John McTiernan
Encyclopedia
John Campbell McTiernan, Jr. (born January 8, 1951) is an American film director and producer, best known for his action films and most identifiable with the three films he directed back-to-back: Predator
, Die Hard
, and The Hunt for Red October
, along with later movies such as Last Action Hero
, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and The Thomas Crown Affair
. More recently, McTiernan was in the news for his criminal conviction in the Anthony Pellicano
wiretapping scandal.
and attended the Juilliard School
before graduating with an M.F.A. from the AFI Conservatory
.
In 1986, he wrote and directed his first feature, Nomads
, starring Pierce Brosnan
. While not successful, it did land him the job of directing the smash science fiction action film Predator
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
. In the wake of that films' success, he followed it up with a string of hits, including Die Hard
starring Bruce Willis
; The Hunt for Red October
with Alec Baldwin
and Sean Connery
, and Medicine Man
, also starring Connery.
In 1993, he helmed Last Action Hero
, an action-comedy vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger
. The film was rushed into production, and became a victim of its own overblown hype when it opened to mixed reviews and lackluster box office, however it gained a cult following
. In 1995, he rebounded with Die Hard with a Vengeance, the second sequel to Die Hard
.
In 1999, he took on the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair
starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo
, which opened to solid reviews and strong box office; he also directed the troubled production of The 13th Warrior
, adapted from the novel Eaters of the Dead
by Michael Crichton
. In 2002, he directed Rollerball
, a remake of the 1975 movie starring James Caan, but the film came and went without much fanfare. In 2003, his thriller Basic
with John Travolta
and Samuel L. Jackson
had a much more successful run.
. He was arraigned and pleaded guilty on April 17, 2006, and is the 14th person charged in this case.
McTiernan was charged with an information, rather than in grand jury
indictment, which means he waived his right to an indictment and suggests he may have reached either a prior plea agreement with prosecutors or some sort of cooperating agreement.
Some time later, upon retaining new counsel, McTiernan attempted to withdraw his guilty plea because his prior counsel had not offered an available defense. On September 24, 2007 this bid was denied by Federal District Judge Dale S. Fischer. She then proceeded to sentence McTiernan to four months in prison and $100,000 in fines for lying about his relationship with Pellicano. McTiernan's lawyers had asked for no jail time, arguing that even the Department of Justice policy manual stated that no single False Statement charges would be filed against an individual. The prosecution argued that the manual is a guide and the government cannot be held to the statements contained in it. The judge sided with the prosecution and characterized McTiernan as someone who "lived a privileged life and simply wants to continue that." He was ordered to surrender for incarceration by January 15, 2008. His lawyers stated thereafter he planned to appeal this conviction. Fischer allowed McTiernan to remain out of prison on bail pending his appeal of her decision to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
In October 2008, a federal appeals court vacated McTiernan's four-month sentence and ruled that Judge Fischer had erred and he was entitled to a hearing as to whether his plea could be withdrawn given that prior counsel did not state with sufficient clarity that he had offered McTiernan a defense. The prosecution agreed for McTiernan to withdraw his plea rather than proceed with a hearing and Judge Fischer allowed McTiernan to do so on February 24, 2009. The case remained open, with prosecutors intending to proceed a second time against McTiernan on the same charge.
According to McTiernan's attorney, former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz, the overzealous prosecutors filed two charges against McTiernan for the same sentence to the unverified FBI Agent, and a third charge for perjury since he had asked to withdraw his guilty plea. Due to court rulings, McTiernan entered a conditional guilty plea in order to get back to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Fischer sentenced McTiernan to one year in prison though no additional criminal activity was indicated since his plea was allowed to be withdrawn. Diaz states "his client was forced to plead guilty to what most people do not even know is a crime" and is a "victim of prosecutorial vindictiveness." McTiernan is free on bail pending appeal. Diaz is confident his client will prevail.
and other claims arising from her belief that he hired Pellicano to wiretap her telephone. Judge Dale S. Fischer refused to give any credence to the claim when it was mentioned by the prosecution during McTiernan's hearing.
Predator (film)
Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....
, Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
, and The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October (film)
The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It was directed by John McTiernan and stars Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan...
, along with later movies such as Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name....
. More recently, McTiernan was in the news for his criminal conviction in the Anthony Pellicano
Anthony Pellicano
Anthony Pellicano is a former high-profile Los Angeles private investigator who recently served a sentence of three and a half years in federal prison for illegal possession of explosives, firearms and homemade grenades, and who was arrested on February 4, 2006, on unlawful wiretapping and...
wiretapping scandal.
Life and career
McTiernan was born in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and attended the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
before graduating with an M.F.A. from the AFI Conservatory
AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory is a division of the American Film Institute founded in 1969, located in Hollywood's Griffith Park. The school is the only existing Master of Fine Arts conservatory in advanced film education...
.
In 1986, he wrote and directed his first feature, Nomads
Nomads (1986 film)
Nomads is a 1986 horror film which was written and directed by John McTiernan and stars Pierce Brosnan and Lesley-Anne Down.The story involves a French anthropologist who is an expert on nomads...
, starring Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
. While not successful, it did land him the job of directing the smash science fiction action film Predator
Predator (film)
Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. In the wake of that films' success, he followed it up with a string of hits, including Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
starring Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
; The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October (film)
The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It was directed by John McTiernan and stars Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan...
with Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
and Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, and Medicine Man
Medicine Man (film)
Medicine Man is a 1992 American film directed by John McTiernan. The film stars Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco. It also features a noteworthy score by composer Jerry Goldsmith.- Plot :...
, also starring Connery.
In 1993, he helmed Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film....
, an action-comedy vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. The film was rushed into production, and became a victim of its own overblown hype when it opened to mixed reviews and lackluster box office, however it gained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
. In 1995, he rebounded with Die Hard with a Vengeance, the second sequel to Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
.
In 1999, he took on the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name....
starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo
Rene Russo
- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
, which opened to solid reviews and strong box office; he also directed the troubled production of The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior is a 1999 historical fiction action film starring Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan and Vladimir Kulich as Buliwyf; it is based on the novel Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. It was directed by John McTiernan and an uncredited Crichton.The 13th Warrior is regarded as a...
, adapted from the novel Eaters of the Dead
Eaters of the Dead
Eaters of the Dead: The Manuscript of Ibn Fadlan Relating His Experiences with the Northmen in A.D. 922 is a 1976 novel by Michael Crichton...
by Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
. In 2002, he directed Rollerball
Rollerball (2002 film)
Rollerball is a 2002 remake of the 1975 science-fiction film of the same name. This updated version stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J, Rebecca Romijn and Jean Reno, was directed by John McTiernan and has a much greater concentration on action with more muted social and political overtones...
, a remake of the 1975 movie starring James Caan, but the film came and went without much fanfare. In 2003, his thriller Basic
Basic (film)
Basic is a 2003 American/German thriller film directed by John McTiernan and starring John Travolta, Connie Nielsen and Samuel L. Jackson.-Plot:...
with John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
and Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
had a much more successful run.
Criminal charge
On April 3 2006, McTiernan was charged in federal court with lying to the FBI during an evening phone call to McTiernan's home in the wiretapping investigation involving Anthony PellicanoAnthony Pellicano
Anthony Pellicano is a former high-profile Los Angeles private investigator who recently served a sentence of three and a half years in federal prison for illegal possession of explosives, firearms and homemade grenades, and who was arrested on February 4, 2006, on unlawful wiretapping and...
. He was arraigned and pleaded guilty on April 17, 2006, and is the 14th person charged in this case.
McTiernan was charged with an information, rather than in grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
indictment, which means he waived his right to an indictment and suggests he may have reached either a prior plea agreement with prosecutors or some sort of cooperating agreement.
Some time later, upon retaining new counsel, McTiernan attempted to withdraw his guilty plea because his prior counsel had not offered an available defense. On September 24, 2007 this bid was denied by Federal District Judge Dale S. Fischer. She then proceeded to sentence McTiernan to four months in prison and $100,000 in fines for lying about his relationship with Pellicano. McTiernan's lawyers had asked for no jail time, arguing that even the Department of Justice policy manual stated that no single False Statement charges would be filed against an individual. The prosecution argued that the manual is a guide and the government cannot be held to the statements contained in it. The judge sided with the prosecution and characterized McTiernan as someone who "lived a privileged life and simply wants to continue that." He was ordered to surrender for incarceration by January 15, 2008. His lawyers stated thereafter he planned to appeal this conviction. Fischer allowed McTiernan to remain out of prison on bail pending his appeal of her decision to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
In October 2008, a federal appeals court vacated McTiernan's four-month sentence and ruled that Judge Fischer had erred and he was entitled to a hearing as to whether his plea could be withdrawn given that prior counsel did not state with sufficient clarity that he had offered McTiernan a defense. The prosecution agreed for McTiernan to withdraw his plea rather than proceed with a hearing and Judge Fischer allowed McTiernan to do so on February 24, 2009. The case remained open, with prosecutors intending to proceed a second time against McTiernan on the same charge.
According to McTiernan's attorney, former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz, the overzealous prosecutors filed two charges against McTiernan for the same sentence to the unverified FBI Agent, and a third charge for perjury since he had asked to withdraw his guilty plea. Due to court rulings, McTiernan entered a conditional guilty plea in order to get back to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Fischer sentenced McTiernan to one year in prison though no additional criminal activity was indicated since his plea was allowed to be withdrawn. Diaz states "his client was forced to plead guilty to what most people do not even know is a crime" and is a "victim of prosecutorial vindictiveness." McTiernan is free on bail pending appeal. Diaz is confident his client will prevail.
Invasion of privacy civil suit
On July 3, 2006, McTiernan's former wife, film producer Donna Dubrow, filed suit against him for invasion of privacyInvasion of privacy
United States privacy law embodies several different legal concepts. One is the invasion of privacy, a tort based in common law allowing an aggrieved party to bring a lawsuit against an individual who unlawfully intrudes into his or her private affairs, discloses his or her private information,...
and other claims arising from her belief that he hired Pellicano to wiretap her telephone. Judge Dale S. Fischer refused to give any credence to the claim when it was mentioned by the prosecution during McTiernan's hearing.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Credited as | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Film director A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... |
Writer Screenwriter Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:... |
Producer Film producer A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... |
||
| 1986 | Nomads Nomads (1986 film) Nomads is a 1986 horror film which was written and directed by John McTiernan and stars Pierce Brosnan and Lesley-Anne Down.The story involves a French anthropologist who is an expert on nomads... |
|||
| 1987 | Predator Predator (film) Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox.... |
|||
| 1988 | Die Hard Die Hard Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which... |
|||
| 1990 | Flight of the Intruder Flight of the Intruder Flight of the Intruder is a 1991 film directed by John Milius, which is based on the novel of the same name by A-6 Intruder pilot Stephen Coonts... |
|||
| The Hunt for Red October The Hunt for Red October (film) The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy. It was directed by John McTiernan and stars Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan... |
||||
| 1992 | Medicine Man Medicine Man (film) Medicine Man is a 1992 American film directed by John McTiernan. The film stars Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco. It also features a noteworthy score by composer Jerry Goldsmith.- Plot :... |
|||
| 1993 | Last Action Hero Last Action Hero Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film.... |
|||
| 1995 | Die Hard with a Vengeance | |||
| 1996 | The Right to Remain Silent The Right To Remain Silent The Right To Remain Silent is a play by Mark Fauser and Brent Briscoe that was adapted for a television movie in 1996 starring Robert Loggia and Lea Thompson.-Synopsis:... |
|||
| 1999 | The 13th Warrior The 13th Warrior The 13th Warrior is a 1999 historical fiction action film starring Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan and Vladimir Kulich as Buliwyf; it is based on the novel Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. It was directed by John McTiernan and an uncredited Crichton.The 13th Warrior is regarded as a... |
|||
| The Thomas Crown Affair The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film) The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name.... |
||||
| 2002 | Rollerball Rollerball (2002 film) Rollerball is a 2002 remake of the 1975 science-fiction film of the same name. This updated version stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J, Rebecca Romijn and Jean Reno, was directed by John McTiernan and has a much greater concentration on action with more muted social and political overtones... |
|||
| 2003 | Basic Basic (film) Basic is a 2003 American/German thriller film directed by John McTiernan and starring John Travolta, Connie Nielsen and Samuel L. Jackson.-Plot:... |
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External links
- "Filmmaker Says He Lied in FBI Probe" The Los Angeles Times, April 18, 2006.
- "Links Between Pellicano, Director Come Into Focus" The Los Angeles Times, April 5, 2006.
- "Pellicano Inquiry Expands to Snare Director of 'Predator'" The Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2006.
- "Film Director Accused of Lying to FBI in Pellicano Scandal" The LA Weekly, April 3, 2006.