Moved to New York City at the age of seventeen from Akron, Ohio.
Graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in English, class of
'75. Without any prior film experience, he was accepted into the Tisch
School of the Arts, New York.
Founder member of "the Sons of Lee Marvin". Other members include Tom Waits, Thurston Moore, John Lurie, Nick Cave. Membership requires a plausible likeness to Lee Marvin such that you could be rumored to be his son.
I know. It's all so . . . independent. I'm so sick of that word. I
reach for my revolver when I hear the word 'quirky.' Or 'edgy.' Those
words are now becoming labels that are slapped on products to sell
them. Anyone who makes a film that is the film they want to make, and
it is not defined by marketing analysis or a commercial enterprise, is
independent. My movies are kind of made by hand. They're not polished
-- they're sort of built in the garage. It's more like being an artisan
in some way.
Trademarks
Stationary camera (deadpan). His films often involve travlers
as well as life after midnight. Shows and views the American
landscape from a non-commercial viewpoint (e.g. the tavern were
everybody knows your name instead of franchised stripmalls)