John Fasano

John M. Fasano (August 24, 1961 – July 19, 2014) was an American film director, film producer and screenwriter.^[1][2]

John Fasano directed 6 films, produced 20 more and wrote screenplays for 18 others. With novelist Roni Keller, he also wrote the book Evie and the Golem, published in 2011.^[3] A weapons expert,^[4] Fasano was a frequent writing contributor to such authoritative magazines as Combat Tactics,^[4] and American Handgunner.^[5][6] A writer and producer at Shelf Life Unlimited Films,^[7] he was developing a contemporary remake of Chariots of the Gods at the time of his death.^[8][9] In addition to his writing and film-making credentials, Fasano was also a prolific Halloween mask designer.^[10]

Early career

After graduating SUNY College at Purchase in 1984, Fasano used his artistic talents art directing for magazines such as Muscle and Beauty, Race Car & Driver, Wrestling Power and OUI.^[11] He also found work painting the one sheet posters for Grindhouse films such as Tenement (Slaughter in the South Bronx)^[12] for legendary exploitation film producers Roberta Findlay and Walter Sear.^[13] Fasano rewrote and acted in their film Blood Sisters.^[11] His work impressed All in the Sex Family producer Jack Bravman^[11] who contracted Fasano to write and Assistant-Direct the infamous Zombie Nightmare,^[14] starring Adam West and a young Tia Carerre. After that, Fasano directed solo on the cult classic rock-horror features, Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare, Black Roses and The Jitters.^[15] After "The Jitters", Fasano moved to Los Angeles in 1989, where he sold his first "spec script", Tailgunner, to Morgan Creek.^[11] He then co-wrote the screenplay for Another 48 Hrs. for director Walter Hill, which generated a series of script-writing offers from major studios.^[11] His first produced film, on which he was the assistant director and in which he also appeared as character "William Washington", was Zombie Nightmare.^[16]

Death

He died at his home in Los Angeles on July 19, 2014. His family has not advised a cause of death.^[17]

References