[
''The September Issue'' received its World Premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, where it screened in competition and won the Grand Jury Prize for Cinematography. Roadside Attractions acquired the film shortly after Sundance and released it theatrically on August 28, 2009. ''The September Issue'' received the 2010 Cinema Eye Honors Audience Choice Award.
After completing ''The September Issue'', Cutler returned to outtakes from the footage he shot with Wintour and edited a short film called The Met Ball, which told the story of the 2007 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Ball.
In 2009, Cutler produced the feature documentary ''Hick Town'', directed by ]George Hickenlooper
George Loening Hickenlooper III (May 25, 1963 – October 29, 2010) was an American narrative and documentary filmmaker.
Early life
Hickenlooper was born in St. Louis, the son of Barbara Jo Wenger, a social worker and stage actress, and George L ...
. It was their second collaboration, after 1997's ''American Auteur''. ''Hick Town'' tells the story of then-Denver Mayor (later Colorado Governor) John Hickenlooper
John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. (; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd governor of Colorado from 2011 to 20 ...
, who was the director's cousin, as the city of Denver was gearing up to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The film received its World Premiere at the 2009 Starz Denver Film Festival. Hickenlooper's intention was to turn the film into a non-fiction series, but the director died while shooting additional footage in 2010.
In 2010, Cutler made ''rag & bone'', a short documentary that told the story of Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, the designers behind the design house rag & bone
Rag & Bone is an American fashion label helmed by Marcus Wainwright, originally from Britain. The brand is sold in more than 700 shops around the world, as well as in Rag & Bone retail stores.
History
Rag & Bone was founded in 2002 by Nathan B ...
, as they prepared for 2010 Fall Fashion Week in New York City. The cinema verite film was funded by Starbucks.
In 2011, Cutler directed and produced ''Fish'' a twenty-minute film that told the story of Los Angeles chef Jon Shook, who with his partner Vinnie Dotolo had recently opened the Los Angeles-based restaurant Son of A Gun. The film was made as part of the USA Character Project and was presented by Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...
and Tony Scott
Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as ''Top Gun'' (1986), ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''Day ...
. In ''Fish'', Cutler follows Shook as he goes fishing for a day and then turns the day's catch into a dish at Son of a Gun.
In 2012 Cutler signed a deal to make documentary films for Showtime. The first film in their partnership was 2013's ''The World According to Dick Cheney'', which Cutler produced and co-directed with Greg Finton. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013.
On April 26, 2013 Showtime announced that they had renewed their deal with Cutler to make documentary films for the pay cable network. The next film under the agreement was reported to be about legendary actor Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
, which Cutler would produce along with John Battsek
John Battsek is a British film producer of documentary films. Battsek co-founded Passion Pictures, a two-time Oscar-winning and four-time Oscar nominated independent production company.
In 2020, Battsek departed Passion Pictures to launch cre ...
('' Searching for Sugarman'') and which was to be directed by Stevan Riley (''Fire in Babylon
''Fire in Babylon'' is a 2010 British documentary film about the record-breaking West Indies cricket team of the 1970s and 1980s. Featuring stock footage and interviews with several former players and officials, including Colin Croft, Deryck Murra ...
''.)
On May 18, 2022, Disney Original Documentary and Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
announced that Cutler would co-direct a documentary with filmmaker David Furnish
David James Furnish (born 25 October 1962) is a Canadian filmmaker and former advertising executive. He is married to English singer, pianist and composer Sir Elton John.
Early life and education
David Furnish was born in Toronto, Ontario, th ...
about Elton John's November 2022 shows at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
titled ''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And the Years That Made His Legend.''
Scripted filmmaking career
In 2009 Cutler decided to focus exclusively on creative producing and directing. "For me, the real satisfaction of the work is in the creative," he told Variety reporter Cynthia Littleton. Cutler made a deal to merge his production company's projects with Evolution Film and Tape, effectively shutting down Actual Reality Pictures.[
In 2010, HBO ordered a pilot of ''Spring/Fall'', a show set in the fashion industry and executive produced by Cutler, Jimmy Miller, and writer Kate Robin. The pilot was directed by ]Jake Kasdan
Jacob Kasdan (born October 28, 1974) is an American filmmaker and actor. He is best known for directing ''Walk Hard'' (2007), ''Bad Teacher'' (2011), ''Sex Tape'' (2014), '' Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'' (2017) and '' Jumanji: The Next Level'' ...
and starred Tea Leoni and Hope Davis
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, as well two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Award nominations.
She ...
. It was not ordered to series.
In 2011, ABC ordered a pilot for ''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 ...
'', executive produced by Cutler, Callie Khouri
Carolyn Ann "Callie" Khouri (born November 27, 1957) is an American film and television screenwriter, producer, and director. In 1992, she won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for the film ''Thelma & Louise' ...
and Steve Buchanan, president of Gaylord Entertainment (owner of the Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...
.) Cutler and Khouri had developed the show together over several months under a deal at Lionsgate Studios. Nashville was ordered to series on May 11, 2012. ''Nashville'' premiered on ABC on October 9, 2012. Reviewing it in Entertainment Weekly, critic Ken Tucker wrote, "Rarely does a pilot present a world as completely as ''Nashville'' does in its first hour… One of the great pleasures of ''Nashville'' is that it arrived fully formed, with a sure sense of what it wants to accomplish dramatically, and with a masterful command of atmosphere and setting. No other new show this season projects such effortless assurance, hits so many notes of emotion." On May 10, 2013 ''Nashville'' was renewed for a second season by ABC. On May 9, 2014 ''Nashville'' was renewed for a third season by ABC.
In 2012 Lionsgate Television announced that it had entered into a two-year first-look television deal with Cutler to develop and produce scripted programming for broadcast and cable TV.
In 2013, CBS signed Cutler to direct the pilot of ''The Ordained'', executive produced by Frank Marshall and written by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. The show about a Kennedy-like political family starred Charlie Cox, Sam Neill
Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...
, Audra McDonald
Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970) is an American actress and singer. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four act ...
, Jorge Garcia
Jorge Garcia (born April 28, 1973) is an American actor and comedian. He first came to public attention with his performance as Hector Lopez on the television show ''Becker'', but subsequently became best known for his portrayal of Hugo "Hurley ...
and Hope Davis
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, as well two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Award nominations.
She ...
. It was not ordered to series.
In 2013, MGM announced that it would finance Cutler's feature film directing debut, ''If I Stay
''If I Stay'' is a young adult novel by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia Hall as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. Mia is the only member of her family to survive, ...
''. Warner Bros., New Line and MGM released ''If I Stay'' in theaters on August 22, 2014.
In 2014, CBS announced that it had entered into a two-year first-look television deal with Cutler to develop, produce and direct scripted projects. In 2016, his production company Cutler Productions signed a deal with Fox 21 Television Studios
The second incarnation of Touchstone Television (formerly known as Fox 21 Television Studios) was an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Disney Media Networks' Walt Disney Television owned by The Walt Disney Company. It ...
.
Style and influences
Cutler has cited Jim Bouton
James Alan Bouton (; March 8, 1939 – July 10, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. Bouton played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves between 1 ...
’s book ''Ball Four
''Ball Four'' is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton (1939-2019) in 1970. The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In ...
'' as an early influence on his story-telling and interest in non-fiction.
He listed his Best Movies Ever for Newsweek as Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...
’s ''Wall Street
Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for t ...
'', Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...
’s ''On the Waterfront
''On the Waterfront'' is a 1954 American crime drama film, directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando and features Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Pat Henning, and Eva Marie Saint in her film debut. ...
'', Woody Allen
Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
’s ''Crimes and Misdemeanors
''Crimes and Misdemeanors'' is a 1989 American existential comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, who stars alongside Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, Jerry Orbach, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston, and Joanna Gleason.
The fil ...
'', Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Origina ...
’ ''The Lady Eve
''The Lady Eve'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. '', Bob Fosse
Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals ''The Pajam ...
’s '' All That Jazz'', Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick (born November 30, 1943) is an American filmmaker. His films include '' Days of Heaven'' (1978), '' The Thin Red Line'' (1998), for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenp ...
’s ''Badlands
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...
'', Barbara Kopple
Barbara Kopple (born July 30, 1946) is an American film director known primarily for her documentary work.
She has won two Academy Awards, the first in 1977 for ''Harlan County, USA'', about a Kentucky miners' strike, /sup> and the second in ...
’s ''Harlan County, USA
''Harlan County, USA'' is a 1976 American documentary film covering the "Brookside Strike", a 1973 effort of 180 coal miners and their wives against the Duke Power Company-owned Eastover Coal Company's Brookside Mine and Prep Plant in Harlan C ...
'' and Sidney Lumet
Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for ''12 Angry Men'' (1957), ''Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), ''Network'' (1976), ...
’s ''Dog Day Afternoon
''Dog Day Afternoon'' is a 1975 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. The film stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, and Charles Durning. The screenplay is wr ...
''.
While making ''The September Issue
''The September Issue'' is a 2009 American documentary film directed by R.J. Cutler about the behind-the-scenes drama that follows editor-in-head Anna Wintour and her staff during the production of the September 2007 issue of American ''Vogue'' ma ...
'' Cutler was influenced by Robert Drew
Robert Lincoln Drew (February 15, 1924 – July 30, 2014) was an American documentary filmmaker known as one of the pioneers—and sometimes called father—of cinéma vérité, or direct cinema, in the United States. Two of his films, '' Prima ...
’s ''Crisis
A crisis ( : crises; : critical) is either any event or period that will (or might) lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affair ...
'', the Maysles Brothers
Albert Maysles (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) and his brother David Maysles (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987; ) were an American documentary filmmaking team known for their work in the Direct Cinema style. Their best-known films i ...
’ ''Gimme Shelter
"Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones. Released as the opening track from band's 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. The song covers topics of war, murder, rape and fear. It features prominent guest vocals by American singer ...
'', George Cukor
George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...
’s '' Philadelphia Story'' and Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Origina ...
’ ''The Lady Eve
''The Lady Eve'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. ''.
Filmography
Films
*''The War Room
''The War Room'' is a 1993 American documentary film about Bill Clinton's campaign for President of the United States during the 1992 United States presidential election. Directed by Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker, the film was released on D ...
'' (1993), producer
*'' A Perfect Candidate'' (1996), director, producer
*''Thin'' (2006), producer, executive producer
*''The September Issue
''The September Issue'' is a 2009 American documentary film directed by R.J. Cutler about the behind-the-scenes drama that follows editor-in-head Anna Wintour and her staff during the production of the September 2007 issue of American ''Vogue'' ma ...
'' (2009), director, producer, executive producer
*''The World According To Dick Cheney'' (2013), director, producer, executive producer
*''If I Stay
''If I Stay'' is a young adult novel by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia Hall as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. Mia is the only member of her family to survive, ...
'' (2014), director
*'' Listen to Me Marlon'' (2015), producer
*''Belushi Belushi or Balushi may refer to:
* Belushi (surname)
* '' Belushi: A Biography'', a 2005 biography of John Belushi
* ''Belushi'' (film), a 2020 documentary film on John Belushi
See also
* Balushi (disambiguation)
* Belisha (disambiguation)
* Be ...
'' (2020), director, writer, producer
*'' Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry'' (2021), director
Television
*'' American High'' (2000), director, executive producer
*''Military Diaries'' (2002), executive producer
*''The Residents'' (2003), director, executive producer
*''Freshman Diaries'' (2003), director, executive producer
*''American Candidate'' (2004), executive producer
*''Bound For Glory'' (2005), executive producer
*'' 30 Days'' (2005-2008), executive producer
*'' Black.White.'' (2006), executive producer
*''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 ...
'' (2012), director, executive producer
* ''Dear...'' (2020), executive producer
Podcasts
*'' The Oval Office Tapes'' (2018), creator, director, executive producer
Bibliography
*
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cutler, R.J
American film directors
Harvard University alumni
Living people
People from Great Neck, New York
20th-century American Jews
USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni
1962 births
Great Neck North High School alumni
21st-century American Jews