Phil Tucker
Encyclopedia
Phil Tucker was an American
film director
, writer
, producer
, and editor
. While Tucker directed his first six feature films in the span of two years (while still in his mid-twenties), he is best known for his first film, the science fiction
B movie
Robot Monster
, often considered an example of "so bad it's good" filmmaking in the Ed Wood vein, and for the Lenny Bruce
movie Dance Hall Racket
.
A frequent rumour is that a 1953 suicide
attempt was in response to the poor reception of Robot Monster. According to Keep Watching The Skies! by Bill Warren, his attempted suicide was actually due to depression
and a dispute with the film's distributor, who had allegedly refused to pay Tucker his contracted percentage of the film's profits. There are further claims that after 1955, Tucker was blacklisted within the film industry, though he did go on to direct a number of other productions, including the 1960 film The Cape Canaveral Monsters
. Tucker had already become a true footnote in screen history in 1953 when he directed Lenny Bruce
and Bruce's wife Honey Harlow in Dance Hall Racket
, a crazed no-budget saloon film shot from Bruce's own lunatic script.
By the 1970s Tucker had established himself as a formidable film editor, finally escaping the stigma of his early directorial work. He contributed to such well-known films as Orca
and the 1976 remake of King Kong
and remained in post-production throughout the rest of his career.
In addition to his love of film, Tucker had an avid interest in all things mechanical. He invented a hot air engine known as the Surge Turbine for which he was granted a US patent. Tucker built a prototype of the engine which he tried, unsuccessfully, to sell to the automobile industry as a more efficient alternative to the traditional internal combustion engine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film 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
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, 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...
, and editor
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. While Tucker directed his first six feature films in the span of two years (while still in his mid-twenties), he is best known for his first film, the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
B movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
Robot Monster
Robot Monster
Robot Monster is a 1953 American science fiction film made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. It is frequently considered one of the worst films ever made.- Plot :...
, often considered an example of "so bad it's good" filmmaking in the Ed Wood vein, and for the Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce
Leonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
movie Dance Hall Racket
Dance Hall Racket
Dance Hall Racket is a 1953 American film directed by Phil Tucker starring Lenny Bruce and his wife Honey Harlow.-Plot summary:...
.
A frequent rumour is that a 1953 suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
attempt was in response to the poor reception of Robot Monster. According to Keep Watching The Skies! by Bill Warren, his attempted suicide was actually due to depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and a dispute with the film's distributor, who had allegedly refused to pay Tucker his contracted percentage of the film's profits. There are further claims that after 1955, Tucker was blacklisted within the film industry, though he did go on to direct a number of other productions, including the 1960 film The Cape Canaveral Monsters
The Cape Canaveral Monsters
The Cape Canaveral Monsters is a grade-Z 1960 sci-fi film written and directed by Phil Tucker, who had also directed Dance Hall Racket, written by and starring Lenny Bruce in 1953...
. Tucker had already become a true footnote in screen history in 1953 when he directed Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce
Leonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
and Bruce's wife Honey Harlow in Dance Hall Racket
Dance Hall Racket
Dance Hall Racket is a 1953 American film directed by Phil Tucker starring Lenny Bruce and his wife Honey Harlow.-Plot summary:...
, a crazed no-budget saloon film shot from Bruce's own lunatic script.
By the 1970s Tucker had established himself as a formidable film editor, finally escaping the stigma of his early directorial work. He contributed to such well-known films as Orca
Orca (film)
Orca is a 1977 horror film directed by Michael Anderson and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, starring Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, and Will Sampson. The film was poorly received by critics and audiences alike due in part to its similarities to the film Jaws released two years prior...
and the 1976 remake of King Kong
King Kong (1976 film)
King Kong is a 1976 American monster movie produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin. It is a remake of the 1933 classic film of the same name, about a giant ape that is captured and imported to New York City for exhibition....
and remained in post-production throughout the rest of his career.
In addition to his love of film, Tucker had an avid interest in all things mechanical. He invented a hot air engine known as the Surge Turbine for which he was granted a US patent. Tucker built a prototype of the engine which he tried, unsuccessfully, to sell to the automobile industry as a more efficient alternative to the traditional internal combustion engine.
Filmography
- Robot MonsterRobot MonsterRobot Monster is a 1953 American science fiction film made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. It is frequently considered one of the worst films ever made.- Plot :...
, director and producer, 1953 - Dance Hall RacketDance Hall RacketDance Hall Racket is a 1953 American film directed by Phil Tucker starring Lenny Bruce and his wife Honey Harlow.-Plot summary:...
, director, 1953 (starring Lenny BruceLenny BruceLeonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
) - Tia Juana After Midnite, director, 1954
- Dream Follies, director, 1954
- Baghdad After Midnight, director, 1954
- Broadway Jungle, director, producer, and writer, 1955
- The Cape Canaveral MonstersThe Cape Canaveral MonstersThe Cape Canaveral Monsters is a grade-Z 1960 sci-fi film written and directed by Phil Tucker, who had also directed Dance Hall Racket, written by and starring Lenny Bruce in 1953...
, director, producer, and writer, 1960 - Kiss Me Baby, editor, 1960
- Death Riders, producer, 1976
- The Nude BombThe Nude BombThe Nude Bomb is a 1980 comedy film based on the television series Get Smart. It starred Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, and was directed by Clive Donner...
, editor, 1980 - Out of Control, sound editor, 1985