John Stockwell

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Viewed, 3437x, Last Updated 2007-03-25

Director/screenwriter JOHN STOCKWELL revels in moral complexity. Whether creating a drama about the inventors of the silicone breast implant, or a teacher instructing his students to lie and cheat, or a sexually aggressive teenage girl finding redemption through love, Stockwell embraces the opportunity to bring challenging material and unconventional characters to the screen. Stockwell is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, currently working on several wide-ranging, yet equally novel projects.

Stockwell’s most recent project is “Turistas” which he directed for Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban’s 2929 Prods. Stockwell will adapt and direct KIDD CANNABIS based on the real-life story of young Idaho suburbanites who built a multi-million-dollar marijuana ring. Stockwell most recently directed INTO THE BLUE for MGM Pictures. It released on September 30, 2005. Starring Jessica Alba, Paul Walker and Scott Caan, the film focuses on a group of divers. Before heading to the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas for INTO THE BLUE, Stockwell braved the big waves of Hawaii to direct the smash hit BLUE CRUSH, a romance set against the world of big-wave surfing, for Universal. The film, starring Kate Bosworth in her breakout role, was a box office success and helped propel the women’s surf movement into the forefront of American pop culture.

Stockwell also directed Touchstone Pictures’ CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL, a raw and boldly erotic drama that eschews quick or easy resolutions – a rarity among today’s teen films. The film starred the versatile Kirsten Dunst, who sheds her girl-next-door image to play a troubled and provocative teenager who finds a measure of hope and happiness when she falls in love with a poor Latino boy, played by up-and-comer Jay Hernandez. Filming entirely on location in Los Angeles, Stockwell achieved a lucid aura of voyeuristic realism, juxtaposing the affluent world of Malibu with that of working class, immigrant Boyle Heights, and infusing the film with a faintly blue austerity that reflects the inner conflict at its core.The story is Stockwell segues from teenage angst to rock ‘n roll celebrity with the September 2001 release of ROCK STAR, which he wrote for Warner Bros. Directed by Stephen Herek (Mr. Holland’s Opus), it is a drama about the obsessed lead singer of a heavy metal tribute band who lands the gig of his dreams.

Much to the chagrin of his friends and family, Stockwell spent months immersing himself in heavy metal culture to obtain the script’s gritty authenticity. Stockwell’s present reign of success began in 1997, when he wrote the HBO docudrama BREAST MEN, starring David Schwimmer, Chris Cooper, Emily Procter and Louise Fletcher. Based on a true story about the rise and eventual fall of the two Texas doctors who invented silicone breast implants, it was singled out for its frank and even-handed treatment of a very public and controversial subject. Stockwell followed that with HBO’s critically acclaimed CHEATERS -- which he also directed -- a dark, twisted morality tale about the real-life Chicago high school English teacher who persuaded his students to cheat in the 1995 Illinois Academic Decathlon. Bringing together a gifted ensemble of veteran and up-and-coming actors – including Jeff Daniels, Paul Sorvino and Jena Malone – Stockwell crafted a bracing, emotionally resonant drama that compelled viewers to redefine their ideas of right and wrong, garnering him an Emmy nomination in the process. Stockwell’s intuitive verité style, and his facility with both established and rising young talent, stem in part from his many years as an actor. After earning his undergraduate degree at Harvard, Stockwell entered New York University’s filmmaking program, but gave that up in favor of a realworld education. While performing in a string of features and television movies – Losin’ It, Christine, Top Gun, “North and South,” “Billionaire Boys Club” – Stockwell watched, eavesdropped, asked questions, took notes and generally made a pest of himself on the set, all in an effort to learn everything he could about being a filmmaker. Stockwell and his family live in Los Angeles.

 

Filmography: Christine, Into the Blue, Paradise Lost (2007), The Nurse (1997), Top Gun, Turistas,

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