Barry Sonnenfeld
Encyclopedia
Barry Sonnenfeld is an American
filmmaker and television
director. He worked as cinematographer
for the Coen brothers
, then later he directed and produced big budget films such as Men in Black
.
, the son of Kelly, an art teacher, and Sonny Sonnenfeld. He was raised in a Jewish family. After he received his bachelor's degree from Hampshire College
, he graduated from New York University
of Film School in 1978. He started work as director of photography on the Oscar-nominated In Our Water
(1982). Then Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
hired him for Blood Simple
(1985). This film began his collaboration with the Coen brothers, who used him for their next two pictures, Raising Arizona
(1987) and Miller's Crossing
(1990). He also worked with Danny DeVito
on Throw Momma from the Train
(1987) and Rob Reiner
on When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Misery
(1990).
Sonnenfeld gained his first work as a director from Orion Pictures
on The Addams Family
, a box-office success released in November 1991. Its sequel, Addams Family Values
(1993), was not as successful at the box office, but he received critical acclaim for his fourth directorial outing, Get Shorty
(1995). Produced by Jersey Films and based on a novel by Elmore Leonard
, the film won a Golden Globe for John Travolta
(Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical). In 1996 Steven Spielberg
asked him to direct Men in Black
(1997). Starring Tommy Lee Jones
and Will Smith
, the movie was a critical and financial smash. Producer Jon Peters
then asked Sonnenfeld to direct Wild Wild West
(1999), an adaptation of an old TV series. Wild Wild West was an expensive disappointment. He also directed the comedy Big Trouble (2002), after which he made his most successful film sequel, Men in Black II
(2002). He is also a contributing editor for Esquire
. He also co-produced the 2007 film Enchanted for Disney that starred Amy Adams
. In 2008, Sonnenfeld earned an Emmy for directing Pushing Daisies
. On April 21, 2010, it was announced that Sonnenfeld plans to return for Men in Black III
.
He has also done advertising:
/director Sonnenfeld, the Tannenbaum Co. and Sony Pictures TV
. The project mostly is based on the personal experiences of Esquire
writer David Katz and Esquire
editor at large A.J. Jacobs
. The show is about a man working at a men's magazine who is reluctant to embrace adulthood and his friend who is an immersion journalist. Al Higgins (Malcolm in the Middle
), is set to serve as showrunner/head writer
if the project is picked up.
He has become attached to a movie adaption of The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
, about a family of private investigators. Sonnenfeld will direct the movie adaption of the fantasy novel Gil's All Fright Diner
with an DreamWorks distribution. He is also developing a sitcom for ABC
, Funny in Farsi, based on the book of the same name
.
In April 2010, he confirmed that he would be directing his first 3D film Men in Black III
, the third installment of the Men in Black franchise, for a 2012 release.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmmaker and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
director. He worked as cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
for the Coen brothers
Coen Brothers
Joel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
, then later he directed and produced big budget films such as Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
.
Life and career
Sonnenfeld was born and raised in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of Kelly, an art teacher, and Sonny Sonnenfeld. He was raised in a Jewish family. After he received his bachelor's degree from Hampshire College
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, he graduated from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
of Film School in 1978. He started work as director of photography on the Oscar-nominated In Our Water
In Our Water
In Our Water is a 1982 documentary film directed by Meg Switzgable, about a family in South Brunswick, New Jersey who discover their drinking water is contaminated by a nearby landfill. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature....
(1982). Then Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Coen Brothers
Joel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
hired him for Blood Simple
Blood Simple
Blood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime film. It was the directorial debut of Joel Coen and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director...
(1985). This film began his collaboration with the Coen brothers, who used him for their next two pictures, Raising Arizona
Raising Arizona
Raising Arizona is a 1987 comedy film directed by the Coen Brothers and starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, William Forsythe, John Goodman, Frances McDormand and Randall "Tex" Cobb. Not a blockbuster at the time of its release, it has since achieved cult status...
(1987) and Miller's Crossing
Miller's Crossing
Miller's Crossing is a 1990 American gangster film by the Coen brothers and starring Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, Jon Polito and John Turturro...
(1990). He also worked with Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
on Throw Momma from the Train
Throw Momma from the Train
Throw Momma from the Train is a 1987 American black comedy film. It was inspired by the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train, which also plays a role in the film...
(1987) and Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner
Robert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
on When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Misery
Misery (film)
Misery is a 1990 American Psychological Horror Film based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates' performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes...
(1990).
Sonnenfeld gained his first work as a director from Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
on The Addams Family
The Addams Family (film)
The Addams Family is a 1991 American black comedy film based on the characters from the cartoon of the same name created by cartoonist Charles Addams....
, a box-office success released in November 1991. Its sequel, Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is a 1993 sequel to the 1991 comedy The Addams Family. The film was written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and many cast members from the original returned for the sequel, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci...
(1993), was not as successful at the box office, but he received critical acclaim for his fourth directorial outing, Get Shorty
Get Shorty (film)
Get Shorty is a 1995 crime-comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, the plot remained true to the book except for a few minor details....
(1995). Produced by Jersey Films and based on a novel by Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
, the film won a Golden Globe for 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...
(Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical). In 1996 Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
asked him to direct Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
(1997). Starring Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
and Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, the movie was a critical and financial smash. Producer Jon Peters
Jon Peters
Jon Peters is an American movie producer.-Early life:Peters was born John H. Peters in Van Nuys, California, the son of Helen , a receptionist, and Jack Peters, a cook...
then asked Sonnenfeld to direct Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West is a 1999 American steampunk action-comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and starring Will Smith, Kevin Kline , Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek.Similar to the original TV series it was based on, The Wild Wild West, the film features a large amount of gadgetry...
(1999), an adaptation of an old TV series. Wild Wild West was an expensive disappointment. He also directed the comedy Big Trouble (2002), after which he made his most successful film sequel, Men in Black II
Men in Black II
Men in Black II is a 2002 science fiction action comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn...
(2002). He is also a contributing editor for Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
. He also co-produced the 2007 film Enchanted for Disney that starred Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
. In 2008, Sonnenfeld earned an Emmy for directing Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
. On April 21, 2010, it was announced that Sonnenfeld plans to return for Men in Black III
Men in Black III
Men in Black III is an upcoming 3D science fiction comedy film starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones...
.
Filmography
His works include:- Blood SimpleBlood SimpleBlood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime film. It was the directorial debut of Joel Coen and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a noted director...
(1984) ... Cinematography - Compromising PositionsCompromising PositionsCompromising Positions is a 1985 film released by Paramount and directed by Frank Perry. The screenplay, by Susan Isaacs, was adapted from her 1978 detective novel. The plot concerns a Long Island housewife and former journalist who becomes involved in a murder investigation...
(1985) ... Cinematography - Three O'Clock HighThree O'Clock HighThree O'Clock High is a 1987 high-school comedy film, directed by Phil Joanou, written by Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas Szollosi, and produced by Aaron Spelling. It was filmed at Ogden High School in Ogden, Utah, but, in part, was inspired by Joanou's own experiences at La Canada High School...
(1987) ... Cinematography - Throw Momma From the TrainThrow Momma from the TrainThrow Momma from the Train is a 1987 American black comedy film. It was inspired by the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train, which also plays a role in the film...
(1987) ... Cinematography - Raising ArizonaRaising ArizonaRaising Arizona is a 1987 comedy film directed by the Coen Brothers and starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, William Forsythe, John Goodman, Frances McDormand and Randall "Tex" Cobb. Not a blockbuster at the time of its release, it has since achieved cult status...
(1987) ... Cinematography - BigBigBig is a 1988 romantic comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" to a magical fortune-telling machine and is then aged to adulthood overnight...
(1988) ... Cinematography - When Harry Met Sally...When Harry Met Sally...When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through twelve years or...
... (1989) ... Cinematography - MiseryMisery (film)Misery is a 1990 American Psychological Horror Film based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates' performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes...
(1990) ... Cinematography - Miller's CrossingMiller's CrossingMiller's Crossing is a 1990 American gangster film by the Coen brothers and starring Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, Jon Polito and John Turturro...
(1990) ... Cinematography - The Addams FamilyThe Addams Family (film)The Addams Family is a 1991 American black comedy film based on the characters from the cartoon of the same name created by cartoonist Charles Addams....
(1991) ...Passenger in Gomez' train; Director - Addams Family ValuesAddams Family ValuesAddams Family Values is a 1993 sequel to the 1991 comedy The Addams Family. The film was written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and many cast members from the original returned for the sequel, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci...
(1993) ... Mr. Glicker ; Director - For Love or Money (1993) ... Director
- Get ShortyGet Shorty (film)Get Shorty is a 1995 crime-comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, the plot remained true to the book except for a few minor details....
(1995) ... Doorman ; Director ; Executive Producer - Men in BlackMen in Black (film)Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
(1997) ... Director - Out of SightOut of SightOut of Sight is a 1998 American crime film. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was the first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and star George Clooney. The film was released on June 26, 1998. It was nominated for two...
(1998) ... Executive Producer - Wild Wild West (1999) ... Director ; Producer
- The Crew (2000) ... Producer
- The Tick (2001–2003) ... Man on Couch ; Executive Producer
- Men in Black IIMen in Black IIMen in Black II is a 2002 science fiction action comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn...
(2002) ... Neuralyzed Father ; Director - Big Trouble (2002) ... Confused Sports Radio Call in Voice ; Director ; Producer
- RVRV (film)RV is a 2006 comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Geoff Rodkey, and starring Robin Williams, Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, Cheryl Hines, Josh Hutcherson, Jeff Daniels, Kristin Chenoweth and Will Arnett. It was released on April 28, 2006 in North America...
(2006) ... Director ; Irv (photo only) - Enchanted (2007) ... Producer
- Pushing DaisiesPushing DaisiesPushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
(2007) ... Executive Producer ; Director (TV series) - Space ChimpsSpace ChimpsSpace Chimps is a 2008 computer-animated family comedy film produced by Vanguard Animation, Starz Media and 20th Century Fox, and it was released on July 18, 2008. The film is produced by Barry Sonnenfeld, John H. Williams, and John W...
(2008) ... Producer - Suburban Shootout (2008) ... Executive Producer ; Director (TV series)
- Men in Black IIIMen in Black IIIMen in Black III is an upcoming 3D science fiction comedy film starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones...
(2012) ... Director
He has also done advertising:
- The PuttermansThe PuttermansThe Puttermans starred in a series of advertisements created by New York-based advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather for Duracell in the mid-1990s....
Future projects
Things A Man Should Never Do Past 30: single-camera comedy from executive producerExecutive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
/director Sonnenfeld, the Tannenbaum Co. and Sony Pictures TV
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
. The project mostly is based on the personal experiences of Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
writer David Katz and Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
editor at large A.J. Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs
Arnold Stephen Jacobs, Jr., commonly called A.J. Jacobs is an American journalist and author.-Personal:...
. The show is about a man working at a men's magazine who is reluctant to embrace adulthood and his friend who is an immersion journalist. Al Higgins (Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
), is set to serve as showrunner/head writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...
if the project is picked up.
He has become attached to a movie adaption of The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
Lisa Lutz
Lisa Lutz is the American author of a series of novels about a family of private investigators, the Spellmans. She was born in Southern California in 1970. She attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, University of Leeds in England and San Francisco State University, all without attaining a degree...
, about a family of private investigators. Sonnenfeld will direct the movie adaption of the fantasy novel Gil's All Fright Diner
Gil's All Fright Diner
Gil's All Fright Diner is an urban fantasy novel by A. Lee Martinez first published in 2005.-Plot summary:In the backwoods southern town of Rockwood, a vampire and a werewolf in a run-down old truck come across Gil's All Night Diner, a 24-hour restaurant in the middle of nowhere...
with an DreamWorks distribution. He is also developing a sitcom for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, Funny in Farsi, based on the book of the same name
Firoozeh Dumas
Firoozeh Dumas is an Iranian-American writer.Dumas began to write and submit essays to obtain money to go toward college....
.
In April 2010, he confirmed that he would be directing his first 3D film Men in Black III
Men in Black III
Men in Black III is an upcoming 3D science fiction comedy film starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones...
, the third installment of the Men in Black franchise, for a 2012 release.
External links
- Barry Sonnenfeld at the Hollywood.com