James Merendino
Encyclopedia
James Anthony Merendino is an American film director and screenwriter who is perhaps most notable for directing the 1999 film SLC Punk!
.
, and moved with his family to Salt Lake City, Utah
when he was six years old. He graduated at Judge Memorial Catholic High School
and pursued post-secondary education in Rome
and Los Angeles, California
where he studied Western philosophy
and theology
. Merendino settled in Hollywood, California when he was 19 years old, and began a tenure with Hollywood mogul Dan Melnick.
In 1989 at age 20, Merendino was very soon hired for his first motion picture Witchcraft IV. It is one of the few movies of which he was not screenwriter. His fourth film, Toughguy (1995), is a psychological thriller starring Heather Graham also introducing Carrie-Anne Moss
and Balthazar Getty
. His second following film, A River Made to Drown In
(1997), is a movie that was pivotal to the Gay community
in the United States. Richard Chamberlain
had publicly came out after the film's release. Merendino's most successful film, SLC Punk!, was released in 1998. The film is centered on two chaos-punks living in Salt Lake City and follows their daily nihilistic
lives. SLC Punk! is semi-autobiographical as Merendino was a Mohawk-wearing anarcho-punk during his adolescence while living in Salt Lake City.
The 2000 film Magicians was a European co-production with Alan Arkin
and Claire Forlani
. Amerikana was produced as part of the Dogma 95 by Lars Von Trier
. The production on the Swedish Job starring Harvey Keitel
, Billy Bob Thornton
and Lena Olin
was canceled at the last minute due to studio financing disagreements. After a life altering retreat to Argentina
, Merendino directed with Lisa Hammer
the drama film
The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch in 2008.
•El club de la muerte (2008)
•Trespassing (2004)
•Amerikana (2001)
•Magicians (2000)
•SLC Punk!
(1998)
•Alexandria Hotel (1998)
•A River Made to Drown In
(1997)
•Livers Ain't Cheap (1996)
•Toughguy (1995)
•Hard Drive (1994)
•The Upstairs Neighbour (1994)
•Witchcraft IV: The Virgin Heart (1992) (V)
SLC Punk!
# "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" - The Suicide Machines # "Sex and Violence" - The Exploited# "I Love Livin' in the City" - Fear# "1969" - The Stooges# "Too Hot" - The Specials# "Cretin Hop" - Ramones...
.
Life
Merendino was born in Long Branch, New JerseyLong Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
, and moved with his family to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
when he was six years old. He graduated at Judge Memorial Catholic High School
Judge Memorial Catholic High School
Judge Memorial Catholic High School is a private, Catholic high school located in Salt Lake City. The school is one of three high schools in the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City serving students in grades nine through 12. Founded in 1921, the school draws students from across the Salt Lake Valley...
and pursued post-secondary education in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
where he studied Western philosophy
Western philosophy
Western philosophy is the philosophical thought and work of the Western or Occidental world, as distinct from Eastern or Oriental philosophies and the varieties of indigenous philosophies....
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. Merendino settled in Hollywood, California when he was 19 years old, and began a tenure with Hollywood mogul Dan Melnick.
In 1989 at age 20, Merendino was very soon hired for his first motion picture Witchcraft IV. It is one of the few movies of which he was not screenwriter. His fourth film, Toughguy (1995), is a psychological thriller starring Heather Graham also introducing Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss
-External links:...
and Balthazar Getty
Balthazar Getty
Balthazar Getty is an American film actor and member of the band Ringside. He is known for the roles of Thomas Grace on the American action drama Alias and Tommy Walker on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters.-Early life:...
. His second following film, A River Made to Drown In
A River Made to Drown In
A River Made to Drown In is a 1997 drama film starring Michael Imperioli, Richard Chamberlain, Ute Lemper and James Duval. Directed by James Merendino, Merendino had his name removed and the film is credited to Alan Smithee...
(1997), is a movie that was pivotal to the Gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
in the United States. Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain
George Richard Chamberlain is an American actor of stage and screen who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show Dr. Kildare .-Early life:...
had publicly came out after the film's release. Merendino's most successful film, SLC Punk!, was released in 1998. The film is centered on two chaos-punks living in Salt Lake City and follows their daily nihilistic
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
lives. SLC Punk! is semi-autobiographical as Merendino was a Mohawk-wearing anarcho-punk during his adolescence while living in Salt Lake City.
The 2000 film Magicians was a European co-production with Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
and Claire Forlani
Claire Forlani
Claire Antonia Forlani is an English actress.-Early life:Claire Forlani was born in Twickenham, London, the daughter of Barbara , who was English, and Pierluigi Forlani, a music manager from Ferrara, Italy. At the age of 11, Forlani entered the Arts Educational School in London, where she began to...
. Amerikana was produced as part of the Dogma 95 by Lars Von Trier
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches, and have frequently received strongly divided critical opinion....
. The production on the Swedish Job starring Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel is an American actor. Some of his most notable starring roles were in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, Ridley Scott's The Duellists and Thelma and Louise, Ettore Scola's That Night in Varennes, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Jane Campion's The...
, Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
and Lena Olin
Lena Olin
Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
was canceled at the last minute due to studio financing disagreements. After a life altering retreat to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Merendino directed with Lisa Hammer
Lisa Hammer
Lisa Hammer is a filmmaker, actress, composer and singer and is the sister of director James Merendino...
the drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch in 2008.
Filmography
•The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch (2009) (post-production) (as The Terror Twins)•El club de la muerte (2008)
•Trespassing (2004)
•Amerikana (2001)
•Magicians (2000)
•SLC Punk!
SLC Punk!
# "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" - The Suicide Machines # "Sex and Violence" - The Exploited# "I Love Livin' in the City" - Fear# "1969" - The Stooges# "Too Hot" - The Specials# "Cretin Hop" - Ramones...
(1998)
•Alexandria Hotel (1998)
•A River Made to Drown In
A River Made to Drown In
A River Made to Drown In is a 1997 drama film starring Michael Imperioli, Richard Chamberlain, Ute Lemper and James Duval. Directed by James Merendino, Merendino had his name removed and the film is credited to Alan Smithee...
(1997)
•Livers Ain't Cheap (1996)
•Toughguy (1995)
•Hard Drive (1994)
•The Upstairs Neighbour (1994)
•Witchcraft IV: The Virgin Heart (1992) (V)