A Perfect Murder - About The Filmmakers

A Perfect Murder: About The Filmmakers

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ANDREW DAVIS (Director) has established an enviable reputation for helming intelligent action thrillers, most notably the Academy Award-nominated "The Fugitive," the fourth-highest-grossing picture in Warner Bros.' history. Starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, the film earned Jones an Academy Award and garnered seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, as well as 1993 Golden Globe and Directors Guild of America award nominations for Davis.

In "Under Siege," Davis teamed Steven Seagal with Jones and Gary Busey, resulting in Fall, 1992's top-grossing picture. Previously, Davis also directed "The Package" (1989), starring Gene Hackman and Jones; "Above the Law" (1988), with Davis as co-producer and co-writer for Seagal's feature debut; and "Code of Silence" (1985), starring Chuck Norris.

The 1996 feature "Chain Reaction," starring Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman, brought Davis back to his home town of Chicago. In addition to directing, Davis produced the project with Richard Zanuck and Arne Schmidt. Davis' 1995 feature, "Steal Big, Steal Little," starred Andy Garcia as rival twin brothers.

The son of parents who met in a repertory theater, Davis received a degree in journalism from the University of Illinois. His began his work in motion pictures as assistant cameraman to Haskell Wexler on the 1969 classic "Medium Cool." Wexler's ultra-realistic approach was to have a great influence on Davis, who then became director of photography on numerous award-winning television commercials and documentaries, as well as on 15 studio and independent features.

Davis' directorial debut, "Stony Island" (1979), was a critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical independent musical that he co-wrote and produced. It was followed by the thriller "The Final Terror" (1981), which starred newcomers Daryl Hannah, Joe Pantoliano, Rachel Ward and Adrian Zmed. Davis then co-wrote the screenplay for Harry Belafonte's rap musical "Beat Street" before moving into the director's chair full-time with "Code of Silence."

Andrew Davis' production company, Chicago Pacific Entertainment, is based in Santa Barbara, California.

ARNOLD KOPELSON (Producer) earned the 1986 Best Picture Academy Award for Oliver Stone's "Platoon," and in 1994, his production of "The Fugitive," directed by Andrew Davis, was among the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture. Kopelson's films have received 17 Academy Award nominations, and have collectively earned over one-and-a-half-billion dollars in worldwide box-office receipts.

In 1994, Kopelson was named Producer of the Year by the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO). In 1996, he received the Cinema Expo International Lifetime Achievement in Filmmaking Award. In 1997, he was honored with the Special Producer's Tribute at the Deauville Festival du Cinema American in France and was named to Variety's Showbiz Expo Hall of Fame.

Kopelson recently produced "U.S. Marshals," starring Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey, Jr. Last year he produced "Mad City" with Costa Gavras directing John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman; "The Devil's Advocate," starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves; and "Murder at 1600" with Wesley Snipes. In 1996 Kopelson produced the action thriller "Eraser," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; the crime drama "Seven," starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, directed by David Fincher; and the medical thriller "Outbreak," starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman under Wolfgang Petersen's direction.

Kopelson produced "Falling Down," directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall, and "Triumph of the Spirit," filmed entirely on location at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. Earlier in his career, Kopelson developed the coming-of-age hit "Porky's," produced the Steven Seagal action drama "Out for Justice" and executive produced the action-adventure "Fire Birds" and the supernatural thriller "Warlock."

After graduating from New York Law School, Kopelson practiced entertainment and banking law, specializing in motion-picture financing. He later formed InterOcean Film Sales, Ltd., with Anne Feinberg, who would eventually become his wife and producing partner. Kopelson also pioneered the concept of international theatrical distribution of movies made for television and represented ABC television in this area.

Kopelson is a member of both the New York and California Bars and is a member of the Board of Trustees of New York Law School, which recently honored him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award for Lifetime Achievement. For the past seven years, Kopelson has served on the Executive Committee of the Producers Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America.

ANNE KOPELSON (Producer) began her career as an assistant to then-entertainment and banking attorney Arnold Kopelson. They subsequently formed InterOcean Sales, Ltd. to finance and license films throughout the world and represented such filmmakers as Sergio Leone and John Cassavetes. The Kopelsons then entered into a joint venture with General Cinema Corporation which produced films such as "Lost and Found" and "Foolin' Around."

Anne Kopelson produced "U.S. Marshals," starring Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey, Jr.; "Mad City," starring John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman; "The Devil's Advocate," starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves;" "Murder at 1600," with Wesley Snipes; and "Eraser," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. She executive produced "Seven," starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman; and "Outbreak," starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman.

She is co-chairperson of Kopelson Entertainment, which has been responsible for the development and production of more than 15 motion pictures, including "Platoon," which won the 1986 Best Picture Academy Award. Kopelson Entertainment has also produced the box-office hits "The Fugitive" and "Falling Down" as well as "Triumph of the Spirit," "Fire Birds" and "Out for Justice."

Kopelson serves on the Executive Committee of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

CHRISTOPHER MANKIEWICZ (Producer) has contributed to motion pictures as both a studio executive and a producer. During his 25 years as a studio executive he was assistant to United Artists production head David Picker and then became Vice President of Production at United Artists; Mankiewicz was also a story editor and a Vice President of Production at Columbia Pictures, and Vice President of Production at Filmways, Palomar Productions and PEA in Rome. As an independent producer, Mankiewicz produced "Fatal Games" and associate produced "Armed and Dangerous."

In addition, he has been seen on-screen in such features as "Fatal Games," "The Best of Times," "Armed and Dangerous," "Dragnet," "Red Heat," "Too Much Sun," "Body Shot" and "Eraser."

PETER MACGREGOR-SCOTT (Producer) segued into preparatory stages of "A Perfect Murder" on the heels of "Batman & Robin" and "Batman Forever," both of which he also produced. In 1993 he co-produced Warner Bros.' action blockbuster and Best Picture Oscar-nominee, "The Fugitive," directed by Andrew Davis and starring Harrison Ford, and, in his Oscar-winning performance, Tommy Lee Jones.

Macgregor-Scott moved to the United States from his native England in 1970. He produced his first film, "Ride the Tiger," that same year. Working his way through the ranks of the entertainment industry, Macgregor-Scott produced two hit films starring the comedy team of Cheech & Chong ("Cheech & Chong's Next Movie" and "Cheech & Chong Still Smokin'"), as well as "Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers" and "Born in East L.A." His other early credits include "National Lampoon's Animal House," "The Jerk," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Revenge of the Nerds," "Gotcha!" and "Troop Beverly Hills."

He co-produced three films starring action star Steven Seagal: "Marked for Death," "Out for Justice" and the highly successful "Under Siege," which was also directed by Andrew Davis. Macgregor-Scott also produced the critically acclaimed "Black Beauty," adapted for the screen and directed by Caroline Thompson.

STEPHEN BROWN (Executive Producer) is President of Production at Kopelson Entertainment, where he oversees all production activity. During his tenure there, Brown has been co-producer of a string of box-office and critical successes, beginning with the controversial "Falling Down." He was co-producer of "The Fugitive," which received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Brown's more recent co-producing credits include the hit thrillers "Eraser," "Seven," "Outbreak" and "The Devil's Advocate"; he executive-produced "Murder at 1600" and "Mad City."

Brown was a producer of the Showtime original feature "Past Tense," starring Scott Glenn, Lara Flynn Boyle and Anthony LaPaglia, and a co-executive producer of "Frogmen," a two-hour pilot for NBC.

Following graduation from the University of California, Los Angeles, Brown worked at John DeNigiris Associates, a financial and corporate communications company in New York City, before joining Arnold Kopelson Productions in 1989.

PATRICK SMITH KELLY (Writer) was born in Colorado and studied business at the University of Colorado. He then moved to New York and became a successful stand-up comedian for six years, performing at such New York clubs as the Improvisation and Catch A Rising Star, as well as East Coast venues in Baltimore, the New Jersey Shore and other locations.

Six years ago, Kelly turned to screenwriting. "A Perfect Murder" is the first of Kelly's scripts to make its way to the screen, although several others are in development with major studios.

DARIUSZ WOLSKI (Director of Photography) has a number of impressive films to his credit as cinematographer, including Peter Medak's "Romeo is Bleeding," Alex Proyas' "The Crow," Tony Scott's "Crimson Tide" (which won him a nomination from the American Society of Cinematographers) and "The Fan," and Proyas' "Dark City."

Born in Warsaw, Poland, Wolski attended the Polish Film School in Lodz. Moving to New York City in 1979, he worked as a camera assistant for the BBC and on documentaries, industrial and low budget independent films. He received his first break in 1986 when he replaced the cinematographer of "Heart," who had to move on to another project. Immediately thereafter, Wolski moved to Los Angeles and found work as a director of photography on music videos, working with such noted directors as David Fincher, Julien Temple, Russell Mulcahy, David Hogan and Alex Proyas.

Interested in longer-format projects, Wolski served as cinematographer of "Land of Little Rain" for PBS' American Playhouse and on the Roger Corman-produced feature, "Nightfall." His breakthrough came with Peter Medak's critically acclaimed "Romeo Is Bleeding"; ever since, Wolski has alternated between high-profile features and commercials from top directors.

PHILIP ROSENBERG (Production Designer) won an Academy Award for his work on "All That Jazz" and was nominated for an Oscar for "The Wiz." His other credits include "The Pelican Brief," "Moonstruck," "Other People's Money," "The January Man," "Eyewitness" and "Next Stop, Greenwich Village."

Rosenberg has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with director Sidney Lumet, working on numerous films with him, including "Critical Care," "Night Falls on Manhattan," "Guilty as Sin," "A Stranger Among Us," "Q&A," "Family Business," "Running on Empty," "Garbo Talks," "Daniel," "Network," "Child's Play" and "The Anderson Tapes."

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in fine arts from Brooklyn College and a Master's degree in fine arts from Yale University.

He began his career as a New York stage and opera designer, and served as associate designer at New York's Metropolitan Opera. Rosenberg has also taught at several universities, including the Yale School of Drama.

DENNIS VIRKLER (Film Editor) received Academy Award nominations for his work on "The Hunt for Red October" in 1990 and Andrew Davis' "The Fugitive" in 1993. More recently, Virkler edited "Devil's Own," starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt, and Joel Schumacher's "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin."

His first motion-picture editing credit was the 1976 horror film "Burnt Offerings." Since then, he has edited such films as "Continental Divide," "Gorky Park," "The River Rat" and "Under Siege."

Editor DOV HOENIG, A.C.E. has previously collaborated with Andrew Davis on "The Fugitive," "Under Siege," "Beat Street" and "Stony Island"; and with Michael Mann on "Heat," "The Last of the Mohicans," "Manhunter," "The Keep" and "Thief." His other film-editing credits include "Overboard" and "Young Doctors in Love" for Garry Marshall, "The Crow," "Street Fighter" and the European productions "I Love You, Rosa" "The Passover Plot" and "Operation Thunderbolt."

Last year, ELLEN MIROJNICK (Costume Designer), acknowledged as one of the finest talents in her field, designed the costumes for three hits: the big screen's "Face/Off" and "Starship Troopers," and television's ratings-buster, "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella."

Mirojnick's talents have been called upon by some of the foremost directors of our time, including Oliver Stone, Steven Spielberg, Paul Verhoeven, Ridley Scott, Jan DeBont and Richard Attenborough. Her work has included five films with Michael Douglas: "Fatal Attraction," "Wall Street," "Black Rain," "Basic Instinct" and "The Ghost and the Darkness." Among her numerous other credits are "The Flamingo Kid," "Talk Radio," "Always," "Jacob's Ladder," "Chaplin" (for which she received a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nomination), "Cliffhanger," "Speed," "Mulholland Falls," "Strange Days" and "Twister."

Immediately following her work on "A Perfect Murder," Mirojnick segued into designing the costumes for the romantic comedy "Mickey Blue Eyes."

Composer JAMES NEWTON HOWARD has written more than 60 film scores in the past dozen years, receiving Oscar nominations for his scores for "My Best Friend's Wedding," "The Fugitive" and "The Prince of Tides," as well as for the songs "Look What Love Has Done" from "Junior" and "For the First Time" from "One Fine Day."

For his television work, Howard has received two Emmy nominations for his memorable theme for "ER." And as a performer and music producer, Howard has worked with some of the top names in pop, including Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Bob Seger.

Howard began studying the piano at age four, continuing at the Santa Barbara Music Academy of the West and the University of Southern California School of Music. He then studied orchestration under the legendary arranger Marty Paich.

In the early 1970s Howard served as a session musician for such performers as Diana Ross, Ringo Starr, Leo Sayer, Harry Nilsson and Melissa Manchester. During this time he was asked to become Elton John's keyboardist, both on the road and in the studio.

In the late '70s Howard began producing recordings and, in the 1980s, collaborated with such artists as Randy Newman, Rickie Lee Jones, Glenn Frey and Chaka Kahn. Howard began his career as a film composer in 1985 with the comedy "Head Office."

Since then, he has worked with director Lawrence Kasdan on "French Kiss," "Wyatt Earp" and "Grand Canyon"; with Joel Schumacher on "Flatliners," "Falling Down" and "Dying Young"; and Andrew Davis on "The Fugitive" and "The Package" as well as "A Perfect Murder."

Among his other film-scoring credits are "Pretty Woman," "My Girl," "The Man in the Moon," "Alive," "Everybody's All-American," "Intersection," "Waterworld," "Primal Fear," "Outbreak," "Junior," "Restoration," "The Trigger Effect," "The Rich Man's Wife," "One Fine Day," "Space Jam," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Dante's Peak," "Fathers' Day," "Liar Liar," "My Best Friend's Wedding," "The Devil's Advocate" and "The Postman." He is currently composing the score for "Snow Falling on Cedars."

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