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Alan Steven Rudolph (born December 18, 1943) is an American film director and screenwriter.


Early life

Rudolph was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of
Oscar Rudolph Oscar Rudolph (April 2, 1911 – February 1, 1991) was an American film and television director, producer, and actor. Life and career Rudolph was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1924 moved to Southern California with his family. He started hi ...
(1911–1991), a television director and actor, and his wife. He became interested in film and was a protégé of director
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...
. Rudolph worked as an assistant director on Altman's film adaptation of
Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...
's '' The Long Goodbye'' and later on ''
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
''.


Career

Rudolph's films focus upon isolated and eccentric characters and their relationships, and frequently are ensemble pieces featuring prominent
romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
and fantasy. He has written almost all of his films. In addition, he has repeatedly worked with actors
Keith Carradine Keith Ian Carradine ( ; born August 8, 1949) is an American actor who has had success on stage, film, and television. He is known for his roles as Tom Frank in Robert Altman's film ''Nashville'', Wild Bill Hickok in the HBO series '' Deadwood ...
and
Geneviève Bujold Geneviève Bujold (; born July 1, 1942) is a Canadian actress. For her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the period drama film ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969), Bujold received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film cre ...
, and composer
Mark Isham Mark Ware Isham (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician and film composer. A trumpeter and keyboardist, Isham works in a variety of genres, including jazz and electronic. He is also a film composer, having worked on numerous films and ...
(see
list of film director and composer collaborations * The following film directors and film score composers have worked together on multiple projects. A Ali Abbasi *Martin Dirkov **'' Shelley'' (2016) **''Border'' (2018) J. J. Abrams *Michael Giacchino **'' Alias'' (2001–2006) **'' Lost ...
). Director Rudolph came to prominence with ''
Choose Me ''Choose Me'' is a 1984 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Alan Rudolph, starring Geneviève Bujold, Keith Carradine, and Lesley Ann Warren. The film is a look at sex and love in 1980s Los Angeles centered around a dive ...
'' (1984), the story of the sexual relationships among a handful of lonely, but charming, people – an ex-prostitute bar owner (
Lesley Ann Warren Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 1963, aged 17, in '' 110 in the Shade''. In 1965 she received wide recognition for playing the title role in the television musical prod ...
), an emotionally repressed radio talk show hostess (Bujold), and a disarmingly honest madman (Carradine). '' Trouble in Mind'' (1985) featured
Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...
as well as Bujold, Carradine and
Divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine
, in a rare, out of female drag, performance. The film was entered into the
36th Berlin International Film Festival The 36th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held 14–25 February 1986. The festival opened with ''Ginger and Fred'' by Federico Fellini, which played out of competition at the festival. The Golden Bear was awarded to West German film ...
. ''
The Moderns ''The Moderns'' is a 1988 film by Alan Rudolph, which takes place in 1926 Paris during the period of the Lost Generation and at the height of modernist literature. The film stars Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino, John Lone, and Geneviève Bujol ...
'' (1988) is a fictional love story set in 1926 Paris among well-known American expatriates such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, whom the film's characters briefly encounter. Expatriate American artist (Carradine) re-ignites his love for his former wife (
Linda Fiorentino Clorinda "Linda" Fiorentino (born March 9, 1958 or 1960) is an American former actress. Fiorentino made her screen debut with a leading role in the 1985 coming-of-age drama film ''Vision Quest'', followed that same year with a lead role in the ac ...
), despite her marriage to a sinister, philistine art collector played by
John Lone John Lone (; jyutping: zyun1 lung4; born October 13, 1952) is an American actor. He starred as Pu Yi in the Academy Award-winning film ''The Last Emperor'' (1987), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. A veteran o ...
. In 1990, Rudolph wrote and directed the private eye love story ''Love at Large'', filmed in
Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
. After the thriller ''
Mortal Thoughts ''Mortal Thoughts'' is a 1991 American neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Demi Moore, Glenne Headly, Bruce Willis, John Pankow and Harvey Keitel. Told in narrative flashbacks set in a police interrogation, the f ...
'' (1991) starring
Demi Moore Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Bra ...
, he directed ''
Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...
'' (1992), with
Matthew Modine Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker, who rose to prominence through his role as U.S. Marine Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis in ''Full Metal Jacket''. His other film roles include the title character ...
playing a pair of separated twins. His ''
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle ''Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle'' is a 1994 American biographical film, biographical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Alan Rudolph from a screenplay written by Rudolph and Randy Sue Coburn. The film stars Jennifer Jason Le ...
'' (1994), was a biopic of
Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker (née Rothschild; August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, writer, critic, and satirist based in New York; she was known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhap ...
, with
Jennifer Jason Leigh Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough as Stacy Hamilton in ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). She ...
in the title role. ''
Breakfast of Champions ''Breakfast of Champions, or Goodbye Blue Monday'' is a 1973 novel by the American author Kurt Vonnegut. His seventh novel, it is set predominantly in the fictional town of Midland City, Ohio, and focuses on two characters: Dwayne Hoover, a Midl ...
'' (1999) was an adaptation of
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
's
metafiction Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own narrative structure in a way that continually reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...
al novel, with
Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining prominence on screen in the early 1960s, debuting with '' The Entertainer'' (1960) ...
as the wildly prolific but terminally under-appreciated writer
Kilgore Trout Kilgore Trout is a fictional character created by author Kurt Vonnegut. In Vonnegut's work, Trout is a notably unsuccessful author of paperback science fiction novels. "Trout" was inspired by the name of the author Theodore Sturgeon (Vonnegut's ...
. The film was entered into the
49th Berlin International Film Festival The 49th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 10 to 21 February 1999. The festival opened with ''Aimée & Jaguar'' by Max Färberböck. The Golden Bear was awarded to Canadian-American film '' The Thin Red Line'' directed by ...
. Rudolph has also turned to painting, and In April 2008, presented a solo show of his paintings at Gallery Fraga,
Bainbridge Island, Washington Bainbridge Island is a city and island in Kitsap County, Washington. It is located in Puget Sound. The population was 23,025 at the 2010 census and an estimated 25,298 in 2019, making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County. ...
. In 2017, he directed ''Ray Meets Helen,'' a love story between two quirky outsiders, depicted by veteran Rudolph actor Keith Carradine and
Sondra Locke Sandra Louise Anderson (''née'' Smith; May 28, 1944 – November 3, 2018), professionally known as Sondra Locke, was an American actress and director. She achieved worldwide recognition for her relationship with Clint Eastwood and the six hit f ...
, in her final film.


Films as director

*''
Premonition A premonition is a feeling that some event will happen, typically a forewarning of something unwelcome. Premonition(s) or The Premonition may also refer to: Film and television * "Premonition" (''Alfred Hitchcock Presents''), an episode of ' ...
'' (1972) *'' Nightmare Circus'' (1974, as "Gerald Cormier") *''
Welcome to L.A. ''Welcome to L.A.'' is a 1976 American Drama (film and television), drama Musical film, musical romance film directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Keith Carradine and an ensemble cast. The film focuses on themes of romantic despair and shallownes ...
'' (1976, also writer) *''
Remember My Name ''Remember My Name'' is a 1978 American thriller drama film written and directed by Alan Rudolph. It stars Geraldine Chaplin, Anthony Perkins, Moses Gunn, Jeff Goldblum, and Berry Berenson. Plot Neil Curry (Perkins) is living a happy l ...
'' (1978, also writer) *''
Roadie The road crew (or roadies) are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians. This catc ...
'' (1980, also story) *''
Endangered Species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
'' (1982) *'' Return Engagement'' (1983) *''
Choose Me ''Choose Me'' is a 1984 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Alan Rudolph, starring Geneviève Bujold, Keith Carradine, and Lesley Ann Warren. The film is a look at sex and love in 1980s Los Angeles centered around a dive ...
'' (1984, also writer) *''
Songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
'' (1984) *'' Trouble in Mind'' (1985, also writer) *''
Made in Heaven ''Made in Heaven'' is the fifteenth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 6 November 1995 by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and by Hollywood Records in the United States. It was the band's first and only release so ...
'' (1987) *''
The Moderns ''The Moderns'' is a 1988 film by Alan Rudolph, which takes place in 1926 Paris during the period of the Lost Generation and at the height of modernist literature. The film stars Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino, John Lone, and Geneviève Bujol ...
'' (1988, also writer) *''
Love at Large ''Love at Large'' is a 1990 American romance and mystery film directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Tom Berenger, Elizabeth Perkins and Anne Archer. Plot Set in a present that feels more like the past, Harry Dobbs is a private detective surrou ...
'' (1990, also writer) *''
Mortal Thoughts ''Mortal Thoughts'' is a 1991 American neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Alan Rudolph and starring Demi Moore, Glenne Headly, Bruce Willis, John Pankow and Harvey Keitel. Told in narrative flashbacks set in a police interrogation, the f ...
'' (1991) *''
Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...
'' (1992, also writer) *''
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle ''Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle'' is a 1994 American biographical film, biographical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Alan Rudolph from a screenplay written by Rudolph and Randy Sue Coburn. The film stars Jennifer Jason Le ...
'' (1994, also writer) *''
Afterglow An afterglow in meteorology consists of several atmospheric optical phenomena, with a general definition as a broad arch of whitish or pinkish sunlight in the twilight sky, consisting of the bright segment and the purple light. Purple light mainl ...
'' (1997, also writer) *''
Breakfast of Champions ''Breakfast of Champions, or Goodbye Blue Monday'' is a 1973 novel by the American author Kurt Vonnegut. His seventh novel, it is set predominantly in the fictional town of Midland City, Ohio, and focuses on two characters: Dwayne Hoover, a Midl ...
'' (1999, also writer) *'' Trixie'' (2000, also writer) *''
Investigating Sex ''Investigating Sex'' is a 2001 comedy-drama film written and directed by Alan Rudolph, starring Neve Campbell, Til Schweiger, Nick Nolte and Dermot Mulroney. The film is based on ''Investigating Sex: Surrealist Research 1928-1932'', a book of ...
'' (2001, also writer) *''
The Secret Lives of Dentists ''The Secret Lives of Dentists'' is a 2002 drama film directed by Alan Rudolph. The screenplay was written by Craig Lucas, based on the novella ''The Age of Grief'' by Jane Smiley. It had its world premiere at the 2002 Toronto International Film ...
'' (2002) *''
Ray Meets Helen ''Ray Meets Helen'' is a 2017 romantic drama film directed by Alan Rudolph. It is notable as Sondra Locke's last acting appearance. Plot Ray and Helen each happen upon large sums of money which enable them to reinvent themselves. Helen comes by a ...
'' (2017, also writer)


Recurring collaborators


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rudolph, Alan 1943 births American male screenwriters Living people Writers from Los Angeles Film directors from Los Angeles Screenwriters from California