Rest In Peace, Joel Schumacher: (1939–2020)

JOEL SCHUMACHER

August 29, 1939 – June 22, 2020
New York City, New York
80 years old

“I think I’m one of the luckiest people that ever lived. I got my dream. I got it so much bigger than even I could have dreamed it.”

— Joel Schumacher

Even if you somehow made it through your life without seeing a single Joel Schumacher film, you knew his name. The prolific director would easily make a list of the top 20 film directors of all the time. Yes, we would be panned for his directing of “Batman & Robin,” even being nominated for Worst Director at that year’s Razzie Awards. But before that, he made “Batman Forever,” which is always remembered as a positive installment in the series. He could deliver career-making films like “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Falling Down,” and turn heads with lesser known films like “The Number 23,” which was my personal favorite, and “8MM,” with Nicolas Cage and Joaquin Phoenix. He worked with Keifer Sutherland throughout his career, with “The Lost Boys,” “Flatliners,” and even “Phone Booth.” Joel Schumacher is gone, but never forgotten.

FAVORITE FILM

LAST FILM SEEN

BEST SUPERHERO FILM

BIGGEST AWARD WIN

JOEL SCHUMACHER’S FILMOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR

1981	The Incredible Shrinking Woman
1983	D.C. Cab
1985	St. Elmo’s Fire
1987	The Lost Boys
1989	Cousins
1990	Flatliners
1991	Dying Young
1993	Falling Down
1994	The Client
1995	Batman Forever
1996	A Time to Kill
1997	Batman & Robin
1999	8MM
1999	Flawless
2000	Tigerland
2002	Bad Company
2002	Phone Booth
2003	Veronica Guerin
2004	The Phantom of the Opera
2007	The Number 23
2009	Blood Creek
2010	Twelve
2011	Trespass

PRODUCER

1995	The Babysitter	Executive Producer
1999	8MM	Producer
1999	Flawless	Producer
2000	Gossip	Executive Producer

WRITER

1976	Sparkle	—
1976	Car Wash	Written by
1978	The Wiz	Screenplay by
1983	D.C. Cab	Story | Written by
1985	St. Elmo’s Fire	Written by
1999	Flawless	Written by
2004	The Phantom of the Opera	Screenplay by
2012	Sparkle	Story by

JOEL SCHUMACHER‘S TELEVISION

DIRECTOR

1974	Virginia Hill	Television movie
1979	Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill	Television movie
1988	INXS: Kick: The Video Flick – “Devil Inside”	Video short documentary
1992	2000 Malibu Road	5 Episodes
1993	Lenny Kravitz: Heaven Help – European Version	Video short
1994	Seal: Kiss from a Rose, Version 1	Video short
2004	I’m Only Looking: The Best of INXS – “Devil Inside”	Video documentary
2008	Choose or Lose	Television special
2011	Man in the Mirror	Short
2012	The Killing Floor: Star Baby	Video short
2013	House of Cards	2 Episodes

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

1983	Now We’re Cookin’	Television movie
1985	Code Name: Foxfire	Episode: “Slay It Again, Sam”
1986	Slow Burn	Television movie
1992	2000 Malibu Road	Episode: “#1.6”
2015	Do Not Disturb: Hotel Horrors	3 Episodes

WRITER

1974	Virginia Hill	Television movie	—
1979	Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill	Television movie	Written by
1983	Now We’re Cookin’	Television movie	Written by
1985	Code Name: Foxfire	Episode: “Slay It Again, Sam”	Created | Story by