Joe Dante (1946 - )

Date of Birth: 28 November 1946
Place of Birth: Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Also Known As:

BIOGRAPHY

Another of the products of the Roger Corman stable, Joe Dante has enjoyed a profitable career specialising in darkly comic fantasies set in North American suburbs, a characteristic that has endeared him to producer Steven Spielberg with who he has worked on several occasions.

Born in New Jersey, Dante's childhood was typical for the director's of his generation, one spent watching hours of television, spending just as much time in cinemas and voraciously consuming magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland. By the age of 13, Dante was so knowledgeable on his chosen subject that he had his first written work published in Famous Monsters. He soon landed a regular gig with monster movie magazine rival Castle of Frankenstein, writing the regular Dante's Inferno column and between 1969 and 1974, he was a regular contributor to the trade publication Film Bulletin, penning reviews that would be reprinted three decades later in Video Watchdog.

Dante's first ambition was to become an animator and her enrolled at the Philadelphia College of Art to further his aims. While there, he met Jon Davison, later a Hollywood producer, and they collaborated on the epic, 420 minute compilation piece, The Movie Orgy, a mammoth collection of clips, commercials and trailers that proved a huge hit on the US college campus circuit.

Moving to Hollywood, Dante managed to find his first proper job at Roger Corman's New World Pictures, initially cutting trailers where he honed his skills as an editor, skills that would come in useful when Corman bankrolled his first credited gig as a director, Hollywood Boulevard which padded out its running time with plenty of stock footage from Corman's seemingly limitless library of clips. Corman insisted that it be the cheapest film that the already financially modest studio ever made - Dante and his collaborator Allan Arkush managed to piece it all together for just $60,000.

Looking for a quickie response to the success of Jaws (1975), Corman had John Sayles pen a witty script and handed it over to Dante who filmed it as Piranha (1978). The film was such as success that when Dante got a chance to work away from Corman, he took Sayles with him - the result was The Howling (1981), another tongue in cheek monster romp that helped smooth the way for the clearly talented young director to break into bigger budgeted films.

One of Piranha and The Howling's many admirers was Steven Spielberg who approached Dante to join him, John Landis (whose An American Werewolf in London (1981) had largely eclipsed The Howling) and Mad Max helmsman George Miller on a big screen anthology adaptation of the hit TV series Twilight Zone. The film was far from the success it should have been and was overshadowed by the appalling accident that killed Vic Morrow and two young children. But Dante's segment, a reworking of the series episode It's a Wonderful Life..., drew many positive notices for its wild imagination and off-kilter imagery.

Dante scored his first major hit with the excellent Gremlins (1984), again for Spielberg and followed it with the wonderful though oft-undervalued Explorers (1985). Both films helped to establish themes that would recur throughout the rest of Dante's career, notably the child / teen ventral characters, the oddly dark and rather sinister view of suburbia and an ongoing distrust of all thinks military. In various forms, these themes would turn up in later work like the TV series Eerie, Indiana (1991 - 1992), The 'burbs (1989), Matinee (1993) and Small Soldiers (1998).

Small Soldiers marked the return to the big screen for Dante who had been working either behind the scenes, as an enthusiastic talking head on various documentary projects or directing for television since the early 90s. Although it was huge fun, many found fault with Small Soldiers, alleging that it was simply re-treading old ground, particularly that already mapped by Gremlins. Its seamless integration of computer animation and live action, however, smoothed the way for Dante's biggest budgeted film to date, the disappointing Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003).

Although Dante has enjoyed some sizeable budgets and has rubbed shoulders with some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, he's remained grounded throughout, his films often giving the impression that they're deeply personal projects. His witty visual style, fondness for in-jokes and insistence on employing many much-loved characters actors, chief among them the indefatigable Dick Miller, has endeared him to a whole army of fans. His unashamedly nostalgic approach - he frequently makes use of tropes from 50s and 60s genre movies - separates him from the rest of the directors of his generation and gives his films a unique edge such that, even when they're far from his best, they're always very welcome and watchable.
KEVIN LYONS

GENRE FILMOGRAPHY

1968
The Movie Orgy (director, editor)
Cheeseburger Film Sandwich

1973
Nippon chinbotsu (performer in US version)
El hundimiento del Japón - Spanish title
Japan Sinks
Panik über Tokio - West German title
Pianeta Terra: anno zero - Italian title
S.O.S. Jorden sjunker - Swedish title
SOS - maa vajoaa - Finnish title
Submersion of Japan
Tidal Wave - US title
Der Untergang Japans - West German title

1976
Hollywood Boulevard (director, editor, performer (party waiter (uncredited)))
Esas locas del cine - Spanish title

1977
Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel (performer (himself))

1978
Piranha (director, editor, performer (scubadiver (uncredited)))
Piraija - Finnish title
Pirana - Italian title
Piraña - Spanish title
Piranhas - French / West German title
Piraya - Swedish title
Piraya - Norwegian title

1979
Rock 'n' Roll High School (script, director (uncredited), special thanks)

1981
The Howling (director, editor)
Aullidos - Spanish title
Hurlements - French title
The howling - ulvonta - Finnish title
Das Tier - West German title
O Uivo da Fera - Portugese title
L'ululato - Italian title
Varulvarna - Swedish title

1982
Eating Raoul (thanks)
Oberza - Polish title
Paistinpannumurhaajat - Finnish title
Tudo por Dinheiro - Brazilian title
¿Y si nos comemos a Raúl? - Spanish title

Police Squad!: Ring of Fear (A Dangerous Assignment) (director) *

Police Squad!: Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh) (director) *

The Slumber Party Massacre (performer (uncredited))
Don't Open the Door - working title
Fête sanglante – French title
The Overnight Massacre - working title
Sleepless Nights
The Slumber Party Murders – UK video title
Slumberparty Massacre

1983
Twilight Zone: The Movie (director (It's a Good Life))
Ai confini della realtà - Italian title
En los límites de la realidad - Spanish title
Hämärän pelottavat varjot - Finnish title
No Limite da Realidade - Brazilian title
La quatrième dimension - French / French Canadian title
Twillight Zone - På gränsen till det okända - Swedish title
Unheimliche Schattenlichter - West German title

1984
Gremlins (director)
Gremlins - Kleine Monster - West German title
Gremlinsy rozrabiaja - Polish title
Riiviöt - Finnish title

1985
Amazing Stories: Boo! (16 February 1986) (director) *

Explorers (director)
Badacze kosmosu - Polish title
Exploradores - Spanish title
Os Exploradores - Portugese title
Explorers - Ein Phantastisches Abenteuer - West German title
Tutkimusmatkailijat - Finnish title
Upptäckarna - Swedish title
Ürrandevú - Hungarian title
Viagem ao Mundo dos Sonhos - Brazilian title

The Fantasy Film World of George Pal (performer (himself))
Swiat filmów fantastycznych George Pala - Polish title

The Twilight Zone: The Shadow Man (29 November 1985) (director) *

1986
Amazing Stories: The Greibble (3 November 1986) (director) *

1987
Amazon Women on the Moon (director)
Amazonas en la luna - Spanish title
Amazonen auf dem Mond - West German title
Amazonen auf dem Mond oder Warum die Amis den Kanal voll haben - West German title
Amazonki z ksiezyca - Polish title
Cheeseburger Film Sandwich
Donne amazzoni sulla luna - Italian title
Locuras sin fin - Venezuelan title
Mujeres amazonas en la luna - Argentinian title
Riemurasia - unohtumaton televisioilta! - Finnish title

Innerspace (director)
24 timmars jakten - Swedish title
L'aventure intérieure - French title
El chip prodigioso - Spanish title
Interkosmos - Polish title
O Micro-Herói - Portugese title
Min mikromakker - Danish title
Pieni suuri seikkailu - Finnish title
Die Reise ins Ich - West German title
Salto nel buio - Italian title
Vérbeli hajsza - Hungarian title
Viagem Insólita - Brazilian title
Viaje insolito - Argentinian title
El xip prodigiós - Catalan Spanish title
Yom B'Malkodet - Hebrew Israeli title

1989
The 'burbs (director)
Les banlieusards - French / French Canadian title
En djävul till granne - Swedish title
L'erba del vicino - Italian title
Meine teuflischen Nachbarn - West German title
Meus Vizinhos São um Terror - Brazilian title
No matarás al vecino - Spanish title
Piru naapurissa - Finnish television title
S.O.S. vecinos al ataque - Argentinian title

1990
The Horror Hall of Fame (performer (himself)) *
El salón de la fama del terror - Venezuelan title

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (director, performer (Grandpa Fred director (uncredited))
Gremlins 2 - A Nova Turma - Brazilian video title
Gremlins 2 - det nya gänget - Swedish title
Gremlins 2 - la nuova stirpe - Italian title
Gremlins 2 - Uusi pesue - Finnish title
Gremlins 2: A Nova Geração - Portugese title
Gremlins 2: De nieuwe bende - Dutch video title
Gremlins 2: La nouvelle génération - French Canadian title
Gremlins 2: La nueva generación - Argentinian title
Gremlins II - Die Rückkehr der kleinen Monster - West German title
Gremliny 2 - Polish title

1991 - 1992
Eerie, Indiana (creative consultant) *
Gli acchiappamostri - Italian title
Marshall et Simon - French title

1991
Eerie, Indiana: Forever Ware (15 September 1991) (director) *

Eerie, Indiana: The Retainer (22 September 1991) (director) *

Eerie, Indiana: The Losers (6 October 1991) (director) *

Eerie, Indiana: Heart on a Chain (3 November 1991) (director) *

1992
Eerie, Indiana: The Hole in the Head Gang (1 March 1992) (director) *

Eerie, Indiana: Reality Takes a Holiday (12 April 1992) (director, performer (director)) *

Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion (performer (himself))
The Ed Wood Story: The Plan 9 Companion (reissue title)

The Magical World of Chuck Jones (performer (himself))

Sleepwalkers (performer (lab assistant))
La maldición de los sonámbulos - Argentinian title
Mesecniki - Slovenian title
La nuit déchirée - French title
Schlafwandler - German title
Sleepstalkers - Hong Kong title
Les somnambules - French Canadian title
Sömngångare - Swedish title
Sonámbulos - Spanish title
I sonnambuli - Italian title
Søvngængerne - Danish title
Stephen Kingin Unissakävelijät - Finnish title
Stephen Kings Schlafwandler - German title
Stephen King's Sleepwalkers

1993
Matinee (director)
Kinopaniikki - Finnish title
Matinee - Die Horrorpremiere - German title
Matinée - French Canadian title
Päiväleffa - Finnish title
Panique sur Florida Beach - French title

Time Machine: The Journey Back (special contributor)

1994
A Century of Cinema (performer (himself))
Um Século de Cinema - Portugese title
Un siglo de cine - Venezuelan title

Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (associate producer, filmclips provided by, performer (himself)) *
Sangre y muerte: El legado del terror de Hammer - Venezuelan title

Il silenzio dei prosciutti (performer (the dying man))
När skinkorna tystnar - Swedish title
Das Schweigen der Hammel - German title
Le silence des jambons - French title
The Silence of the Hams – UK / US title
El silencio de los borregos - Spanish title
O Silêncio dos Culpados - Portugese title
Tacerea pieilor - Romanian title
Tuhrihampaat - Finnish title

The Vampire Interviews (performer (himself))

1995
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith (performer (himself))

Making the Earth Stand Still (performer (himself))

1996
100 Years of Horror: Maniacs (performer (himself))

Mr Stitch (special thanks) *

The Phantom (executive producer)
El fantasma (The Phantom) – Argentinian video title
El fantasma - Venezuelan title
O Fantasma - Portugese title
A fantom - Hungarian title
Le fantôme du Bengale - French title
Le fantôme - French Canadian title
Fantomen - Swedish title
Mustanaamio - Finnish title
Das Phantom - German title
The phantom: El héroe enmascarado - Spanish title

1997
Clive Barker's A-Z of Horror: episode unknown (performer (himself)) *
A-Z of Horror

Hollywood Rated 'R' (performer (himself))
Alles Schund - Hollywood auf dem Index - German television title
Les deniers du culte - French television title
Hienot huonot halpisleffat - Finnish title
Hollywood para adultos - Venezuelan title

The Second Civil War (director) *
Det andra inbördeskriget - Swedish title
La deuxième guerre civile - French Canadian title
Die Kriegsmacher - German title
La seconda guerra civile americana - Italian title
A Segunda Guerra Civil Americana - Portugese title
A Segunda Guerra Civil - Brazilian title
La segunda guerra civil - Venezuelan title

The Reality Trip (performer (himself)) *

1998
Small Soldiers (director)
Pequenos Guerreiros - Portugese title
Pequeños guerreros - Argentinian / Spanish title
Petits soldats - French Canadian title
Pienet soturit - Finnish title
Små soldater - Swedish title

The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy (executive producer, director) *
Avaruuden aikakirjat - Finnish title
The Osiris Chronicles
Starship Osiris - German title

1999
Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs (performer (himself)) *

She's Alive! Creating the Bride of Frankenstein (special thanks, performer (himself))

2000
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre (performer (himself)) *

2001
It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures (performer (himself))

Night Visions: Quiet Please (19 July 2001) (director) *

Night Visions: The Occupant (9 August 2001) (director) *

2002 – 2003
Jeremiah (executive producer) *

2003
Haunted Lighthouse (director)

Looney Tunes: Back in Action (director)
Looney Tunes - De Volta à Ação - Brazilian title
Looney tunes: De nuevo en acción - Argentinian / Spanish / Venezuelan title

Unleashing the Beast: Making The Howling (performer (himself))

NON-GENRE FILMOGRAPHY

1973
The Arena (editor)
Amatsonien areena - Finnish title
A Arena – Portugese title
Naked Warriors - reissue title
La révolte des gladiatrices - French Belgian title
La rivolta delle gladiatrici - Italian title

Fly Me (dialogue director)
Il racket del sesso - Italian title

1976
Cannonball (performer (kid))
Cannonball - A Corrida do Século - Brazilian title
Carquake - UK title
Extra Large - Miami drugs - Hungarian title

1977
Grand Theft Auto (editor)
Attenti a quella pazza Rolls Royce - Italian title
Blåst till tusen - Swedish title
El gran robo de auto - Venezuelan title
Lâchez les bolides - French title
Loca escapada a Las Vegas - Spanish title
O Massacre dos Bólides - Portugese title
Suuri autopuhallus - Finnish title

1982
Tex (post-production consultant)
Un ragazzo chiamato Tex - Italian title

1991
Naked Hollywood (performer (himself)) *

Oscar (performer (face on the cutting room floor))
L'embrouille est dans le sac - French title
A Mala das Trapalhadas - Portugese title
Oscar - Minha Filha Quer Casar - Brazilian title
Oscar - un fidanzato per due figlie - Italian title
Oscar - Vom Regen in die Traufe - German title
Oscar czyli 60 klopotów na minute - Polish title
Óscar, quita las manos - Spanish title

1994
Beverly Hills Cop III (performer (jailer))
Beverly Hills kyttä III - Finnish title
Beverly Hills-i zsaru 3. - Hungarian title
O Caça Polícias III - Portugese title
Un detective suelto en Beverly Hills III - Venezuelan title
Un detective suelto en Hollywood III - Argentinian title
Le flic de Beverly Hills III - French title
Frækkere end politiet tillader III - Danish title
Gliniarz z Beverly Hills III - Polish title
Un piedipiatti a Beverly Hills 3 - Italian title
Policaj z Beverly Hillsa 3 - Slovenian title
Snuten i Hollywood 3 - Swedish title
Snuten i Hollywood III - Swedish title
Superdetective en Hollywood III - Spanish title
Um Tira da Pesada 3 - Brazilian title

Runaway Daughters (director) *
Ligeiramente Grávida - Brazilian title
Raparigas em Fuga - Portugese title
Tyttäret karkuteillä - Finnish title
Wilde Töchter - German title

1995
Picture Windows: Lightning (director) *

2002
Cinerama Adventure (performer (himself))

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008