Rolfe Kanefsky
Encyclopedia
Rolfe Kanefsky is an American
film writer/director
who specializes in horror film
s.
where he studied Film. He began writing stories at a young age after his childhood dream of becoming a clown took the backseat to his interest in film. By the time he was twenty-one, Rolfe had written and directed the original cult classic horror spoof There's Nothing Out There. Rolfe eventually moved to California
and has since been making his living writing and directing.
series of films. Since There's Nothing Out There predates Scream, much has been made of the common elements.
There's Nothing Out There went on to become a hit at the IFP in New York and the closing film at the Florence Film Festival before getting a theatrical release in New York City and Los Angeles. The New York Times was lukewarm, but The L.A. Times, Variety
, and Hollywood Reporter gave it more favorable press. It recently was re-released as a Special Edition DVD from Image Entertainment
.
After There's Nothing Out There, Kanefsky directed My Family Treasure, starring Dee Wallace and Theodore Bikel
, and co-wrote Red Line, starring Michael Madsen
. Kanefsky teamed up with producer Alain Siritzky, who produced his next few features, including Pretty Cool, a teen comedy in the tradition of American Pie
, and Tomorrow By Midnight, a dark comedy thriller starring Alexis Arquette
and Carol Kane
. TBM won much praise in many film festivals, a rave review in the L.A. Times and was awarded Best Feature in the Rhode Island Film Festival and the L.A. FirstGlance Film Festival.
More recently, Kanefsky completed production as both writer and director on the horror/comedy film The Hazing starring Brad Dourif
, Brooke Burke
and Parry Shen
. The film has been covered on the E! Channel, Stuff Magazine, Fangoria Magazine, and has received rave reviews from around the world. Kanefsky also completed Corpses, a zombie comedy starring Jeff Fahey
and Tiffany Shepis
and Nightmare Man
, a horror thriller independently produced under his Valkhn Films label, starring Blythe Metz, Tiffany Shepis
and Richard Moll
as well as Pocket Girl: Pretty Cool Too! -- a sequel to his teen comedy Pretty Cool. He has also written & directed the film The Erotic Misadventures of the Invisible Man with Gabriella Hall
on the lead based on the comic books of Milo Manara
.
Kanefsky will be both writer and director is the neo-noir thriller, One in the Gun starring Steven Man
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film writer/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:...
who specializes in horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s.
Early life
Kanefsky grew up in the suburbs of New York and attended Hampshire CollegeHampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...
where he studied Film. He began writing stories at a young age after his childhood dream of becoming a clown took the backseat to his interest in film. By the time he was twenty-one, Rolfe had written and directed the original cult classic horror spoof There's Nothing Out There. Rolfe eventually moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and has since been making his living writing and directing.
Films
Kanefsky has directed 15 of his own films and been the writer on several others. Kanefsky's first film was the comedy/horror feature There's Nothing Out There (1989), a parody of the horror film genre. In the film, a character named Mike has seen every horror film made, and "knows the rules". Mike uses his knowledge of horror movies to survive the movie and terrorize the other characters. This resembles the character Randy in the ScreamScream (film series)
Scream is a series of American horror slasher films created by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven. The films star Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette. The series has grossed over $600 million in worldwide box-office receipts and consists, to date, of four motion pictures...
series of films. Since There's Nothing Out There predates Scream, much has been made of the common elements.
There's Nothing Out There went on to become a hit at the IFP in New York and the closing film at the Florence Film Festival before getting a theatrical release in New York City and Los Angeles. The New York Times was lukewarm, but The L.A. Times, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, and Hollywood Reporter gave it more favorable press. It recently was re-released as a Special Edition DVD from Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
.
After There's Nothing Out There, Kanefsky directed My Family Treasure, starring Dee Wallace and Theodore Bikel
Theodore Bikel
Theodore Meir Bikel is a character actor, folk singer and musician. He made his film debut in The African Queen and was nominated for an Academy award for his supporting role as Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones ....
, and co-wrote Red Line, starring Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
. Kanefsky teamed up with producer Alain Siritzky, who produced his next few features, including Pretty Cool, a teen comedy in the tradition of American Pie
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
, and Tomorrow By Midnight, a dark comedy thriller starring Alexis Arquette
Alexis Arquette
Alexis Arquette is an American trans woman, actress, musician, and cabaret performer.-Early life:...
and Carol Kane
Carol Kane
Carolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
. TBM won much praise in many film festivals, a rave review in the L.A. Times and was awarded Best Feature in the Rhode Island Film Festival and the L.A. FirstGlance Film Festival.
More recently, Kanefsky completed production as both writer and director on the horror/comedy film The Hazing starring Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif
Bradford Claude "Brad" Dourif is an American film and television actor who gained early fame for his portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and has since appeared in a number of memorable roles, including the voice of Chucky in the Child's Play franchise, Younger Brother in...
, Brooke Burke
Brooke Burke
Brooke Burke Charvet , better known by her maiden name, Brooke Burke, is an actress, dancer, model and television personality...
and Parry Shen
Parry Shen
-Early life:He was educated at Archbishop Molloy High School, then an all boys, Roman Catholic school in Briarwood, in Queens, New York, and at the University at Buffalo. When he moved to California he worked as a dorm parent at Villanova Preparatory School, a private college preparatory school in...
. The film has been covered on the E! Channel, Stuff Magazine, Fangoria Magazine, and has received rave reviews from around the world. Kanefsky also completed Corpses, a zombie comedy starring Jeff Fahey
Jeff Fahey
Jeffrey David "Jeff" Fahey is an American film and television actor. He has portrayed Captain Frank Lapidus on the ABC series Lost and the title role of Deputy Marshal Winston MacBride on The Marshal.-Early life:...
and Tiffany Shepis
Tiffany Shepis
- External links :...
and Nightmare Man
Nightmare Man (2006 film)
Nightmare Man is a 2006 horror film written and directed by Rolfe Kanefsky. It was produced by Paradigm Pictures, a division of Paradigm Entertainment Group, and Frederico Lapenda.-Storyline:...
, a horror thriller independently produced under his Valkhn Films label, starring Blythe Metz, Tiffany Shepis
Tiffany Shepis
- External links :...
and Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
as well as Pocket Girl: Pretty Cool Too! -- a sequel to his teen comedy Pretty Cool. He has also written & directed the film The Erotic Misadventures of the Invisible Man with Gabriella Hall
Gabriella Hall
Gabriella Hall is a model and actress from Los Angeles best known for her appearances in Cinemax TV shows and movies such as Erotic Confessions and Beverly Hills Bordello. To date, she has appeared in over 58 TV shows and movies...
on the lead based on the comic books of Milo Manara
Milo Manara
Maurilio Manara – known professionally as Milo Manara – is an Italian comic book writer and artist, best known for his erotic approach to the medium.-Career:...
.
Kanefsky will be both writer and director is the neo-noir thriller, One in the Gun starring Steven Man
Steven Man
Steven Man is a Canadian actor.-Career:He appeared alongside Winston Rekert in Savage Island in 2003...
.
External links
- 2008 Official Site for One In The Gun
- Official Rolfe Kanefsky website
- Rolfe Kanefsky at “FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
” social network - Rolfe “BillWaff” Kanefsky at “YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
” service - 2006 Audio Interview at Your Video Store Shelf
- 2007 Audio Interview at Your Video Store Shelf
- 2007 Interview at Cinefantastique Online