Terry Zwigoff
Directing
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Terry Zwigoff (born May 18, 1949 in Appleton, Wisconsin) is an American filmmaker best known for two popular small budget films, both arising out of the world of underground or alternative comics: the documentary Crumb (1994), about underground comics figure Robert Crumb, and the feature Ghost World (2001), adapted from the Dan Clowes comic book of the same name. He won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary with Crumb and was nominated for an Academy Award for the screenplay of Ghost World. His first film was Louie Bluie (1986), about blues and string band musician Howard Armstrong. In 2003, he directed another film, Bad Santa, starring Billy Bob Thornton. His most recent film was Art School Confidential, based on another story from Dan Clowes's Eightball. Zwigoff's association with comics began in the 1970s when he moved to San Francisco and met Robert Crumb, who shared his interest in collecting pre-war American roots music. At age 22, he learned to play the cello and mandolin and joined Crumb's string band, R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders. He is currently a member of the San Francisco instrumental trio, The Excitement Boys. Zwigoff is Jewish. Description above from the Wikipedia article Terry Zwigoff, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Since its 1988 premiere, this critically acclaimed documentary series has presented hundreds of films that put a human face on contemporary social issues by relating a compelling story in an intimate fashion. "POV" has won virtually every major film and broadcasting award available, including 38 Emmys, 22 Peabody Awards and three Oscars.
POV
You'd better watch out - Willie T. Soke is coming to town, and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Willie's favorite holiday tradition is to fill his sacks with loot lifted from shopping malls across the country. But this year his plot gets derailed by a wisecracking store detective, a sexy bartender, and a kid who's convinced Willie is the real Santa Claus.
Bad Santa
Starting from childhood attempts at illustration, the protagonist pursues his true obsession to art school. But as he learns how the art world really works, he finds that he must adapt his vision to the reality that confronts him.
Art School Confidential
Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector, one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.
Ghost World
This movie chronicles the life and times of R. Crumb. Robert Crumb is the cartoonist/artist who drew Keep On Truckin', Fritz the Cat, and played a major pioneering role in the genesis of underground comix. Through interviews with his mother, two brothers, wife, ex-wife and ex-girlfriends, as well as selections from his vast quantity of graphic art, we are treated to a darkly comic ride through one man's subconscious mind.
Crumb
In 1983, three hapless guys from San Francisco are lured from their sex and drugs lifestyle to the countryside to grow marijuana. They find themselves stuck in a run-down cabin in the middle of nowhere, with harsh and unfriendly growing conditions, nosy neighbours, dangerous locals, and menacing law enforcement.
Budding Prospects
A group of friends leave San Francisco in 1983 to start their own marijuana enterprise out in the country.
Budding Prospects
Crumb director Terry Zwigoff’s first film is a true treat: a documentary about the obscure country-blues musician and idiosyncratic visual artist Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, member of the last known black string band in America. As beguiling a raconteur as he is a performer, Louie makes for a wildly entertaining movie subject, and Zwigoff honors him with an unsentimental but endlessly affectionate tribute. Full of infectious music and comedy, Louie Bluie is a humane evocation of the kind of pop-cultural marginalia that Zwigoff would continue to excavate in the coming years.