Abel Ferrara

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Abel Ferrara (born July 19, 1951 in The Bronx) is an American movie screenwriter and director. He is best known as an independent filmmaker of such films as The Driller Killer (1979), Ms. 45 (1981), King of New York (1990), and Bad Lieutenant (1992).


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[edit] Early Life

Ferrara was born in the Bronx to an Italian-American family. He was raised Catholic, which had a later effect on much of his work. At 15, he moved to Peekskill in Westchester, New York where he attended high school with Nicholas St. John, who has written most of his films. He attended the film conservatory at SUNY Purchase, where he directed several movies, which are all available on "The Short Films of Abel Ferrara" collection. Soon finding himself out of work, he directed a pornography film as Jimmy Laine, his alias.

[edit] Early Career

Ferrarra first drew a cult audience with his notable grindhouse movie The Driller Killer (1979), an urban slasher in the mold of Taxi Driver (1973), about an artist (played by Ferrara himself) who goes on a killing spree with a drill in hand. Strangely enough, the film attracted attention and retains something of a cult audience to this day. He followed it with the even more exploitive Ms. 45 (1981), a "rape revenge" film starring Zoe Tamerlis, who later scripted "Bad Lieutenant". Critics surprisingly praised the latter film for its depiction of a gritty New York City and as an enjoyable exploitation flick. Due to the buzz around the two movies, Ferrara was hired to direct a big-budget version of his oeuvre called Fear City (1984). It starred Tom Berenger, Melanie Griffith, Billy Dee Williams, Rae Dawn Chong, and Maria Conchita Alonso. True to form, it depicted a seedy Times Square strip club, where a "kung fu slasher" stalks and murders the girls after work. Berenger portrayed a disgraced boxer who has to use his fighting skills to defeat the killer. Fear City got shelved and went straight to video and is one of Ferrara's weakest efforts. This wouldn't be the last time he would have a brush with success, but also not the last time he would be incompatible with it.

Ferrara soon found a home in groundbreaking crime television, directing the pilot for the cult classic Crime Story, starring Dennis Farina, as well as two episodes of the perennial 80's favorite Miami Vice's second season ("The Dutch Oven" and "The Home Invaders"). Crime Story is a particularly notable achievement, as Ferrara set the stage for the short-lived but well-regarded crime drama. Especially memorable is a spectacular gunfight reminiscent of Howard Hawks or Sam Peckinpah, which is all captured in one sweeping crane move.

Following his success in television, Ferrara directed two features: China Girl (1987), a modern re-telling of West Side Story as a gang war between the Chinese tong and the Italian mafia; and Cat Chaser (1989), an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard book starring Peter Weller. China Girl brought Ferrara back to his heart, New York City. Cat Chaser did not fare as well, despite the pulpy storyline.

Next, he directed his best known film, King of New York (1990), starring Christopher Walken as gangster Frank White, who runs a group of black drug dealers, including one played by Laurence Fishburne. The cast was rounded out by Wesley Snipes and David Caruso. This was Ferrara's most expensive film to date. The movie was lambasted at its premiere, where the audience actually booed and declared it immoral. Some violence had to be cut to avoid an X rating. It bombed at the box office, losing a majority of the $10 million dollar investment. Since then, it has become a cult classic, thanks to VHS and DVD. A favorite film of rappers, The Notorious B.I.G. adopted an alias of "Frank White" in homage to it.

Ferrara next directed Harvey Keitel in a brilliant performance as the eponymous Bad Lieutenant. Keitel plays a foul-mouthed, sex-addicted drug user who finds redemption in forgiving two boys who rape a nun. It stressed the themes of Catholic redemption, which Ferrara frequently uses. Ferrara finally received recognition as a legitimate talent and force in independent film. Rated NC-17, it was initially banned from Blockbuster. The script was written by his longtime friend, Zoe Tamerlis, who died shortly afterwards of a drug overdose. Ferrara and Keitel were nominated for Spirit Awards and despite being risky, it was nevertheless lauded by critics, including a four-star rating from Roger Ebert.

Once again the subject of praise, he was hired for two big-budget projects: a second remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Dangerous Game, starring Keitel and Madonna. Madonna feuded with Ferrara on the set and referred to him as "scum". Both were unmitigated disasters: Body Snatchers was controversially premiered at Cannes, where Ferrara courted trouble by declaring he would never win the award because the French hated him. Nevertheless, it ran in competition and was nominated for the Golden Palm. Ebert found something worthwhile in it and gave it a four-star rating, calling it a perfect example of a sci-fi movie. Still, it was shelved and released years later to home video, where it gained some more followers. Dangerous Game however, was fully promoted and released into theatres; it was regarded as totally incomprehensible and trashed accordingly.

In the mid-nineties, he returned yet again to the comfort of independent film, directing two movies: The Addiction (1995), and The Funeral (1996). The Addiction, photographed in notably ominous black-and-white, starred Lili Taylor as a student infected by vampires. The Funeral featured an all-star cast of Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Isabella Rossellini, Benicio del Toro, Vincent Gallo, and others. Both were met with favorable receptions by critics, and were particularly praised for the edgy cinematography of Ken Kelsch. Ferrara was nominated again by the Spirits for "Best Director" for The Funeral, which was also nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice, where it won another award. The Berlin Film Festival nominated The Addiction for Best Film, and that year Ferrara won a Best Filmmaker award from the Gotham Awards.

[edit] Later career

After making the confused The Blackout (1997) with Matthew Modine and Dennis Hopper, he contributed to the omnibus HBO-television movie Subway Stories. Ferrara then made New Rose Hotel (1998), which reunited him with Christopher Walken. Also starring Willem Dafoe, it was widely released and also deemed confusing. Despite this, it was nominated at Venice for the Golden Lion and won two of their awards.

Ferrara returned three years later with 'R Xmas (2001), which starred Drea de Matteo and Ice-T. It drew mixed reviews, but is considered a return to form by fans of the director. After recording two commentaries for Driller Killer and King of New York, he finally made Mary (2005). The religious epic starred Forrest Whittaker, Marion Cotillard, Juliette Binoche, Heather Graham, Stefania Rocca and Matthew Modine. The multi-plot film concerns an actress (Binoche) who stars in a Passion of the Christ-like movie about Jesus, where she plays Mary Magdalene, with whom she subsequently becomes obsessed. Ferrara received some of his most enthusiastic buzz in years for Mary, which premiering at the Venice Film Festival in 2005. It swept the awards ceremony, garnering the Grand Jury Prize, SIGNIS Award, and two others. It was also nominated for the highest achievement, the Golden Lion. It was Ferrara's third nomination. Despite much positive attention, the critics who attended the festival divided sharply down the middle regarding its merits. It was also seen at the Toronto Film Festival, but has so far not been released on US DVD. In 2007, he directed a comedy with Modine, Bob Hoskins, and Willem Dafoe called Go Go Tales.

The director has recently completed a documentary called Chelsea on the Rocks (which will premiere out of competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival), before he starts a long-awaited prequel to King of New York called Pericle il Nero. Actor Michael Pitt will play a young Frank White; and rapper Nelly, the role originated by Laurence Fishburne.

[edit] Selected filmography

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Films directed by Abel Ferrara

Nicky's Film • The Hold Up • The Driller Killer • Ms. 45 • Fear City • China Girl • Cat Chaser • King of New York • Bad Lieutenant • Body Snatchers • Dangerous Game • The Addiction • The Funeral • The Blackout • New Rose Hotel • R Xmas • Mary • Go Go Tales •