Sad news today, as it has been reported that prolific genre filmmaker Joel Schumacher passed away earlier this morning at age 80, after a year-long battle with cancer.
Now, while he is mostly known as the director who took over the reins of the live-action BATMAN films after Tim Burton – giving them a decidedly more colorful and campy feel with BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN – Schumacher actually had a very diverse and interesting career before and after those films.
Not only did he redefine the "sexy" vampire trope in his classic 80's horror film THE LOST BOYS, but he also directed the moody FLATLINERS, the clever thriller PHONE BOOTH, and the intense Nicholas Cage crime drama 8MM, among many, many others. Even Schumacher's lesser works had a sense of visual flair and style that was unique to him.
Meanwhile, his last credits include episodes of Netflix's HOUSE OF CARDS and a short called THE KILLING FLOOR: STAR BABY. He was also awarded a special award from Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography in 2010, and a Distinguished Collaborator Award at the Costume Designers Guild Awards in 2011 (as he began his career as a successful costume designer before moving on to directing).
RIP Joel Schumacher, 1939-2020, you will be missed!
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