Richard Dutcher
Encyclopedia
Richard Alan Dutcher is an American
independent filmmaker who produces, writes, directs, edits, and frequently stars in his films. Well known among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for his early Mormon-themed productions, Dutcher has been called “The Father of Mormon Cinema.” Although he left the LDS church over theological differences in 2007, his films continue to explore universal spiritual and religious ideas. Dutcher launched his own film distribution company, Main Street Movie Company, in 2005 and now seeks to take his movies from concept to full distribution independently.
as Richard Hill. His family moved frequently, and at age seven his parents divorced. As a member of the LDS Church, Dutcher served a two year mission
in Mexico
.
Dutcher lived in his car during high school and was so financially strapped while attending college that he frequently had to choose between eating and going to the movies. Because of his love of film, he normally went to the movies. Dutcher graduated from Brigham Young University
in 1988 with a degree in film. Dutcher has been married to his wife, Gwen, since 1988. They have seven children.
(1997), which he sold to HBO and Cinemax
.
Dutcher's next film was the 2000 indie smash God's Army, which grossed over ten times its $250,000 production budget. Dutcher produced, wrote, directed and starred in this film about Mormon missionaries
, focusing on a Mormon elder determined to finish his two-year mission even though he is dying of brain cancer. The film debuted with a world premiere
in Sandy, Utah
and was taken on tour around North America
for limited engagements. The commercial success of God's Army
is widely credited for launching the LDS Cinema
movement.
Dutcher followed this film in 2001 with Brigham City
about the search for a serial murderer
in a small Utah
town which has never had a murder before. The movie explores how residents of a close-knit religious community, who are mostly LDS, react to and deal with the situation.
Dutcher's next film, States of Grace
, was released November 4, 2005. This film follows a set of missionaries in Los Angeles
caught in the middle of gang warfare. Wade Major of Boxoffice Magazine wrote of the director, "Dutcher has joined the ranks of the very best independent filmmakers in the world."
Dutcher's film, Falling, shown in a single theater in Utah in January 2008 and in Los Angeles in August 2008, tells the story of a Hollywood videographer, Eric Boyle, who stumbles across a gang murder and sells the footage to a Los Angeles news station for a small fortune. Boyle's life falls apart when the exposed gang members come after anyone with a connection to the incriminating footage. In an interview Dutcher said that this was the most personal of all his works, and that he would self-distribute the film.
Dutcher's latest film is Evil Angel
, an action/horror film called starring Ving Rhames
(Mission: Impossible
, Pulp Fiction
), released in 2009.
published an open letter from Dutcher on its editorial page where he announced, "I am no longer a practicing member of the church." He explained that he had taken a spiritual journey that "may ultimately prove incompatible with Mormon orthodoxy." He hoped to explore human spirituality in film more broadly, but like early church leader Oliver Cowdery
, someday he might return to the faith.
Dutcher lamented that Mormon cinema was dying from too many shallow, poor-quality films trying to "make a few bucks." He urged Mormon cinema to abandon "moronic," unfunny comedies that rely too much on self-mockery, and family films, which often lack any valuable meaning. He felt that church-produced movies fail to "share … the beauty and power of Mormonism," and are instead "polite, remedial and not-so-factual recitations of Mormon History and scripture". The potential of Mormon cinema was still unappreciated and untapped. Dutcher thought the market could be revived by reintroducing well-crafted film that explores the great depths of Mormon themes and experience. Rather than just making "clean" movies, free from violence and vulgarity, Dutcher said "it is better to tell an R-rated truth than a G-rated lie."
This letter provoked strong criticism from some LDS Church members, most notably Kieth Merrill
, a Mormon filmmaker whose work was included in Dutcher's criticisms. In his fiery reaction, Merrill claimed Dutcher was arrogantly ignoring the importance of social and spiritual values. Merrill saw Dutcher as attacking LDS cinema because of the poor response to his latest films. Two days later, in a letter to the editor
, Merrill apologized for his harsh criticisms, regretted the loss of Dutcher, and wished him well in his future.
. While Dutcher did not specifically comment on his plans for his movie on Joseph Smith in his 'Parting words' letter, Dutcher did state that he will no longer be making Mormon films.
Dutcher's film Falling, was released January 18, 2008 at a single Salt Lake City theater, and later shopped to art-house theaters, where he did not expect to make back the film's money. Dutcher's 'Parting words' letter suggests that these and future movies may be spiritually-based but not Mormon related.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent filmmaker who produces, writes, directs, edits, and frequently stars in his films. Well known among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for his early Mormon-themed productions, Dutcher has been called “The Father of Mormon Cinema.” Although he left the LDS church over theological differences in 2007, his films continue to explore universal spiritual and religious ideas. Dutcher launched his own film distribution company, Main Street Movie Company, in 2005 and now seeks to take his movies from concept to full distribution independently.
Biography
Dutcher was born in Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
as Richard Hill. His family moved frequently, and at age seven his parents divorced. As a member of the LDS Church, Dutcher served a two year mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Dutcher lived in his car during high school and was so financially strapped while attending college that he frequently had to choose between eating and going to the movies. Because of his love of film, he normally went to the movies. Dutcher graduated from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in 1988 with a degree in film. Dutcher has been married to his wife, Gwen, since 1988. They have seven children.
Films
His first feature film was Girl CrazyGirl Crazy (1997 film)
Girl Crazy is a 1997 American comedy film written and directed by Richard Dutcher. Dutcher's first feature film, it was initially shown on HBO's Cinemax service, and never received theatrical distribution.-Background:...
(1997), which he sold to HBO and Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
.
Dutcher's next film was the 2000 indie smash God's Army, which grossed over ten times its $250,000 production budget. Dutcher produced, wrote, directed and starred in this film about Mormon missionaries
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
, focusing on a Mormon elder determined to finish his two-year mission even though he is dying of brain cancer. The film debuted with a world premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
in Sandy, Utah
Sandy, Utah
Sandy is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah....
and was taken on tour around North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
for limited engagements. The commercial success of God's Army
God's Army (film)
God's Army is a 2000 film. It was written, directed by and features Richard Dutcher. It is an independent film and was financed by private investors.-Main cast:*Matthew A...
is widely credited for launching the LDS Cinema
LDS cinema
LDS or Mormon cinema typically refers to films with themes relevant to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though the terminology has also been used to refer to films that do not necessarily reflect Mormon themes but have been made by Mormon filmmakers...
movement.
Dutcher followed this film in 2001 with Brigham City
Brigham City (film)
Brigham City is a 2001 murder mystery film. It was written, directed by and starring Richard Dutcher in the main role. It is an independent film and was financed by private investors....
about the search for a serial murderer
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...
in a small Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
town which has never had a murder before. The movie explores how residents of a close-knit religious community, who are mostly LDS, react to and deal with the situation.
Dutcher's next film, States of Grace
States of Grace
States of Grace is a 2005 drama film by Richard Dutcher which tells the story of two Mormon missionaries in Santa Monica, California...
, was released November 4, 2005. This film follows a set of missionaries in Los Angeles
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...
caught in the middle of gang warfare. Wade Major of Boxoffice Magazine wrote of the director, "Dutcher has joined the ranks of the very best independent filmmakers in the world."
Dutcher's film, Falling, shown in a single theater in Utah in January 2008 and in Los Angeles in August 2008, tells the story of a Hollywood videographer, Eric Boyle, who stumbles across a gang murder and sells the footage to a Los Angeles news station for a small fortune. Boyle's life falls apart when the exposed gang members come after anyone with a connection to the incriminating footage. In an interview Dutcher said that this was the most personal of all his works, and that he would self-distribute the film.
Dutcher's latest film is Evil Angel
Evil Angel (film)
Evil Angel is a 2009 indie horror film starring Ving Rhames, Ava Gaudet, Kristopher Shepard, and Richard Dutcher, who also directed, wrote, edited, and produced the film.-Plot:...
, an action/horror film called starring Ving Rhames
Ving Rhames
Irving Rameses "Ving" Rhames is an American actor best known for his work in Bringing Out the Dead, Pulp Fiction, Baby Boy, Don King: Only in America, and the Mission: Impossible film series.-Early life and education:...
(Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible (film)
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 action thriller directed by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Cruise. Following on from the television series of the same name, the plot follows a new agent, Ethan Hunt and his mission to uncover the mole within the CIA who has framed him for the murders of his entire...
, Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction (film)
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who co-wrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
), released in 2009.
Parting letter
In 2007, the Provo Daily HeraldProvo Daily Herald
The Daily Herald is a daily newspaper that covers news and community events in Utah County, central Utah. Much of the coverage focuses on the Provo-Orem metropolitan area in Utah Valley....
published an open letter from Dutcher on its editorial page where he announced, "I am no longer a practicing member of the church." He explained that he had taken a spiritual journey that "may ultimately prove incompatible with Mormon orthodoxy." He hoped to explore human spirituality in film more broadly, but like early church leader Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, someday he might return to the faith.
Dutcher lamented that Mormon cinema was dying from too many shallow, poor-quality films trying to "make a few bucks." He urged Mormon cinema to abandon "moronic," unfunny comedies that rely too much on self-mockery, and family films, which often lack any valuable meaning. He felt that church-produced movies fail to "share … the beauty and power of Mormonism," and are instead "polite, remedial and not-so-factual recitations of Mormon History and scripture". The potential of Mormon cinema was still unappreciated and untapped. Dutcher thought the market could be revived by reintroducing well-crafted film that explores the great depths of Mormon themes and experience. Rather than just making "clean" movies, free from violence and vulgarity, Dutcher said "it is better to tell an R-rated truth than a G-rated lie."
This letter provoked strong criticism from some LDS Church members, most notably Kieth Merrill
Kieth Merrill
Kieth W. Merrill is an American filmmaker who has worked as a writer, director, and producer in the film industry since 1967...
, a Mormon filmmaker whose work was included in Dutcher's criticisms. In his fiery reaction, Merrill claimed Dutcher was arrogantly ignoring the importance of social and spiritual values. Merrill saw Dutcher as attacking LDS cinema because of the poor response to his latest films. Two days later, in a letter to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
, Merrill apologized for his harsh criticisms, regretted the loss of Dutcher, and wished him well in his future.
Film plans
Dutcher at one point was planning to direct Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith, a film about the life of the early LDS prophetProphet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
. While Dutcher did not specifically comment on his plans for his movie on Joseph Smith in his 'Parting words' letter, Dutcher did state that he will no longer be making Mormon films.
Dutcher's film Falling, was released January 18, 2008 at a single Salt Lake City theater, and later shopped to art-house theaters, where he did not expect to make back the film's money. Dutcher's 'Parting words' letter suggests that these and future movies may be spiritually-based but not Mormon related.