Geza Sinkovics.
Thanks to multi Grammy award winner Richard Perry, he arranged for us to shoot two remarkable days in Jim Goldstein's residence, a Lautner designed masterpiece, which Jim has recently donated to LACMA.
Premiered in Toronto International Film Festival, then played off in Deauville Film Festival and other notables. Distributed by Columbia.
Welcome to Hollywood: Take 2
2005 | PRODUCER
More Stars! More Glamour! More Humiliation! Welcome Back! A comedy about fame and fortune, and a guy who has no chance at either.
Delusion
1991 | CO-PRODUCER
A couple (Jennifer Rubin, Kyle Secor) beat an embezzler (Jim Metzler) and take his car when he stops to help them in Death Valley.
The Endless Summer
Have a look!
Props to Bruce & Dana Brown, Ron Moler, Don King, Brian Keaulana, Terry Ahue, and of course, Matthew Irmas.
Und Tschüss! In Amerika
BENNO FUHRMANN, CRISSY SCHULZ
Work