Alex Cox
Born outside Liverpool, 15 December 1954.
Studied at Wirral Grammar School; Worcester College,
Oxford; Bristol University; and UCLA.
1980 -- directed EDGE CITY aka SLEEP IS FOR SISSIES (40 minutes, UCLA).
1983 -- wrote and directed REPO MAN in Los Angeles. Produced
by Peter McCarthy and Jonathan Wacks, it opened at the Berlin Film Festival
the following year.
1984 -- Co-wrote SID & NANCY with Abbe Wool; directed
it in 1985, produced by Eric Fellner and Peter McCarthy. Screened
at the Cannes Festival.
1986 -- co-wrote, with Dick Rude, and directed STRAIGHT
TO HELL in Almería, Spain, produced by Eric Fellner. Received
the Critics' Prize, awarded by Sergio Leone, at the Madrid Festival.
1987 -- directed WALKER in Nicaragua and Tucson, Az.,
produced by Lorenzo O'Brien, from a script by Rudy Wurlitzer, in collaboration
with the Sandinista Government. Screened at the Havana Film
Festival, the Torino Festival, and in competition at Berlin.
From 1987 to 1994, presented the BBC TV series "Moviedrome"
1991 -- directed EL PATRULLERO (HIGHWAY PATROLMAN) in
Mexico, from Lorenzo O'Brien's script. Roberto Sosa received
Best Actor award at San Sebastian / Donostia.
1996 -- completed DEATH & THE COMPASS, produced
by Karl Braun, a Mexican/British/Japanese co-production based on
the short story by Jorge Luis Borges. The film
featured Peter Boyle, Christopher Eccleston, and Miguel Sandoval.
1997 -- formed Exterminating Angel Productions with
Tod Davies.
1998 -- directed THREE BUSINESSMEN in Liverpool, Rotterdam,
Hong Kong, Japan, and Albaricoces, starring Miguel Sandoval, Bob Wisdom,
and Isabel Ampudía, produced by Tod Davies.
1999 -- directed KUROSAWA, THE LAST EMPEROR, a biography
of the Japanese director, for Channel 4, VPRO and the Independent Film
Channel.
2000 -- directed EMMANUELLE - A HARD LOOK, about the
celebrated softcore series, featuring Sylvia Kristal, Laura Gemser, Just
Jaeckin, Nadine Strossen (head of the American Civil Liberties Union),
James Ferman (former British film censor), and Margi Clarke, for Channel
4.
2001 -- directed REVENGERS TRAGEDY, in Liverpool, for
BARD Entertainments / Exterminating Angel. The screenplay was by Frank
Cottrell Boyce, based on the play by Thomas Middleton. The producers
were Margaret Matheson and Tod Davies. The cast includes Christopher
Eccleston, Eddie Izzard, Derek Jacobi, Andrew Schofield, and Carla Henry.
2002 -- directed MIKE HAMA MUST DIE! - episode 11 of
a 12-part TV detective series, HAMA MIKE, in Yokohama, Japan. The producers
were Akira Okano and Stephen Schible. Principal actors are Masatoshe
Nagase, Tomorowo Taguchi, and Miwako Ichikawa.
2003 -- co-artist-in-residence at St Johns College,
Oxford; directed I'M A JUVENILE DELINQUENT - JAIL ME! a half-hour drama
for BBC Education, for Hurricane Films. Script by Tod Davies, produced
by Sol Papadopoulos. The cast includes Carla Henry, Neil Fitzmaurice,
Barry Sloane, Christene Tremarco, Shaun Mason, and Drew Schofield.
2004, 2005 -- directed national election broadcasts
for the Green Party in England, Wales, and Scotland.
2006 -- director and writer of SEARCHERS 2.0, set on
the road from LA to Monument Valley, AZ. Cast indludes Del Zamora, Jaclyn
Jonet, Ed Pansullo, Sy Richardson, and Zahn McClarnon. World premiere,
Venice, 2007, US premiere AFI/AFM, Los Angeles, UK premiere Bradford.
2008 -- author of two film-related books, XFILMS and
TEN THOUSAND WAYS TO DIE.
Actor in various films including BACKTRACK, directed
by Dennis Hopper, LA REINA DE LA NOCHE, directed by Arturo Ripstein,
PERDITA DURANGO, directed by Alex de la Iglesia, LA LEY DE HERODES, directed
by Luis Estrada, and the TV movie IN HIS LIFE - THE JOHN LENNON STORY.
Co-author, with Tod Davies, of the screenplays BACKTRACK,
RESTLESS, FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and KIETH MOON. Co-author
with Rudy Wurlitzer of the screenplays BODY PARTS and ZERO TOLERANCE. Writer
of four GODZILLA comic books. Co-author, with Stan Lee, of
the screenplay DOCTOR STRANGE.
Introductions/commentaries for various films whose directors
are unfortunately dead, including: BFI's Bunuel and Kurosawa DVDs, Paramount's
DVD of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and Fantoma's DVD of Sergio Corbucci's
GREAT SILENCE. Film-related articles for The Guardian, The Independent,
Film Comment, and Sight & Sound. |