Curtis Hanson

Directing

Curtis Hanson

Born 1945-03-24 · Reno, Nevada, USA

Curtis Lee Hanson (March 24, 1945 – September 20, 2016) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Born in Reno, Nevada, Hanson grew up in Los Angeles. After dropping out of high school, Hanson worked as photographer and editor for Cinema magazine. In the 1970s, Hanson participated as a writer for the horror film The Dunwich Horror (1970) and made his directorial debut the B-Movie Sweet Kill (1973), where he lacked creative control to fulfill his vision. While Hanson continued directing, he rose to prominence screenwriting critically acclaimed films such as The Silent Partner (1978), White Dog (1982), and Never Cry Wolf (1983). After working on projects that kept him unsatisfied, he decided that he should write and direct thriller films based on the success of The Silent Partner. Hence, he followed up with The Bedroom Window (1987) where his writing and directing finally came to merge. By this point, his body of work made an impression on screenwriter David Koepp, who was convinced that he could handle the directorial duties for his script, which led to Bad Influence (1990). Finally he directed The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), which was both a critical and commercial success. Moving forward he directed the thriller The River Wild (1994), which grossed $94.2 million. Afterwards, he directed the acclaimed neo-noir crime film L.A. Confidential (1997) earning him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. The film was also nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival and is preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". His next directorial effort was the critically acclaimed comedy-drama Wonder Boys (2000). Then came the hip-hop drama 8 Mile (2002), starring rapper Eminem and based on his life experiences. The film was a triumph with critics and at the box-office grossing $242.9 million. Finally the romantic comedy In Her Shoes (2005), was also critically acclaimed and a financial success. Prior to his 2014 retirement, due to poor health, Hanson directed Lucky You (2007), and Chasing Mavericks (2012), both had troubled productions and the final results did not come near his previous critical and financial accomplishments. Hanson's last significant directorial effort was the HBO television film Too Big to Fail (2011) receiving nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series or Movie and Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie. Hanson died of natural causes in 2016. Description above from the Wikipedia article Curtis Hanson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Acting credits

Adaptation. poster
7.3

Charlie Kaufman is a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald. While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean, Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman and Orlean's book become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the other's.

Adaptation.

2002

Critic poster
7.9

Seventy critics and filmmakers discuss cinema around the conflict between the artist and the observer, the creator and the critic. Between 1998 and 2007, Kléber Mendonça Filho recorded testimonies about this relationship in Brazil, the United States and Europe, based on his experience as a critic.

Critic

2008

Whatever You Desire: Making 'L.A. Confidential' poster
8.0

Director Curtis Hanson and his cast and crew discuss the arduous but rewarding process of creating a modern classic.

Whatever You Desire: Making 'L.A. Confidential'

2008

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs poster
3.0

Ekchart Schmidt examines the machinery behind the dream factory; the Hollywood myth is unmasked. How does the studio industry work? What role does marketing and the hype surrounding the stars play?

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

1998

The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft poster
NR

The nominees for the 1998 Oscar for Best Director — Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, James L. Brooks, Gus Van Sant and Curtis Hanson — discuss their craft in this panel organized by the DGA and moderated by director Jeremy Kagan.

The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft

1998

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story poster
8.5

Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner and Sam Warner were siblings who were born in Poland and emigrated to Canada near the turn of the century. In 1903, the brothers entered the budding motion picture business. In time, the Warner Brothers moved into film production and would open their own studio in 1923.

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

2008

Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows poster
7.3

Hollywood careers are full of make-or-break moments. For Clint Eastwood, one such moment came when studio powers agreed to let him make his directing debut. That story and others comprise this portrait of the famed Hollywood icon. His career is explored via an array of film clips, interviews and more.

Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows

2000

Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius poster
8.5

This documentary is a fascinating look at the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock. Briefly covering much of his early British works, the film primarily focuses on his American classics, such as "Shadow of a Doubt", "Notorious", "Rear Window", "Vertigo", "Psycho" and "The Birds". The movie also covers his television years and neatly examines the Hitchcock signature touches, from his inevitable brief cameo to his famous MacGuffin.

Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius

1999

The Searchers: An Appreciation poster
NR

Three directors (Curtis Hanson, Martin Scorsese and John Milius) discuss the movie "The Searchers."

The Searchers: An Appreciation

2006

Revolution! The Making of 'Bonnie and Clyde' poster
4.6

The making-of documentary of Bonnie and Clyde.

Revolution! The Making of 'Bonnie and Clyde'

2008

No artwork available
5.0

Curtis Hanson and his behind-the-scenes collaborators reveal the secrets of bringing 1950s Los Angeles to life in unforgettable style.

Sunlight and Shadow: The Visual Style of 'L.A. Confidential'

2008

The Making of '8 Mile' poster
8.0

Director Curtis Hanson and star Eminem talk about their ideas and views on the film 8 Mile (2002).

The Making of '8 Mile'

2003

Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies' poster
8.0

A retrospective documentary of the cult classic movie The Goonies. Including interviews with the cast, exploration of the film's locations and unique stories you wont hear anywhere else.

Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies'

2010

No artwork available
9.0

Film noir, which enjoyed particular success in the 1930s and 1940s, is probably the most profound genre of classic Hollywood cinema. Eckhart Schmidt tries to show the background and developments and speaks, among others, with directors such as Richard Fleischer and Robert Wise as well as with "femme fatale" actresses. Filmmakers of the following generations explain how the style and themes of noir continue to shape cinema today.

Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz

2004

The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style poster
6.8

Documentary that features interviews with Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, Francis Lawrence, William Friedkin, Guillermo Del Toro, John Carpenter and others as they discuss the films and style of the Master of Suspense.

The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style

2009

'Rear Window' Ethics: Remembering and Restoring a Hitchcock Classic poster
7.5

A documentary about Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1954 film Rear Window.

'Rear Window' Ethics: Remembering and Restoring a Hitchcock Classic

2001

The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot' poster
8.5

A look back at the impact Billy Wilder's comedy classic "Some Like It Hot" has left since it's release in 1959.

The Legacy of 'Some Like It Hot'

2006

North by Northwest: One for the Ages poster
6.8

A discussion of "North by Northwest" and its influence.

North by Northwest: One for the Ages

2009

'In a Lonely Place' Revisited poster
10.0

Documentary about Nicholas Ray's film "In a Lonely Place" (1950).

'In a Lonely Place' Revisited

2003

Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith poster
7.0

A limited DVD (1500 copies) of "Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith" was released in June 2005. Bonus features included extended interviews and 60 minutes of scoring session footage of Mr. Goldsmith working on The River Wild.

Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith

1995

Behind the camera

8 Mile poster
7.1

For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance.

8 Mile

2002

8 Mile poster
7.1

For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance.

8 Mile

2002

L.A. Confidential poster
7.8

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.

L.A. Confidential

1997

L.A. Confidential poster
7.8

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.

L.A. Confidential

1997

L.A. Confidential poster
7.8

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.

L.A. Confidential

1997

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle poster
6.9

A suburban family chooses seemingly sweet Peyton Flanders as their newborn's nanny. Only much later does the infant's mother, Claire Bartel, realize Peyton's true intentions -- to destroy Claire and replace her in the family. The nail-biting suspense builds quickly in this chilling psychological thriller about deception and bitter revenge.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

1992

Wonder Boys poster
6.8

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning 'Great American Novel' 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

Wonder Boys

2000

Wonder Boys poster
6.8

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning 'Great American Novel' 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

Wonder Boys

2000

In Her Shoes poster
6.2

Irresponsible party girl Maggie is kicked out of her father's and stepmother's home—where she lives for free—and is taken in by her hard-working sister, Philadelphia lawyer Rose. After Maggie's disruptive ways ruin her sister's love life, Rose turns her out as well. But when their grandmother, who they never knew existed, comes into their lives, the sisters face some complicated truths about themselves and their family.

In Her Shoes

2005

In Her Shoes poster
6.2

Irresponsible party girl Maggie is kicked out of her father's and stepmother's home—where she lives for free—and is taken in by her hard-working sister, Philadelphia lawyer Rose. After Maggie's disruptive ways ruin her sister's love life, Rose turns her out as well. But when their grandmother, who they never knew existed, comes into their lives, the sisters face some complicated truths about themselves and their family.

In Her Shoes

2005

Too Big to Fail poster
6.9

An intimate look at the epochal financial crisis of 2008 and the powerful men and women who decided the fate of the world's economy in a matter of a few weeks.

Too Big to Fail

2011

The River Wild poster
6.5

Gail and Tom Hartman are struggling to stay together and decide to take a white-water rafting holiday adventure in Montana for their son Roarke's 10th birthday, only to meet up with a pair of mysterious men whose desperation grows, turning their vacation into a nightmare.

The River Wild

1994

The Big Year poster
6.0

Three fanatical bird-watchers spend an entire year competing to spot the highest number of species as El Nino sends an extraordinary variety of rare breeds flying up into the U.S., but they quickly discover that there are more important things than coming out on top of the competition.

The Big Year

2011

Lucky You poster
5.7

A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer.

Lucky You

2007

Lucky You poster
5.7

A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer.

Lucky You

2007

Lucky You poster
5.7

A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer.

Lucky You

2007

Never Cry Wolf poster
7.0

A scientific researcher, sent on a government study: The Lupus Project, must investigate the possible "menace" of wolves in the north. To do so, he must survive in the wilderness for six months on his own. In the course of these events, he learns about the true beneficial and positive nature of the wolf species.

Never Cry Wolf

1983

The Bedroom Window poster
6.3

Baltimore, Maryland. Sylvia sees a girl being attacked from her lover Terry's bedroom window. The assailant flees and his victim is saved. But that same night another girl is found murdered.

The Bedroom Window

1987

The Bedroom Window poster
6.3

Baltimore, Maryland. Sylvia sees a girl being attacked from her lover Terry's bedroom window. The assailant flees and his victim is saved. But that same night another girl is found murdered.

The Bedroom Window

1987

White Dog poster
6.6

Samuel Fuller’s throat-grabbing exposé on American racism was misunderstood and withheld from release when it was made in the early eighties.Today, the notorious film is lauded for its daring metaphor and gripping pulp filmmaking. Kristy McNichol stars as a young actress who adopts a lost German shepherd, only to discover through a series of horrifying incidents that the dog has been trained to attack black people, and Paul Winfield plays the animal trainer who tries to cure him. A snarling, uncompromising vision, White Dog is a tragic portrait of the evil done by that most corruptible of all animals; the human being.

White Dog

1982

Losin' It poster
4.9

In 1965, four Los Angeles school friends -- Woody, Dave, Spider and Wendell -- go on a series of misadventures when they head to Tijuana, Mexico, for a night of cruisin', causing trouble, and to lose their virginity.

Losin' It

1983

Bad Influence poster
6.0

Wimpy young executive Michael is about to get pulverized by a jealous boyfriend in a bar when a handsome, mysterious stranger steps in—and then disappears. Later that night, Michael runs into a stranger on a pier, who wheedles his way into Michael's life and turns it upside down.

Bad Influence

1990

Chasing Mavericks poster
7.0

Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks.

Chasing Mavericks

2012

Chasing Mavericks poster
7.0

Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks.

Chasing Mavericks

2012