John Landis carved a unique path in Hollywood, becoming a celebrated director renowned for his comedic masterpieces and groundbreaking ventures into music videos. His journey began unconventionally in the mailroom at 20th Century-Fox. Dropping out of high school at 18, the ambitious John Landis ventured to Yugoslavia, taking on a production assistant role for Stoßtrupp Gold (1970). His European sojourn extended as he immersed himself in the world of filmmaking, working as an actor, extra, and stuntman in numerous Spanish-Italian “spaghetti westerns.”
Returning to the United States, John Landis made a striking directorial debut at just 21 with Schlock (1973). This affectionate parody of monster movies showcased his early comedic and filmmaking sensibilities. Landis himself even starred in the film, humorously embodying “Schlockthropus,” the missing link, in a gorilla suit designed by the legendary Rick Baker. After further honing his skills as a writer, actor, and production assistant, John Landis achieved his second directorial credit with Kentucky Fried Movie (1977). This project was a collaborative effort with the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams, foreshadowing his knack for ensemble comedy.
The film National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), known in Germany as Ich glaub’, mich tritt ein Pferd, catapulted John Landis to international fame. This raucous comedy became a cultural phenomenon, solidifying Landis’s position as a leading comedic director. He followed this success with a string of blockbuster comedies that defined the 1980s. Films like The Blues Brothers (1980), Trading Places (1983), Spies Like Us (1985), Three Amigos! (1986), and Coming to America (1988) became enduring classics, showcasing his ability to blend slapstick humor with sharp wit and memorable characters. Beyond these iconic comedies, John Landis also directed films like Into the Night (1985) and Innocent Blood (1992), demonstrating his versatility across genres. Notably, he ventured into horror-comedy with An American Werewolf in London (1981), a film he not only directed but also wrote, which has achieved cult classic status for its innovative special effects and genre-bending narrative.
A dark chapter in John Landis’s career involved the tragic accident during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), specifically his segment. Actor Vic Morrow and two child actors tragically died in an accident on set. In 1986, Landis and four others faced legal proceedings but were acquitted of responsibility for the accident. Despite this controversy, Landis continued to work, showcasing resilience and dedication to his craft. Twilight Zone: The Movie was an anthology film featuring segments also directed by notable filmmakers Joe Dante, George Miller, and Steven Spielberg.
In 1983, John Landis revolutionized the music video landscape by writing and directing Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Originally conceived as a theatrical short, Thriller became a cultural phenomenon, transforming MTV and the very concept of music videos. It garnered numerous accolades, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Overall Video, Viewer’s Choice, and the Video Vanguard Award, hailed as “The Greatest Video in the History of the World.” In 1991, “Thriller” was inducted into the MVPA’s Hall of Fame, cementing its legacy. John Landis collaborated with Michael Jackson again in 1991 on Black or White. This music video, which premiered simultaneously in 27 countries to an estimated 500 million viewers, popularized “digital morphing,” setting a new standard for special effects in music videos.
John Landis also made significant contributions to television. He served as executive producer and often director of the acclaimed HBO series Dream On (1990), which earned both Ace and Emmy Awards. His production company, St. Clare Entertainment, produced other TV shows, including Weird Science (1994), Sliders (1995), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997), Campus Cops (1995), and The Lost World (1998). In 2004, he directed a feature-length documentary, Slasher (2004), for the Independent Film Channel. Further exploring the horror genre, John Landis and his son Max Landis co-wrote “Deer Woman,” a one-hour episode that launched the Masters of Horror (2005) series on Showtime, alongside episodes directed by other horror luminaries like John Carpenter, Roger Corman, and Dario Argento.
Highly sought after for commercials, John Landis directed spots for major brands like Direct TV, Taco Bell, Coca-Cola, and Disney. His contributions to film have been internationally recognized. The French government honored him as a Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985. He received the Federico Fellini Prize at the Rimini Cinema Festival in Italy and was named a George Eastman Scholar by The Eastman House in Rochester, New York. Film festivals in Edinburgh and Torino have held career retrospectives of his work. In 2004, he was awarded the Time Machine Career Achievement Award at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain. As a film scholar and representative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, John Landis has lectured at prestigious universities and film schools worldwide. He has also served as a mentor at the Sundance Institute. Adding to his diverse portfolio, he edited Best American Movie Writing 2001.
Born in Chicago, John Landis moved to Los Angeles shortly after birth. He is married to Deborah Nadoolman, an Oscar-nominated costume designer and President of the Costume Designers Guild, and they have two children. John Landis’s career is a testament to his versatile talent, enduring creativity, and significant impact on comedy cinema and music video production.
