Norman England (actor)
Encyclopedia
Norman England is a film director
, actor
and film reporter based primarily in Japan
. As a reporter he has extensively covered the Millennium Godzilla movies and the new wave of Japanese horror
. To date he is the only non-Japanese
to have worn the iconic Godzilla suit during production.
He directed his first film The iDol
in 2005.
in 1959, and moved to New York
in 1963. From 1978 to 1991, he was a member of the New York City based rock group Proper iD alongside bandmates Lach
and Geoff Notkin.
He emigrated to Japan in 1993 and soon established himself as a writer of the kaiju
movie genre. In 1998, he spent a week on the set of George A. Romero
's TV commercial for the Capcom
video game Resident Evil 2
, where he met Anthony Ferranti who introduced him to the editors of Fangoria
magazine. In 1999, England became the Japan correspondent for Fangoria, through which he became the first westerner to write about the new wave of Japanese horror
movies in the mainstream press. During this time he has also written for publications including Hobby Japan
, Japanzine
, Starlog
, Flix
, Japanese Giants, and The Japan Times
.
As he is based in Japan, England has been able to spend much time on the sets of the films themselves, often logging days beyond simple reporter visits. He spent more than 200 days on set of the Millennium Godzilla series of movies produced between 1999 and 2004, including the 2001 movie Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
on which he visited the set almost continuously from April to October and became the only non-Japanese to have worn the Godzilla suit while the a movie was actively in production.
During his time reporting, England has taken on small speaking parts and background acting in various movies and TV productions.
in 2001. He conceived the idea for his debut film The iDol
in 2002 and began shooting in 2005. The movie premiered at the Fantasia Festival
in Montreal
on July 16, 2006.
In 2007 he was commissioned the direct the documentary film Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects for Classic Media
. The documentary received its world premiere at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
on August 3, 2008. It was later released as part of Rodan And War Of The Gargantuas DVD set released on September 9, 2008. It most recently played at the Fantasia Festival in Canada on July 26, 2009.
England shot his second narrative film Feed Me in 2008. A low-budget horror short, the film was released exclusively as an internet download in April 2009.
His latest film It's All Good began filming in 2009. It premiered on the SKY PerfecTV!
satellite channel on February 28, 2010, and received its theatrical premiere at the Yubari Film Festival on March 26, 2010.
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:...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and film reporter based primarily in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As a reporter he has extensively covered the Millennium Godzilla movies and the new wave of Japanese horror
J-Horror
Japanese horror, or J-Horror, is Japanese horror fiction in popular culture, noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western treatments...
. To date he is the only non-Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
to have worn the iconic Godzilla suit during production.
He directed his first film The iDol
The iDol (film)
The iDol is a 2006 film from independent filmmaker Norman England. A science fiction satire filmed entirely in Japan, The iDol tells the story of a Japanese collector who comes into possession of a figure with origins not of this world....
in 2005.
Early life and set reporting
England was born in San Mateo, CaliforniaSan Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
in 1959, and moved to 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 1963. From 1978 to 1991, he was a member of the New York City based rock group Proper iD alongside bandmates Lach
Lach
Lach is a musician associated with the anti-folk movement. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was trained as a classical pianist from an early age only to abandon it once he heard The Sex Pistols, The Jam and The Clash for the first time. Realizing he was a songwriter, Lach backtracked and explored...
and Geoff Notkin.
He emigrated to Japan in 1993 and soon established himself as a writer of the kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
movie genre. In 1998, he spent a week on the set of George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
's TV commercial for the Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
video game Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game originally released for the PlayStation in 1998. Developed by Capcom as the second installment in the Resident Evil series, its story takes place two months after the events of the first game, Resident Evil...
, where he met Anthony Ferranti who introduced him to the editors of Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
magazine. In 1999, England became the Japan correspondent for Fangoria, through which he became the first westerner to write about the new wave of Japanese horror
J-Horror
Japanese horror, or J-Horror, is Japanese horror fiction in popular culture, noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western treatments...
movies in the mainstream press. During this time he has also written for publications including Hobby Japan
Hobby Japan
HobbyJAPAN CO. is a Japanese hobby magazine and publishing company, specializing in roleplaying, war, and tabletop games, as well as action figures, toys, and artbooks for successful anime, manga and light novel franchises.- Role-playing games :...
, Japanzine
Japanzine
Japanzine is a Japan-based English-language magazine, published by Carter Witt Media. Now 20 years in publication, it is the successor magazine to "The Alien" and caters largely to the expatriate community in Japan...
, Starlog
Starlog
Starlog was a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. The magazine was created by publishers Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs. O'Quinn was the magazine's editor while Jacobs ran the business side of things, dealing with typesetters, engravers and printers. They got...
, Flix
Flix
Flix is a town in the comarca of Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia. Situated on a promontory by the Ebre river, the town occupied an important strategic position...
, Japanese Giants, and The Japan Times
The Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
.
As he is based in Japan, England has been able to spend much time on the sets of the films themselves, often logging days beyond simple reporter visits. He spent more than 200 days on set of the Millennium Godzilla series of movies produced between 1999 and 2004, including the 2001 movie Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
is a 2001 science fiction kaiju film co-written and directed by Shūsuke Kaneko with a very catchy name. It was the twenty-fifth film to be released in the Godzilla film series. This is the eleventh film to feature Mothra, sixth to feature King Ghidorah, and third to feature Baragon. It is part of...
on which he visited the set almost continuously from April to October and became the only non-Japanese to have worn the Godzilla suit while the a movie was actively in production.
During his time reporting, England has taken on small speaking parts and background acting in various movies and TV productions.
Directing career
England began to think about making his own movie after following the production of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out AttackGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
is a 2001 science fiction kaiju film co-written and directed by Shūsuke Kaneko with a very catchy name. It was the twenty-fifth film to be released in the Godzilla film series. This is the eleventh film to feature Mothra, sixth to feature King Ghidorah, and third to feature Baragon. It is part of...
in 2001. He conceived the idea for his debut film The iDol
The iDol (film)
The iDol is a 2006 film from independent filmmaker Norman England. A science fiction satire filmed entirely in Japan, The iDol tells the story of a Japanese collector who comes into possession of a figure with origins not of this world....
in 2002 and began shooting in 2005. The movie premiered at the Fantasia Festival
Fantasia Festival
Fantasia International Film Festival is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on July 16, 2006.
In 2007 he was commissioned the direct the documentary film Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects for Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
. The documentary received its world premiere at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...
on August 3, 2008. It was later released as part of Rodan And War Of The Gargantuas DVD set released on September 9, 2008. It most recently played at the Fantasia Festival in Canada on July 26, 2009.
England shot his second narrative film Feed Me in 2008. A low-budget horror short, the film was released exclusively as an internet download in April 2009.
His latest film It's All Good began filming in 2009. It premiered on the SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV! is a direct broadcast satellite service that provides satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services to households in Japan, owned by parent company SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation....
satellite channel on February 28, 2010, and received its theatrical premiere at the Yubari Film Festival on March 26, 2010.
Director Filmography
- It's All Good (20102010 in filmThe year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
) - Feed Me (20092009 in filmThe year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
) - Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects (20082008 in filmThis is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-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 2008...
) - The iDolThe iDol (film)The iDol is a 2006 film from independent filmmaker Norman England. A science fiction satire filmed entirely in Japan, The iDol tells the story of a Japanese collector who comes into possession of a figure with origins not of this world....
(20062006 in film- Highest-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 United States in 2006...
)
Actor Filmography
- Tokyo Gore PoliceTokyo Gore Policeis a 2008 Japanese gore film co-written, edited, and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and stars Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer.Tokyo Gore Police was released to several film festivals in North America...
(20082008 in filmThis is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-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 2008...
) - Ultraseven XUltraseven Xis the 23rd entry in the Tsuburaya Productions' long-running Ultra Series. It is a revival of the 1967 classic Ultra Seven, and is the first in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultra hero series to be exclusively for an adult audience and in wide screen high-definition format...
(20072007 in filmThis 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...
) - Zombie Self-Defense Force (20062006 in film- Highest-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 United States in 2006...
) - Death NoteDeath Note (film)is a series of two live-action Japanese films released in 2006 and based on the Death Note manga and anime series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The films primarily center on a university student who decides to rid the world of evil with the help of a supernatural notebook that kills anyone...
(20062006 in film- Highest-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 United States in 2006...
) - Ultra Q: Dark FantasyUltra Q: Dark Fantasyis a 2004 production, and the 19th installment in the Ultra Series that was broadcast in Japan in 2004. It is a sequel to Ultra Q, the first of the Ultra Series...
(20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) - Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., released in Japan as , is a 2003 science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka. It was the twenty-seventh film to be released in the Godzilla series. It is the twelfth film to feature Mothra, the second film to feature Kamoebas, and the fifth and latest film to...
(20032003 in filmThe year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
) - StacyStacy (film)Stacy is a Japanese horror comedy film, released in 2001. It is based on a novel by Kenji Otsuki directed by Naoyuki Tomomatsu, in which teenage girls turn into zombies....
(20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) - Kurosufaia (20002000 in filmThe year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
) - Godzilla 2000Godzilla 2000is a 1999 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura. It was the twenty-third film released in the Godzilla series. It is the only film to feature Orga. The film was released on December 11, 1999...
(19991999 in filmThe year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
)