John Landis Biography
Summary
"John David Landis" (born August 3, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson; Landis has also done many horror projects.
Early life and family
Landis was born in Chicago, the son of Shirley Levine (née Magaziner) and Marshall David Landis, an interior decorator. He moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of four months.
Early career
His career began as a teenager, working as a mailboy at 20th Century Fox. His first noteworthy job in Hollywood was working as an assistant director during filming MGM's "Kelly's Heroes" in Yugoslavia in 1969. He replaced the film's original assistant director, who suffered from a nervous breakdown and was sent home by the producers. While filming he met actors Don Rickles and Donald Sutherland, both of whom he would later cast in his own films. Following this, Landis worked on many films made in Europe (especially in Italy and England), most notably, "Once Upon a Time in the West", "El Condor" and "A Town Called Bastard". Landis also worked as a stunt double, specializing in horse-falls. As Landis recalls:
After his experience working as a stunt double, he moved to London and worked as an uncredited co-writer for the film "The Spy Who Loved Me".
Career as a director
Beginning of a career
In 1971, Landis returned to the US and made his feature debut as a director with "Schlock". He was 21 years old. The film, which he also wrote and appeared in, is a tribute to monster movies. The gorilla suit for the film was made by Rick Baker and this would be the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Landis and Baker.
"Schlock" was a failure, and Landis was not offered another directing job for some time. In his own words, he 'parked a lot of cars' during this fallow period.
In 1977, Landis directed "Kentucky Fried Movie". The film was inspired by the satirical sketch comedy of shows like "Monty Python", "Free the Army", "The National Lampoon Radio Hour" and "Saturday Night Live".
Transition to Hollywood
A still from "American Werewolf".
In 1978, Landis directed his first film for Universal Studios, the critically and financially successful "National Lampoon's Animal House". This created new possibilities for Landis's career under Universal's umbrella.
In 1980, Landis co-wrote and directed "The Blues Brothers", a comedy starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul legends James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. It was at the time one of the most expensive films ever made (cost: almost $30 million) (for comparison: the earlier Steven Spielberg's contemporary "1941" cost $35 million). Some believe that Spielberg and Landis engaged in a rivalry, the goal of which was to make the more expensive movie. The rivalry might have been a friendly one, as Spielberg makes a cameo appearance in "Blues Brothers".
In 1981 Landis wrote and directed another cult-status movie, the comedy-horror "An American Werewolf in London". "American Werewolf" was perhaps Landis' most personal project, a film which he had been planning to make since 1969, while in Yugoslavia. Landis directed the opening teaser and first segment of "Twilight Zone: The Movie" in 1983.
;Accident and trial
On July 23, 1982 during the filming of "Twilight Zone", actor Vic Morrow and child extras Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen were killed in an accident involving an out of control helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board reported in October 1984:
Landis and several crew members were subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. The prosecutors attempted to show that Landis was reckless and had violated laws relating to child actors by not telling parents and others of the children's proximity to explosives and helicopters and of limitations on their working hours. Numerous members of the film crew testified that the director was warned, but ignored these dangers. After an extended jury trial, Landis, represented by famed Nashville attorney James F. Neal, and the other crew members on trial were acquitted of the charges. Landis was later reprimanded for circumventing the State of California's child labor laws in hiring the two children killed in the accident. This tragedy resulted in stricter safety measures and enforcement of child labor laws, in the State of California. The parents of the children sued, and would later settle out of court for $2 million per family. Vic Morrow's daughters, Carrie Morrow and actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, similarly pursued a lawsuit that settled for an undisclosed amount purportedly in the $800,000 range.
In regard to the accident John Landis (during interviews with Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan) has said:
Later career
"Trading Places", a "Prince and the Pauper"-style comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy was filmed directly after the "Twilight Zone" accident. Right after filming ended, Landis and his family were living in London when he was approached by Michael Jackson to make a video for his song, 'Thriller'. 'Thriller' forever changed MTV and the concept of music videos; it has won many awards, including the Video Vanguard Award for The Greatest Video in the History of the World. In 2009, Landis sued Jackson in a dispute over royalties for the video; he claims to be owed four years worth of royalties.
Next, Landis directed "Into The Night", starring Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer and David Bowie (film was stylized to Hitchcock productions; Landis played in this film mute member of the quartet of Iranian hitmen). To promote this movie, he collaborated with Jeff Okun to direct a documentary film called "B.B. King 'Into the Night'". Landis directed music videos for three of King's songs as part of the film:'Lucille', 'Into the Night' (specially composed by Ira Newborn for movie "Into the Night") and "In the Midnight Hour".
His next film, "Spies Like Us", (starring co-writer Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase) was an homage to the "Road to..." films, starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Hope made a cameo in the film as himself. The movie also pays homage to spy movies such as the James Bond series; the crew included special effects makers Ray Harryhausen and Derek Meddings, both of whom had worked on Bond movies. Landis also directed a video for Paul McCartney as part of the promotion for "Spies Like Us".
In 1986 Landis directed "¡Three Amigos!" for HBO. The film starred Chevy Chase, Martin Short and Steve Martin. Landis was the second choice to direct; Steven Spielberg had refused. The film was a tribute to old Mexican style westerns and musical movies. Randy Newman wrote three original songs for the film, and the film was shot in Technicolor to make it look like older Westerns.
Landis then directed "Coming to America", starring Eddie Murphy. This film was a huge commercial success. It was also the subject of "Buchwald v. Paramount", a civil suit filed by Art Buchwald in 1990 against the film's producers. Buchwald claimed that the concept for the film had been stolen from a 1982 script that Paramount optioned from Buchwald. Buchwald won the breach of contract action.
In 1991, Landis collaborated again with Michael Jackson on the music video for the song 'Black or White'. In the same year, he directed Sylvester Stallone in a title role in "Oscar" (remake of the 1967 film of the same name). "Oscar" recreates a 1930 era film, including the gestures along with bit acts and with some slapstick, and was a homage to old Hollywood films. In 1992 he directed "Innocent Blood", a thriller.
In 1994 Landis directed "Beverly Hills Cop III". In 1996, he directed "The Stupids". Landis returned to Universal to direct Blues Brothers 2000. Next, he directed the TV-style "Susan's Plan" (with Nastassja Kinski) in 1998.
In 2009 Ealing Studios invited Landis to direct their next project, called "Burke and Hare". Based on the true story about the famous graverobbers Burke and Hare, the film will be black comedy.
His latest video was 'Shawshank in a Minute' for JibJab.
Television
Landis always was fascinated by television. He directed "Kentucky Fried Movie", which is a tribute to television. Later he co-directed "Amazon Women on the Moon" along the same vein. Landis has also been active in television as the executive producer (and often director) of the series "Dream On" (1990), "Weird Science" (1994), "Sliders" (1995), "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show" (1997), "Campus Cops" (1995) and "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" (1998), and "Masters of Horror". He made also commercials for DirecTV, Taco Bell, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Kellogg's, and Disney).
Documentaries
His first documentary, "Coming Soon" from 1982, was released only on VHS. Next, he co-directed "B.B. King 'Into the Night'" (1985) and in 2002 directed "Where Are They Now?: A Delta Alumni Update", which can be seen as a part of the "Animal House" DVD extras. Initially, his documentaries were only made to promote his feature films. However, later in his career, he became more serious about the oeuvre and made "Slasher" (2004), "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project" (2007) and the upcoming "Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen" (2009). All of these documentaries were filmed for television; Landis won a 2008 Emmy Award for "Mr. Warmth".
Personal life
Landis is married to Deborah Nadoolman Landis, an Oscar-nominated costume designer (who is President of the Costume Designers Guild), with whom he has two children: Max (with whom Landis co-wrote "Deer Woman" screenplay) and Rachel. Landis often thanks them during closing credits of his films.
Landis' favorite book is Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", which he has wanted to adapt into a film for several years.
Style and techniques
Recurring motifs
See You Next Wednesday
One of Landis' trademarks is to insert references to a fictional film called "See You Next Wednesday" in movies he directs. The line is from Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" as the final goodbye from Frank Poole's parents on the video from them he is watching. The line is also mentioned in the opening scene for Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' when the police decode a message from Jackson's werewolf character.
When in Hollywood, Visit Universal Studios. Ask for Babs
This is an advertisement for the tour at Universal Studios, from John Landis movies made for Universal. This is also referring (shown at the end of the credits) to the character, Babs, from the movie "National Lampoon's Animal House". "When in Hollywood.." is showing at the end of the credits, and it consists of three blue cards, the first saying 'Universal Studios -- The Entertainment Center of the World', the second saying 'When in Hollywood Visit Universal Studios', and the last adding 'Ask for Babs'. The new version of this advertisement, which appeared in "Blues Brothers 2000" (first film directed by Landis for Universal since "Amazon Woman on the Moon") includes only one card: 'Universal Studios - Hollywood and Florida. See the stars and ride the movies (ask for Babs)'. Patrons who 'asked for Babs,' were once given a certain degree of reward, any promo has long since been discontinued, save a simple smile or acknowledgment from a park staffer. In one DVD release of Animal House there was a "Where are They Now?" mockumentary which featured, among others, Martha Smith (who played Babs) indeed working the rounds as a tour guide at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
Closing actor's footages
The end of Landis' films (before credits or - like in "Blues Brothers 2000" while closing credits), often feature a credit montage featuring footage of the actors with their names at the bottom. These most often are either outtakes or clips from the film.
The first movie in which Landis used this technique was "Animal House". His films which did not contain closing actor's footage are: "Schlock", "The Kentucky Fried Movie", "American Werewolf in London", "Three Amigos" and "Beverly Hills Cop III". Landis also used to add jokes to closing footage (as he did in "Spies like Us" or "Innocent Blood").
Directors cameos
Landis casts famous film directors in cameo appearances in almost all of his movies ("Spies Like Us" has several in one memorable scene). He frequently invited director Frank Oz to play small parts in his movies. Other well-known directors also asked by Landis were: Roger Vadim, Paul Mazursky, Jim Henson, Jonathan Demme and David Cronenberg in "Into the Night"; Terry Gilliam, Joel Coen, Michael Apted in "Spies Like Us", Sam Raimi in "Spies Like Us" and "Innocent Blood"; Steven Spielberg in "Blues Brothers".
Break the fourth wall
Several of Landis' films break the fourth wall. In "Animal House", Bluto turns to the camera and raises an eyebrow while peeking through the window of a sorority house. In "Trading Places", Billy Ray Valentine shares a glance with the audience while being patronized by the Duke brothers' explanation of commodities markets. In "An American Werewolf in London", David stares for a moment into the camera during his first transformation. In "Coming to America", Prince Akeem raises his eyes to look at the camera after seeing his new bride make animal sounds at his request. Later in that same movie, Daryl looks up at the camera in surprise as Patrice starts to unzip him after he comes in from the rain. And also Michael Jackson's infamous yellow eyes looking back at the camara at the end of his "Thriller" music video.
Oldsmobiles and car crashes
Many of his films feature references to the Oldsmobile, which appeared in: "Animal House" (car borrowed by 'Flounder' Dorfman), "Trading Places" (Duke&Duke limousine), "Thriller" (Jackson's date's car), "Twilight Zone" (during Prologue), "Into The Night" (Dianas' brother's Presley - style car), "Blues Brothers" (while driving through the mall, Jake said: 'The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year'), "Three Amigos" (during scenes in Santo Poco) and "Oscar". Oldsmobile from this movie (which was Lincoln Continental) Landis described as 'the most beautiful car I had ever seen'. In many Landis movies, there are also cars crashes, for example: during final sequence in "Animal House"; in many scenes in "Blues Brothers" and "Blues Brothers 2000"; during final sequence happening near to Piccadilly Circus in "American Werewolf"; during opening seguence in "Into The Night" while crew's credits are showing; during final sequence in "Innocent Blood" (when Macelli was run down by bus and taxi) and during one scene in "The Stupids" (cars crashes due to Mrs. Stupid).
References to old movies playing on television
In many scenes in John Landis movies, actors do something, while we may see movies or cartoons playing on television or listen the sound from TV set (which is commentary for actors' actions during scenes). That was in: television version of "Trading Places" (Clarence Beeks drugs a security guard and steals the crop report while Sunset Boulevard is showing); in "Into the Night" in Hamid's apartament movie "" (from 1948) is playing while Ed is looking for Diana and later, when Mr. Morris (David Bowie) fighting with Mr. Williams (Carl Perkins)]. In "Spies Like Us" Emmit Fitzhume (Chevy Chase) watching musical "She's Working Her Way Through College" (from 1952, starring Ronald Reagan), and later during press conferention the clips from this movie are showing on TV. In "Innocent Blood" in several scenes, f.e. "Phantom of the Rue Morgue" (from 1954) is showing on television during the morgue scenes (with Macielli). Separately situations are from "American Werewolf", and they happening in Cinema, where is showing pornographic movie while policeman is going trough the scene.
Image of King Kong
Landis created several characters with similarities to King Kong in his films (including "Schlock" - the title hero; in "Kentucky Fried Movie" - animal showing during TV's show; in "An American Werewolf in London" in ZOO; in "Trading Places" in train during New Year's Eve) or inserted images of gorillas in his films as part of production designs: in "Blues Brothers" on promotional poster of fictional movie called "See You Next Wednesday" (the same situation in "The Stupids") and on the poster in "Three Amigos" (shows as one of adverisement of Goldsmith Studios), in "Innocent Blood" we may see monkey from movie playing on television; in "Blues Brothers 2000" appearing as a huge gorilla's figure in Queen Mousette's House.
Awards
According to the Internet Movie Database, John Landis has won or been nominated for the following awards:
;Nominations
"Schlock" for Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
"Twilight Zone: The Movie" for Best Film at Fantasporto
'Dream On' was nominated four times in the Comedy Series category at the CableACE Awards
;Awards won:
"Schlock" won the Best Film award during Fantafestival
"Into the Night" won the Special Jury Prize at the Cognac Festival du Film Policier
'Dream On' won a CableACE Award in the Comedy Series in 1992
"Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project" won in the 'Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special' category at the Emmy Awards
;Landis was honoured by:
French government in 1985 ("Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres")
Rimini Cinema Festival in Italy ("Federico Fellini Prize")
The Eastman House in Rochester, New York (named a "George Eastman Scholar")
Sitges Film Festival in Spain" ("Time Machine Career Achievement Award")
Significant collaborations
Cast
;With Dan Aykroyd
Aykroyd wrote the original script for the movie "The Blues Brothers", which at 324 pages was three times longer than a standard screenplay. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, and the film was realised in 1980 as a musical comedy and was a huge commercial success. Aykroyd then starred (along with Murphy) in "Trading Places". In the same year (1983) he appeared in "Twilight Zone: The Movie". Two years later he made a cameo in "Into the Night" and "B.B. King 'Into the Night" (as one of B.B. King's band members) and starred in (as well as co-wrote) "Spies Like Us". This would be Aykroyd's last role in a Landis film until 1998.
;With Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy is an American comic actor. He first collaborated with Landis during "Trading Places". Murphy later became a frequent director's collaborator, who appeard also in "Coming to America" and "Beverly Hills Cop III". Murphy made a cameo in Landis's two videos for B.B. King: "In the Midnight Hour" and "My Lucille" in which he played band's member as drummer.
;With Michael Jackson
When Landis and his family were living in London he was approached by Michael Jackson to make a video for his song, 'Thriller'. 'Thriller' forever changed MTV and the concept of music videos; it has won many awards. In 2009, Landis sued Jackson in a dispute over royalties for the video; he claims to be owed four years worth of royalties.. In 1992 Landis directed a second video for Jackson, 'Black or White', in which Landis appeared as himself.
During interview with Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan Landis said:
;With Frank Oz
Landis has cast Oz in small roles in several of his movies. Oz played a corrections officer in "Blues Brothers" and "Blues Brothers 2000". He also had roles in "An American Werewolf in London", "Trading Places", "Spies Like Us", and "Innocent Blood". Even if he's not appeared in a Landis movie, his name is often spoken in the background. During airport scenes in "Into the Night" and "Coming to America", there are announcements on the PA system requesting a 'Mr. Frank Ozkerwitz' to pick up the white courtesy phone. Ozkerwitz is Oz's given name. During interview with Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan, Frank Oz said:
Crew
;With Deborah Nadoolman Landis
Throughout his career, Landis has utilized his wife, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, as a costume designer. She created such costumes as Bluto's toga in "Animal House"; black suits, hats and glasses for the Blues Brothers; Michael Jackson's red jacket in "Thriller"; sheepskin jackets for "Spies Like Us"; the protagonists' costumes in "¡Three Amigos!"; and Prince Akeem's coronation outfit in "Coming to America". Deborah Nadoolman was nominated for an Academy Award in 1988 for "Coming to America".
;With Rick Baker
Richard Baker is an Academy Award-winning special makeup effects artist known for his realistic creature effects. Baker worked with Landis for the first time during "Schlock". Baker also created special makeup effects for Landis' "An American Werewolf in London" (for which he won the Academy Award), "Twilight Zone: The Movie", "Thriller", and "Coming to America" (which garnered him an Academy Award nomination). Baker also appeared in "Into the Night" as a drug dealer.
;With George Folsey Jr.
George Folsey is a producer and editor. He edited or co-edited six Landis' films: all productions from "Schlock" (1973) to "The Blues Brothers" (1980), "Thriller" and "Coming to America". Folsey produced eleven films directed or co-directed by Landis ("Schlock", "The Blues Brothers", all films from "An American Werewolf in London" to "Coming to America"). He was also second unit director collaborated with Landis during his "Trading Places", "Into the Night" and "¡Three Amigos!".
;With Leslie Belzberg
Leslie Belzberg is a film and television producer. He produced ten films directed by Landis (all Landis' films from "Into the Night" to "Susans Plan") and four TV series in wich Landis participated (including "The Lost World" and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show"). Belzberg was George Folsey's assistant during filming "Trading Places", he also was "Blues Brothers 2000" executive music producer. He won - along with Landis - CableACE Awards for "Dream on" series and appeared in "The Making of 'Blues Brothers 2000" as himself.
;With Elmer Bernstein
Bernstein composed music for eight of Landis' movies: "National Lampoon's Animal House", "Blues Brothers", "An American
Werewolf in London", "Trading Places", "Thriller", "Spies Like Us", "¡Three Amigos!" and "Oscar".
;With Robert Paynter
Landis worked with cinematographer Robert Paynter on five films: "An American Werewolf in London", "Trading Places", "Thriller", "Into the Night" and "Spies Like Us". Paynter helped to create a 'pop' comic book-style of "American Werewolf", "Thriller" and "Into the Night". He also made a cameo in "Into the Night" (as Security Guard) and "Spies like Us" (as Dr. Gill).
Filmography
Feature
Directed by Landis:
"Susan's Plan" (1998)
"Blues Brothers 2000" (1998)
"The Stupids" (1996)
"Beverly Hills Cop III" (1994)
"Innocent Blood" (1992)
"Oscar" (1991)
"Coming to America" (1988)
"¡Three Amigos!" (1986)
"Spies Like Us" (1985)
"Into the Night" (1985)
"Trading Places" (1983)
"An American Werewolf in London" (1981)
"The Blues Brothers" (1980)
"National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978)
"The Kentucky Fried Movie" (1977)
"Schlock" (1973)
Co-directed by Landis:
"Amazon Women on the Moon" (1987)
"Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983)
Up-coming:
"Burke and Hare" (2009)
Documentary films
For Television:
"Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project" (2007)
"Slasher" (2004)
Co-directed by Landis:
"B.B. King 'Into the Night'" (video segments, 1985)
For video/DVD:
"Where Are They Now?: A Delta Alumni Update" (2002)
"Coming Soon" (1982)
Videos
For Paul McCartney:
"Spies Like Us" (1986)
For B.B. King (from film "B.B. King 'Into the Night" ):
"My Lucille"
"Into the Night"
"In the Midnight Hour"
For JibJab:
"Shawshank in a Minute " (... more)
Shorts films for Michael Jackson:
"Black or White" (1991)
"Thriller" (1983)
Television episodes
"Fear Itself" (1 episode, 2008)
"Psych" (2 episodes, 2007)
"The Great Sketch Experiment" (segments, 2006)
"Masters of Horror"
* 'Family' (2006)
* 'Deer Woman' (2005)
"Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show" (1 episode, 1999)
"Dream On" (9 episodes, 1990-1995)
"Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration" (1 episode, 1990)
"Georg Burns Disaster at Buzz Creek" (1 episode, 1985)
"Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration" (1 episode, 1985)
Other works
"Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular" (2006)
Books about John Landis
Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan (2008). 'John Landis'. M Press. ISBN 1595820418
External links
(allmovie profile about Director)
(80's Movie Rewind Profile about Director)
(Daily Variety, May 24, 1994: Spotlight on John Landis - Billion Dollar Director)
(Site of incident at www.findadeath.com)
(All about The Twilight Zone tragedy)
(NTSB Accident Investigation Report)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about John Landis.
