Director Of The Week: Bill Condon

Bill Condon was born Oct 22, 1955 in New York, New York.  Early in his life, he developed a love of musical theater and philosophy.  He went to a Jesuit all-boys school before attending Columbia University, where he earned a philosophy degree.  After moving to Los Angeles in 1976, he wrote some freelance articles for various film magazines, before becoming noticed by a film producer.  He then began his career as a screenwriter.

He started by writing the horror movies Strange Behavior (Which is indeed quite strange!) and Strange Invaders, the first two parts of a loosely connected trilogy that died with the second film.  After that, he got his first opportunity to direct, and made the Southern Gothic thriller Sister Sister (1987), which he also co-wrote, starring Eric Stoltz and Jennifer Jason Leigh.  This ended up being a commercial and critical failure, so he spent the next few years carving out a successful career as a director of TV movies.  He was again given a chance to direct a feature film with Candyman 2: Farewell To The Flesh (1995), the sequel to the modest Clive Barker written Bloody Mary homage.  Again, this didn't light the world on fire, but it did lead to Condon and Barker's next collaboration;  Gods and Monsters.

Barker and Condon have two major things in common;  both are openly gay, and both are huge fans of horror.  So it was only natural that they would want to make a film together (Barker producing, Condon writing and directing) about the life of James Whale, the openly gay filmmaker who directed such masterworks as Frankenstein and The Invisible Man.  Gods and Monsters (1998), based on the novel Father Of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram, is the fictional story of James Whales relationship with his gardener in his final days.  The gardener, portrayed by Brendan Fraser, is fascinated by Whale's career and life, but uncomfortable with his sexuality.  Ian McKellen, also openly gay, is superb in the role of James Whale.  The movie ended up winning numerous awards, most notably Condon's win at the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In between directing gigs, Condon wrote the script for the movie adaptation of Chicago (2002).  His next time in the directors chair was for Kinsey (2004), which told the life story of famous sex researcher Alfred Kinsey.  Liam Neeson took the lead role, and the film was as critically well received as it was controversial.  Condon made a very frank film, which directly addressed Kinsey's bisexuality, which is a sexual orientation that is often ignored or dismissed in both the straight and gay communities.  At it's heart, though, it's really a love story between Kinsey and his wife, played by Laura Linney.  With a score by Coen Bros regular Carter Burwell, and photography by Frederick Elmes, this was leaps and bounds a superior technical achievement to the rather modestly budgeted Gods and Monsters.

Next was Dreamgirls (2006), based on the 1981 Broadway musical, which tells the thinly-veiled story of The Supremes.  Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles and Eddie Murphy were the big names in this 70 million dollar production, but first time actress Jennifer Hudson stole the movie, and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.



His current project is the most highly anticipated of his career yet;  the two film adaptation of the final book in the teen vampire Twilight series, Breaking Dawn.  While his high society fan-base may scoff at this choice, I imagine that he'll be having the time of his life bringing a vampire story to the big screen, as they are creatures that combine his two most prominent obsessions;  fear and sex.  I, for one, am looking forward to it.

ESSENTIAL FILMS:  Kinsey, Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters

YOU CAN SKIP:  Candyman 2: Farewell To The Flesh