Russell Mulcahy

Russell Mulcahy
Born (1953-06-23) 23 June 1953
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation Film director, screenwriter

Russell Mulcahy (born 23 June 1953 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian film director.[1][2] Mulcahy's work is recognizable by the use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights as well as being one of the most prominent music video directors of the 1980s. He has also worked in television since the early 1990s, and is currently working as a director on episodes of MTV's Teen Wolf.

Music videos

Russell Mulcahy's career began as a film editor for Australia's Seven Network. After making a number of film clips for Australian bands, including Dragon, he relocated to the UK around 1976, Mulcahy joined Jon Roseman Productions International and made successful music videos for several noted British pop acts—his early UK credits included The Sex Pistols, XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979), The Vapors' hit "Turning Japanese" and his landmark video for The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" (1979) which became the first music video played on MTV in 1981.[3] In 1978, he went to the United States (for Roseman) and directed videos for The Cryers and Candi Staton - where he first used the "jump cut" - under producer Paul Flattery. Other Mulcahy innovations included spot color, body painting, glass matte shots and faux widescreen aspect ratio (first used on his Ultravox and Rod Stewart videos) which have all become standards for the genre.

By the mid-1980s Mulcahy was directing videos for some of the most successful pop-rock acts of the period including The Human League, The Tubes, Elton John, Ultravox, most of the major hits of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Kim Carnes, Bonnie Tyler, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, The Motels, Supertramp, Kenny Loggins and The Rolling Stones.[4]

Highlander series

In 1986, Mulcahy became well known after directing the cult classic film Highlander, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery, featuring music from Queen.[2] He later directed the sequel, Highlander II: The Quickening, but disowned it after the producers interfered with production. Reportedly he wanted to have his credit changed to Alan Smithee, but as he was not a member of the Directors Guild of America, he had no way of forcing the producers to change the credit. He eventually took the opportunity to restore his vision for the film, to a large extent, with the video release of Highlander II: The Renegade Version.

Music videography

He also directed videos for Def Leppard, Boy George, Kenny Loggins, Arcadia, Falco, Go West, Cliff Richard, Supertramp, The Motels, Talk Talk, The Stranglers, 10cc, The Human League, XTC, and AC/DC.

Filmography

Director

Television

Director

Personal life

Mulcahy lives with his partner in Sydney.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Russell Mulcahy". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Charles Kaiser (2000-09-18). "The Queerest Show on Earth". New York Magazine.
  3. ↑ Biography for Russell Mulcahy at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ↑ Mvdbase.com - Russell Mulcahy
  5. ↑ "Russell Mulcahy's BAIT 3D Gets Funding By Screen Australia". DreadCentral.
  6. ↑ "A Tiger Shark Massacre in 'Bait 3D'". Bloody-Disgusting.
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