Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich | |
---|---|
Biographical information | |
Birth date |
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | November 10, 1955
Nationality | German |
Information about family | |
Other relative | Ute Emmerich (sister) |
Professional information | |
Occupation | Film director, producer and screenwriter |
Years active | 1984—present |
Stargate-related information | |
Related series | Stargate |
Occupations |
Writer, Director |
Roland Emmerich (German: [ˈʁoːlant ˈɛməʁɪç]) (born November 10, 1955) is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films, most of which are Hollywood productions filmed in English, have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide, more than those of any other European directors. His films have grossed just over $1 billion in the United States, making him the country's 14th-highest grossing director of all time.[1][2][3] He began his work in the film industry by directing the film The Noah's Ark Principle as part of his university thesis and also co-founded Centropolis Entertainment in 1985 with his sister. He is a collector of art and an active campaigner for the lesbian and gay community, himself being openly gay.[4] He is also a campaigner for an awareness of global warming and equal rights.
Emmerich has directed many successful films, mostly disaster films such as Independence Day (1996), The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and 2012 (2009); also Stargate (1994) and The Patriot (2000). Although many of his films have been successful in the box office, others such as Universal Soldier (1992), Godzilla (1998) and 10,000 BC (2008) have been panned by critics.[5]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Emmerich was born in Stuttgart, Germany, and grew up in the nearby town of Sindelfingen.[6] As a youth, he traveled extensively throughout Europe and North America on vacations financed by his father, Hans, the wealthy founder of a garden machinery production company.[7] In 1977, he began attending University of Television and Film Munich with the intention of studying to become a production designer.[7][8]
Career[edit | edit source]
After watching Star Wars, he instead decided to enroll in the school's film director program.[7][9] Required to create a short film as his final thesis in 1981, he wrote and directed the full-length feature The Noah's Ark Principle, which was eventually screened as the opening film of the 34th Berlin International Film Festival in 1984.[8]
In 1985, he founded Centropolis Film Productions (now Centropolis Entertainment) in partnership with his sister, producer Ute Emmerich, and directed his major film debut, a fantasy feature named Joey.[7] He subsequently directed the 1987 comedy Hollywood-Monster and the 1990 science-fiction film Moon 44. Theatrically, these were only released in and nearby his native country, although Emmerich filmed them in English and went against conventional German styles in an attempt to appeal to a larger market.[7][10] This subsequently resulted in Moon 44 being released direct-to-video in the U.S. in early 1991. Joey and Hollywood-Monster eventually also saw home video releases in the U.S. (as Making Contact and Ghost Chase, respectively) once Emmerich achieved more prominence in America.
Hollywood director[edit | edit source]
Producer Mario Kassar invited Emmerich to come to the United States to direct a futuristic action film entitled Isobar.[11] Dean Devlin, who appeared in Moon 44, soon joined Emmerich as his writing and producing partner, and served in this capacity until 2000.[10] Emmerich subsequently refused the offer to direct after producers rejected Devlin's re-write of the script, and the Isobar project was eventually scrapped.[11] Instead, Emmerich was hired to replace director Andrew Davis for the action movie Universal Soldier. The film was released in 1992, and has since been followed by two direct-to-video sequels, a theatrical sequel, and another sequel released in 2010.
Emmerich next helmed the 1994 science-fiction film Stargate. At the time, it set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film released in the month of October.[12] It became more commercially successful than most film industry insiders had anticipated,[10][13] and spawned a highly popular media franchise.
Emmerich then directed Independence Day, an alien invasion feature, released in 1996, that became the first film to gross $100 million in less than a week[14][15] and went on to become one of the most financially successful films of all time,[16] at one point having been the second-highest grossing film in terms of worldwide box office.[17] Emmerich and Devlin then created the television series The Visitor, which aired on the Fox Network during 1997–1998 before being cancelled after one season.
His next film, Godzilla, opened in 1998. An extensive advertising and marketing campaign generated significant hype during the months leading up to the film's release. The film was a box office success but was met with mixed reviews. It garnered a Saturn Award for Best Special Effects, a BMI Film Music Award, and the Audience Award for Best Director at the European Film Awards while also receiving a Razzie Award for Worst Remake or Sequel. On IMDb, it rates a 5.0/10.0 [18] and has only a 26% fresh rating (38% fresh for Audience ratings) on Rotten Tomatoes.[19]
Taking a short break from science-fiction, Emmerich next directed the American Revolutionary War epic The Patriot. Only the second film (Universal Soldier being the other) Emmerich has directed in which he did not contribute to the screenplay, the film received generally favorable critical and commercial response,[20] and is Emmerich's best-reviewed film to date.[21][22] After teaming up with new screenwriting partner Harald Kloser, Emmerich returned once again to directing a visual effects-laden adventure with 2004's blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow, another disaster film about a rapidly oncoming Ice Age brought upon by the effects of global warming. Soon afterward, he founded Reelmachine, another film production company based in Germany.
In 2008, Emmerich directed 10,000 BC, a film about the journeys of a prehistoric tribe of mammoth hunters. It was a box office hit, but consistently regarded by professional critics as one of the worst movies of the year.[23] He was slated to direct a remake of the 1966 science-fiction film Fantastic Voyage,[24] but the project slipped back into development hell. In 2009, Emmerich directed 2012,[25] an apocalyptic disaster film based on the conspiracy theory that the ancient Mayans prophesied the world's ending on December 21, 2012.[26] Emmerich usually finishes production of a large-scale movie both in a time frame shorter and on a budget lower than what is typically requested by other directors.[8][10]
His next film, Anonymous, released on 28 October 2011, is based on the premise that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford is the real author of the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.[27] According to Emmerich, "It’s an historical thriller because it’s about who will succeed Queen Elizabeth and the struggle of the people who want to have a hand in it. It's the Tudors on one side and the Cecils on the other, and in between [the two] is the Queen. Through that story we tell how the plays written by the Earl of Oxford ended up labelled 'William Shakespeare.'"[28] The release date for Anonymous coincided with the completion of the 13th Baktun, the date which marks the empirical base for Emmerich's film 2012, as this is celebrated by the surviving indigenous Maya, specifically the Quiché people.
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Emmerich owns homes in Los Angeles, Manhattan, London and Stuttgart.[7][29][30][31][32] Emmerich likes to decorate his homes in a self-described "outlandish" manner,[32] adorning them with rare Hollywood memorabilia, murals and portraits of dictators and Communist figures, and World War II-Militaria.[7][31]
Emmerich's extensive collection of artwork includes a painting of Jesus Christ wearing a Katharine Hamnett-styled t-shirt during his crucifixion,[32] prints of Alison Jackson's works of a Princess Diana lookalike making obscene gestures and engaging in sex acts,[30][33] a wax sculpture of Pope John Paul II laughing as he reads his own obituary,[30][33] and a Photoshopped image of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a homoerotic pose.[32] Emmerich, who is openly gay,[4] and a financial supporter of U.S. progressive politics,[34] states that the decorations and pieces aren't declarations of any beliefs,[32] but rather reflections of his "predilection for art with a political edge".[33]
Emmerich has claimed that he witnessed overt racism when producers and studio executives were opposed to allowing him to cast Will Smith for the lead in Independence Day, and reluctant to allow him to portray an interracial couple in The Day After Tomorrow.[35] He has also claimed that he has encountered homophobia from the same groups, and is vocal in his opposition of such behavior.[35] He has stated that sometimes he does "[not like working in] the movie business", describing it as a sometimes "very cold, brutal business", but his motivation to keep directing is that he genuinely "like[s] making movies".[7]
In 2006, he pledged $150,000 to the Legacy Project, a campaign dedicated to gay and lesbian film preservation. Emmerich made the donation on behalf of Outfest, making it the largest gift in the festival's history.[36] In 2007, on behalf of the LGBT community, he held a fundraiser at his Los Angeles home for Democratic Party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.[31]
Emmerich is in favor of the campaign for stunt performers to receive recognition at the Academy Awards, and has worked to raise awareness over the issue of global warming.[37][38] He once was a chain-smoker who was known to smoke as many as four packs of cigarettes a day,[39] Emmerich has often included in his films characters who are trying to quit smoking, and/or warn against the dangers of tobacco use. Along with several other celebrities, he is a producer of The 1 Second Film, a non-profit project intended to raise money for women's rights in the developing world.[40]
Involvement in the Stargate universe[edit | edit source]
Screenwriter, director[edit | edit source]
- Stargate (1994), co-written with Dean Devlin
Filmography[edit | edit source]
Producer[edit | edit source]
Films | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
???? | Independence Day 2 | producer | announced |
2013 | White House Down | producer | post-production |
2012 | Last Will & Testament | executive producer | |
2011 | Anonymous | producer | |
2011 | Hell | executive producer | |
2009 | 2012 | executive producer | |
2008 | 10,000 BC | producer | |
2007 | Trade | producer | |
2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | producer | |
2002 | Eight Legged Freaks | executive producer | |
2000 | The Patriot | executive producer | |
1999 | The Thirteenth Floor | producer | |
1998 | Godzilla | executive producer | |
1996 | Independence Day | executive producer | |
1994 | The High Crusade | producer | |
1991 | Eye of the Storm | executive producer | |
1990 | Moon 44 | producer | |
1985 | Joey | co-producer | |
1984 | Das Arche Noah Prinzip | co-producer | |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
2012 | Dark Horse | executive producer | TV movie |
1998-2000 | Godzilla: The Series | executive producer | TV series, 40 episodes |
1997 | The Visitor | executive producer | TV series |
Director[edit | edit source]
Films | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
2013 | White House Down | Director | post-production |
2011 | Anonymous | Director | |
2009 | 2012 | Director | |
2008 | 10,000 BC | Director | |
2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | Director | |
2000 | The Patriot | Director | |
1998 | Godzilla | Director | |
1996 | Independence Day | Director | |
1994 | Stargate | Director | |
1992 | Universal Soldier | Director | |
1990 | Moon 44 | Director | |
1987 | Hollywood-Monster | Director | |
1985 | Joey | Director | |
1984 | Das Arche Noah Prinzip | Director | |
1979 | Franzmann | Director | |
1979 | Wilde Witwe | Director | Short |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
2012 | Dark Horse | Director | TV movie |
Writer[edit | edit source]
Films | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
???? | Independence Day 2 | characters | announced |
2009 | 2012 | written by | |
2008 | 10,000 BC | written by | |
2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | screenplay / story | |
1998 | Godzilla | screenplay / story | |
1996 | Independence Day | written by | |
1994 | Stargate | written by | |
1990 | Moon 44 | story | |
1987 | Hollywood-Monster | ||
1985 | Joey | written by | |
1984 | Das Arche Noah Prinzip | ||
1979 | Franzmann | writer | |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
2012 | Dark Horse | TV movie | |
1998 | Stargate SG-1 | Excerpts | TV series, uncredited, landing of Ra's mothership in "Politics" |
1980 | Altosax | TV movie |
Other[edit | edit source]
Production Designer | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
1979 | Smash - Gefahr aus der Unendlichkeit | Production Designer | Short |
1979 | Wilde Witwe | Production Designer | Short |
Special Effects | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
1985 | Joey | Special Effects | Film |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
1985 | Joey | second camera | Film |
Actor | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
1980 | Altosax | Actor | TV movie |
Editor | |||
Year | Title | Function | Notes |
1979 | Franzmann | Editor | Film |
Awards and nominations[edit | edit source]
Emmerich won six awards.
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Golden Berlin Bear | Das Arche Noah Prinzip | Nominated | |
1986 | International Fantasy Film Award | Best Film | Das Arche Noah Prinzip | Nominated |
1987 | International Fantasy Film Award | Best Film | Joey | Nominated |
1995 | International Fantasy Film Award | Best Film | Stargate | Nominated |
1997 | Saturn Award | Best Writer | Independence Day | Nominated |
1997 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Independence Day | Won |
1997 | Amanda Award | Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm) | Independence Day | Won |
1998 | Audience Award | Best Director | Godzilla | Won |
1999 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Godzilla | Nominated |
2009 | Honorary Bambi | "Germans in Hollywood" | Won | |
2012 | Film Award in Gold | Outstanding Feature Film (Bester Spielfilm) | Anonymous | Nominated |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich". boxofficemojo.com. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=rolandemmerich.htm. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich". the-numbers.com. http://www.the-numbers.com/people/directors/REMME.php. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "The top 25 highest grossing film directors". The New Politickler. January 16, 2009. http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/top60dir/VS.mv. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Robert Urban (January 23, 2007). "Powerful Gay Men in Hollywood". AfterElton. http://www.afterelton.com/archive/elton/people/2007/1/hollywoodmen.html. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich". tvtropes.com. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RolandEmmerich. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
- ↑ Rebecca Ascher-Walsh (August 22, 1995). "Space Under Fire". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293332_4,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 By Hilary Whiteman (March 7, 2008). "Roland Emmerich, the accidental director openly gay". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/02/28/emmerich.history/index.html. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 By Hilary Whiteman (March 10, 2008). "Roland Emmerich: Making it big". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/02/28/emmerich.director/index.html. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ The Force Is With Them: The Legacy of Star Wars Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD Box Set: Bonus Materials, [2004]
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Richard Corliss (July 8, 1996). "THE INVASION HAS BEGUN!". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,984815-5,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Patrick Lee, Maria Virobik (21-JULY-06). "Devlin's Isobar Moves Forward". Sci Fi Wire. http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=37195. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ "TOP OPENING WEEKENDS BY MONTH". boxofficemojo.com. http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/month/?mo=10&p=.htm. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ Rebecca Ascher-Walsh (July 28, 1995). "Space Under Fire". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293332,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ A.J. Jacobs (July 19, 1996). "The Day After". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293427,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ Film History of the 1990s filmsite.org. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.
- ↑ "Independence Day." Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.
- ↑ "William Fay Bio." www.10000bcmovie.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2008.
- ↑ Godzilla (1998). [review]. Internet Movie DataBase. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120685/ Accessed 7 June 2012.
- ↑ Godzilla (1998). [review]. Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/godzilla/ Accessed 7 June 2012.
- ↑ "The Patriot". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/patriot?q=roland%20emmerich. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich (search results)". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/search/process?sort=relevance&termType=all&ts=roland+emmerich&ty=1&x=42&y=6. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich". rottentomatoes.com. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/roland_emmerich/. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Tomato Picker 2008 films with <10% "fresh" ratings". rottentomatoes.com. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/browser.php?navsection=home&type=2&genre=&subgenre=&tomatometer=0%s&numreviews=&mpaa=&letter=&decade=2000s&year=&video_format=&title_search=&person_search=&plot_search=&sort=OrigReleaseYear+DESC&start_index=0&page=1. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ Fleming, Michael (August 15, 2007). "Emmerich to captain 'Voyage'". variety.com. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970307.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=fantastic+voyage. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
- ↑ Fleming, Michael (February 21, 2008). "Sony buys Emmerich's '2012'". variety.com. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981245.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
- ↑ Pawlowski, Agnes (January 27, 2009). Apocalypse in 2012? Date spawns theories, film. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/01/27/2012.maya.calendar.theories/. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ↑ Coming Attractions
- ↑ de Semlyen, Phil (February 25, 2010). "Roland Emmerich's Next Is 'Anonymous' About Shakespeare". Bauer Consumer Media (Empire Online). http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=27133. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 "BRILLIANT OR BAD TASTE? Director Roland Emmerich's Knightsbridge Townhouse". Cottage Industries. September 5, 2008. http://www.ctcottageindustries.com/2008/09/brilliant-or-bad-taste-director-roland.html. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "LGBT hold fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at Roland Emmerich's Hollywood Home". www.4seasons-photography.com. July 22, 2007. http://www.4seasons-photography.com/Event_Hillary_Clinton.html. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 Kathryn Harris (25 October 2008). "There's no manifesto". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/25/roland-emmerich. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Hruska, Rachelle J. (October 7, 2008). "Roland Emmerich's Far From Conservative Style". GuestofaGuest.com. http://guestofaguest.com/things-we-love/roland-emmerichs-far-from-conservative-style/. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ "FUNDRACE 2008". The Huffington Post. 2007. http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=Emmerich&fname=Roland. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 The Day After Tomorrow Director/Producer DVD Commentary (2004)
- ↑ "Hollywood director helps save gay and lesbian films". advocate.com. January 25, 2006. http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid24780.asp. Retrieved March 28, 2007.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ "An interview with Roland Emmerich". blackfilm.com. May 1, 2004. http://www.blackfilm.com/20040528/features/rolandemmerich.shtml. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
- ↑ Rebecca Ascher-Walsh (July 12, 1996). "SPACE UNDER FIRE". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293332,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ↑ "Roland Emmerich". the1secondfilm.com. http://the1secondfilm.com/producer/562. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
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