Mark Rosenthal
Encyclopedia
Mark David Rosenthal is an American
screenwriter
and film director
and long-time writing partner of Lawrence Konner
.
and his Doctor of Arts degree from the University of the Pacific.
. This was followed by such films as The Jewel of the Nile
, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
, The Beverly Hillbillies, Tim Burton
's Planet of the Apes
, Mona Lisa Smile
, Flicka
, Mercury Rising
, Mighty Joe Young
and The Sorcerer's Apprentice
. He also did uncredited work on I, Robot
and Eragon
.
Rosenthal co-wrote (with Konner) and directed The In Crowd
for Orion Studios.
Mark recorded a DVD commentary for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
for the Deluxe Edition of the film in 2006. Here he discusses the films original intentions and the many deleted scenes. According to Rosenthal, star Christopher Reeve
and director Sidney J. Furie
begged producer Cannon to be able to film that sequence in New York
in front of the real United Nations because everyone knew what New York and the United Nations
was supposed to look like and that the Milton Keynes
setting looked nothing like it. However Cannon refused. According to Rosenthal, they were "pinching pennies at every step" and that it was impossible to look at the location and think of it as the United Nations, but more rather a municipal auditorium, which is, according to Rosenthal, exactly what it was.
Rosenthal has also described the final film as Cannon stabbing Christopher Reeve in the back. He also revealed on the Deluxe Edition DVD that he and writer Lawrence Konner
wanted Reeve to play Nuclear Man as well as his dual roles of Superman
and Clark Kent
in the film. They imagined the villain being a darker version of the hero in the cloning process. This would've been financially expensive and was already explored in minor detail in Superman III
. So Cannon decided to hire Mark Pillow instead for the part of Nuclear Man in the final film. (Pillow was dubbed by Gene Hackman
, who also portrayed Lex Luthor in the film).
Also according to Rosenthal's commentary on the 2006 Deluxe Edition DVD for Superman IV, the gallery of deleted scenes included on the disc, there are approximately 45 minutes of the film that have not been seen by the public after they were deleted following a failed Southern California
test screening. In fact, the Nuclear Man that appears in the film is actually the second Nuclear Man Lex Luthor
created. Cut scenes featured the original Nuclear Man (portrayed by Clive Mantle
) engaging Superman in battle outside the Metro Club and being destroyed by the Man of Steel. The first Nuclear Man was somewhat more inhuman-looking than his successor, and resembled vaguely in looks, and significantly in personality, the comic book character Bizarro
. Luthor postulates that this Nuclear Man was not strong enough, and hatches the plan to create the second Nuclear Man inside the sun as a result.
Rosenthal (with Konner) did essential, non-credited work on I, ROBOT as well. In the original draft, the Bridget Moynahan character was the "hidden robot-human hybrid". Realizing that this dilemma would explain Will Smith's antipathy towards robots, Rosenthal made the switch to create a central character who had been maimed by robots. Rosenthal (with Konner) also wrote the sequence where Smith uncovers the escaped robot in the factory by shooting into the lines of robots.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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:...
and 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:...
and long-time writing partner of Lawrence Konner
Lawrence Konner
Lawrence Konner has had a long and distinguished career as an American screenwriter and television writer. In addition, he has produced a number of award winning documentaries.-Career:...
.
Education
Mark David Rosenthal was born in Philadelphia. He received his Masters degree from the University of VermontUniversity of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
and his Doctor of Arts degree from the University of the Pacific.
Screenwriting career
Rosenthal sold the first screenplay he ever wrote which came out theatrically as The Legend of Billie JeanThe Legend of Billie Jean
The Legend of Billie Jean is a 1985 American drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins.-Plot:Billie Jean Davy , a Corpus Christi, Texas high school girl, rides with her younger brother, Binx , on a Honda Elite to a local lake to enjoy a day of swimming and relaxation...
. This was followed by such films as The Jewel of the Nile
The Jewel of the Nile
The Jewel of the Nile is a 1985 romantic adventure film, and a sequel to the 1984 film Romancing the Stone, with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito reprising their roles...
, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is a 1987 superhero film directed by Sidney J. Furie. It is the fourth film in the Superman film series and the last installment to star Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel. It is the first film in the series not to be produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind, but...
, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
, The Beverly Hillbillies, Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
, Mona Lisa Smile
Mona Lisa Smile
Mona Lisa Smile is a 2003 romantic drama film produced by Revolution Studios and Columbia Pictures in association with Red Om Films Productions, directed by Mike Newell, written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, and starring Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Julia Stiles...
, Flicka
Flicka
-Chart performance:...
, Mercury Rising
Mercury Rising
Mercury Rising is a 1998 American action thriller film starring Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin. Directed by Harold Becker, the movie is based on Ryne Douglas Pearson's 1996 novel originally published as Simple Simon...
, Mighty Joe Young
Mighty Joe Young (1998 film)
The Music was composed and conduced by James Horner. The Soundtrack was released on December of the year 1998.- Tracklist :...
and The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010 film)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a 2010 fantasy adventure film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Jon Turteltaub, and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the team behind the National Treasure franchise...
. He also did uncredited work on I, Robot
I, Robot (film)
I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is very loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del...
and Eragon
Eragon (film)
Eragon is a 2006 fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name by author Christopher Paolini. The cast includes Edward Speleers in the title role, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Alun Armstrong, Joss Stone, and the voice...
.
Rosenthal co-wrote (with Konner) and directed The In Crowd
The In Crowd (1988 film)
The In Crowd is a 1988 film directed by Mark Rosenthal and written by Rosenthal and his long time writing partner Lawrence Konner. The period piece set in the 1960s features music of the era, including "Land of a Thousand Dances" and the instrumental "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" by Vince...
for Orion Studios.
Other appearances and contributions
Rosenthal is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. He was featured in TALES FROM THE SCRIPT: 50 HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITERS SHARE THEIR STORIES (Harpercollins, book and DVD) and in WHY WE WRITE: 25 TOP SCREENWRITERS SHARE THEIR STORIES (Sillman-James Press).Mark recorded a DVD commentary for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is a 1987 superhero film directed by Sidney J. Furie. It is the fourth film in the Superman film series and the last installment to star Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel. It is the first film in the series not to be produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind, but...
for the Deluxe Edition of the film in 2006. Here he discusses the films original intentions and the many deleted scenes. According to Rosenthal, star Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
and director Sidney J. Furie
Sidney J. Furie
Sidney J. Furie is a Canadian film director. Furie is perhaps best known for directing American Soldiers, The IPCRESS File, The Entity, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Lady Sings the Blues, The Boys, Gable and Lombard, Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York and the Iron Eagle films.Also...
begged producer Cannon to be able to film that sequence in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in front of the real United Nations because everyone knew what New York and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
was supposed to look like and that the Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
setting looked nothing like it. However Cannon refused. According to Rosenthal, they were "pinching pennies at every step" and that it was impossible to look at the location and think of it as the United Nations, but more rather a municipal auditorium, which is, according to Rosenthal, exactly what it was.
Rosenthal has also described the final film as Cannon stabbing Christopher Reeve in the back. He also revealed on the Deluxe Edition DVD that he and writer Lawrence Konner
Lawrence Konner
Lawrence Konner has had a long and distinguished career as an American screenwriter and television writer. In addition, he has produced a number of award winning documentaries.-Career:...
wanted Reeve to play Nuclear Man as well as his dual roles of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
in the film. They imagined the villain being a darker version of the hero in the cloning process. This would've been financially expensive and was already explored in minor detail in Superman III
Superman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
. So Cannon decided to hire Mark Pillow instead for the part of Nuclear Man in the final film. (Pillow was dubbed by Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
, who also portrayed Lex Luthor in the film).
Also according to Rosenthal's commentary on the 2006 Deluxe Edition DVD for Superman IV, the gallery of deleted scenes included on the disc, there are approximately 45 minutes of the film that have not been seen by the public after they were deleted following a failed Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
test screening. In fact, the Nuclear Man that appears in the film is actually the second Nuclear Man Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
created. Cut scenes featured the original Nuclear Man (portrayed by Clive Mantle
Clive Mantle
-Early life and education:Mantle was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. He was a pupil at Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire and a chorister in St John's College Choir for four years...
) engaging Superman in battle outside the Metro Club and being destroyed by the Man of Steel. The first Nuclear Man was somewhat more inhuman-looking than his successor, and resembled vaguely in looks, and significantly in personality, the comic book character Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
. Luthor postulates that this Nuclear Man was not strong enough, and hatches the plan to create the second Nuclear Man inside the sun as a result.
Rosenthal (with Konner) did essential, non-credited work on I, ROBOT as well. In the original draft, the Bridget Moynahan character was the "hidden robot-human hybrid". Realizing that this dilemma would explain Will Smith's antipathy towards robots, Rosenthal made the switch to create a central character who had been maimed by robots. Rosenthal (with Konner) also wrote the sequence where Smith uncovers the escaped robot in the factory by shooting into the lines of robots.