Gary Leva
Directing
Biography
Filmmaker and film historian Gary Leva has distinguished himself as the creative force behind scores of documentaries, broadcast programs and Special Features, many of them focused on the cinematic arts. His feature documentary, Fog City Mavericks, which highlights 100 years in the history of San Francisco's vibrant filmmaking community, had its world premiere at the 50th San Francisco International Film Festival prior to its continuing life on cable television and disc. Leva's documentaries have made a lasting contribution to the history of film. His award- winning A Legacy of Filmmakers premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and received a New York Film Society screening at Manhattan's Guggenheim Museum. This documentary illuminates the creation of Francis Ford Coppola's landmark film company American Zoetrope, set against the changing landscape of American cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film is now a part of the curricula at several top universities. Leva's celebrated documentaries on the cinema of George Lucas span the entire range of Lucas' career, from his earliest student films to his first feature, THX 1138, to the Star Wars series and beyond. His collections of documentaries on filmmakers Alfred Hitchcock, Clint Eastwood and Stanley Kubrick are often regarded as the top anthology on each of these master's works. Having earned a distinguished reputation as a leader in his field, Leva continues to work with the top filmmakers of our time, including Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Robert Redford, Oliver Stone and many others. Beyond the world of cinema, Leva has produced documentaries on subjects as varied as the struggle for investigative journalists to stay relevant in the Internet age and the ways in which the achievements of Alexander the Great are reflected in our modern lives. Other projects include the award-winning narrative feature film, Plan B, starring Jon Cryer, the mockumentary R2-D2: Beneath the Dome, broadcast nationally on Fox, and 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year, broadcast nationally on TCM. Leva is an adjunct professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Known For
As he enters his eighth decade in the movies, Warner Bros. celebrates this cinematic icon - actor, producer, director, master filmmaker - with 9 new documentaries covering the entire breadth of Eastwood's remarkable career.
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy
Fog City Mavericks: The Filmmakers of San Francisco is a compelling exploration of the legendary filmmakers who call the San Francisco Bay Area home including George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Chris Columbus and producer Saul Zaentz. The special weaves interviews, commentaries and unforgettable moments from some of the most visionary movies ever created such as American Graffiti, the Star Wars film series, the Indiana Jones film series, The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Lost in Translation, Flags of Our Fathers and many others. It also features interviews with those who have worked with Bay Area mavericks: Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, Anthony Minghella, Milos Forman and Frank Darabont.
Fog City Mavericks
An entertaining look at Clint Eastwood's storied career as a Western icon and filmmaker, featuring interviews with Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner, Frank Darabont, John Lee Hancock and many more.
Clint Eastwood's West
Follow the difficult birth and full realization of this beautifully told romance through its many twists and turns. Through interviews with Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and many others, this documentary reveals the commitment, hard work and creativity it took to bring to the screen this classic love story in the style of George Stevens or John Ford.
An Old Fashioned Love Story: Making 'The Bridges of Madison County'
Mockumentary telling the never before told life story of the fictional robot R2-D2 from the Star Wars film series. The movie was made as a fun project by the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Using interviews, fake archive photos, film clips, and behind the scenes footage the "true" story was told of Artoo's life.
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
A look at the cinematographers, editors, musicians, production designers and other talent of the Dirty Harry series.
The Craft of Dirty Harry
The Making of feature for the George Lucas movie 'THX 1138'.
Artifact from the Future: The Making of 'THX 1138'
Current filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and George Lucas reflect on the importance and influence of the epic classic "Ben-Hur".
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
An in-depth look at Dirty Harry (1971), featuring interviews with such film artists as Michael Madsen, 'Hal Holbrook', John Milius, 'Shane Black' and John Badham.
The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry
Film Noir burrows into the mind; it's disorienting, intriguing and enthralling. Noir brings us into a gritty underworld of lush morbidity, providing intimate peeks at its tough, scheming dames, mischievous misfits and flawed men - all caught in the wicked web of a twisted fate.
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light
Discover the man behind the movie, director Roland Emmerich, whose unflagging energy and relentless pursuit of perfection inspired the entire creative team behind Midway.
Roland Emmerich: Man on a Mission
Follow Eastwood's career from television star to matinee idol to Oscar-winning director in this wide-ranging documentary.
The Evolution of Clint Eastwood
Filmmakers, social scientists and authors take a provocative look at the moral, political and ethical themes of the Dirty Harry films.
A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry
A fascinating chronicle of the birth and rise of the radically different independent studio founded by director Francis Ford Coppola.
A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope
An unflinching look at the ongoing debate on violence in movies and its effect on the audience.
The Business End: Violence in Cinema
Documentary that features interviews with Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, Francis Lawrence, William Friedkin, Guillermo Del Toro, John Carpenter and others as they discuss the films and style of the Master of Suspense.
The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style
Films beget films. Filmmakers influence other filmmakers constantly. But the most influential filmmaker of all time is Alfred Hitchcock.
In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy
Explore the rich history of Warner Bros. through 17 short features with profiles on filmmakers, TV creators and fascinating stories about Warner Bros.' historic backlot and the studio's legacy of cinematic innovation.
WB 100th Behind the Shield
Curtis Hanson and his behind-the-scenes collaborators reveal the secrets of bringing 1950s Los Angeles to life in unforgettable style.
Sunlight and Shadow: The Visual Style of 'L.A. Confidential'
Stanley Kubrick's groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey opened the door to all the films and filmmakers who followed it. Through interviews with directors such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Sydney Pollack - as well as special effects professionals and cultural historians - this documentary examines the legacy of Kubrick's masterpiece and its influence on science fiction films, special effects and world cinema.