James Antonioni Merendino (born January 11, 1967) is an American film director and screenwriter, most notable for directing the 1998 film SLC Punk!
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Life
James Merendino was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and moved with his family to Salt Lake City, Utah when he was six years old. He attended West High School for his freshman and sophomore year, before he pursued a university education in Rome and London where he studied western philosophy and theology. Merendion settled in Hollywood, California when he was nineteen, and began a tenure with Hollywood mogul Dan Melnick.
In 1987 at age 20, Merendino was very soon hired for his first motion picture Witchcraft IV. It is one of the few movies of which he was not screenwriter. His fourth film, Toughguy (1995), is a psychological thriller starring Heather Graham also introducing Carrie Anne Moss and Balthazar Getty. His second following film, A River Made to Drown In (1997), is a movie that was pivotal to the Gay community in the United States. Richard Chamberlain had publicly came out after the film's release. Merendino's most successful film, SLC Punk!, was released in 1998. The film is centered on two anarcho-punks living in Salt Lake City and follows their daily nihilistic lives. SLC Punk! is semi-autobiographical as Merendino was a Mohawk-wearing anarcho-punk during his adolescence while living in Salt Lake City.
The 2000 film Magicians was a European co-production with Alan Larkin and Claire Forlani. Amerikana was produced as part of the Dogma 95 by Lars Von Trier. The production on the Swedish Job starring Harvey Keitel, Billy Bob Thornton and Lena Olin was canceled at the last minute due to studio financing disagreements. After a life altering retreat to Argentina, Merendino directed with Lisa Hammer the drama film The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch in 2008.
Filmography
•The Invisible Life of Thomas Lynch (2009) (post-production) (as The Terror Twins)
•El club de la muerte (2008)
•Trespassing (2004)
•Amerikana (2001)
•Magicians (2000)
•SLC Punk! (1998)
•Alexandria Hotel (1998)
•A River Made to Drown In (1997)
•Livers Ain't Cheap (1996)
•Toughguy (1995)
•Hard Drive (1994)
•The Upstairs Neighbour (1994)
•Witchcraft IV: The Virgin Heart (1992) (V)
Awards
2000 Nominated
External links
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