Bruce A. Evans
Encyclopedia
Bruce Anslie Evans is an American
film director
, producer
and screenwriter
best known for his work on Stand by Me
(1986), Jungle 2 Jungle
(1996) and Mr. Brooks
(2007).
Starman
with his partner Raynold Gideon, with whom he first worked on 1979's A Man, a Woman, and a Bank
starring Donald Sutherland
. Their second film, 1986's Stand by Me
, which Evans also produced, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature
; his and Gideon's screenplay in particular was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium), the Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
and the Writers Guild of America Award
for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
. Evans and Gideon went on to write and produce the 1987 film
Made in Heaven before writing Kuffs
(1992), which Evans directed and Gideon produced. The film, featuring Christian Slater
, won the Special Jury Prize at the 1992 Festival du Film Policier de Cognac
. The pair were given story credit for the 1995 film
Cutthroat Island
after performing a rewrite of "a completely different version" of the script.
After writing 1997's Jungle 2 Jungle
, a remake of the 1994
French film
Un indien dans la ville
, Evans and Gideon wrote "screenplays and rewrites and all of that kind of stuff" before their next credited film. They struggled to have their subsequent scripts produced as each demanded too high a budget for most studios, including what they regarded as a "great World War I
love story", until they wrote the 2007 film
Mr. Brooks
, starring Kevin Costner
as the title character. With the idea of a seemingly normal business man who leads a second life as a serial killer
, they hoped to "make an adult film" and "change our image" as writers in the film industry. They originally conceived the project as a television series, which they pitched to a number of television producers and studios
in Hollywood
. Their original version was considered "too soft", and their revised story, which was deemed "too dark", was written instead as a film spec script
. Fifteen years since Kuffs, Evans said that, with Mr. Brooks, directing again "was kind of like riding a bicycle".
In addition to Evans and Gideon's intention of making two sequels to Mr. Brooks, Evans said that "we have two originals in mind" and "there are a few [scripts] that are kind of on hold that I would direct that other people have written".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
best known for his work on Stand by Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
(1986), Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is a 1997 comedy feature film starring Tim Allen, Martin Short and Sam Huntington. It is an American remake of the 1994 French film Un indien dans la ville . Jungle 2 Jungles plot follows the original film fairly closely...
(1996) and Mr. Brooks
Mr. Brooks
Mr. Brooks is a 2007 thriller film directed by Bruce A. Evans starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt. It was released on June 1, 2007...
(2007).
Career
Evans's first writing credit was on the 1984 film1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
Starman
Starman (film)
John Carpenter's Starman is a 1984 science-fiction fantasy film directed by John Carpenter that tells the story of an alien who has come to Earth in response to the invitation found on the gold phonograph record installed on the Voyager 2 space probe.The screenplay was written by Bruce A. Evans,...
with his partner Raynold Gideon, with whom he first worked on 1979's A Man, a Woman, and a Bank
A Man, a Woman, and a Bank
A Man, a Woman, and a Bank is a 1979 Canadian heist film, starring Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams....
starring Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
. Their second film, 1986's Stand by Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
, which Evans also produced, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature
Independent Spirit Award for Best Film
The Independent Spirit Award for Best Film is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:* 1985: After Hours - Martin Scorsese** Blood Simple - Joel and Ethan Coen** Smooth Talk...
; his and Gideon's screenplay in particular was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium), the Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Screenplay is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:* 1985: The Trip to Bountiful - Horton Foote** After Hours - Joseph Minion** Blood Simple - Joel and Ethan Coen...
and the Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
The Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is one of the three screenwriting Writers Guild of America Awards, one that is specifically for film...
. Evans and Gideon went on to write and produce the 1987 film
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
Made in Heaven before writing Kuffs
Kuffs
Kuffs is a 1992 comedy film directed by Bruce A. Evans and produced by Raynold Gideon. It stars Christian Slater and Milla Jovovich. The film also features Ashley Judd in her first movie role....
(1992), which Evans directed and Gideon produced. The film, featuring Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
, won the Special Jury Prize at the 1992 Festival du Film Policier de Cognac
Festival du Film Policier de Cognac
The Festival du Film Policier de Cognac is an annual film festival that took place in Cognac, France from 1982 to 2007 .The festival was disbanded after an extraordinary general meeting in December 2007...
. The pair were given story credit for the 1995 film
1995 in film
-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
Cutthroat Island
Cutthroat Island
Cutthroat Island is a 1995 action adventure film directed by Renny Harlin. The film stars Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, and Frank Langella. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a major box office bomb: listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest box office flop of...
after performing a rewrite of "a completely different version" of the script.
After writing 1997's Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is a 1997 comedy feature film starring Tim Allen, Martin Short and Sam Huntington. It is an American remake of the 1994 French film Un indien dans la ville . Jungle 2 Jungles plot follows the original film fairly closely...
, a remake of the 1994
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
French film
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
Un indien dans la ville
Un indien dans la ville
Un indien dans la ville is a 1994 French film by Hervé Palud. The film had a limited English language release under the title Little Indian, Big City.Part of the movie was shot in Miami, Florida, United States....
, Evans and Gideon wrote "screenplays and rewrites and all of that kind of stuff" before their next credited film. They struggled to have their subsequent scripts produced as each demanded too high a budget for most studios, including what they regarded as a "great World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
love story", until they wrote the 2007 film
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
Mr. Brooks
Mr. Brooks
Mr. Brooks is a 2007 thriller film directed by Bruce A. Evans starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt. It was released on June 1, 2007...
, starring Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
as the title character. With the idea of a seemingly normal business man who leads a second life as a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, they hoped to "make an adult film" and "change our image" as writers in the film industry. They originally conceived the project as a television series, which they pitched to a number of television producers and studios
Television studio
A television studio is an installation in which a video productions take place, either for the recording of live television to video tape, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the...
in Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. Their original version was considered "too soft", and their revised story, which was deemed "too dark", was written instead as a film spec script
Spec script
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
. Fifteen years since Kuffs, Evans said that, with Mr. Brooks, directing again "was kind of like riding a bicycle".
In addition to Evans and Gideon's intention of making two sequels to Mr. Brooks, Evans said that "we have two originals in mind" and "there are a few [scripts] that are kind of on hold that I would direct that other people have written".